The Front Page

Today marks the beginning of Aotearoa’s newest ministry.   The newly established Ministry for Disabled People is meant to act as a powerful voice for the needs of those living with disability. A Cabinet paper described the previous system as one that is "fragmented, slow, hard to measure, and hasn't led to the credible policy”.  So how will the new ministry deal with New Zealand’s long and ongoing...

The Government’s sweeping plan to abolish all 20 District Health Boards comes into effect this week.     The move will replace the DHBS with a single health organisation, Health NZ, designed to manage the healthcare of New Zealanders around the country.    What will this mean for patients, doctors and nurses? And will this move succeed in repairing New Zealand’s fragmented healthcare system?     ...

Over the weekend, the US Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v Wade decision - effectively striking down the nearly 50-year enshrined right of women to access abortion treatments.      The move sent shockwaves around the world, with world leaders quick to condemn the US Supreme Court’s decision to roll back abortion laws. Where does this leave the United States as a moral authority in the We...

Two random knife attacks in a few days have rattled the nation. The motivations behind the incidents are still unclear, but they’ve drawn attention to the rising issue of violence on our streets. Are these one-off incidents or examples of a growing problem - and what are the police doing to keep New Zealanders safe?      Today, NZ Herald senior reporter Kurt Bayer joins Damien for a discussion abo...

New Zealanders were warned last week that we were at risk of nationwide energy blackout.    High demand combined with a winter snap meant that we weren’t generating enough power to keep up.  So why does this keep happening? And could things become worse as more electric cars are plugged into the grid?      Today, Electric Kiwi CEO Luke Blincoe joins Damien to discuss what it will take to make New...

New Zealand should be in a golden era for public transport.     A growing awareness of climate change, combined with congestion frustrations, should make a pivot to trains and buses a no-brainer.  But our major networks in Auckland and Wellington are plagued by negative perceptions around frequency, delays and journey times - views that even the most loyal public transport would struggle to argue...

Matariki, Aotearoa’s new public holiday, commemorates the beginning of the new year in the Māori lunar calendar.   But this day is about more than celestial changes in the night sky. It carries great cultural significance and a message that should resonate across New Zealand.   Today, Flava Breakfast co-host and host of the Up to Speed podcast, Stacey Morrison, joins Damien for a discussion about...

Another horrific crash this week has served as a reminder of the dire state of New Zealand’s road toll. Hundreds of people are dying on our roads every year, and the stats show that the millions being thrown at the problem isn't making a sizeable difference. So why does our road toll remain so high compared to other countries, and are there any simple fixes to what seems to be a systemic issue? To...

New Zealand’s nurses are not happy. They feel overworked, underpaid and frustrated by the lack of support from decision makers.  Now, with large offers coming out of Australia, many are considering moving abroad for the promise of more money and a better quality of life.  So is New Zealand doing enough to hold onto this essential workforce? Or are we sleepwalking our way into a national health cri...

June is known around the world as Pride Month. A moment of celebration for the LGBT+ community.   However, a growing backlash towards queer people in recent months has dampened the excitement.   Events in Tauranga and Greymouth have shocked the local community, while the US is being flooded with laws targeting gay and transgender people.    So what has sparked this backlash, and what needs to be d...

The proposal of Fair Pay Agreements in New Zealand has become a political lightning rod. Opponents are taking out expensive billboards and ads to oppose the Bill, while supporters are accusing some members of the business community of spreading lies and misinformation. So where does the truth lie: are Fair Pay Agreements really the great business bogeyman, or will they help the workers earning the...

This weekend, Eden Park will host the Blues and the Crusaders for an epic showdown to mark the end of the Super Rugby Pacific tournament.   It not only marks the end of a major sporting event. This clash of the long-time rivals will also be a major opportunity to welcome back live events.   Thousands are expected to flock to Eden Park for the event, and thousands more will hit the city&r...

New Zealand’s longest waterway has become a meandering river of filth. The Waikato River is regularly unswimmable and high levels of pollutants have left community members deeply concerned about how much worse it could become. There is, however, a plan to clean this mess. The only catch is that it’s going to take more than seven decades. Today, RNZ data journalist Farah Hancock joins D...

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern this week unveiled her latest cabinet reshuffle.  The changes involving the top Ministers in Government were described as “minor”, but three high-ranking politicians are moving on, resulting in a new Speaker of the House and new Ministers for some of the Government's biggest portfolios.  What led to these changes, are these key portfolios no...

The balance between work and home life has become more muddied. Technology now means we are required to always be on, stretching the workday even further.  But there’s a philosophy emerging around the world. One that suggests working four days a week could improve our productivity and wellbeing.    In 2018, Perpetual Guardian founder Andrew Barnes generated global headlines wh...

Auckland's city centre is going through a rough period. Construction, crime and social issues have combined to create an undesirable experience that both businesses and shoppers prefer to avoid.  So how did the CBD get to this point? And is there any way we can salvage it and create something we to be proud of? Today, NZ Herald writer Adam Pearse joins Damien for a discussion about the mess i...

Revelations this week have placed the spotlight on the Ministry of Health’s pandemic numbers.  It turns out that the percentage of people vaccinated in New Zealand is lower than previously thought – and that some of the most glaring errors impacted vulnerable members of the community.  So how did we get the numbers so wrong? And how damaging is this for the public's trust in...

As a tit-for-tat gang war unfolds on New Zealand's streets, the National Party has called for New Zealand to implement Australian policing strategies that have had a big impact on gang violence across the ditch.  This would mean drastic changes in the law as well as limiting what patched gang members can and can’t do in public.   But can Australian policies work within New Zea...

In recent weeks, numerous construction companies and developers have folded amid the pressures plaguing the building industry.   Bay of Plenty’s Oceanside Homes, two South Auckland developers and Wellington’s Armstrong Downes Commercial have all gone down. Why are businesses in the booming construction industry struggling to make ends meet? And is the dominance of a few large comp...

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been welcomed with open arms during her trip to the United States, appearing on late night TV, speaking at Harvard University, and sitting down with politicians from both sides of the aisle, including President Joe Biden.   Her rapturous reception in the US comes as Ardern’s popularity in New Zealand wanes, with recent polls putting Labour and Nati...

The Commonwealth this weekend celebrates the 70th Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It's a milestone that's never been reached by a British monarch before, but the joyous event is being overshadowed by a number of stories currently affecting the Royal family.  The Queen’s health is ailing, scandal continues to swirl around Prince Andrew, more commonwealth nations are becoming republics. an...

Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has previously compared New Zealand and China’s relationship to the respect a taniwha would show a dragon.  That respect has not prevented China continuing to try and firm up its presence in the Pacific – after success in signing a sweeping deal with the Solomon Islands, the rest of the region is now in their sights.  Is this a policy fa...

The Government is taking aim at the supermarket duopoly with a range of measures designed to increase competition in the sector.   This comes after a Commerce Commission market study showing that supermarket giants Woolworths and Foodstuffs were making hundreds of millions of dollars in excess profits.  So will the Government’s measures help make grocery shopping more affordable, a...

We’re at the end of New Zealand Music Month. The annual celebration of local music has gone by with almost no restrictions, the first time in two years that the industry has been able to enjoy some stability.   Yet even as we learn to live with Covid, every time concerts are planned, album launches are scheduled, or a festival date is announced – there is still uncertainty fo...

The All Blacks are being courted by the commercial muscle of a large private equity firm, Silver Lake, which wants to acquire a stake in the world’s most famous rugby team.   The promise here is that it will bring more money into the game, allowing for development from ground up. But will this really happen, Or will the All Blacks end up as little more than a commercial entity that...