The Front Page

New Zealand businesses are running on fumes, with cash reserves dwindling amid surging fuel prices and KiwiSaver costs... all while the full shockwave hasn't fully hit yet.

Economist and publisher of The Kākā, Bernard Hickey, joins us to explain why the fuel crisis reality is only dawning, the supply chain pain ahead, and what it means for New Zealand's economy. 

He also answers the question we've all been asking ... what does Wylie Coyote have to do with any of this?

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New Zealand’s unemployment rate is expected to hold steady - at least on paper - when new data is released this week. 

But beneath that headline number, economists are warning the labour market may already be weakening, just as global tensions and an oil shock begin to bite. 

There are also growing concerns about something called ‘stagflation’... where higher unemployment and rising inflation collide... and what that could mean for households and the wider economy. 

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann is with us to unpack what to look for in the latest data, what it really tells us about the state of the economy, and what could come next.

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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: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barry Soper is a name and certainly a voice that’s recognisable across New Zealand.

After decades in the Beehive, Soper put pen to paper outlining his time covering 12 Prime Ministers, from Muldoon to Luxon.

He blends personal stories, policy critiques, and behind-the-scenes tales ... like Muldoon’s drunken Schnapps election call, Lange’s antics in Africa, and Bolger’s mimicry habits.

As former PM John Key wrote in one of the book’s forewords, “Barry knew, and still knows, where the bones are buried”. The other foreword is penned by Helen Clark.

Barry Soper joins The Front Page to discuss how political reporting has changed over the years, and where he thinks it’s headed.

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A man has been charged with attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump after trying to storm the White House correspondents’ dinner.

The 31-year-old was carrying a semi-automatic handgun, a pump-action shot gun, and three knives as he charged past security. A White House security review’s been launched to understand how this person managed to get so close to the President.

So how should we understand this moment? Is it part of a long historical pattern, or something new? And what are the risks of copycat attacks, political escalation, and the way this is reported?

Today on The Front Page, University of Waikato international law professor Alexander Gillespie is with us to unpack the history, the legal questions, and what it all means from here.

Host/Producer: Chelsea Daniels 
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Executive Producer: Jane Yee

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El Niño is set to hit New Zealand this winter. 

Global climate models show there’s a greater than 60% probability that this ‘event’ will be ‘strong’ by spring, with the potential to intensify later this year. 

But, what does this all actually mean? What happens when the ocean surface warms? And what does it mean for our weather? 

Today on The Front Page, Earth Sciences New Zealand and MetService meteorologist Jon Tunster is with us to make sense of it all.

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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: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report suggests that New Zealand’s rapidly changing demographic make-up has reached a critical point.  

Within decades, a quarter of all New Zealanders could be 65 or older – a situation unheard of in our history.  

At the same time, migration patterns are shifting, cities like Auckland are absorbing most growth, and regional decline is accelerating. 

The Koi Tū Centre for Informed Futures report argues these trends can no longer be managed as separate issues – we need a national population strategy to link housing, health, infrastructure and economic policy. 

Today on The Front Page, emeritus Professor Paul Spoonley unpacks the data, the risks of inaction, and what a credible strategy would look like for our cities, regions and prosperity. 

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: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister is adamant that New Zealand’s economic recovery has been delayed, but not derailed, by the war in Iran. 

Nicola Willis has shone a light on the country’s economic outlook in the lead up to next month’s budget. 

At the same time, Stats NZ data on the country’s productivity performance for the year to March 2025 shows our productivity continued to fall during what was a recessionary period for New Zealand. 

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann is with us to take us through what this all means for our country’s economy, and for you. 

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: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sales volumes have continued to decline across New Zealand’s housing market.

It marks a third consecutive monthly fall and extends the subdued start to 2026 – even as property values remain broadly stable.

But beneath the surface, the picture is uneven.

Auckland remains soft, first home buyers are propping up demand, and the rental market is showing signs of strain.

At the same time, global uncertainty and inflation risks are starting to cloud the outlook.

Today on The Front Page, Cotality NZ Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson is with us to unpack what’s really happening in the housing market, and what could come next.

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: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s safe to say our last episode on EVs amid the current fuel crisis sparked some lively debate.

Our last guest’s take on unreliable EVs and the possibility of brand collapses drew strong pushback.

So, today, we're flipping the script with a fresh take to tackle your top concerns head-on. EV registrations are still surging alongside hybrids and PHEVs.
As of April 19, there were 5346 EVs registered this year, compared to 2493 at the same time last year. Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle, or PHEVs, are at an all-time high up 79% and Hybrids up 6.2%.

Today on The Front Page, AA chief mobility officer, Jonathan Sergel, is with us to break down the fact and fiction around EVs.

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: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has initiated and survived a motion of confidence as National Party leader. 

After about a three-hour caucus meeting, Christopher Luxon read a short statement out to media before leaving without taking questions. 

This all comes after weeks of speculation about whether his performance during the Iran fuel crisis mixed with poor polling would be enough to get him kicked out of the Beehive. 

So, does Luxon actually have the full support of his caucus? Will this all quieten leadership rumours? And what will it mean for the election?  

NZ Herald chief political reporter Jamie Ensor was in amongst the action all day today – he joins us now on The Front Page.

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: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.