The Front Page

Vaping brands arrived in New Zealand under the auspices of helping Kiwis quit smoking. They've also contributed to hooking an entirely new generation on nicotine, as vape stores have became ubiquitous. Although vaping is believed to be less damaging then smoking, it still has repercussions for health, some of which are still being discovered.  As New Zealand moves closer to its goals of a smokefree nation, are we trading the devil we know well for the demon we don't? NZ Herald health reporter Emma Russell joins Damien to talk about the flavoured plumes of vapour enveloping Aotearoa. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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 / Producer: Damien VenutoProducer / Editor: Shaun D WilsonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unemployment is forecast to hit another record low this week. It's good news for workers, but it’s also putting enormous strain on businesses desperate to fill gaps. So what happens when we don’t have enough people to build our houses? And what does this mean for the workers desperately trying to meet deadlines without enough helping hands? New Zealand Herald property editor Anne Gibson joins Damien to talk about the labour crunch affecting one of New Zealand’s biggest industries. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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 / Producer: Damien VenutoProducer / Editor: Shaun D Wilson Executive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today is the first day in two years that tourists from around the world are allowed into Aotearoa. It's the  moment the beleaguered tourism industry had been hoping for, but the recovery of a $42 billion industry is going to take more than a few weeks.  New Zealand Herald travel editor Stephanie Holmes tells Damien that estimates suggest it will be three years before the industry is back to pre-pandemic levels.  Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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 / Producer: Damien VenutoProducer / Editor: Shaun D Wilson Executive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, lobby organisation Grounded Kiwis won their case against the Government and the MIQ lottery system. This came as vindication for many New Zealanders who were trapped abroad during the height of the Delta outbreak.  What does this decision mean for MIQ as a whole, and is there a chance of compensation for those affected? Today, Open Justice journalist Hazel Osbourne joins Damien to discuss the what went down in the courtroom this week, before the University of Auckland constitutional law expert Dr Jane Norton explains the ramifications - and why this could be good news for the Government.  Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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 / Producer: Damien VenutoProducer / Editor: Shaun D Wilson Executive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There have been multiple, high-profile ram raids in New Zealand in the past two weeks. The perpetrators are becoming increasingly brazen, targeting major malls and department stores. What’s worse is that many of those committing these crimes tend to be mere teenagers. So why has this problem become so widespread? And how much worse could it become? Today, New Zealand Herald senior writer Jane Phare joins Damien to discuss what she has learnt about what's causing this crimewave.  Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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 / Producer: Damien VenutoProducer / Editor: Shaun D Wilson Executive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern this month left New Zealand for the first time in two years, for a business-focused trip to Singapore and Japan. This trip was meant to be an announcement to the world that Aotearoa is open and ready for business. But between the high-level talks and the dancing kiwifruit, what did the Prime Minister actually achieve?   Today, Newstalk ZB chief political reporter Jason Walls joins Damien to discuss what it was like on the Prime Minister’s trip to Singapore and Japan.   Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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 / Producer: Damien VenutoProducer / Editor: Shaun D Wilson Executive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In his quarterly forecast released last week, Westpac economist Satish Ranchhod said the quarterly inflation figure was set to be "another monster". The figure of 6.9 per cent that was eventually reported on Thursday is the highest the country has seen in 30 years. Today, the NZ Herald's business editor-at-large and Money Talks host Liam Dann joins Damien to discuss how this has become one of the biggest political talking points of the year, memories of the last time New Zealand faced inflation like this, and how we can recover from it.  Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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 / Producer: Damien VenutoProducer / Editor: Shaun D Wilson Executive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes a person happy? Is it wealth, success, fame, great Instagram pics? Or is it something simpler that even ordinary people could strive for? And is it even important int he grand scheme of things?   In-between hosting his show on Radio Hauraki, the New Zealand Herald’s inaugural Happiness editor Matt Heath has been on a personal quest to answer these questions.  Today, he joins Damien to discuss what he’s learnt and what this says about what motivates New Zealand society.       Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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 / Producer: Damien VenutoProducer / Editor: Shaun D Wilson Executive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Megachurches are big business in New Zealand, with these organisations raking in millions of dollars every year. Few have been as successful as the Arise Church, which now ranks as one of the biggest in the country. But this house of worship is starting to face a rebellion from within, as members of the congregation come forward with allegations of what really goes on behind the scenes.      Today, independent journalist David Farrier joins Damien to discuss the scandal rocking one of New Zealand’s biggest megachurches.    Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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 / Producer: Damien VenutoProducer / Editor: Shaun D Wilson Executive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, a worker died in a fall at the Ports of Auckland - the latest in a string of casualties since 2017. This comes after a review last year revealed major systemic problems in the health and safety processes at the port. How does this keep happening? And how much pressure is on the new chief executive to ensure it doesn’t continue?   Today, NZ Herald senior writer Tom Dillane joins Damien to discuss what it will take for workers to feel safe at New Zealand’s biggest port.  Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio 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 / Producer: Damien VenutoProducer / Editor: Shaun D Wilson Executive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.