The Long Read from Stuff

David Hawken and Rebecca Wright-Meldrum’s pasts had caught up. On December 9, 2023, the jury found the pair guilty of the murder of Angela Blackmoore in 1995. Justice for Angela Blackmoore was slow but it had finally arrived. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at thelongread@stuff.co.nz  CREDITS Written and read by Mart...

Advocates fear removing and replacing the relationship and sexuality education guidelines will be taking a step backwards in ending sexual violence and reversing improvements in the wellbeing of rainbow communities. Written by Hanna McCallum Read and produced by Jen Black Audio editing by Connor Scott Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wondered where your food scraps go once you place your green bin on the kerbside? In Auckland, senior journalist Steve Kilgallon takes the 555km round trip in which food scraps are transformed via anaerobic digestion to create energy and fertiliser. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at thelongread@stuff....

As David Tamihere’s conviction for murdering two Swedish tourists returned to court this week, allegations of a shock confession surfaced, along with grisly revelations that body parts from one of the victims remained on display at a laboratory for more than 20 years. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at thelongread@st...

Born with no arms and legs, Jess Stewart became somewhat of a celebrity within the Exclusive Brethren. However, when it came time to leave, it had to be carefully planned. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at thelongread@stuff.co.nz  CREDITS Written and read by Steve Kilgallon Produced by Jen Black Audio editing: Conno...

A survivor of sexual abuse at Dilworth School in the 1990s says memos written by senior school administrators shows they knew staff had sexually abused boys – and that it would continue. WARNING: This episode contains graphic content, references to sexual abuse and may be distressing for some listeners. For free help, text or call 1737, 24 hours. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full ca...

They took photos, asked personal questions, and looked in every nook and cranny of this journalist's home. As part of their qualitative research for the new Ikea mega store coming in late 2025, Ikea's interior designers are checking out NZ homes for what storage solutions we may want and need. This story was made possible by subscribers to The Post and was first featured in this week’s edition of...

Like protests or petitions, public meetings are a cornerstone of democracy. From NIMBYs to Legal Beagles and everything in between, community reporter Jonathan Killick lifts the lid on the characters that usually go along. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at thelongread@stuff.co.nz  CREDITS Written and read by Jonatha...

Described as a One-man crime wave’ Prisoner Damon Exley escaped Rimutaka Prison in February 2022 disguised as a prison guard and then abducted and raped a woman. WARNING: Warning this episode contains strong language and references to rape and may be distressing for some listeners. For free help, text or call 1737, 24 hours. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN T...

Disabled Kiwis face more dating hurdles than most, with non-disabled people often awkward or anxious around them. Olivia Shivas explores the disabled dating experience - and it’s not all about ‘those sex questions’. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at thelongread@stuff.co.nz  CREDITS Written and read by Olivia Shivas...

These people slept on couches, in cars and on floors. For The Post, Ethan Te Ora tells the story of the diverse group of people moving into new units created by community provider, Dwell, and the politics surrounding the funding of social housing. Who are these people? How did they end up needing housing help? An perhaps most importantly, do they now have a chance of creating a community. Need mor...

As New Zealand struggled with race relations at home in the late 19th century, some of its citizens were participating in a genocide overseas. Among the most damning accounts of the genocide surviving today come from reports published in New Zealand newspapers. They indicate other New Zealanders were involved in squads that hunted Selk’nam (one of the indigenous peoples of Tierra Del Fuego) captur...

Should Hedgehogs be treated as pests or pets? To some, they’re seen as pests and even worse than rats to our native species but to others, they are much loved, protected, and a cute surprise in the garden. This story first appeared in print in The Sunday Star Times. To avoid missing any of our great reads, subscribe at www.thepost.co.nz/subscribe. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full c...

UFC mixed martial artist Israel Adesanya is many things: champion fighter, fashion plate, a particular version of modern masculinity. Adam Dudding sat down with him ahead of the release of Stylebender a new feature-length film about him which aims to show all the different facets of Adesanya, in and out of the ring.  This story first appeared in print in Sunday magazine and online at https://www.t...

Minnie Baragwanath was diagnosed with a degenerative disease at age 15 which left her legally blind. This story discusses how facing her own challenges drives her to change how we think about disability.  This story was made possible by subscribers to The Post. If you want to support more beautifully-told New Zealand stories go to thepost.co.nz Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full cata...

No one really knows how many people in New Zealand have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. In its Disordered project, the Stuff Circuit team laid bare our chronic mismanagement of the disability. Co-author Paul Penfold reads their lead written investigation. To watch and read the full Disordered project, click here. WARNING: This episode contains strong language Need more great podcasts? Check out S...

How chemical weapons, economic theory and the internet combined to squeeze ten barbershops into one Auckland suburb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With prices running to thousands and scientists set to study their DNA, some say the huntaway dog – and its contribution to New Zealand – still doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Read this story and more like it on our masthead sites: Waikato Times, The Press, The Post Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at thelong...

In 2011, a Norwegian yacht sank off the coast of Antarctica during a storm. Three of its crew were lost. A decade on, a Stuff investigation finds new revelations about why the yacht sank and New Zealand's involvement. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at thelongread@stuff.co.nz  CREDITS Written and read by Lee Kenny Pr...

On the face of it, Sergeant Alastair Dickie had an easy choice to make: attend a suspected armed incident or process a disqualified driver sitting in front of him? But as Nadine Roberts found out, it’s never that simple, especially when the disqualified driver goes on to commit a brutal crime just hours later. WARNING: This podcast contains graphic content, strong language, and references to sexua...

For decades, a rundown house in Christchurch secretly harboured one of New Zealand’s greatest literary treasures. This is the story of the reclusive hoarder who hid it, the woman who wrote it, and the man who rediscovered it. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at thelongread@stuff.co.nz  CREDITS Written and read by Mich...

On Wednesday 16th August, the jury of eight women and four men reached a majority verdict, that Dickason was guilty on all three counts of murder. Over the four-week trial, the jury had to decide whether Dickason was or was not criminally responsible for killing her three children at their home in Timaru on the 16th of September 2021. WARNING: This podcast covers issues that may be distressing for...

In 1927, 82-year-old André Jose was bludgeoned to death in a Stewart Island boarding house. His death is the only known homicide on the island. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at thelongread@stuff.co.nz  CREDITS Written by Hamish McNeilly Read by Dominic Harris Produced by Philippa Tolley Audio editing: John Ropiha L...

 Welcome to a world where the best bodies look like bricks and $35 buys you the chance of a championship. At a Porirua guinea pig show, Virginia Fallon meets the people who know good things really do come in small packages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cool under fire, Kiwi Sergeant Edgar "Sandy" Sanders was known for his wartime heroics as part of a clandestine British army unit, The Long Range Desert Group. The unit operated in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt and their hit-and-run tactics made them a formidable fighting force. But after the war, Sanders continued his daring exploits, this time sailing the Pacific for the fabled Treasure of Lima. Lear...