The Front Page

An unprecedented weather event has completely saturated the upper North Island over the last few days.  Record-breaking amounts of rain have submerged streets and parks, caused landslides and damaged infrastructure, and claimed the lives of at least four people.  The event has also sparked a backlash from Aucklanders over how Mayor Wayne Brown and public officials handled their communications.  Damien speaks to NZ Herald science reporter Jamie Morton about the stats behind the storm, and to NZ Herald deputy editor Hamish Fletcher about what the newsroom saw on Friday night.  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.

New Zealand is facing up to the abuse and misogyny faced by politicians.   In the wake of Jacinda Ardern’s shock resignation as Prime Minister in January, many commentators and analysts have pointed to the online abuse she faced during her five and a half years in office.   Ardern didn’t specifically cite the abuse as a reason for resigning, but data released in the days after her announcement showed up to 93 percent of abuse aimed at politicians was sent in her direction. So why do female politicians face such vitriol, and can anything be done to ensure women aren’t discouraged from entering into politics? Today, Massey University, School of Management, senior lecturer Suze Wilson walks us through the darker side of being a female leader in New Zealand. 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.

New Zealand is set for a blockbuster year of sport, with four world cups being held. The big one will no doubt be the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will see superstars from around the world descend on Aotearoa for a four-week football festival in July. That massive event will then be followed by the spectacle of the Men’s Rugby World Cup in France.   So, who are the sports stars to watch in 2023? Can Ian Foster prove that keeping him as All Blacks coach was the right call? And is New Zealand truly prepared to host what is sure to be a ground-breaking football World Cup?  Today, Damien speaks to Newstalk ZB sports reporter Andrew Alderson about the epic year ahead for our top athletes. 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 five and a half years, the Jacinda Ardern premiership has come to an end.   Following her shock resignation, Ardern has officially vacated the Ninth Floor, and is now a backbench MP free from the burden of the country’s highest office.  From a terrorist attack to a volcanic eruption and on to a pandemic, her tenure as Prime Minister was complicated and challenging.  While Ardern has been applauded for her crisis management and international reputation, her critics have also stressed that her Government’s execution of big policies was sometimes lacking.   So, as the dust settles on Jacinda Ardern’s political career, what legacy will she leave behind? How will we remember a politician that is broadly admired but also highly divisive?   Today, Damien is joined by Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper for his take on what the name Jacinda will mean to future generations. 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.

For the last 25 years, the disappearances of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope has been a constant source of speculation and controversy.  The two disappeared in the early hours of New Year’s Day, 1998, after accepting an offer to stay aboard a man’s yacht while staying in the Marlborough Sounds.   Scott Watson was convicted of their murders in 1999. Now, Watson and his supporters hope a return to the Court of Appeal in May could finally set him free.  Today, broadcaster Paul Henry joins Damien to discuss what has motivated him to campaign for Watson’s case now, a quarter century after Olivia Hope and Ben Smart were lost.  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.

Helicopter safety has been a simmering debate in New Zealand for years.   It’s one that’s returned to the spotlight after several accidents and close calls over summer, including a horror crash on Australia’s Gold Coast.   This comes at a time when helipads are spreading across the country as wealthy New Zealanders look to skip the traffic by taking to the sky.  So as we see more helicopters taking to our skies, are we confident that we have the right regulations and training programmes in place? And should we be limiting the number of helicopters permitted to occupy our skies?  Today, Damien is joined by aviation commentator Peter Clark to get his thoughts on the growing prominence of choppers around New Zealand.     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.

Wayne Brown has long been an advocate for moving the Ports of Auckland up to Northland.   Now that he is Auckland’s mayor, it’s a goal that Brown may be able to make a reality. However, while many Aucklanders would love to see the cars and containers go, the scale of such a move has made for a contentious debate So what would be involved in moving the port, and should it happen? How long until Aucklanders get a waterfront with a view? Today, Damien is joined by economist, and advocate for moving the port, Shane Vuletich, to hear why he believes it’s time to change the look of Auckland’s waterfront.  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 Labour Party has a new leader, and the country a new Prime Minister.  Chris Hipkins, best known for serving as the Covid-19 Response Minister, is set to be sworn in as Aotearoa’s 41st Prime Minister, after receiving unanimous support from his colleagues to succeed Jacinda Ardern.  Hipkins is known as the party’s ‘Mr Fixit’, due to a history of being parachuted in to fix his colleague's ministerial stuff-ups.  But are those DIY skills enough for the 44-year-old father of two to turn around Labour’s fortunes and secure a third term in government?  Today, Damien is joined by NZ Herald political editor Claire Trevett to discuss what challenges await our new PM.   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.

In a shock announcement Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that she will be stepping down on February 7th.  This means she will not be standing again as leader of the Labour party, and will not contest the next election.  New Zealand will soon find itself with a new Prime Minister.  So, who could take the reins at Labour? What could next be on the cards for Ardern? And how will this news bombshell reverberate throughout the political landscape?  Today, Damien is joined by deputy political editor and host of the On the Tiles Podcast, Thomas Coughlan, for a discussion on the announcement that no one saw coming.    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 economy is widely anticipated to be 2023’s election-defining issue.   With the country forecast to enter a recessionary period, a cost of living crisis, declining house prices and a mortgage shock on the horizon, the next 12 months don’t look easy for New Zealanders.  On top of this, the distribution of wealth across Aotearoa continues to favour those who already have most. So how bad will the recession be? Will Kiwis be able to hold onto their homes and jobs? And is it perhaps time for the country to start taking the idea of a wealth tax a bit more seriously? Today, Damien is joined by ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner and Infometrics principal economist and incoming CEO Brad Olsen, to discuss the big economic questions hanging over the nation. 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.