The Long Read from Stuff

By Stuff Audio

Society & Culture

What's The Long Read from Stuff about?

The very best of Stuff's longform feature journalism, in audio form. One story, beautifully told, every week.

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The Long Read from Stuff episodes:

05.10.2024
Being a funny guy is a serious business
Guy Montgomery landed on being a comedian as being funny is something he seemed to be the best at, but being a funny guy is a serious business. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re...
05.03.2024
The kiwi music act going global
Combining dance bangers with a full orchestra, Synthony promises Gen X nostalgics their best night out in years. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at [email protected] CREDITS Written and read by Steve Kilgallon Produced...
04.26.2024
Cancer care's postcode lottery
A postcode lottery means some people are more likely to survive cancer than others. People in the likes of Invercargill or Rotorua are given less access to healthcare than those in Auckland or Christchurch. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's...
04.19.2024
The power of equine therapy
Caroline Szembrener, a Massey University researcher, believes current approaches to treating eating disorders are simply not working for some people. Therapy with horses teaches patients to be present and to reconnect with their bodies. WARNING: This podcast contains references to mental...
04.12.2024
Our crumbling cemeteries
Cemeteries across Christchurch have faced neglect, vandalism, and damage over time. But whose job is it to look after cemeteries? Is it worth the time and money, when the city’s living have their own urgent needs? Need more great podcasts? Check...
04.05.2024
The Mysterious Murder of David Robinson
In 1998, David Robinson, a drifter and petty criminal, was found dead on a West Coast beach. With few clues about how he died, or why, the investigation petered out. But now, police have what every cold case craves –...
03.29.2024
NZ's baby scoop era
NZ's baby scoop era marks a dark time in our country's history, where children were stolen from their mothers under a state-know-best policy. WARNING: This podcast contains references to mental health, suicide, and abuse, which may be distressing for some listeners....
03.22.2024
Meet the Monarchists
From Northland to the Catlins, thousands of Kiwis give up their homes, gardens, and time to help the Danaus plexippus butterfly, more commonly known as the monarch butterfly. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re...
03.15.2024
The Kings Arms
The Kings Arms became a hub of metal, punk, indie, and reggae scenes throughout its 198 years in Newton, Auckland. There hasn't been a venue to fill its hole in the music scene since it closed in 2018. Need more...
03.08.2024
Alleged Abuse in the Sacristy Room
Father Damian Carlile was sent to Aotearoa after he was accused of sexual abuse in Gabon, Africa. But then allegations about altar boys in Whanganui arose in the early 2000s. WARNING: This podcast discusses abuse, which may be distressing for some...
03.01.2024
Odin and Lorazepam
Charmaine Wolmarans is a self-described animal rescue vigilante whose carefully crafted public image suggests she does it for the love of the pets she takes in. But why does she have so many “haters”? Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's...
02.23.2024
New Zealand's screen identity
Since the Lord of the Rings trilogy, New Zealand's screen industry has flourished, spotlighting its breathtaking landscapes and talented workforce. Challenges may remain for the industry, like the need for stable rebates for screen productions, but the future looks bright...
02.16.2024
Les Mills: The McDonald’s of Fitness
One trainer calls it the McDonald’s of fitness. He’s not being insulting. What he means is wherever you go in the world, the quarter pounder with cheese is the same. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN...
02.09.2024
The reality of NZ’s nicotine addiction
A surge in the popularity of vaping nicotine, especially among young Kiwis, has left a cloud over Aotearoa's smokefree ambitions. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at [email protected] CREDITS Written and read by...
02.06.2024
Introducing Tova: Back for 2024 - Wairua, waiata and wero: On the ground(s) for Waitangi 2024
Looking for your new favourite politics pod? Look no further! Tova is back for 2024. In this weeks episode, Tova brings you the full story of one of the most significant Waitangi weekends for many years. Like what you're hearing? Follow...
02.02.2024
The hidden struggles of homeless women in Aotearoa
Women make up over 50% of Aotearoa’s homeless population. And yet they are often overlooked - because they aren’t seen. Advocates say unless gendered issues are specifically addressed, women will continue to fall through the gaps. Need more great podcasts? Check out...
01.29.2024
A lonely death at Horseshoe Lake
Frances Rawling lived in the ruins of an abandoned suburb in east Christchurch. When she passed, her body remained undiscovered in the red zone for weeks. The mystery of her life - and why she stayed living in the ruins...
01.26.2024
Death of a highway
SH25A connects one side of the Coromandel peninsula to the other and was closed after extensive cyclone damage. For 10 months communities were isolated and businesses struggled while repair work was completed on SH25A. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full...
01.22.2024
National treasure Kim Hill
Kim Hill is well known for her many years of service at RNZ and her fearless interview style. She left her Saturday Morning slot in November 2023 after 21 years in the role. Senior Journalist Adam Dudding reflects on Hill's career...
01.19.2024
The Search for the Sydenham Slasher
On the face of it, there appeared little reason why anyone would want the pensioner, Alfred Anderson, dead. Although police have a possible DNA profile of the 64-year-old’s killer - once dubbed the “Savage Sydenham Slasher” - a suspect has...
01.15.2024
Anatomy of an arrest
Previously described as an officer who served with distinction, former cop Reece Marshall says he wouldn't change anything about the actions that saw him prosecuted. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? We’re listening! Email us...
01.13.2024
Amanda Palmer's NZ Experience
In the vacuum of Covid, stranded US musician Amanda Palmer found community and controversy in New Zealand. She explains how she got through those days of personal and public turmoil to become an accidental semi-Kiwi. Need more great podcasts? Check out...
01.08.2024
Double Standard
The medicinal cannabis industry is booming globally, while in New Zealand, industry figures and users alike struggle with intense regulations, high costs and other barriers, relegating most people to the black market. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue...
01.05.2024
Not under your jurisdiction
The phenomenon known as 'psuedolaw' is clogging up courts around New Zealand. Researchers describe it as a parallel legal system with rules and practices that vaguely represent the actual legal system, except no legal practitioner would recognise it as legally...
01.01.2024
Scumlord or housing crisis hero?
