The Detail
Episodes
The great rugby heist
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
R360 is making a bold play for Kiwi stars, but there's much debate over whether the rebel competition is set to be a rugby revolution, or a career-end...
Christchurch - city of colour, capital of cool
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our second biggest city is experiencing the type of revival that should make the rest of New Zealand enviousIn the last 14 years Christchurch has been...
Voice acting royalty at epic Armageddon
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You could walk past these prolific actors and not even notice you're among stars - until they open their mouths You could walk past these prolific ac...
Helping the helpers in hard times
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Charities in crisis: how government cuts and rising costs are stretching New Zealand's social safety netPhilanthropists split too many ways and tears ...
New Zealand on strike, again
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our workforce has had enough and will down tools on October 23 for a "mega strike", involving more than 100,000 workers New Zealand used to be the pos...
The pig welfare reforms that roll back pig welfare
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Changes announced by animal welfare minister Andrew Hoggard turn out not to be what they appeared on the labelThe government announcement looked like ...
When social licence is revoked
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Big and profitable Kiwi companies hiking their prices during a cost of living crisis have been accused of losing their social licenceIt's very va...
The new online war against birth control
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The contraceptive pill is under fire on social media. Why birth control is being called "poison" online - and what doctors say.Fact vs Fear: Doctors a...
Stormwater solutions lying in the soil
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An expert in water-sensitive design urges us to think harder about what lies beneath our feet Lost in Auckland's push for development has been t...
The hidden heroes of child care
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Inside New Zealand's kinship care movement, and what's needed to repair the cracksFrom heartbreak to hope: how kinship carers are saving New Zealand&#...
The twists and turns of Māori politics
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Amid celebrations that their youngest MP made the cover of Time, ructions that threaten to blow Māori politics apartIt's reset day for Te Pāti ...
What's missing from new earthquake plans
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One expert says the government's changes on earthquake-prone buildings are more about saving money than lives - but there's some sensible stuff in the...
The nothing burger of a power plan
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The much anticipated government announcement of a solution to soaring power prices has fallen well short of fundamental reform The government's ...
Not if but when - Taiwan waits for China to leap
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Taiwanese worry about living costs and their everyday lives while pushing the prospect of action from China to the back of their mindsTaiwanese people...
Digital IDs are coming
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you want to live your life more seamlessly, you might have to swallow the dead rat of information seepageGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more d...
A royal pain for the House of Windsor
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With Fergie, Harry and Andrew in the headlines again, The Detail speaks to an insider about whether they can weather yet another storm From Fergie&#x...
NZ Football League caught in offshore betting storm
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A Kiwi amateur league has become a global betting goldmine, raising red flags about the risk of illegal on-field activityNew Zealand's time zone ...
Port of Auckland hails remarkable turnaround
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A new tripartite agreement for the Port of Auckland signals a turnaround for a workplace long dogged by controversy, including debt, delays and deathT...
Changing the future for organised crime
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The final report from the Ministerial Advisory Group on Organised Crime is delivered today, and it makes for frightening reading It would give you ch...
The viral drift of misinformation
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You can roll your eyes all you want at the White House reckons on panadol, autism and vaccines, but the alarming truth is they are damaging and will t...
Turtles, the pet turned pest
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Turtles have a relaxed reputation, but in reality they're quick-moving and aggressive, and are wreaking havoc on our native wildlifeBreeds including r...
Inside Taiwan's powerhouse semiconductor sector
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Detail puts on a rabbit suit and gets special access to the incubators of Taiwan's semiconductor industryInside Taiwan's booming semiconducto...
Soft power, sneaky marketing
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How New Zealand manages to develop brand awareness without spending a fortune on advertising itselfNew Zealand ranks pretty highly in this year's...
A race to change laws sees a sprint to the courts
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A spate of legal cases have put the Government up against industries and unions who say fast-tracked laws have been undemocraticFrom a ban on greyhoun...
When AI in the workplace goes wrong
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A workplace performance expert warns that introducing artificial intelligence simply to replace people will backfire badly for companiesCompanies tryi...
Canned peaches, canned
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hawkes Bay orchardists are pulling out their peach trees after Wattie's told them it's shrinking production of the canned fruitA gap in production in ...
