The Front Page

Ask the average Kiwi on the street, and they’ll likely tell you that they don’t feel as safe as they once did.  
 
Random crimes, ram raids, gang activity, and disorderly behaviour have dominated our headlines over the last 12 months, creating a sense that crime is out of control. In response, there has been scathing criticism from politicians who claim that the Government is too soft on crime. 

But does that perception match reality? Is crime really out of control? And is our justice system too soft on perpetrators?     

Greg Newbold (Emeritus Professor of Criminology from Canterbury University) has the unique perspective of having experienced the justice system first-hand as a prisoner, followed by decades of academic analysis. He joins Damien to discuss some of the causes behind the current crime wave, and how our concerns around it compare internationally. 

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Venuto
Producers: Shaun D Wilson
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ferry services across the Cook Strait are one of Aotearoa’s most vital transport links. 

They’re also one of the most prone to failure. 

Recent issues with Interislander and Bluebridge ferries – including failing ships and mayday calls in the middle of storms - have shone the spotlight on the years-long issues with the ferry services that link our country’s two islands.

So how did this major transport link, once pitched as the key part of a summer vacation, become such a national embarrassment?

Today, Damien is joined by senior Wellington reporter and host of the On the Tiles – Local Edition podcast, Georgina Campbell, to discuss why these ferry services have become such an issue.  

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Venuto
Producers: Shaun D Wilson
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even at the ground level, women can struggle to break into the work force or restart their careers after taking some time off. 
 
So why do things continue to be so tough for women? Will the upcoming recession make things even more difficult? And what are some of the things men can do to help more?

Today, Robyn Moore, the executive manager at the Auckland branch of not-for-profit Dress for Success, along with Board Chair Andrea Hardy, give Damien a sense of how hard being part of the workfoece can be for women.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Venuto
Producers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy Fox
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Half of mortgage holders will take a hit of hundreds of dollars when they need to refix their interest rates within the next 12 months.
 
This will heap financial pressure on homeowners at a time when house prices are also steadily declining.
 
Amid all this, business confidence is also on the slide and bosses are starting to pull back on hiring new staff.
 
So much will this mortgage shock hurt? Will renters end up being hit the hardest? And when can we expect things to start turning around?

Today, Westpac senior economist Satish Rancchod crunches the numbers on the big economic squeeze heading our way.  

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Venuto
Producers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy Fox
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Forestry waste plowing through homes, destroying farmland and piling up on east coast beaches during recent storms has angered the public. 
 
The Government has announced that there will be a ministerial inquiry to work out if more could be done to keep forestry in check. But in doing so, they’ll come up against a multi-billion-dollar industry well versed in the practice of lobbying.

Today, Dr Bryce Edwards, a lecturer in politics at Victoria University, talks to Damien about why the massive industry behind the slash problem is in for a political lashing.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Venuto
Producer: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy Fox

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A series of posts have come back to bite the former Te Whatu Ora and Environmental Protection Authority chairman Rob Campbell.

On LinkedIn, he attacked National’s Three Waters policy and accused the party of dog whistling on co-governance.

These comments became a political lightning rod and have ultimately led to the Government sacking him from his leadership roles within the health and environmental sectors.

Today, Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls explains the rules of engagement for senior public officials, and NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann gives Damien a sense of who Rob Campbell actually is.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Venuto
Producers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy Fox

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The draft budget for Aotearoa’s super city is already whipping up worries. 

The proposal suggests selling the council’s shares in Auckland International Airport, cuts to multiple services, less public events, and a boost in disaster-response spending.  

Even with all that, rates would rise by a net average of 5.66 per cent. 

So is this the best course of action for Auckland’s council to take? Are these the type of cuts that have the most impact on those already struggling? And is this a budget that is planning for a brighter future for Tāmaki Makaurau? 
 
Today, NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson is on The Front Page to discuss decisions that will shape our largest city for years to come. 

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Venuto
Producers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy Fox

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WARNING: This episode features content dealing with self-harm, suicide, and related mental health topics. 

Scroll through TikTok and you’re likely to find a series of harmless, sometimes hilarious, video clips of young people doing weird things.  

But dig a little deeper, and you’re likely to find a dark underbelly of posts, sharing the experiences of people suffering from mental illness.

So what is TikTok doing about it? Do parents actually know what their kids are looking at? And what should our regulators do to keep New Zealand’s teenagers safe from harm?  
 
Today, 20-year-old university student Megan Dykes shares a first-hand experience of a young person’s struggle with mental health in the age of social media, and NZ Herald investigations editor Alex Spence helps Damien understand why social media, and TikTok in particular, is raising concern around the world.  

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Venuto
Producers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy Fox
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today marks the last day of summer, but North Islanders can be forgiven for not noticing. 

Relentless downpours have rendered this summer one the wettest in living memory. A cyclone and two bands of thunderstorms have already caused enormous damage across the North Island – and there are fears there could yet be more to come.
 
Why has our infrastructure battled to withstand the downpours? And what can we learn from the way other countries prepare for tropical cyclones?       
 
Today, NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll joins Damien to reflect on the summer that never was.  

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Venuto
Producers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy Fox

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The arduous task of counting all the people who live here is fast approaching.  
  
March 7th is Census Day – meaning that each of us will have to fill in forms detailing how many people live in our homes.  
 
This information is critical in showing how our population is changing and plays a key role in determining how resources are distributed across the country. 
 
But gathering this information isn’t easy at the best of times – even less so amid the destruction caused by recent storms.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Venuto
Producers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy Fox
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.