Christchurch Landlord Lee Bennett has been called a "Scumlord" for his unhealthy and damaged rentals. However, he says he’s just doing his best for the suburb others abandoned after the earthquakes by providing affordable rentals. Need more great podcasts? Check out...
12.29.2023
Making Tracks
Jonah Franke-Bowell is now a journalist but for months amid the pandemic he was working on New Zealand’s railway, learning how to lay tracks, finding the best provincial sandwich, and making friends along the way. This is his story. Need more...
12.25.2023
Shipwreck, hungry ghosts, and a bitter controversy
In 1902, the SS Ventnor sank off Hokianga harbour, carrying the remains of nearly 500 Chinese goldminers being returned to their villages. The ship’s discovery in 2013 has sparked a decade of accusation, and antagonism towards those who helped find...
12.23.2023
Justice for Angela Blackmoore
David Hawken and Rebecca Wright-Meldrum’s pasts had caught up. On December 9, 2023, the jury found the pair guilty of the murder of Angela Blackmoore in 1995. Justice for Angela Blackmoore was slow but it had finally arrived. Need more great...
12.15.2023
Axing relationship education
Advocates fear removing and replacing the relationship and sexuality education guidelines will be taking a step backwards in ending sexual violence and reversing improvements in the wellbeing of rainbow communities. Written by Hanna McCallum Read and produced by Jen Black Audio editing by...
12.09.2023
Where your food scraps go
Have you ever wondered where your food scraps go once you place your green bin on the kerbside? In Auckland, senior journalist Steve Kilgallon takes the 555km round trip in which food scraps are transformed via anaerobic digestion to create energy...
12.01.2023
I nailed Tamihere
As David Tamihere’s conviction for murdering two Swedish tourists returned to court this week, allegations of a shock confession surfaced, along with grisly revelations that body parts from one of the victims remained on display at a laboratory for more...
11.25.2023
How I escaped a cult
Born with no arms and legs, Jess Stewart became somewhat of a celebrity within the Exclusive Brethren. However, when it came time to leave, it had to be carefully planned. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN...
11.17.2023
Dilworth's internal memos
A survivor of sexual abuse at Dilworth School in the 1990s says memos written by senior school administrators shows they knew staff had sexually abused boys – and that it would continue. WARNING: This episode contains graphic content, references to sexual...
11.11.2023
Ikea’s interior design gurus vs my home
They took photos, asked personal questions, and looked in every nook and cranny of this journalist's home. As part of their qualitative research for the new Ikea mega store coming in late 2025, Ikea's interior designers are checking out NZ homes...
11.03.2023
The characters of public meetings
Like protests or petitions, public meetings are a cornerstone of democracy. From NIMBYs to Legal Beagles and everything in between, community reporter Jonathan Killick lifts the lid on the characters that usually go along. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's...
10.27.2023
I still have nightmares
Described as a One-man crime wave’ Prisoner Damon Exley escaped Rimutaka Prison in February 2022 disguised as a prison guard and then abducted and raped a woman. WARNING: Warning this episode contains strong language and references to rape and may be...
10.20.2023
Kisses in the carwash
Disabled Kiwis face more dating hurdles than most, with non-disabled people often awkward or anxious around them. Olivia Shivas explores the disabled dating experience - and it’s not all about ‘those sex questions’. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue...
10.13.2023
The Changing State of Social Housing
These people slept on couches, in cars and on floors. For The Post, Ethan Te Ora tells the story of the diverse group of people moving into new units created by community provider, Dwell, and the politics surrounding the funding...
10.06.2023
The New Zealanders and the genocide
As New Zealand struggled with race relations at home in the late 19th century, some of its citizens were participating in a genocide overseas. Among the most damning accounts of the genocide surviving today come from reports published in New Zealand...
09.29.2023
A prickly problem
Should Hedgehogs be treated as pests or pets? To some, they’re seen as pests and even worse than rats to our native species but to others, they are much loved, protected, and a cute surprise in the garden. This story first...
09.23.2023
It's part of the game
UFC mixed martial artist Israel Adesanya is many things: champion fighter, fashion plate, a particular version of modern masculinity. Adam Dudding sat down with him ahead of the release of Stylebender a new feature-length film about him which aims to show all...
09.16.2023
Blind Ambition
Minnie Baragwanath was diagnosed with a degenerative disease at age 15 which left her legally blind. This story discusses how facing her own challenges drives her to change how we think about disability. This story was made possible by subscribers to...
09.08.2023
Forsaken
No one really knows how many people in New Zealand have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. In its Disordered project, the Stuff Circuit team laid bare our chronic mismanagement of the disability. Co-author Paul Penfold reads their lead written investigation. To watch...
09.05.2023
Introducing: Tova
Introducing Stuff's whip-smart new political podcast, hosted by Tova O'Brien and featuring Luke Malpass and Andrea Vance. Follow now to make sure you get the latest episodes automatically. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
09.04.2023
Peak Barber
How chemical weapons, economic theory and the internet combined to squeeze ten barbershops into one Auckland suburb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
09.01.2023
Aotearoa's only indigenous dog
With prices running to thousands and scientists set to study their DNA, some say the huntaway dog – and its contribution to New Zealand – still doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Read this story and more like it on our...
08.28.2023
The mystery of the Berserk expedition
In 2011, a Norwegian yacht sank off the coast of Antarctica during a storm. Three of its crew were lost. A decade on, a Stuff investigation finds new revelations about why the yacht sank and New Zealand's involvement. Need more great...
08.25.2023
The One He Never Forgot
On the face of it, Sergeant Alastair Dickie had an easy choice to make: attend a suspected armed incident or process a disqualified driver sitting in front of him? But as Nadine Roberts found out, it’s never that simple, especially...
08.21.2023
The Hoarder's Treasure
For decades, a rundown house in Christchurch secretly harboured one of New Zealand’s greatest literary treasures. This is the story of the reclusive hoarder who hid it, the woman who wrote it, and the man who rediscovered it. Need more great...
08.18.2023
In her mind - The trial of Lauren Dickason
On Wednesday 16th August, the jury of eight women and four men reached a majority verdict, that Dickason was guilty on all three counts of murder. Over the four-week trial, the jury had to decide whether Dickason was or was...

