The Front Page

After twenty years of being treated as supposed second-class citizens, Kiwis in Australia are finally getting their rights restored. Aussie Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made it easier for New Zealanders to get citizenship across the ditch, allowing over 400,000 Kiwis currently living there to vote and access basic support. NZ Herald political reporter Michael Neilsen gives Damien a lowdown...

Today is Anzac Day, the annual public holiday for us to remember our veterans and those who gave up their lives defending Aotearoa.   But while we dedicate this day to our fallen soldiers, those currently in our defence force are struggling with low wages, poor accommodation and outdated infrastructure.  So how have things got so bad for the defence force, and what can be done to improve the situa...

It's been 33 years since we last hosted the Commonwealth Games – but that could soon change. The New Zealand Olympic Committee has signaled interest in hosting the 2034 Commonwealth Games, starting a lengthy bidding process to host the international tournament. So, would this be an exciting showcase of local sporting talent – or is there a reason it’s taken three decades for us to put our hand up...

This week’s inflation data has surprised economists around the country.   The figure came in well below expectations, suggesting that the rising cost of living had peaked.   This comes amid continued rates rises from the Reserve Bank, which has been among the most aggressive in the world.   So have rates rises gone too far? Are we unnecessarily engineering a deep recession? And where could the inf...

Covid-19 case numbers are ticking up and up as we head into the colder months of the year.   And while vaccinations and prior infection do give us some level of protection, immunity is waning, and we now face the threat of new variants.   On top of this, the old threats of influenza and RSV will also waft through schools, offices and restaurants around the country in the coming months. So, are we...

Richlister Chris Meehan is taking aim at the Government in a series of advertisements.    The full-page newspaper ads describe Aotearoa as the land of the long red tape, bemoaning the difficulty of getting anything built.     He isn’t alone in making these complaints, with many other construction insiders also expressing the view that regulation has made building projects move at a glacial pace. ...

Ongoing tremors underneath Lake Taupō have seen the alert level for the supervolcano rise for the first time in history.   Geologists are closely monitoring the site, while a series of other shallow quakes have jolted Kiwis across the country.   So what’s the science behind all these tectonic movements at the moment? And is there anything for us to worry about yet?     Today, Dr Finn Illsley-Kemp,...

Three Waters is dead - long live ‘Affordable Water Reform’. The Government has announced a revised version of their policy to improve the quality of the country’s waste, storm and drinking water systems. As part of the changes announced by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty, there will be 10 regionally owned and led public water entities, instead of the four...

A damning report has been released into Auckland Council’s response to the January flooding, and has highlighted a ‘system failure’ of leadership in the first 12 hours of the response.  The report comes out as Mayor Wayne Brown marks six months in office, adding more criticism to an already divisive and controversial time wearing the mayoral chains.   So how has Brown’s time in office gone, and ca...

The Reserve Bank has hiked the Official Cash Rate to 5.25%, surprising many economists, politicians and journalists with the increase.   The eleventh consecutive OCR hike comes after the Reserve Bank admitted to deliberately engineering a recession to get on top of inflation.    But how far is the Reserve Bank willing to go? And where does this leave politicians?  Today, NZ Herald business editor...

A visit to the US by Taiwan’s President has seen China retaliate with three days of military drills that included simulating strikes and ‘sealing off’ the island. The latest moves have increased global nerves over the situation in the South China Sea, with concerns that decades of increasing tensions could finally spill over into open conflict.  University of Auckland associate professor of politi...

The relationship between our politicians and the lobbyists and donors looking to sway their minds has been thrust into the spotlight recently. Labour MP Stuart Nash was sacked as a Minister over revelations he had sent confidential Cabinet information to donors, while an investigation by RNZ’s Guyon Espiner has revealed how deep the politician – lobbyist relationship goes. Prime Minister Chris Hip...