Banter, beers and backstabbing at the Beehive
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Parliament isn't all fiery debate and smart comebacks, in fact MPs of all political colours get along. But only some are willing to admit it.Lawmakers...
Black Ferns battle injuries as they chase glory in England
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Black Ferns are one win away from the finals, and the mood of the nation depends on a much-needed sporting victory."The Jonah Lomu of her tim...
NZ urged to build new trade blocs
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
BRICS is shifting the weight of global power, and one expert says it may be time New Zealand changed alliancesWith BRICS shaking up global politics an...
A summer scandal on our shelves
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The sunscreens under investigation for their labelling claims in Australia, but still for sale hereSunscreen law dictates how SPFs are labelled, but w...
Politics sink landfill-saving law
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's still not clear exactly why the Greens' Right to Repair Bill faltered at select committee stage, after extensive cross-party collaboration on the...
Leaked papers, low votes, huge stakes
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With local body elections less than a month away, The Detail looks at what's at stake Falling voter numbers, growing mistrust and leaked documents ha...
Outdoor education up a creek without a paddle
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An overhaul of the secondary education curriculum will likely see outdoor education become a vocational subject, and critics say the change risks loss...
Pennies from the mega corps
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The whole world is trying to chase down the likes of Google, Microsoft and Meta for more income tax, and New Zealand is no exception Global tech firms...
Police under pressure as gunfire rocks quiet Levin
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Entrenched gang conflict, personal grudges and methamphetamine use have fuelled a spate of gang shootings in LevinA Gang Conflict Warrant is in place ...
The confused and chaotic legacy of Tom Phillips
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Detail talks to reporter Tony Wall, who's covered the saga of the fugitive father and his children for nearly four years After nearly four years, ...
Making America Solvent Again
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Economists are starting to talk about the demise of American exceptionalism. The Detail looks at what that term means, and what effect it has on your ...
The power imbalance that hits in old age
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Retirement village living should feel like home, but in some cases residents have the status of students in a hostel What seems like a small dispute ...
Stories of sexuality as the closet door opened
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1990s, Lois Cox interviewed lesbian women about their lives in Wellington. Some 25 years later, those stories have been published.In Lois Cox&#...
The cost to society of weight loss drugs
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Those who can afford it are getting thin by needle, but new weight loss drugs bring with them unanswered questionsObesity, Ozempic, and the end of bod...
Driving change for better road safety
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The road to getting a driver license is set to become easier and more efficient, but experts question whether safety is enough of a considerationThe g...
Hostility rises as New Caledonia peace deal collapses
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From promise to protest - how the Bougival Accord has thrown New Caledonia into chaos.The Bougival Accord was meant to heal, but now risks dividing Ne...
Why we send our precious e-waste offshore
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand risks missing out on the "land grab" for e-waste and is paying the price as it sends phones, laptops and batteries offshoreA Kiwi tech fir...
From field to funeral, the hidden toll of CTE on Kiwi sports stars
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's a silent epidemic in our national game, and it's leaving a trail of tragedy here and overseas Shane Christie wanted a hard look at the link be...
For the love of Wellington
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Despite the scandals and leaky pipes, Wellingtonians want the rest of the nation to know that their city is still unbeatableThe capital city has been ...
Fake citations causing real-world damage
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
AI-hallucinated scientific research and legal precedents are making their way into academic papers and court cases, highlighting AI's real-world impac...
Mayday call for New Zealand's sinking cruise industry
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cruise ship visits to Aotearoa are down, and industry insiders worry that the economic fallout for the tourism industry will be severe Red tape, high...
The industry-killing crisis
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the natural gas supply dwindles, a glasshouse grower fears for its future, and the future of growing food in New ZealandTomato grower warns the gas...
In an economic slump, tech startups are in hot demand
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Inside the Auckland event where tech startups pitch to New Zealand's wealthiest investors, the economic outlook is sunny At the Icehouse Showcase, tec...
When protecting us from the evils of the internet backfires
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to making the internet safer for children and better for society the devil is in the detail - and those details are often overlooked A r...
Bonus: Amanda Gillies speaks with Reverend Frank Ritchie on the re_covering podcast
23 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda Gillies speaks with media chaplain and broadcaster Reverend Frank Ritchie on his podcast re_covering, to unpack the one story that most impacte...
