The Front Page

Is New Zealand’s largest city dying?

Auckland is home to roughly a third of the entire country’s population and is predicted to grow even bigger in the coming years.

The City of Sails is, by far, the largest contributor to New Zealand’s economic output, generating about 40% of GDP.

But, walk down many of the inner-city streets, and you’ll see vacant lots – with a lot of potential.

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald property editor, Anne Gibson is with us to discuss what can be done to get developers moving on empty spaces – some, that have been desolate for decades.

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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: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is likely to pass a law banning farm-to-forest conversions to protect productive farmland for food production. 

It’ll mean a restriction on planting forests on high-quality land – and it’s a response to the previous government’s Emissions Reduction Plan.  

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has emphasised the need to protect productive farmland, maintain food security, and ensure that forestry expansion doesn’t come at the expense of agriculture and rural livelihoods.  

But, have we placed too much importance on planting trees anyway? And should we be focusing our efforts elsewhere? 

Today on The Front Page, University of Canterbury emeritus Professor David Norton is with us to break down what all this actually means – and whether we’ll be able to meet our ambitious climate targets.

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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: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are more than 9,000 gang members in New Zealand, and thousands more associates.

The coalition government from the get-go promised a crackdown on gangs – they've banned gang insignia in public, handed police greater powers, and created laws to disrupt get-togethers. But, is that all enough?

Jared Savage has been a journalist at the NZ Herald for about 20 years, with a focus on organised crime.

His latest book, Underworld, is the third in a series of he’s released since 2020 – and the latest instalment delves deeper into our country’s dark underbelly of gangs, guns, drugs, and money – lots and lots of money.

Today on The Front Page, Savage joins us to discuss the rising threat of organised crime in New Zealand.

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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: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might look on Facebook marketplace for a new couch, a lamp, a rug.

But, what about class A drugs? Or how about a ghost gun?

A Herald investigation has revealed at least 56 listings were circulating on the site offering magic mushrooms, cannabis, and in one case LSD across the North Island and top of the south.

And that could just be the tip of the iceberg of illicit sales on social media.

So how do we get on top of this?

NZ Herald senior investigative reporter Michael Morrah has been looking into this, and joins us today on The Front Page.

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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: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve all been caught out when using PayWave or contactless payment in stores, where we think we know how much we’re paying and then a surcharge adds a tiny bit more on that final price.

Well, that’s about to change.

The Government is planning to ban retailers from being able to add surcharges to most in-store card payments.

It follows a decision by the Commerce Commission last week to reduce interchange fees paid by businesses for accepting credit card payments.

So what does this all mean for consumers and business owners… are there more savings that could be made on these fees, or are they a consequence of trying to attract more competition to the market?

Today on The Front Page, Massey University Associate Professor from the School of Accountancy, Economics and Finance, Claire Matthews, is with us to break down what this all means for you.

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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: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s energy sector is broken.

That’s according to an open letter calling for the Government to do more to keep our power prices down.

Soaring power costs is always a concern – but, we now live in a country where for some it’s a privilege to have power.

We've heard too many stories about businesses closing due to the rising cost of just keeping the lights on, and everyday Kiwis are struggling as well... tens of thousands of households are cut off from basic, essential services, just because they can’t afford to pay their bills.

So, what can we actually do to keep prices down over winter - and can we ever get them to stay down permanently?

Today on The Front Page, as part of the Herald’s Power to the People campaign, we speak to the manager of Consumer NZ’s Powerswitch, Paul Fuge.

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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: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From entering Parliament in 2008 – to leading the country in 2023 – Chris Hipkins is no stranger to the spotlight.

During Covid’s beginnings, he was known as a safe set of hands, tackling Education, Health, and becoming the Minister in charge of the Covid Response for a time.

Now, he’s firmly setting his sights on election 2026 – but, is he confident he’ll still be in Labour’s driving seat when it rolls around?

Today on The Front Page, Hipkins joins us to discuss the cost of living, vibes in parliament, and whether he’ll ever be able to shake Covid.

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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: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Certificate of Educational Achievement – or NCEA – has been New Zealand’s main secondary school qualification for more than 20 years now.

But, its future could be on the line, as more top schools plan to offer alternatives – and a Government briefing raised concerns about its credibility.

So is NCEA really as bad as it’s been out made out to be, and what would be the benefit of switching your kid over to one of the other options out there?

Today on The Front Page, Dr Nina Hood from the Education Hub is with us to discuss the future of high schooling in NZ.

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: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another 1-dollar deal, another big shakeup for the New Zealand media industry.

Sky TV has snapped up broadcast network Three and its associated platforms, and will have control of them by August 1st.

It sees the exit of another international player in the local media landscape, with Warner Bros Discovery retreating a year after it closed down Three’s news outfit, Newshub.

So what does this new media merger mean for the industry – and could this change how you watch the All Blacks?

Today on The Front Page, host of The Fold podcast for The Spinoff, Duncan Grieve, is with us to discuss how this shakes things up.

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: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have we lost the right to anonymity?

By now we’ve all heard about the couple who went viral after being caught looking embarrassed on a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert in the US.

An offhand, cheeky comment by frontman Chris Martin and a whole lot of internet sleuthing later and it turns out; they were colleagues having an affair.

Details of their personal and professional lives spread across social media like wildfire, and the man involved resigned as CEO of a major tech company.

But, it’s not the first-time people have gone from complete unknowns to internet sensations... which makes you wonder – in an age when just about everyone has a camera in their pocket, is having our worst moments captured and put on the internet outside of our control?

Is there anything that can be done -- or are we all at risk of being publicly shamed?

Today on The Front Page, privacy lawyer Kathryn Dalziel is with us to discuss what the law says about privacy in our internet age.

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: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.