It is Easter Monday - one of the two religious holidays celebrated by the entire country. That’s despite a growing number of New Zealanders not identifying with any organised religion. So should the whole country still be celebrating the holidays associated with one religious group? And what role does religion have in modern-day Aotearoa? Last year, Damien spoke with host of Newstalk ZB’s Sunday a...

Local police and customs officials continue to make headlines for record-breaking drug busts – including a case this year where four tonnes of cocaine were found in the ocean.  But while officials are making progress at stopping drugs coming in – drug smugglers are finding new methods, with meth-laced beer recently leading to the death of an Auckland man.   So how concerned should we be by the num...

Jacinda Ardern shocked a sleepy nation in January when she announced that she would step down as Prime Minister and leave parliament as soon as possible. That moment has now arrived, with Ardern set to vacate her parliamentary role.  All eyes will now be fixed on Ardern’s valedictory speech as she bids farewell to the only career she’s known. So how will Ardern be remembered? And what type of ex-P...

Posie Parker’s brief but controversial visit to New Zealand got our politicians talking.  Whether defending free speech and ‘white cis men’ or standing up for one of the marginalised groups in this country, politicians from all sides of the spectrum weighed in on her visit. But as our politicians take sides, are they at risk of bringing overseas ‘culture wars’ to Aotearoa – and are they willing to...

The end of March left New Zealanders shivering as temperatures dropped sharply across the country. This sent a warning sign that winter 2023 may not be as mild as those we’ve seen in recent years. So what factors are influencing our weather at the moment? How cold could this winter be? And are there any affordable ways to keep your house warm when the mercury drops? Today, NIWA meteorologist Chris...

Many New Zealanders are struggling right now with the cost of living, but some help is on the way.  From April 1st, increases to the pension, benefit, student allowance and childcare subsidies will benefit 1.4 million Kiwis, while the minimum wage increases by $1.50 an hour.  The increases are touted as helping the New Zealanders suffering the most right now as we head into a freezing winter – but...

MediaWorks-owned radio station Today FM is no more. After just a year on the airwaves, the station has today been shuttered.   It follows a dramatic on-air outburst from some of the station’s biggest talent, with broadcaster Duncan Garner telling audiences this was a betrayal -  which ultimately saw regular programming replaced by music.  So what’s behind this public collapse of the station? Where...

The high cost of dental care leaves many Kiwis with decaying teeth or massive loans to pay back. The poorest members of our society are invariably the worst affected. Now a new petition , backed by the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, is calling for dental care to be free for all. But how much would this cost the country? And is there any hope of politicians getting on board to support...

Communities around the country are playing host to a series of anti-co-governance meetings.     This roadshow is being organised by a man named Julian Batchelor, who has a history of animosity with the Māori community.  Counter-protests have been arranged at some meetings, with some critics calling the narratives being shared racist.   So where does the truth lie? And what has motivated a Northlan...

Last week, Nanaia Mahuta became the first New Zealand foreign minister to visit China since 2018.  Her visit comes amid growing geopolitical tensions around the South China Sea and Taiwan that will see nuclear-powered submarines based in Australia within the next few years.   Closer to home, security and surveillance concerns have prompted reviews into Chinese police stations and a TikTok ban on M...

What will it take for our politicians to start taking climate change seriously?  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released its latest report, again warning governments around the world that time is fast running out.   This comes only weeks after the devastating impact of Cyclone Gabrielle.   And yet, despite all these warnings from experts on what should be done, our politicians a...

An activist from the UK has sparked controversy with her plans to host a speaking event in Auckland.   Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, has attracted headlines around the world for transphobic views. Members of Aotearoa’s rainbow community have called for her right to visit this country to be blocked and are planning counter-protests. So who exactly is Posie Parker? Why have t...

Absenteeism and declining literacy and numeracy rates have left parents deeply concerned about the education standards in Aotearoa. This comes amid a major education strike, with teachers demanding better pay for the hard work they do in the classroom every day. So what’s gone wrong with our education system? What steps can we take to improve it? And is there enough political will to drive that sh...