The Front Page

September 26: All parties dipped their toes into the policy announcement pool today, with National targeting beneficiaries, Labour boosting Pharmac, and Greens supporting new families.  Plus, NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann joins to discuss a financial debate he moderated and how Grant Robertson and Nicola Willis are performing on the campaign.  Host: Georgina CampbellProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders love their houses – and that love can sometimes see them getting ripped off.  Two cases reported on by the NZ Herald in recent weeks have highlighted cases where home buyers have purchased their dream homes on false pretences, in both cases related to misleading information about moisture levels. So what exactly happened in these cases, how were the people found out, and what does it say about the real estate industry as a whole? Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald senior reporter Lane Nichols explains what we can learn about real estate from these cases.  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: Damien VentutoProducer: Paddy Fox and Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 25: A busy weekend of policy announcements preceded one of the most important weeks of the campaign, with advanced voting starting overseas and early voting kicking off from next week. Today, Hamish is joined by deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan for his analysis of the latest policy announcements, the significance of this week, and what to make of Christopher Luxon's decision about NZ First. Host: Hamish FletcherProducer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The future of an Aotearoa architectural icon hangs in the balance.  Nearly 100 years after its initial construction, Chateau Tongariro finds itself in a financial mess.  The prominent hotel, which sits on National Park land owned by the Crown, is in a state of disrepair and in desperate need of remediation work.   The question hanging over all of this is who will pay the tens of millions of dollars necessary to bring the building up to modern standards.   Does the onus rest with the Crown? Or should it lie with the organisation that owns the building? And even if the Crown does decide to fork out for the repairs, will this be a palatable decision amid the cost-of-living crisis?  Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald senior business reporter Kate MacNamara, digs into the mess underneath one of the country’s most recognisable buildings. 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: Damien VentutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 22: Four of the minor party leaders faced off in their first televised debate of the campaign. NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson was there and joined Georgina for a rundown of how it all went, and which leader emerged victorious. Plus, Labour and National recommit to free lunches and the economy, Act wants to reverse an over-the-counter drug ban, and more accusations of MPs bullying staffers. Host: Georgina CampbellProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Airport has hit another bottle neck. Thousands are facing delays and long queues after having to cram into the airport in order to take to the sky during the school holidays.  The frustrations are hitting boiling point, with Herald readers calling the airport an “absolute zoo” and questioning how it is that our largest airport can struggle so much.  It comes at a time when travellers are already struggling with persistently high airfares.  What’s behind these delays? And are there any plans in the works to ensure that this pressure is alleviated in the future?  Today, NZ Herald business deputy editor Grant Bradley joins Damien to discuss the slow trudge travellers face getting on to their planes and the other issues impacting travel. 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: Damien VentutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 21: Positive economic news released today was interpreted very differently by Labour and National, while Act released their slightly complex alternative budget. New policy promises target foreign students and hospitals, while deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan joins to discuss "one of the most serious claims made on the campaign" around petrol prices and the cost of carbon.  Host: Georgina CampbellProducer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are in the thick of the election campaign, but it almost doesn’t matter what policies are being announced – everyone's eyes are on the cost of living.   With many households struggling and job cuts and restructuring now being felt, these concerns about our economic prospects are only now getting worse.  But what does the latest data show about the state of our economy, are there any positives on the horizon, and what could be the headaches for the winner in October’s election?  Today, NZ Herald business editor-at-large Liam Dann brings us the latest economic outlook.  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: Damien VentutoProducers: Paddy Fox and Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 20th: NZ Herald editor at large Shayne Currie joins Georgina to recap and review the first televised leaders debate, and declares an unexpected true winner from the event.  Plus, Act announces their education policy, there are some Government announcements, and Christopher Luxon milks a goat. Host: Georgina CampbellProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a consensus across party lines that Aotearoa must forge a better relationship with India. Both Labour and National are vowing to organise business delegations and make trade deals with the world’s most populous country. Chris Hipkins has promised that should he be reinstated as PM he will send a prime ministerial delegation to India within his first one hundred days in office. This comes at a time when India’s Hindu nationalist government is asserting its presence on the world stage, butting heads with China and facing stark criticism from countries around the world over its human rights record.  Why are our politicians trying to woo India? And do they understand the risks around our small country engaging with this superpower? Today on The Front Page, Dev Nadkarni, editor-at-large at the Indian Weekender, explains to Damien we should and shouldn’t expect from a deal with India.      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: Damien VentutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.