The Front Page

The deadly Loafers Lodge fire in Wellington has shocked the country – not simply for the loss of life involved, but due to the building’s safety standards.  While the hostel did not have sprinklers, it was not breaking any laws and was not required to retrofit them.  It’s just one aspect of Aotearoa’s building code that has been put into the spotlight by this fire and has raised concerns around how many other buildings could be at risk.  Today on The Front Page, John Gray from the Home Owners and Buyers Association of New Zealand joins us to talk about his concerns for the safety of our older 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. Hosts: Damien VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The word crisis has become synonymous with our health and education sectors in recent years. Under-resourcing, long work hours and poor pay have culminated in teachers and nurses walking off the job to protest these working conditions.   The 2023 Budget offers an opportunity for the Government to address these concerns, but economic pressure on the country right now means that any steps taken likely won’t go as far as many hope.  So what would our nurses and teachers like to see? Is there any hope of the Government delivering? And are we at risk of losing nurses and teachers to other countries if we don’t act now?  Liam Rutherford (immediate past president of the New Zealand Educational Institute) and Paul Goulter (CEO of New Zealand Nurses Organisation), gives Damien a sense of why teachers and nurses are burnt out and fed up.  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. Hosts: Damien VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The nation woke up to harrowing news this morning as a blaze in Wellington ripped through a hostel.  Fire crews worked through the night to save as many lives as they could, but the full extent of lives and livelihoods lost so far remains unclear.   Katrina Bennett, Wellington head of news for the NZ Herald, joins us to explain what we know so far about this fiery tragedy. 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. Hosts: Damien VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The emergence of ChatGPT has captured the imagination of the world.   Depending on who you ask, the Artificial Intelligence interface is either set to take over humanity or it’s little more than a quirky digital toy.  As is often the case with these things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. So what is the potential of AI technology? Are technology companies taking risks by moving too fast? And are our jobs really at risk? Today, Dr Chris Galloway, a communications specialist at Massey University, joins Damien to discuss the rise of AI. 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. Hosts: Damien Venuto and AI Damien VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has promised that this year we’ll see a no-frills budget, meaning that we won’t be seeing any flashy spending.   This continues a long trend of politicians keeping our debt levels low rather than investing heavily in infrastructure needed for the future.   So is this the best approach given the myriad challenges the country faces? And as a society do we need to become more willing to take on debt to make sure our cities are fit for the future? Today, on The Front Page, Sense Partners economist Shamubeel Eaqub helps us understand why Aotearoa is so afraid of debt – and why that might need to change.   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 VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the era of lockdowns, the travel sector is hitting another speed bump.  The Minister for Tourism has publicly criticised the high cost of some tourism operators, leading to questions about whether Aotearoa's tourists are being taken for a ride. Not to be deterred, international airlines are trying to lure us back to the skies with more direct routes and new innovations to improve the travel experience.  But with economic concerns looming, can the average Kiwi still afford the luxury of domestic travel, let alone international?  Today, on The Front Page, NZ Herald aviation editor Grant Bradley gives Damien a sense of the mood in the travel industry.   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 VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland was hit by torrential rain once again this week, stirring up memories of the record-breaking flooding seen in January.  Those memories seemed to spark a fight or flight response in Auckland, with the entire city fleeing home at the same time, causing gridlocked traffic for hours across the city.  Given that scientists are warning these weather events are fast becoming the norm, how can we learn to better cope with weather panic? Today, clinical psychologist Jacqui Maguire joins Damien to offer her advice on coping with our new norm.  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 VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two major financial reports have given a glimpse at the state of Aotearoa's economy. The financial stability report and unemployment figures gave us a sense that the economy is still holding up well, but that could change soon. All forecasts point to things becoming a whole lot tougher as the pressure mounts. So how much worse will the situation become? Will the Government step in to help? And how bad could the coming year get for Kiwi families? Today, on The Front Page, BusinessDesk senior reporter Rebecca Howard takes Damien through the big economic 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: Damien VenutoProducer: Paddy Fox and Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Much of the North Island is once again flooding amid an absolutely heaving severe downpour. Schools have been evacuated across Auckland and Northland, and emergency services have again been on high alert. This opens fresh wounds for a region that was only recently in the firing line of severe flooding and cyclone Gabrielle. So why has this been happening so much in the same region? Is there a better way to forecast the likelihood of extreme weather? And what does the latest research show about the way we report heavy rainfall? University of Canterbury PHD researcher Cameron McErlich joins Damien to explain his findings on how we can become better at predicting heavy rainfall. 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 VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having one MP resign from their party mid-term is rare enough in Aotearoa – but to have two from the same electorate is basically unheard of. Yet days after Meka Whaitiri quit the Labour Party, her two-time Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate rival Elizabeth Kerekere has quit the Green Party. What was behind Kerekere’s decision to leave, and what does this shake-up between Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori mean for a potential coalition after the election? Today, on The Front Page, we’re joined by NZ Herald deputy political editor and host of the On the Tiles podcast Thomas Coughlan, to discuss the latest political shakeups. 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 VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.