The Front Page

This week the country has celebrated 30 years of its favourite soap opera, Shortland Street. The doctors and nurses of Ferndale have survived serial killers, viral outbreaks and volcanoes to make it this far – but can it survive one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of New Zealand television?   With TVNZ preparing their merger with RNZ, and too many streaming services t...

A series of news stories and concerns over rising tremors at Mt Ruapehu have again shed light on the risk posed by the Alpine Fault.  Experts are growing increasingly concerned that a devastating earthquake could be imminent, causing widespread chaos across the South Island and costing the economy billions of dollars.   So how real is this threat, and are we prepared for its impact?...

Inheritance law is set for a major revamp off the back of a series of recommendations by the Law Commission.     This could leave relatives expecting to inherit family wealth with a bitter taste.  To find out who will be entitled to what under the new law, Damien speaks to New Zealand Herald senior journalist Jane Phare.  Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you get...

Tauranga is on the hunt for a new member of Parliament. Nominations closed last week in the contest to replace the retired Simon Bridges.  This election comes at a tense time for New Zealand’s fifth-largest city. There are growing concerns around violence and racism, while a Crown Commission has taken over all governance responsibilities from the city’s council.  So what does...

Our closest neighbour has a new Prime Minister. Labor leader Anthony Albanese is set to be the 31st Prime Minister of Australia, defeating Liberal Party leader Scott Morrison and ending a decade of conservative rule.  While questions remain over the makeup of Parliament and his government, Albanese will likely need to work alongside a mob of climate-focused MPs that have shaken up the Austral...

On Thursday, Finance Minister Grant Robertson unveiled his fifth budget – the country’s biggest ever with a six billion dollar price tag.   And While Budget Day lets the party in power set out their agenda for the next year – and gives the Opposition a chance to cry foul about how they’re getting it wrong – beneath all the pantomime and catchphrases is a detailed...

Could you imagine the risk of Covid-19 regional lockdowns and work from home orders still coming into effect in 2027?  That’s one scenario envisioned by the International Science Council in their major new report examining how endemic the pandemic could become.   And while not all the options are as pessimistic – the report does have worrying warnings.  Today, New Z...

The Government has this week unveiled its Emissions Reduction Plan. Billions of dollars have been earmarked as part of an effort to reduce global warming and avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change.  Who are the winners and losers from this plan, and is Aotearoa on track for the future that this plan lays out?  Today, NZ Herald Senior Political Reporter and On The Tiles podcast...

A NZ journalist believes the Ukrainian people will never accept a settlement that sees territory handed over to Russia, as a result of the atrocities the invading forces have inflicted on the people. Tom Mutch has been in Ukraine since before Russia invaded at the end of February, and is currently reporting out of Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk Oblast near where much of the fighting is happening on th...

As the Government prepares to unveil the 2022 budget, several stories in recent weeks have drawn attention to several controversial spending decisions - from $21 million on consultants and contractors as part of its Three Waters plan, to $10,000 on two large propss as part of its Road to Zero campaign. So is this spending justified, or is it emblematic of a Government that’s a bit too loose...

In June 1993, Peter Ellis was convicted of 16 charges involving the sexual abuse of seven children.  But, despite his death in 2019, the case has not settled, as his supporters and legal team have successfully applied to hear the case again.    Now, one of the survivors has spoken out for the first time, and is sharing her version of what happened to her all those years ago. &n...

Back in January 2012, one of the most interesting legal cases in New Zealand’s history began when police raided a Coatesville mansion belonging to a German migrant by the name of Kim Dotcom.   A decade later, the Dotcom saga and charges related to his file hosting service MegaUpload are still going through courts, with news this week that two of his co-accused have cut a deal. Why...

The nation’s health system is failing women, often making them feel like their illness is a figment of their imagination.  Women are sometimes suffering for years longer than they should be, and this oversight ends up costing the healthcare system millions of extra dollars.      So how did we get to this point? And more importantly, how do we improve women&rsquo...

