The Front Page

The future of an Aotearoa architectural icon hangs in the balance.  Nearly 100 years after its initial construction, Chateau Tongariro finds itself in a financial mess.  The prominent hotel, which sits on National Park land owned by the Crown, is in a state of disrepair and in desperate need of remediation work.   The question hanging over all of this is who will pay the tens of millions of dollar...

September 22: Four of the minor party leaders faced off in their first televised debate of the campaign. NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson was there and joined Georgina for a rundown of how it all went, and which leader emerged victorious. Plus, Labour and National recommit to free lunches and the economy, Act wants to reverse an over-the-counter drug ban, and more accusations of MPs bullying s...

Auckland Airport has hit another bottle neck. Thousands are facing delays and long queues after having to cram into the airport in order to take to the sky during the school holidays.    The frustrations are hitting boiling point, with Herald readers calling the airport an “absolute zoo” and questioning how it is that our largest airport can struggle so much.  It comes at a time when travellers ar...

September 21: Positive economic news released today was interpreted very differently by Labour and National, while Act released their slightly complex alternative budget. New policy promises target foreign students and hospitals, while deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan joins to discuss "one of the most serious claims made on the campaign" around petrol prices and the cost of carbon.  Host: G...

We are in the thick of the election campaign, but it almost doesn’t matter what policies are being announced – everyone's eyes are on the cost of living.   With many households struggling and job cuts and restructuring now being felt, these concerns about our economic prospects are only now getting worse.  But what does the latest data show about the state of our economy, are there any positives o...

September 20th: NZ Herald editor at large Shayne Currie joins Georgina to recap and review the first televised leaders debate, and declares an unexpected true winner from the event.  Plus, Act announces their education policy, there are some Government announcements, and Christopher Luxon milks a goat. Host: Georgina Campbell Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

There’s a consensus across party lines that Aotearoa must forge a better relationship with India. Both Labour and National are vowing to organise business delegations and make trade deals with the world’s most populous country. Chris Hipkins has promised that should he be reinstated as PM he will send a prime ministerial delegation to India within his first one hundred days in office. This comes a...

September 19: There's only been one major story of the campaign today, and its for an event that hasn't happened yet. NZ Herald political editor Claire Trevett joins Georgina to discuss what to expect from the first televised debate tonight, and how important it could be for the respective campaigns.  Host: Georgina Campbell Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

An 18-year-old Canterbury woman has died after the car she was riding in crashed while fleeing police.  The accident came after police had arrived at the scene of an illegal street racing meetup in Fernside early on Sunday morning.  While it has been some time since boy racers have made national headlines, there has been a resurgence in the street racing community in Christchurch after dying down...

September 18th: It was a quiet weekend for most of the political parties, except for Act, who had their campaign launch hijacked by Freedoms NZ. NZ Herald's Adam Pearse joins Georgina to recap those events. And to today's news, resurfaced comments about fluoride from a National candidate put the pressure on Luxon today, while Labour focused on solar panels. Host: Georgina Campbell Producer: Ethan...

Back in 2020 during our last election campaign, Covid-19 was the top focus for politicians as Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins argued that their party was in the best position to get us through the pandemic. Three years on and the coronavirus is no longer on the agenda, with the Labour Government removing all restrictions and precautions last month and firmly placing the response in the past.  Bu...

September 15th: Two debates - the ASB Great Debate and a rural issues debate - drew huge interest last night. Queenstown-based Herald reporter Derek Cheng and debate moderator Heather du Plessis-Allan join the podcast today to give their thoughts on how they turned out.  Plus, a slew of new policy promises from National, Labour and Act, one politician promises to resign if a policy doesn't pan out...

Famed filmmakers Sir Peter Jackson and Dame Fran Walsh have been quietly expanding their land empire, spending hundreds of millions of dollars on properties across Wellington and Queenstown.  Their recent purchase of land in Wellington’s Shelly Bay has seen a long-mooted new housing development scrapped, with the couple planning to return much of the land to nature.  As much of the country grapple...

September 14th: Three economists have come out against National's foreign buyer tax plan, saying it is 'beyond comprehension' with the possibility of creating a $2 billion hole in their tax plans. So why won't the party release their workings for it, and will it damage them in the polls? NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan joins Georgina to provide his analysis. Plus, National target...

After relentless downpours across the North Island for most of the year, the weather in Aotearoa is about to take a rapid turn.   Meteorologists are predicting that we will soon see El Niño conditions take hold, bringing warm, dry weather.  But those rejoicing about the prospect of a hot summer might want to put the cork in the champagne and reflect on what this actually means.  So what’s headed o...

September 13th: We're over a week into the election campaign, and the steady stream of policy announcements from the major parties is becoming more of a trickle, as parties hone in on their key pledges they hope will woo voters in their direction. However, Labour and Act found new policies to announce today, while National is still being grilled on their tax plans. And as eyes turn towards the deb...

Morocco has suffered its worst earthquake in six decades.   Ancient buildings have been destroyed and key transport routes through the Atlas Mountains have been completely cut off since the initial violent shakes at the end of last week.  Close to 3,000 have already been confirmed as having lost their lives, with the death toll rising every day as more people are pulled from the rubble.   Previous...

September 12th: It was all about the PREFU - Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update - today, which arrived with some good news and big warnings. Georgina is joined by NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny to discuss what the fiscal forecasts shows. Plus, Adam Pearse details a weird moment on the campaign between National and the Taxpayers Union.  Host: Georgina Campbell Producer:...

Cancer is a diagnosis no one wants to receive, but approximately 25,000 Kiwis will hear that bad news every year.  Making those numbers even worse is the fact that our public health system doesn’t always go as far as it could to help those afflicted by our biggest killer.   Just this week, a Rotorua man told the Herald about having to spend more than $100,000 over the last two years in his fight a...

September 11th: A lot can change in a few days during an election campaign. A rough interview has seen Christopher Luxon take a hit as National's financial policy continues to face scrutiny, while Chris Hipkins enjoys a bounce back after a week of tough questions. Hamish is joined today by deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan to discuss the weekend in policy announcements and performances. Host...

Change is needed.  According to an independent panel commissioned by the Government, our electoral system is due for some updates.  Included in the wide-ranging report are suggestions on the voting age, party donations, election thresholds, and the rules on who should and shouldn’t be allowed to vote.  This task has not been undertaken lightly, with any changes needing to ensure that the foundatio...

A scheme introduced by the Government last year meant to end the abuse and exploitation of migrants instead seems to have done quite the opposite.  Multiple stories have emerged in recent weeks about migrants, brought here under the Accredited Employer Work Visa, ending up crammed in their dozens inside unsanitary houses, with many now facing eviction with nowhere to go.  So how is ir that this on...

The 2023 Rugby World Cup is kicking off this week in France.  It marks a big moment not just for the All Blacks, looking to reclaim the world title as well as recover after a rough 2022, but for the sport globally as it looks to grow its international presence.   It could make for an interesting tournament, with the draw limiting how many of the top five countries could make this years final match...

It's the case that has all of New Zealand scratching their heads. Marokopa resident Tom Phillips and his three children have been missing since January 2022.   While Police are still on the hunt for the four, the latest development involves a bank heist with people being shot at in Te Kuiti.  To discuss the many bizarre twists in this neverending case, Damien is joined on The Front Page by Newstal...

Gabon has become the latest African nation to see its leadership overthrown in a coup d’etat in recent years.  Minutes after the ailing President Ali Bongo claimed victory in a disputed election last week, military leaders took to national television to announce that the nation was under new management.  This is the eighth coup on the African continent since 2020, and comes just weeks after Niger’...