The Front Page

The Government is keen on making it easier to get more drivers on the road.

If proposed changes announced this week go through, the second practical driving test required for a full licence will be scrapped, and the number of eyesight tests needed will be reduced, with new safety measures being introduced as well.

It comes as the Government continues with its pledge to reverse Labour’s “blanket speed limit reductions” - something National campaigned on.

But will a more affordable drivers license system, and higher speed limits, make our roads any safer?

Today on The Front Page, we’re joined by AA road safety spokesperson, Dylan Thomsen , to discuss the Government’s latest plans for our roads.

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: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The severe storm barrelling towards the upper North Island has been upgraded to a tropical cyclone.

The Fiji Meteorological Service has named the storm “Tropical Cyclone Tam”, and while its centre is expected to remain west of Cape Reinga, forecasters are still warning of severe wind and rain over the next 24 hours.

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: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand fashion has had a shake-up in recent years – with both well-known and home-grown brands shutting up shop.

Kate Sylvester will shut their doors this year after 31 years of trade – and newer labels, Mina, Hej hej, and Nisa have all ended production.

The struggles are perhaps best epitomised by New Zealand fashion week, which cancelled its 2024 season after cancellations in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

And the issues show no sign of stopping, with global trade wars highlighting how many designers manufacture their goods in China, Vietnam and Cambodia – all hit hard by tariffs.

Today on The Front Page, to discuss the state of the industry, we’re joined by Viva’s departing fashion and creative director, Dan Ahwa.

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: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pauline Hanna on a boat, sea breeze, big smiles.

It’s the image filmmakers of a new three-part documentary into her death, and subsequent murder trial of her husband, decide to open on.

Philip Polkinghorne was found not guilty of strangling his wife and making it look like she’d taken her own life.

The Front Page covered the mammoth nine-week trial in the series: Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial.

Today on The Front Page, executive producer Mark McNeill is with us to talk about the trial, the documentary, and the life of Pauline.

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: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artificial intelligence has been the hot topic of debate in the business world for the last few years.

But increasingly, it’s an area that is encroaching in on the creative industries.

The latest OpenAI update is so advanced, fans online have used it to eerily replicate the hand drawn art style of Japanese anime favourites, Studio Ghibli.

It’s just the latest sign of AI coming for the arts, with recent headlines also highlighting concerns over entirely artificial models in ad campaigns, and fake movie trailers that look close to the real thing.

What protections are there in place for our creative sector, or could they become one of the first industries to fall to our new AI overlords?

Today on The Front Page, University of Sydney business school Associate Professor Sandra Peter is with us to take us through the impact of these emerging technologies.

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: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Politics is rarely quiet in New Zealand, but we’ve seen plenty of upheaval in the last few weeks.

Notably, after over a year of protests and thousands of submissions against it, the Treaty Principles Bill has finally been killed off, after being voted down in its second reading in the House yesterday.

But things are looking up for the Coalition, with two recent polls firming up support for National, Act and NZ First – even if it remains a tight race between the right and left blocs. 

Now that trade wars and tariffs have shaken up the global economy, what is the Government going to focus on to keep their re-election hopes alive?

And can Labour thrive despite controversies hitting its partners?

Today on The Front Page, to talk through the latest in politics, we’re joined by Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls.

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: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A week after announcing his Liberation Day tariffs and causing global market chaos, US President Donald Trump has done a 180.

He has announced on social media that he has paused tariffs against 75 countries for 90 days – but has doubled down on a trade war with China, announcing a 125% tariffs on goods from the country.

US stocks rocketed higher after the declaration – the S&P 500 posted its best day since 2008, and the Nasdaq its best since 2001.

So what's behind the sudden backtrack, and what could all of this mean for New Zealand?

Today on The Front Page for this bonus episode, we’re joined once again by NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann.

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: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cost of living has hit many families around the country hard – but what about the singles out there?

From booking holidays to having a roof over your head, there’s often an additional cost of doing life alone.

Research shows that, for people aged 25 to 49, those who are single spend 14% more than their coupled counterparts.

It has been dubbed the ‘singles tax’, and while it is gaining more traction in the mainstream, lowering costs for the partnerless is not an easy task.

Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Equab has crunched the numbers on this, and he joins us today 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
Sound Engineer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s no doubt about it, being a parliamentarian is a public facing, high-stress, demanding job.

You’re exposed, scrutinised, and your decisions affect the entire country – for better, or worse.

But, do the high-stakes constitute the abuse they face, some on a daily basis?

Recently, we’ve seen Minister Shane Jones and his wife Dot accosted at an airport, increased security for Mayors Wayne Brown and Tania Tapsell, and death threats aimed at Green MP Benjamin Doyle – but those are all just stories from the last month.

University of Otago research out today shows female MPs are being assaulted with weapons, threatened with rape, and subjected to death threats – and it’s become commonplace.

Today on The Front Page, senior author and professor Susanna Every-Palmer is with us to talk about whether it’s high-time to better protect our elected officials.

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: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump’s Liberation Day has felt more like a bloodbath for the world economy.

The US President last week announced what he called reciprocal tariffs on almost every country on Earth – as well as some islands uninhabited by human life.

New Zealand was not as impacted as most – with just a10 percent tariff on our goods imported into the US – but the European Union has had a 20% bump on tariffs, while China has received an additional 34% tariff.

More than 50 countries have reportedly sought talks with the US to ease tariffs, but as trillions are wiped off the stock market, what does this all mean in the short term for your wallet?

Today on The Front Page, we’re sorting through the numbers with NZ Herald business editor at large, Liam Dann.

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: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.