Westpac Bank last week forecast that New Zealand house prices would drop by 15 per cent over the next two years – striking the gloomiest note we’ve heard so far from any of New Zealand’s banks. This comes after years of sharp increases, but there’s still some doubt as to whether this will be enough to help those desperate to get onto the property ladder.   So just how...

An Auckland woman had Covid-19 for more than a month. Her harrowing story is one that runs the full gamut of symptoms, and possibly two variants.  What does a case like this mean for New Zealand as our immunity wanes in the coming winter months?     Today, NZ Herald reporter Kirsty Wynn joins Damien to discuss what we can learn from a fully vaccinated woman’s struggl...

National Party MP Simon Bridges delivered his valedictory speech this week, drawing the curtain on a colourful political career that spanned 14 years, and more than a few scandals. So what legacy does the former Opposition leader leave? And what does this mean for a National Party that has long struggled with diversity?    Today, NZ Herald senior political reporter Thomas Coughlan joins...

Gangs. Patches. And 501 deportees. These issues cause fierce debate across Aotearoa. But how much of what we hear is true? And what should the police and Government be doing to address these problems?  To help answer these questions, Damien speaks to NZ Herald investigative reporter Jared Savage, who this week reported on Operation Cobalt, the Government’s latest move to take on gangs....

Vaping brands arrived in New Zealand under the auspices of helping Kiwis quit smoking. They've also contributed to hooking an entirely new generation on nicotine, as vape stores have became ubiquitous. Although vaping is believed to be less damaging then smoking, it still has repercussions for health, some of which are still being discovered.  As New Zealand moves closer to its goals of a smo...

Unemployment is forecast to hit another record low this week. It's good news for workers, but it’s also putting enormous strain on businesses desperate to fill gaps. So what happens when we don’t have enough people to build our houses? And what does this mean for the workers desperately trying to meet deadlines without enough helping hands? New Zealand Herald property editor Anne Gibso...

Today is the first day in two years that tourists from around the world are allowed into Aotearoa. It's the  moment the beleaguered tourism industry had been hoping for, but the recovery of a $42 billion industry is going to take more than a few weeks.  New Zealand Herald travel editor Stephanie Holmes tells Damien that estimates suggest it will be three years before the industry is back...

This week, lobby organisation Grounded Kiwis won their case against the Government and the MIQ lottery system. This came as vindication for many New Zealanders who were trapped abroad during the height of the Delta outbreak.   What does this decision mean for MIQ as a whole, and is there a chance of compensation for those affected? Today, Open Justice journalist Hazel Osbourne joins Dami...

There have been multiple, high-profile ram raids in New Zealand in the past two weeks. The perpetrators are becoming increasingly brazen, targeting major malls and department stores. What’s worse is that many of those committing these crimes tend to be mere teenagers. So why has this problem become so widespread? And how much worse could it become? Today, New Zealand Herald senior writer Jan...

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern this month left New Zealand for the first time in two years, for a business-focused trip to Singapore and Japan. This trip was meant to be an announcement to the world that Aotearoa is open and ready for business. But between the high-level talks and the dancing kiwifruit, what did the Prime Minister actually achieve?     Today, Newstalk ZB chief political r...

In his quarterly forecast released last week, Westpac economist Satish Ranchhod said the quarterly inflation figure was set to be "another monster". The figure of 6.9 per cent that was eventually reported on Thursday is the highest the country has seen in 30 years. Today, the NZ Herald's business editor-at-large and Money Talks host Liam Dann joins Damien to discuss how this has become one of the...

What makes a person happy? Is it wealth, success, fame, great Instagram pics? Or is it something simpler that even ordinary people could strive for? And is it even important int he grand scheme of things?   In-between hosting his show on Radio Hauraki, the New Zealand Herald’s inaugural Happiness editor Matt Heath has been on a personal quest to answer these questions.   ...