What's The Long Read from Stuff about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Long Read from Stuff episodes:

Being a funny guy is a serious business

The kiwi music act going global

Cancer care's postcode lottery

The power of equine therapy

Our crumbling cemeteries

The Mysterious Murder of David Robinson

NZ's baby scoop era

Meet the Monarchists

The Kings Arms

Alleged Abuse in the Sacristy Room

Odin and Lorazepam

New Zealand's screen identity

Les Mills: The McDonald’s of Fitness

The reality of NZ’s nicotine addiction

Introducing Tova: Back for 2024 - Wairua, waiata and wero: On the ground(s) for Waitangi 2024

The hidden struggles of homeless women in Aotearoa

A lonely death at Horseshoe Lake

Death of a highway

National treasure Kim Hill

The Search for the Sydenham Slasher

Anatomy of an arrest

Amanda Palmer's NZ Experience

Double Standard

Not under your jurisdiction

Scumlord or housing crisis hero?

Making Tracks

Shipwreck, hungry ghosts, and a bitter controversy

Justice for Angela Blackmoore

Axing relationship education

Where your food scraps go

I nailed Tamihere

How I escaped a cult

Dilworth's internal memos

Ikea’s interior design gurus vs my home

The characters of public meetings

I still have nightmares

Kisses in the carwash

The Changing State of Social Housing

The New Zealanders and the genocide

A prickly problem

It's part of the game

Blind Ambition

Forsaken

Introducing: Tova

Peak Barber

Aotearoa's only indigenous dog

The mystery of the Berserk expedition

The One He Never Forgot

The Hoarder's Treasure

In her mind - The trial of Lauren Dickason

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