The Front Page

Voting documents will soon be sent out, inviting enrolled New Zealanders to cast their votes in the local elections.

While this is meant to be an important part of the democratic process, participation in local elections has been woeful in recent decades, sitting at around 42 per cent.

But this time, the stakes are higher. Numerous councils are in disarray and conspiracy theorists are encouraging their supporters to put forward candidates.

So will this be enough to encourage New Zealanders to head to the polls? And what price will we pay for a lack of participation?   

Today, Wellington issues reporter and host of On the Tiles – Local Edition, Georgina Campbell, joins Damien to discuss the battles shaping up in New Zealand’s local politics.    

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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
Editor/Producer: Shaun D Wilson
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you a member of a union? 

In many industries, it’s not a question that gets asked much these days. The golden age of unions has long passed, and for many workers being a union member has become a foreign concept. 

But international trends suggest that’s about to change. Major corporations are publicly fighting to stop their workers unionising, while a wave of strike action is sweeping across the United Kingdom – and keeping the public onboard.  

So why are unions now coming back into fashion – and could this international trend hit New Zealand? 

Today, Professor Mark Harcourt, an expert in human resource management, joins Damien for a discussion about the state of New Zealand’s unions.  

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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
Editor/Producer: Shaun D Wilson
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is a nation of car lovers – but it’s a costly fascination, not only for motorheads but for the Government.  

Roads require maintenance and repair. Roads sometimes need to be replaced or rerouted. And that requires the Government to cough up the cash. 

So what happens when we run out of funding – not only for new motorways, but for the basic repairs to stop the cracks from showing? 

Today, NZ Herald senior political reporter and host of On the Tiles, Thomas Coughlan, joins Damien to discuss his recent reporting into funding shortfall and budget blowouts.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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
Editor/Producer: Shaun D Wilson
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trevor Mallard has departed his role as Speaker after almost five years of controversy.

For his nearly four decades of service to the Labour Party, he has been rewarded with a diplomatic posting in Ireland.

But not everyone is convinced that he’s the right person to represent New Zealand on the global stage.

Assault allegations earlier in his career combined with some of his antics as Speaker have some questioning whether he has the temperament for the position.

So is Mallard just the biggest bully at the beehive as his critics allege, or is his legacy more complicated than that?  And what can we expect from our new Speaker, Adrian Rurawhe?

Today, Audrey Young, a senior political correspondent and former political editor at the New Zealand Herald, joins Damien for a discussion about one of the country’s most divisive politicians.    

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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
Editor/Producer: Shaun D Wilson
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Government has been pouring money into attracting large movie makers to Aotearoa.  

One of the big benefactors was the new Lord of the Rings TV show hitting Amazon Prime next week. 
 
The promise is that these incentives will create jobs, boost the economy and offer fresh marketing opportunities.  

But as other sectors cry out for that funding, are we getting a good return on our investment? And should we be looking into other ways to spend the large sums going to international movie studios?     
 
Today, NZ Herald investigative reporter Matt Nippert joins Damien for discussion about whether New Zealand is simply lining the pockets of rich movie executives.  

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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
Editor/Producer: Shaun D Wilson
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the last week Nelson has been devastated by floods. Homes have been rendered unlivable, roads have been damaged, landslides have led to evacuations and the rural community has been submerged in some areas.  

This isn’t the first time Nelson’s been hit like this, and it’s likely that it won’t be the last time we see devastation of this magnitude. 
 
So how prepared are we for the ongoing impact of climate change, and do we need more immediate measures put in place?

Today, Damien talks to freelance photographer Tim Cuff, who will give us a snapshot of the damage that’s been caused to Nelson, before being joined by Climate Change Minister James Shaw to discuss the impact climate change is already have on New Zealand. 

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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
Editor/Producer: Paddy Fox and Shaun D Wilson
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than a thousand protesters are set to converge at parliament today. 

Fueled by frustration and anger, they falsely accuse the Government, public officials and journalists of crimes against humanity.

But while some are taking their anger to Parliament’s doorstep, there are now reports that people influenced by disinformation are contesting seats in local elections as part of their effort to make Aotearoa ‘ungovernable’.

So why are people still so angry with the Government, what role do conspiracy theories play in this rage, and how concerning is it for New Zealand’s future? 

Today, Disinformation Project director Kate Hannah joins Damien for a discussion on how conspiracy theories are making the leap from online into the real world.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would you do if you won Lotto? 

It's a question we’ve all asked ourselves. It’s the ultimate get-rich-quick fantasy that the majority of the country can only fantasize over. 

However, ending up with $19 million in your bank account overnight isn’t quite the dream it’s made out to be.  

So what’s the right way to handle a sudden fortune like that? 

Today, NZ Herald senior writer David Fisher joins Damien to discuss how one man’s financial fortune turned into a legal nightmare - and later, Cooking the Books host and BusinessDesk investment editor Frances Cook explains what people can do to avoid a similar fate. 

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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
Editor: Paddy Fox 
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, after intense speculation across New Zealand and the global rugby community, the New Zealand Rugby board announced that Ian Foster will remain as the All Blacks coach through to the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

In this episode of Newstalk ZB and iHeartRadio's Rugby Direct podcast, hosts Elliott Smith and Liam Napier discuss the decision and what it means for the All Blacks' future. 

You can follow Rugby Direct on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of people reporting that they are victims of crime has shot up to record levels.

Worryingly, we are also seeing a growing trend of offences committed by younger members of society. We rarely see a week pass without a ram raid incident.  

This has led some politicians to call for harsher penalties for those committing these crimes - even if it does ring of hypocrisy. 

But do harsher penalties actually work? And as a society do we tend to be hard on some offenders while giving a free pass to others?  

Today, I’m joined by Auckland University criminology expert Dr Ronald Kramer to discuss what we can do about some of New Zealand’s youngest criminal offenders.   

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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
Editor: Paddy Fox 
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.