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Go beyond the headlines with The Front Page, the New Zealand Herald’s daily news podcast. Each weekday Chelsea Daniels unpacks the stories shaping Aotearoa, from what’s happening in our own backyard to global events shaping our future.
Every episode we speak to leaders, experts, reporters, and those living the story, so you get the full picture.
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The US and Israel have launched a massive assault on Iran. Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the strikes will increase over the coming days. Donald Trump has said that they “figured it will be four weeks or so” when asked about a potential timeline. Iran has retaliated, unleashing its own strikes on US military bases, Israel and other targets across the Middle East. The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and many of his senior commanders has left Tehran’s future leadership in question. But questions are also swirling about the legality of the strikes. Today on The Front Page, Waikato University international law professor, Al Gillespie is with us to discuss how we got here, and where to next. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The debate over asset sales has reared its head again, this time after a very grim result for our national carrier. Air New Zealand has reported an after tax $40 million loss for the six months to December. We’ve had a controversial and complicated history when it comes to selling off state assets. From bailing out banks to the great 90s airport selloff, it’s always been a touchy subject for Kiwis who want to keep everything in house. But, is it time for us to face facts that maybe privatisation isn’t that bad after all? Today on The Front Page, Act Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour is with us to chat about what should stay, and what should go. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
New figures show New Zealand women are significantly under-represented in property ownership. More than half (53%) of Gen Z men and two-thirds (66%) of Millennial men own the home they live in. That’s compared to the female figures of about a third and under half, respectively. Today on The Front Page, Cotality NZ’s chief property economist, Kelvin Davidson is with us to discuss what’s contributing to the discrepancy, and how we might be able to fix it. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is cash really still King? For years, more stores are no longer accepting cash as payment and it’s easy to see why, with 94% of transactions in 2024 being digital. They’re also not obligated to either. In 2023, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand found cash usage for everyday purchases had decreased from 95.8% in 2019 -- to 57.2% that year. Apparently just 8% of New Zealanders were regular or daily cash users. But today, the Reserve Bank’s opened public consultation on a proposal that would force banks to set up hundreds, if not thousands, of additional ATMs and branches to make sure people have access to cash. Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenée Tibshraeny joins us to discuss why cash might be here to stay. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There are calls for urgent action – after yet another fatal dog attack. The death of a 62-year-old woman in Northland marks the fourth fatal dog attack in four years. It’s while dog-related injuries and hospitalisations rise every year. ACC statistics show more than 29,200 dog-related injuries in 2024/25 - nearly half of them a result of dog bites. So, how do we get on top of this issue? Should Dog Control Laws go further? Today on The Front Page, SPCA chief scientific officer, Dr Arnja Dale, is with us to discuss how we could potentially move forward, so no one else dies from a dog attack. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Move-on orders are being pitched as a way to “reclaim” town and city centres. The Government is proposing a law which would allow Police to order someone rough sleeping or begging to leave a public space for up to 24 hours. They could be fined up to $2000 or three months in jail if they don't. Critics say that does nothing to create homes, risks criminalising poverty, and simply shifts people – and the problem – from one street or suburb to another. Today on The Front Page, Community Housing Aotearoa Chief Executive Paul Gilberd joins us to talk about the real impact on people experiencing homelessness. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
UK police have arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of committing misconduct in public office. It comes after allegations the former prince shared confidential information with former financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when he was a UK trade envoy, a role he held from 2001 to 2011. Police searched his Sandringham home and former Royal Lodge residence. He has since been released, after about 12 hours of questioning. Today on The Front Page, Royal correspondent Gavin Grey joins us from Windsor to break down the latest on this disgraced royal. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A step forward for housing capacity in our largest city – or a step back on housing affordability? Auckland’s explosive debate over density planning has come to a head, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop making a U-turn on capacity limits. It’s all got to do with the controversial “PC120” plan.... which has been scaled back slightly to allow for 1.6 million homes to be built, as opposed to 2 million. But, what does that actually mean? And why have the rules to pack more homes into Auckland sparked such a fierce debate? Today on The Front Page, journalist Simon Wilson is with us to unpack the updated plans, the protests, and what it means for your backyard. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What does New Zealand and David Hasselhoff have in common? The answer, is TV producer Alex Breingan. He has been hit with a raft of Serious Fraud Office charges... and is the same guy whose production company, Stripe Studios, owed the Baywatch star money. Turns out, he might owe a lot more people, a lot more. Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald Media Insider Shayne Currie is with us to take us through the rise, and falls, of this high-flying, Kiwi producer. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fixing the leaks, not just buying bigger mops. That’s the theme of the National Infrastructure Plan released today. It looks at 17 sectors covering central government, local authorities, and commercially regulated utilities. The 30-year outline sets out how New Zealand can improve the way it plans, funds, maintains, and delivers infrastructure... and guess what, it turns out we don’t do it very well. Each year we invest just over $20 billion on infrastructure, yet on a dollar-for-dollar basis we achieve less than many of our international peers. Today on The Front Page, New Zealand Infrastructure Commission Chief Executive Geoff Cooper will take us through this mammoth report. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Eden Park’s gearing up for more gigs, more goals, and more growth. The number of concerts allowed each year at Auckland’s Eden Park stadium will almost triple under new rules announced today by the Government. Under the new settings, the stadium will be allowed to host up to 12 large and 20 medium-sized concerts a year - without the need for resource consent. We’ll speak to Sir Graham Lowe about the first Eden Park hosting the New Zealand's first-ever State of Origin match next year. But first on The Front Page, former Auckland Mayor Phil Goff is with us to chat about the wider changes to the stadium, and whether its neighbours will mind. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A fleet of 13 F50 foiling catamarans will tear around the Waitematā Harbour this weekend in SailGP’s return to New Zealand. Last year was the first time Auckland hosted SailGP - drawing more than 25,000 spectators. The City of Sails is the second stop of 13 across the globe for the 2026 season. Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald sports reporter Christopher Reive is with us to unpack Burling and Tuke’s home water reset, American Magic’s blockbuster Danish buyout, and the must-watch foiling feats this weekend. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
New Zealand’s been making some big trade moves on the world trade stage recently. One of them is a possible minerals deal with the United States. The US is pushing to loosen China’s grip on critical mineral processing by building alternate supply chains. But with talks well underway, what will the preliminary decline of a major seabed mining contract do to them? Today on The Front Page, Business Desk's Dileepa Fonseka is with us to discuss the deals, and whether New Zealand’s biting off more than it can chew. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Consumer NZ expects power prices to increase by about 5% this year. It’s after households were already hit with a 12% increase to power bills last year. But what does that all mean? Will it make winter that much colder? Will we have to cut back on groceries? Will people be able to afford the increase? Today on The Front Page, Consumer NZ’s Powerswitch Manager Paul Fuge is with us to break down why power companies pass on steep network hikes, and what households can do. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wellington’s Moa Point wastewater plant has flooded and shut down, dumping raw sewage into the south coast – this untreated discharge is set to continue for weeks. Heavy rain overwhelmed the facility, built in the 90s, triggering beach rāhuis, health warnings, and exposing how climate-driven storms are already stressing coastal infrastructure. Billions of dollars is likely required to get our wastewater infrastructure up to scratch nationwide... but after a long history of underfunding, are we too late? Today on The Front Page, University of Canterbury associate professor Ricardo Bello Mendoza is with us to unpack the engineering lessons from Moa Point, the climate risks, and what it means for our future. But first, NZ Herald senior reporter Melissa Nightingale will set the scene for us in Wellington. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Insurers have begun their retreat as climate change bites. Back-to-back disasters in recent years have pushed insured loss into the billions and forced tough questions about what can still be covered. Homeowners in flood and coast-exposed areas are starting to see higher premiums, exclusions and even the risk of losing cover altogether. AA Insurance has gone the extra mile and stopped issuing new home insurance policies in several towns entirely. So, who will pay when extreme weather keeps coming? Households, insurers, or the Government? Today on The Front Page, journalist and publisher of The Kākā, Bernard Hickey is with us to explain how climate change is reshaping insurance – and what it means for where and how we live. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s no surprise the upcoming election is a hot topic at Waitangi. But, the axing of the Treaty Principles Bill has eased tensions this year. Although, that hasn’t stopped Chris Hipkins taking aim at the government, calling it ‘anti-treaty’ so ‘therefore anti-Māori'. It’s all while a decision on Mariameno Kapa-Kingi's future with Te Pati Maori plays out in a Wellington court this week. So, what is the atmosphere of Waitangi? Who’s there? And who’s not? Today on The Front Page, Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths joins us from Waitangi to break down what the event means. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
New jobs data out today spells worry for New Zealand’s economy. The unemployment rate was 5.4% in the December 2025 quarter – the highest since September 2015. Most banks had expected unemployment to hold steady at 5.3%, ASB was a bit more bullish picking 5.2%. It means 165,000 people were unemployed last quarter – a quarterly increase of 5,000 people... But, what does it all mean? What sectors are struggling? And can the government keep calling it all the “mess they inherited”? Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald business editor at large, Liam Dann, is with us to dive into the data. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s about to become cheaper, and easier, to get your driver’s license in New Zealand. Changes include scrapping the second practical test, a longer 12-month learner period for under 25s, new restricted periods, and an expanded zero-alcohol rule for all learner and restricted drivers – regardless of age. Transport Minister Chris Bishop has said the aim is to make licensing more efficient and affordable. The new system will take effect from the end of January next year. But, will the first major change to the system in 15 years make our roads safer? Today on The Front Page, AA road safety manager Dylan Thomsen is with us to dive into the details of this new system. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's files have exploded back into the headlines with millions of newly released documents exposing elite networks and power dynamics. More than three million pages of material have been released – including documents, images and video. So, what does this mean for trust in traditional power structures? And is it only a matter of time before a New Zealand politician is caught up in the saga? Today on The Front Page, University of Otago international relations professor Robert Patman is with us to unpack the international ramifications. 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 DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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King Charles has not been "coronated", he has been crowned. Coronation is the noun, crowned is the verb. Coronated is not a correct word.
Im missing the news feed. Has nothing been uploaded since christmas?