The Front Page

The arduous task of counting all the people who live here is fast approaching.    March 7th is Census Day – meaning that each of us will have to fill in forms detailing how many people live in our homes.   This information is critical in showing how our population is changing and plays a key role in determining how resources are distributed across the country.  But gathering this information isn’t easy at the best of times – even less so amid the destruction caused by recent storms. 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 VenutoProducers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy FoxExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, escalating their ongoing conflict in a move that sent shockwaves around the world.  12 months on, the war continues, with Ukraine still managing to mount a stubborn defence against relentless Russian assaults.   Kiwi war journalist Tom Mutch has been reporting on Russia’s incursion into Ukraine since fighting first broke out. After a stint back home, he’s now back in Europe to continue telling the stories of those on the frontlines. Today, Tom Mutch tell Damien where things stand and whether either side shows any inclination of giving 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. Host: Damien VenutoProducers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy FoxExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Massive worker shortages across numerous industries have led to calls for more immigration, on other side of the debate there are concerns about infrastructure capacity. This to and fro has long made a immigration a political football kicked between the parties.But what does a good long-term strategy actually look like? And is there anything we can learn from other countries?   Dr Eric Crampton, the chief economist with the New Zealand Initiative, is with Damien today to look into whether Aotearoa is getting the immigration balance right.   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 VenutoProducers: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year, in the lead-up to March, the traffic grinds to halt as motorways in Auckland back up with bumper-to-bumper cars.  The media has dubbed this annual occurrence March Madness to reflect the frustration of every commuter trying to get to work. After two years of Covid-19 disruptions, this problem is well and truly back – and it hasn’t been helped by massive disruptions across our public transport network. So why does the traffic get progressively worse around this period? What can be done to alleviate this problem? And is public transport really the answer when commuters don’t trust it to get them to work on time? Today, Martin Glynn, the policy director of motoring affairs at the AA, tells Damien why getting from A to B remains so time-consuming in Auckland. 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 VenutoProducers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy FoxExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyclone Gabrielle has left a trail of destruction across the North Island, but the East Coast has been hit particularly hard.   Thousands of people are still unaccounted for, roads remain blocked and many are without power.   Some local politicians have voiced their frustration at the lack of infrastructure funding, while others are taking aim at the actions of the forestry industry.  Hawke’s Bay Today editor Chris Hyde is here to give us a sense of just how bad the situation is and how long the recovery could take. To contribute to the Red Cross' efforts in the aftermath of the cyclone go to: https://redcross.org.nz/nz-disaster-fund 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.

The combination of the Auckland floods and the impact of cyclone Gabrielle served as forceful reminder that climate change is here.  Lives have been lost, homes destroyed and livelihoods obliterated in the worst storm we’ve seen in the 21st century. Seeing the scale of the destruction moved Climate Change Minister and Green Party co-leader James Shaw to make an impassioned speech about the decades we’ve wasted bickering about whether climate change was even real. So how much time have we lost? How do we catch up? And can we now the find the political will to make the necessary changes? Today, James Shaw tells Damien why he’s appalled, and what the country should do to rebuild from these events.     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 VenutoProducers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy FoxExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aotearoa may be cleaning up from our natural disaster, but we’re not the only country struggling right now.   More than a week after a devastating earthquake shook Turkey and Syria to their core, rescuers are still pulling survivors from the rubble.   With over 40,000 deaths recorded across both regions, this one of the deadliest earthquakes of all time.  This event has sparked a massive humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands of homes and livelihoods disintegrated in a moment.  Today, World Vision programme director Clynton Beukes, joins Damien from Jordan to discuss the scale of destruction, and the slow-moving effort to help those affected.  To donate or see how you can help, visit www.worldvision.org.nz or text RESPOND to 5055 to make a $3 donation. 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 VenutoProducers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy FoxExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The intense weather over the last month has caused devastation across the North Island.   But how much of this damage was avoidable?   From entire communities cut off by slips taking out roads, to downed power lines that left thousands without lights, the storms and floods in recent weeks have highlighted some of the flaws in New Zealand’s infrastructure.   Today, Damien speaks with Dr Timothy Welch, a senior lecturer in urban planning at the University of Auckland, to get his take on what the country needs to change, to limit this level of destruction in the 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: Damien VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyclone Gabrielle has started to move away from Aotearoa, but we are likely going to feel her impact for months to come.  From Northland down to Auckland and the Coromandel, and along the country to the East Coast, this massive storm has left a trial of destruction in its wake.  For regions already impacted by months of rain, attention is now turning to the clean-up process – and what we could do to alleviate the damage.  Today, NZ Herald deputy editor Hamish Fletcher joins Damien to explain some of the damage this storm caused across the North Island.  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 VenutoProducers: Shaun D Wilson and Paddy FoxExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyclone Gabrielle was predicted to be the biggest storm of the century – and it certainly has made its mark.   Strong winds have already knocked out power lines, leaving thousands without electricity, while surge swells have rocked coastal areas with enormous power.  These conditions have now moved over Auckland, posing enormous risk for a city still recovering from the Anniversary Day floods.   What is it about this storm that made it so powerful? And should we prepare for this to happen more regularly?  Today, NZ Herald science writer Jamie Morton joins Damien to explain the weather forces that have fed into the fury of Gabrielle.   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 Wilson and Paddy FoxExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.