Over the next week, two big sporting gambles years in the making are about to have their payoff. 

On Saturday, Auckland FC – our newest A-League football team – will play their debut game against the Brisbane Roar.  

And then on Monday, rising Formula 1 star Liam Lawson makes his debut as a full-time driver for Red Bull at the US Grand Prix.  

It’s an exciting time for Kiwi sport, and shows at the changing potential of where we can succeed.  

Today on The Front Page, we dig into these exciting developments with Newstalk ZB sport news director Clay Wilson and senior sports reporter and podcast host Elliott Smith. 

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
Sound Engineer: Dan Goodwin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has set its sights on sorting out Wellington City Council. 

After councillors last week voted against a plan to sell shares in Wellington’s airport, the city’s long term plan will need to be re-opened.  

It has prompted Local Government Minister Simeon Brown to seek advice on potential interventions, and he has labeled the situation a ‘shambles’. 

So how bad have things got in the Capital? 

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald Wellington issues reporter and host of On the Tiles Local Edition, Georgina Campbell, is with us to unpack the issues.  

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
Sound Engineer: Dan Goodwin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week marks one year since the 2023 election. 

That election saw Labour’s historic majority cut in half, and started weeks of negotiations between National, Act and NZ First about the shape of the government.  

Marking the anniversary, a 1News Verian poll shows 30% of respondents believe the country is in better shape than a year ago – while 40% think it’s worse.  

That divisive nature has been a cornerstone of this government, but is that having any impact on their policies? And what about the other side of the aisle?  

Today on The Front Page, political commentator Ben Thomas joins us to analyse the last year in politics.  

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
Sound Engineer: Dan Goodwin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government will introduce legislation later this year to create the Young Serious Offender category and empower Youth Court judges to send them to new boot camps. 

It’s all while Oranga Tamariki officials supported the view of experts that boot camps are not effective. 

So, why have every other iteration of bootcamps failed – and how might this government make them better?  

Today on The Front Page, Herald senior writer Derek Cheng is with us to discuss our tattered history of bootcamps, and what officials have warned the government about them this time round. 

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
Sound Engineer: Dan Goodwin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Official Cash Rate’s been cut to 4.75 percent – which is being touted as welcome news for households all over New Zealand. It’s the lowest the OCR has been in 18 months.

The Monetary Policy Committee said that annual consumer price inflation was within its 1 to 3% inflation target range and converging on the 2% midpoint.

While plenty of people are popping the champagne over this announcement, is this latest cut masking some of the other issues in the economy?

Today on The Front Page, Herald Business-editor-at-large Liam Dann joins us to discuss the stats you need to know.

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
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A local election begins today in Auckland, though you're probably not even aware.

364,000 Auckland households and businesses can vote this month for the trust board that runs Entrust.

If this name sounds familiar to Aucklanders, it’s because the majority shareholder of Vector dishes out $350 payments to eligible electricity account holders every year.

Yet very few of us actually vote in these elections, with voter turnout hitting single digits in 2021.

Today on The Front Page, Herald senior writer Simon Wilson is with us to discuss why you should be paying attention.

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
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Auckland’s population continues to grow, so too are the city’s schools – and many of them are running out of space.

Analysis by the Herald has found that while the school-aged population has only risen by 18 percent since the year 2000, at least one school has had its roll jump by 149 percent.

With space running out, it’s also prompting tough questions for schools and what they do with out of zone enrolments.

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald reporter Ben Leahy joins us to digest the data he’s seen about the shortage of space in our schools.

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
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A search for answers is underway after HM-NZS Manawanui ran aground and sank near Samoa. 

The $100 million ship left Auckland’s Devonport just over a week ago and was conducting a reef survey off the coast of Samoa but ran aground at 6.46pm on Saturday. 

The ship started to take on water shortly after, and fire broke out as well, prompting an evacuation of all personnel on board.  

In the end, seventy-five crew and passengers were rescued by Samoa’s Fire and Emergency Services Authority 

A Court of Inquiry is underway to find out what happened, while crews are on their way to work out how it can be salvaged and if there’s an environmental concern from leaking fuel. 

Today on The Front Page, Dr John Battersby, a Teaching Fellow in the Centre for Defence and Security at Massey University, joins us to discuss the historic nature of this incident, and its potential impact on geopolitical relationships.  

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
Sound Engineer: Dan Goodwin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a year since terrorist group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel – sparking the deadliest conflict in the Gaza region for decades. 

Since then, at least 40,000 people have died, many more injured, 1.9 million displaced, and countless buildings and homes destroyed. 

Aid organisations have consistently warned of the humanitarian crisis on the ground – and are pleading with the world for help. 

Today on The Front Page, World Vision New Zealand’s Head of Advocacy and Justice, Rebekah Armstrong discusses the extent of the crisis after a year of fighting.  

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
Sound Engineer: Dan Goodwin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Infrastructure is top of the agenda for the Government for the last months of 2024.

The Prime Minister this week released his Q4 action plan, with plenty of targets focussing on getting things built.

Among the 43 objectives is the highly controversial fast-track approvals bill, which it’s hoped will speed up the delivery of regional and national projects of significance.

The focus on infrastructure comes a week after the Government announced Dunedin’s new hospital could be downgraded due to budget concerns.

To discuss houses, roads, hospitals - and that niggly issue of budgets - today on The Front Page, we’re joined by Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop.

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
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.