The Front Page

Could solar panels and electric vehicles help New Zealand households save thousands on energy?

Rewiring Aotearoa’s Mike Casey joins The Front Page to explain the potential savings from electrification, the upfront costs stopping people from making the switch, and how cheaper finance could help.

Plus, would breaking up the big power companies lower bills, does New Zealand need an LNG terminal, and could we one day buy electricity directly from our neighbours?

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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: Katie Bradford
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the price of moving goods around New Zealand rises, who picks up the bill? 

Increasing fuel prices are putting pressure on the trucking industry, with fuel now accounting for up to 30% of operating costs. 

And that cost can travel far beyond the petrol pump, into the price of groceries and other everyday essentials. 

So how much can freight companies absorb, and how much gets passed onto us? 

Today on The Front Page, I talk to Justin Tighe-Umbers, CEO of National Road Carriers about the squeeze on trucking and what his industry wants from the next government. 

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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: Katie Bradford
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cocaine use appears to be surging in New Zealand. 

The latest NZ Drug Trends Survey reveals the proportion of people reporting cocaine use has almost tripled since 2017, while the price of the drug has fallen by nearly a third. 

Researchers say we could be in the "honeymoon phase", where cocaine looks increasingly normal, affordable, and consequence-free – before the serious harms of addiction start to emerge. 

So how big is New Zealand’s cocaine problem becoming, and where is this trend heading? 

Today on The Front Page, Massey University professor Chris Wilkins joins us to break down the numbers.

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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.

KiwiSaver might be about to get a makeover. 

The parties are pitching very different ideas for what should happen to your retirement savings... from changing contribution rates to tweaking who gets government support. 

But what would these proposals actually mean for your KiwiSaver balance and who stands to gain or lose? 

Today on The Front Page, Financial Services Council CEO Kirk Hope is with us to unpack the parties’ promises and what they could mean for your retirement.

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.

Violent crime is on the rise again. 

New figures show the number of victims has climbed to around 148,000 a year – up 9000 on the previous quarter. 

But dig into the numbers, and the picture gets a bit more complicated. 

So what is really happening with violent crime in New Zealand – and how much can we actually say about the Government’s record? 

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald senior journalist Derek Cheng is with us to crunch the numbers. 

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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.

New Zealand’s housing market has taken another step backwards. 

Property values have now fallen for six months in a row, with the national median value dropping below the previous cycle low. 

And while buyers have more choice and bargaining power, there’s still little sign of a sharp rebound - with high mortgage rates, economic uncertainty and plenty of houses on the market keeping a lid on prices. 

So, what’s happening in the housing market, and how much longer could this subdued period last? 

Today on The Front Page, Cotality NZ chief property economist Kelvin Davidson is with us to break it all down.

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.

New Zealanders are working. The economy is growing. So why aren’t we getting much more out of it? 

For more than a decade, New Zealand’s productivity growth has been painfully weak – and that could be one of the biggest economic problems facing the next Government. 

But you wouldn’t necessarily know it from the election campaign. 

The parties are promising tax cuts, more housing, cheaper groceries, changes to immigration and more spending on public services. 

But how many of those policies will actually make New Zealand more productive? 

Today on The Front Page, University of Otago economics associate professor Dennis Wesselbaum reckons productivity is the economic elephant in the room this election. He joins us now.

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 Government’s opened its books and it’s showing a return to surplus is well on track. 

The Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update shows a stronger and slightly faster surplus than predicted... with the books expected to get out of the red by 2028/29. 

Treasury also predicts unemployment has already peaked - and will track down. 

But, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Predictions of house price growth have been slashed, and there are some choice words about how costly our super is. 

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald business editor at large, Liam Dann is with us to break it all down.

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 was a weekend of big political theatre, as both National and Labour officially launched their election campaigns. 

Christopher Luxon and his National crew pushed the message of “no new taxes” ... meanwhile, Labour and Chris Hipkins unveiled a new policy to wipe 10% of student loan debt. 

But in the lead up to Election 2026, it’s not just the big parties fighting for our attention. 

So what actually makes a political campaign work? What makes a slogan, a speech, an image or a campaign ad stick in voters’ minds – and what can make a campaign fall flat? 

Today on The Front Page, University of Auckland Marketing professor Bodo Lang is with us to break down the campaign launches, the strategies behind them, and what the parties are getting right – and getting wrong.

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.

With the election just weeks away, a new poll gives us a glimpse into how voters feel about one of the major topics this campaign season – tax. 

No new taxes for working people. No new taxes full stop. Taxes for capital gains. Tax the rich. Tax inheritance. Tax landowners. 

The campaign season’s only just officially begun but it feels like we’ve already been hearing debates about the subject of taxes and levies for a while now. 

The latest Ipsos Issues Monitor survey dove deeper into the tax debate, showing about two-thirds of Kiwis would support a wealth tax. 

Today on The Front Page, Newstalk ZB political reporter, Ethan Griffiths is with us to break down the numbers. 

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.