The Front Page

Over the last three decades, six people have disappeared from the Piha area on Auckland’s west coast, all never to be seen again. While none of the bodies have been found, coroners have ruled most of the cases likely to be accidents or self-inflicted, and Police have treated them all separately. Yet for some, three men and three women vanishing from the same area feels like too much of a coincidence. Now, mystery documentary on ThreeNow, Black Coast Vanishings, has examined all six cases, and the effects they’ve had on those left behind. Today on The Front Page, co-directors Megan Jones and Candida Beveridge join to unpack the series that has got the country talking. 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: Katie HarrisSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cost-of-living crisis has come for the world’s biggest streaming services.  Neon earlier this month became the first service in New Zealand to include ads on the platform, after Netflix and Disney Plus kick started the trend internationally last year.   It comes as what was a major growth industry a few years ago slows, with the services starting to slash budgets, and in some cases wiping underperforming shows to save on taxes.  So with prices rising and content slowing, what does the future hold for streaming in New Zealand and around the world?   Today on The Front Page, Duncan Greive, founder and writer at The Spinoff, joins to discuss a once promising sector with a now uncertain future. 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 DanielsSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a year on from the Interislander’s terrifying Kaitaki incident. The ferry lost power in Cook Strait with 864 people on board and issued a mayday call as it drifted towards Wellington’s rocky south coast. Luckily, disaster was narrowly avoided, and there was some comfort that KiwiRail had new mega ferries ordered and on the way to replace the ageing Interislander fleet. But fast-forward to today and KiwiRail’s mega ferry project has been canned after Finance Minister Nicola Willis refused to fund the latest budget blowout of $1.47 billion. So what’s the new plan to replace the ageing ferries and what does this mean for this critical supply chain link in the meantime? Today on The Front Page, Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison and BusinessDesk infrastructure editor Oliver Lewis discuss the decisions behind the cancellation and what needs to happen 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: Georgina CampbellSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last year, Auckland was shaken by a weather event on the city’s anniversary weekend that seemingly no one saw coming. Four people lost their lives in the shock weather event, while countless other homes were flooded or destroyed, with those affected still picking up the pieces a year later. Auckland Council and then-freshly elected mayor Wayne Brown came under fire for their handling of the crisis. Now, NZ Herald deputy head of news Tom Dillane has revisited the events of January 27th 2023 to find out just how unprepared council authorities and emergency management teams were for this event. He joins The Front Page to dig into the fresh revelations from this weather disaster. 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 DanielsSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced this week that New Zealand is sending a six-person team to Yemen to provide maritime security in the Red Sea. It comes after weeks of attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial ships navigating the route, and subsequent retaliatory air strikes by the US and UK. All of this is unfolding against the backdrop of the ongoing Gaza conflict, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting international calls for a two-state solution to end the war. So why is New Zealand getting involved in the Red Sea, and how much longer can the bombardment of Gaza continue? Today on The Front Page, University of Auckland international relations professor Stephen Hoadley joins us to discuss the latest in the ongoing conflict. 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 DanielsSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High inflation, job insecurity, and interest rates through the roof have been plaguing New Zealanders over the last few years. While it looks like we are turning a post-Covid corner, new threats are on the horizon as global conflicts continue, and questions remain over what the new Government's plans for fixing the economy actually are. From house prices and rental costs to migration woes, this year is shaping up to be a big year for the economy.  Today on The Front Page, we're joined by Kiwibank senior economist Mary Jo Vergara, and Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan, to discuss the economic year ahead. 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: Katie HarrisSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National-led coalition has only been in office for two months, but already its work around Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Reo Maori has prompted backlash across Aotearoa.  Last Friday a Ministry of Justice paper was leaked warning the Government’s proposed legislation to define the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi could be “highly contentious”.  Part of the document suggested this was due to the “fundamental constitutional nature of the subject matter” and “lack of consultation with the public on the policy development prior to select committee”.  The leak also came on the eve of a national hui, organised by the Māori King, at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia to unify Māori and discuss the potential impact of the policies.  Among the ten thousand attendees was University of Auckland professor of Māori Studies, Margaret Mutu. She joins us today on The Front Page to discuss what went down at the hui, what to make of the government’s plans, and the importance of the little known document He Whakaputanga.  You can read Act leader David Seymour's argument about the bill here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/act-leader-david-seymour-why-a-conversation-on-te-tiriti-o-waitangi-is-important-for-our-nation/IY4IMUEBEJDOXKG3HAHUJS3HAY/  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: Katie HarrisSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, our politicians are heading back to work... not that there has actually been much of a break. International crises like the Gaza conflict have needed the Government’s attention over the summer, and while we’ve been soaking up the sun, ministers have been back at their desks for a while now, sifting through reports and cancelled projects as the coalition looks to advance its 100 day plan. So, as everyone heads back to the Beehive, what are the top issues on the Government’s agenda, how likely is it that they will be achieved, and what about those parties that now find themselves in Opposition? Today on The Front Page, we’re joined by New Zealand Herald deputy political editor and On the Tiles co-host Thomas Coughlan to preview the year ahead in politics. 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: Georgina CampbellSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just when you thought Wellington’s water woes couldn’t get any worse, they have.   The city is facing severe water shortages with warnings residents may have to boil their drinking water and some suburbs could run completely dry.   People have queued for hours to get their hands on emergency water tanks.   It comes as the city is losing 44 per cent of its treated drinking water to leaks, making for a communications nightmare when it comes to telling locals to conserve water.   So, how did it get to this point and why did councils let the situation get so bad before acting?   Today on The Front Page, Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter joins us to discuss the looming crisis.   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: Georgina CampbellSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The skylines of our cities are starting to change. Slowly but surely, new high-rise housing developments are cropping up all over Auckland.  From built-to-rent schemes, to luxury hotels, to developer-iwi partnerships, there’s a wide variety of projects underway, all with different markets in mind.  Something they all have in common, though, is that they signal a move away from suburban sprawl, to a new type of city living.  So what are the main projects opening this year, how affordable will they be, and in a booming market, why are some struggling to make it to their open homes?   NZ Herald property editor Anne Gibson joins The Front Page to look at how apartment developments could dominate the property market in 2024.   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 DanielsSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.