The Front Page

Last week, Kīngi Tūheitia the seventh Maori monarch, passed away aged 69, a little over a week after marking 18 years of his reign.  

His shock death has seen a week of mourning at Turangawaewae Marae, the official residence for the head of the Kingitanga movement, with politicians sharing memories while thousands gather to pay their respects.

The next Māori monarch will officially be revealed this morning, just hours before the official funeral procession. 

Today on The Front Page, to discuss the legacy of Kīngi Tūheitia, we’re joined by Professor of political science at Charles Sturt University Dominic O’Sullivan. 

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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: Georgina Campbell
Sound Engineer: Dan Goodwin
Producer: Ethan Sills

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Several weeks ago, the Government dramatically moved to take control of Health New Zealand by appointing Professor Lester Levy as a commissioner.

He has the unenviable task of finding 1.4 billion dollars in savings, while also improving services and meeting the Government’s national health targets.

In the weeks that have followed, the dire state of our healthcare has become clearer, with patient wait times dragging mid-winter, back office staff facing voluntary redundancy, and new mums struggling to get post-birth toast.

It begs the question, will this cost cutting inevitably be put ahead of healthcare?

Today on The Front Page, I’m joined by New Zealand Herald senior health reporter Isaac Davison, to find out what the troubled state of Te Whatu Ora means for the future of healthcare 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: Georgina Campbell
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The year’s biggest land deal has Wellington aflutter with rumours Sir Peter Jackson could be building his long-awaited movie museum.

Interests associated with The Lord of the Rings director have spent $105 million buying a large piece of land near the city’s airport in Lyall Bay.

So, why the secrecy? And could Jackson’s vision be finally brought to life?

Today on The Front Page, we’re joined by BusinessDesk markets reporter Gregor Thompson to discuss the famous filmmaker’s latest property acquisition, and what his plans might be for Wellington.

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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: Georgina Campbell
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winter has come to an end, and it's been a wet last few weeks.

A burst of rain in August culminated in flooding in Wellington and saturated days for the rest of us.

With us heading now into spring, the hope is that with longer days fast approaching, we might start to see some warmer weather again soon.

For an outlook on weather in the months ahead, today on The Front Page we’re joined by NZ Herald science writer, Jamie Morton.

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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
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After nearly five weeks of witnesses, The Crown has closed its case in the trial of Philip Polkinghorne. 

The former Auckland eye surgeon is accused of murdering his wife, Pauline Hanna, who was found dead on 5 April, 2021. 

He maintains she took her own life. 

The Crown closed its case with more on Polkinghorne’s arrest, Police searches, and a last minute witness on cell phones. 

The rest of the trial is now in the hands of the Defence – and for their first witness, they called up Pauline Hanna’s own sister. 

You can listen to episodes of Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial through The Front Page podcast feed, or find it on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

This series is presented and produced by, Chelsea Daniels, with producer Ethan Sills and sound engineer Paddy Fox. Additional production support by Helen King. Additional reporting by Craig Kapitan and George Block. 

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Norman Kirk was elected Prime Minister in 1972, bringing the Labour Party back to power after 12 years of National Party rule.

His two years in office were seen as radical at the time in how he sought to reshape New Zealand’s place in the world, and his legacy has endured as one of the country’s most popular Prime Ministers.

However, on August 31st 1974, Kirk died after a lengthy but private illness with obesity and heart problems.

Today on The Front Page, as we near that 50th anniversary since his death, we’re joined by Victoria University of Wellington professor of history, Jim McAloon, to discuss the legacy of Kirk’s life and death.

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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
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in May on The Front Page, in the wake of warnings about overuse of the power grid, we discussed what challenges faced the energy sector for the winter ahead.

Over the last few weeks, those challenges have become more and more apparent, with diminishing supply sparking rising power prices across the country.

It has prompted the Government to this week announce it is fast tracking a new liquified natural gas import terminal, amongst other measures.

So what’s behind this latest energy crisis, and what can the Government do to stop this?

Today on The Front Page, we’re joined again by the Major Electricity Users Group Chair John Harbord to analyse this latest crisis.

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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
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US election race is heating up. 

A month ago, after the Republican National Convention and a failed assassination attempt, it seemed like Donald Trump would be unstoppable.

Instead, US President Joe Biden pulled out of the race, anointing his Vice President Kamala Harris as hir successor, and a triumphant Democratic National Convention showed a party prepared to hold onto the White House.

So what is the state of the race, and their parties?

Today on The Front Page, we’re joined from Detroit by CBS News campaign reporter Jake Rosen for the latest on the election to watch this year.

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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
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Week five in the trial of Philip Polkinghorne has kicked off with more on what was found on the couple’s tech, a hint that Pauline Hanna found a P pipe months before her death, and what exactly is a ‘girlfriend experience’?

And two messages, drafted, on the morning of Pauline Hanna’s death, have also been revealed by the defence. 

You can listen to episodes of Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial through The Front Page podcast feed, or find it on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

This series is presented and produced by, Chelsea Daniels, with producer Ethan Sills and sound engineer Paddy Fox. Additional reporting by Craig Kapitan and George Block. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artificial intelligence. Once something you’d only find in sci-fi novels, it’s now an everyday necessity for some.

A new Accentrue report for Microsoft forecasts Kiwi workers are set to save an average of 275 hours a year through generative AI adoption.

Today on The Front Page, Otago University’s Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy director, James Maclaurin is with us to discuss the tech that’s on everyone’s lips.

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.