Rings fellowship making tracks to NZ
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lord of the Rings cast members still hold New Zealand close to their hearts after 25 years, and several are making plans to returnKiwi actor Bruce Hop...
Downfall of the clueless, wannabe, soldier spy
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand's first-ever conviction for attempted espionage has been handed down, but the solider at the centre of the case was less James Bond and "m...
On rate capping, lessons from across the Tasman
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As rate payers feel the pinch, plans for rate capping offer welcome relief. But councillors here and across the Tasman have warnings. New Zealand hous...
Who's afraid of Aotearoa
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A growing list of rollbacks of Māori language and culture beg the question: is the Government pushing New Zealand towards an identity crisis? From ta...
A city with a cashflow problem
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Auckland's economy is falling behind that of the South Island and rural areas, and there's no government hero coming to the rescueRetailers say it...
Northland's unprecedented crime surge
17 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Beautiful Northland should be New Zealand's paradise but a surge in violent crime, drugs and poverty is even putting off police from moving up thereNi...
Jess Sayer gives life to the author behind Frankenstein
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Queen of Goth - Frankenstein author Mary Shelley - is the inspiration behind a new play written by Jess SayerThe playwright behind a new productio...
The razzmatazz of a bullseye sport
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's gone from a boozy pub game to a mega millions sport - darts' world tour is on in Auckland this weekend At the New Zealand Darts Masters in Auckla...
A boom in businesses going bust
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand is on track for a record number of liquidations this year - again - but it's not all doom and gloom for Kiwi businesses The rising cost of...
Past the point of safe return, nowhere to go but Antarctica
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After a risky rescue mission to Antarctica, the commander and pilot's blow-by-blow of the 20-hour round trip to McMurdo Station The Defence Force...
Clearing out the confusion over NCEA changes
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A lesson in the big NCEA reset. The Detail puts an RNZ education specialist to the test on the major education system overhaul. Reactions to the gove...
Sinking millions into Auckland's heritage buildings
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Auckland museum's asbestos problem is being described as an octopus with more than eight tentacles - and one that comes with a whopping price tagTwo A...
Reality TV's Achilles' heel
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This just finished season of reality TV show Love Island UK kicked off with misogyny and bullying - and soaring viewershipReality TV shows are becomin...
Will NZ move with the tide over Gaza?
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With starvation reaching a crisis point in Gaza and an impetus to pressure Israel to pull back, New Zealand's reactions to the conflict remain mutedAs...
Battling apathy over local government
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It may seem as if no one cares about the level of government ruling over potholes and parks, but the number of candidates for his year's elections are...
Lies and U-turns from Trump's team over the Epstein files
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are signs that the previously unwavering MAGA base of Donald Trump is starting to turn on him as he becomes increasingly embroiled in the Epstei...
An FBI director on Kiwi soil
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
FBI Director Kash Patel's visit to New Zealand has been described as important, useful, and mutually beneficial - but it's also business as usualThere...
Sweeping reforms to laundering laws
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's no doubt that money laundering is a problem in New Zealand, but we shouldn't be catching parents trying to open bank accounts for their kids i...
Pushing our buttons to loosen our wallets
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It doesn't matter if it's health messages or supermarket campaigns, consumers are having their behavioural buttons pushed in expert waysTwo of our big...
Netball still under pressure in spite of TV deal
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Great for netball fans, maybe not so great for players - it's unlikely they'll be hit in the pocket after a new deal with free to air TV was signed th...
Axe falls on history
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When one of our smallest ministries is shredded in the name of saving taxpayer dollars, critics say it feels like cultural vandalismA world class webs...
When it's worth waiting for democracy
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The government's suite of amendments to electoral law haven't gone down well, but that's not stopping them from pushing ahead with the changes…G...
Balancing risk with overreach in our terror laws
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rights groups are concerned a government spotlight on terror laws will see protest, freedom of speech and advocacy endangered …Go to this episo...
The hidden epidemic in Kiwi homes that costs the country billions
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
More funding's been announced to train up domestic violence support workers, but turning our horrific figures around is expected to take generations ...
Not so awful offal
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Proponents of offal-eating point out that it's just polite to use every part of a beast we've killed .... it's really the least we can doIt's che...
The value of Youth MPs put under a question mark
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Youth Parliament is there to give aspiring politicians a taste of a future career, but after three decades the value of the event is in question A fo...
Tiny Nauru is causing big waves over mining
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Laws over international deep sea mining are being thrashed out at a meeting in Jamaica, but the process has so far taken over a decade and we don't ev...
A never-ending visa queue for refugees
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Refugee Family Support Category is supposed to allow refugees to reunite with family. Instead, it's a waiting game which could take another decade...
Urban, Māori and disconnected - the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Henare vs Kaipara: Legacy, loyalty and the fight for Māori representation in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-electionTwo Māori heavyweights battle it out in...
Booze warnings on hold
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you don't want to face the unpalatable truth about your boozing, the alcohol lobby is on your sideOutdated alcohol guidelines put New Zealand out o...
The business of playing for neurodiverse kids
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand's first play zone for children with disabilities is becoming a charitable trust, with the goal of expanding services to cater for people o...
Paying for the reality of climate change
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to damage from serious weather events, the days of big pay-outs to property owners are coming to an endThe 100-year floods are rolling i...
How friendly fire torpedoed a mayoral campaign
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leaks, lies and leadership. The Wellington mayoral race was shaping up to be dull but now a dirty politics scandal is splitting the capitalIt was head...
Battling the drug flood at Auckland Airport
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With an increase in drugs coming through Auckland Airport, border officials focus on trying to stop the imports before they reach our shoresA customs ...
Warnings resurface over iconic fish
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand's orange roughy stocks are under fresh scrutiny, and a major fishery faces closureWhat was once called the "white gold" of our o...
Death without a will, and the mess left behind
13 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are some horror stories about the wreckage left behind when people die without leaving a will, but now something watertight is easier to draw up...
Up, up and away - another version of Superman hits the big screen
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the James Gunn version of Superman is released in cinemas, we look at the history of a character that truly owns the word iconicSuperman is, in the...
All Blacks' performance is no cause for depression
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is no room for error when the All Blacks face French firepower in Wellington tomorrow night, and a long-time rugby journalist says fans would be...
A win-win-win over medical waste
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's a second life in single-use medical devices, but getting Pharmac on board with the money-saving venture has been a battleA Canterbury company ...
Erin Patterson faces life behind bars for murder by mushroom
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Erin Patterson case has gripped international audiences, in Australia's 'biggest crime story since the Azaria Chamberlain case' of the 80s.The Aus...
The health crisis pushed by a drug crisis
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With Fiji in the midst of an HIV outbreak, UNAIDS warns that other Pacific Islands countries have all the risk factors of a similar crisis…Go to...
Rules and red tape holding back cannabis industry
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand is one of the best places in the world to grow dope, but producing marketable medicinal cannabis is a regulatory nightmareNew Zealand has ...
Tourism's role in peace and prosperity
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tourism can only happen when conflict ends - and there's been recognised with a Nobel Peace Prize nominationA Washington-based, Auckland-educated Samo...
Stranded in hell
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Getting people out and home when they're trapped in a war zone is a dangerous and politically delicate task - here's how it's doneWhen you're awa...
It's no longer illegal to be a proudly violent Proud Boy
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The terrorist label has been dropped from extremist group the Proud Boys, but its ideology still lurks online in New ZealandNew Zealand has lifted the...
Kainga Ora cuts new developments as the housing crisis escalates
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After a rebuild was cancelled, the former tenants of a social housing development in Auckland have seemingly 'disappeared' Despite a housing crisis, K...
The Bill that's left people dazed, confused and angry
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is the Regulatory Standards Bill the key to better law making for the future, or a gigantic waste of time and an affront to democracy? A look at what...
Regaining trust in a world of disinformation
29 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rather than shrug helplessly over a lack of trust in journalism, two New Zealand journalists are rolling up their sleeves to tackle the issueTwo Kiwi ...
How to ride a horse, if you don't have a horse
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Two non-traditional sports - hobby horsing and pickleball - have gained popularity in the last several years, and Kiwis are joining in the funHobby ho...