The Front Page
Episodes
Reissue: Marsden Point's potential to be 'world-leading' in sustainable aviation fuels
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marsden Point operated as New Zealand’s only oil refinery for nearly 60 years. At its peak in the 80s, it employed around 1700 people – wh...
Reissue: Vacant lots and empty stores: The dire state of Auckland CBD real estate revealed
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is New Zealand’s largest city dying? Auckland is home to roughly a third of the entire country’s population and is predicted to grow even ...
Reissue: Growth or austerity? Unpacking Budget 2025 and what it means for you
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The coalition Government has unveiled its second Budget. Over 20 billion dollars in savings has been found over the next four years, more than half fr...
Reissue: From drugs to weapons, illicit items are for sale on social media
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You might look on Facebook marketplace for a new couch, a lamp, a rug. But, what about class A drugs? Or how about a ghost gun? A Herald investigation...
Reissue: McSkimming scandal: How there is hope for survivors in those who spoke up
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been revealed that Police ignored sex allegations against a former top cop, and instead prosecuted a woman for ‘revenge emails’...
Reissue: Surging violence, record numbers: What’s driving the prison system 'crisis'
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Corrections Association says New Zealand’s prisons are in ‘crisis’. Last year saw record-breaking numbers of assaults on staff, ...
Reissue: The changing face of gangs and organised crime - are the Govt's policies working?
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are more than 9,000 gang members in New Zealand, and thousands more associates. The coalition government from the get-go promised a crackdown on...
What the Bondi attack means for New Zealand
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A dark day in Australia, as two gunmen opened fire at a Bondi Beach Jewish event marking the first day of Hannukah. Sixteen people are dead, including...
Broken trust, political divides and the world getting weirder — 2025 debriefed
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From geopolitical friction and climate chaos to a cost-of-living crisis and a haka heard around the world, 2025 has been a huge year for news. Trump&r...
Are big boozy work Christmas parties over for good?
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tis the season to celebrate the end of the year with your workmates on the company dime. But, are the days of huge bashes and unlimited bar tabs long ...
Leaving for Oz: Why so many Kiwis are giving up on the local job market
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kiwis are flying the coop, most of them heading for better opportunities across the Tasman. Latest Stats NZ figures show just over 124,000 migrant dep...
How Australia’s social media ban works – and could it happen in NZ?
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Australia’s social media ban comes into effect this week, when all under 16s there will be restricted from major platforms. We’re talking ...
All Blacks defeats, Netball NZ turmoil, Liam Lawson: The year in sport
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From sideline squabbles to damning defeats, 2026 will need to be a year of refresh when it comes to Kiwi sports. The All Blacks’ season h...
Can Auckland CBD bounce back? Retail vacancies, rail link and recovery
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Auckland’s CBD should be at its brightest right now, but this Christmas season has exposed just how far the city has slipped. The former Smith a...
What Russia wants for peace and why some countries are pushing back
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Russia is apparently ready to go to war with Europe, according to its President. Vladimir Putin met with the US negotiators this week for about five h...
Local government shake-up explained: Rate caps, mayors board and services
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Regional, territorial, unitary, wards and boards. Local government in New Zealand is made up of 78 different councils that make decisions we encounter...
How a new report says we can modernise laws on consent and sexual harm
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are calls for urgent changes to modernise our laws to better protect victims of sexual violence. A new Helen Clarke Foundation report identifies...
Nau mai Ikea: What to know before Sylvia Park store opens
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the moment anyone looking for a conveniently packaged, Swedish designed kitchen cabinet is waiting for. Ikea opens in Auckland this week at...
The Fall of the House of Du Val: inside the saga behind the new podcast
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It has been a tumultuous time since the collapse of the Du Val property development group. It was August last year we saw police raid a Remuera proper...
From villain to icon: Why the Grinch is everywhere this Christmas
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The mistlestoe's hung, the bells are a'ringing And all through the malls Mariah Carey is singing It's the same old story, told year after ...
Chris Penk promises overhaul of mould‑ridden Defence housing in new plan
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Government’s released its plan to get our Defence infrastructure up to scratch – some of which hasn’t been touched in decades. T...
How Cook Islands‑flagged ships became tied to Russian and Iranian oil trade
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Cook Islands’ flag has flown from more than a hundred oil tankers implicated in illicitly trading Russian and Iranian oil. A special Herald ...
Inside Parliament’s property portfolio: Who owns what, and why it matters
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our MPs have stakes in a combined $379 million of property in New Zealand. A Herald investigation has found that’s an average of $3.16 million a...
Exclusive: Michael Wood confirms political return
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Former cabinet minister, Michael Wood, will be running for the Labour Party in next year’s general election. He’ll be running for the Mt R...
The global ripple of the Mamdani effect
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From the streets of New York to around the world, the "Mamdani effect" is taking shape. Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won the city’s mayor...
Could the UK's asylum policy overhaul have an impact on NZ rules?
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The United Kingdom is vowing to ‘restore order and control’ - through controversial, sweeping reform on the country’s asylum system....
NZ is still killing too many workers
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
15 years ago, 29 men went to work and never returned home. The Pike River mine explosion shocked New Zealand and the world, prompting three inquiries,...
From billionaire boom to trillionaire threat
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While the world ponders whether being a billionaire is ethical in these challenging times, another potential dilemma has arisen... trillionaires. Elon...
Scam cases surge with increasingly clever tactics
16 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been revealed that Kiwis lost a record $3 billion to scams this year. That’s a 30% increase...
What happens next if Te Pāti Māori triggers the waka jumping law?
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For weeks now headlines have been peppered with Te Pāti Māori’s infighting. The crescendo came when the party’s National Council opted t...
McSkimming scandal: How there is hope for survivors in those who spoke up
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been revealed that Police ignored sex allegations against a former top cop, and instead prosecuted a woman for ‘revenge emails’...
Bonus episode: Jared Savage on the fall of Jevon McSkimming
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There have been no official talks yet about compensation for the complainant against Jevon McSkimming. The former Deputy Police Commissioner is awaiti...
What went wrong with New Zealand’s smoke-free dream?
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Remember when we were meant to be smoke free by 2025? New Zealand’s goal to have fewer than 5% of people smoking by the end of the year looks un...
Mark Mitchell on police trust, protests, and protecting minorities
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Mitchell has heralded the government’s promise to be tough on crime. He’s been incredibly clear from the get-go that his primary goal...
What’s at stake as COP30 begins on the edge of the Amazon rainforest
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 30th UN climate conference will begin this week. Nations will gather in Belem, Brazil for COP30 – and while the Trump administration isn&rsq...
How one hornet species could sting New Zealand’s environment and economy
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bees are tiny but mighty players in New Zealand’s environment and economy. They pollinate our gardens, native plants, and crucial crops, support...
Why Mt Everest deserves respect over self-promotion
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Just over seventy years after Sir Edmund Hillary first ascended Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak is grappling with new ethical dilemmas. ...
How KiwiSaver cash ends up backing countries accused of human rights abuses
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A chance for New Zealand to lead change the world in ‘ethical investing’. As of last year, more than half a billion dollars of New Zealand...
Why the debate over fireworks gets louder every year
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s that time of year again, where we debate whether New Zealanders should be allowed to let off fireworks. Fire and Emergency New Zealand is a...
How new biometric privacy rules will change what businesses must disclose
02 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand’s Privacy Commissioner has issued new rules around the automated use of biometrics. Biometric processing is the use of tech, like fa...
Behind the scenes at APEC 2025: Golf, fried chicken, and choppers
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our Prime Minister has met and dined with one of the most powerful people in the world - Donald Trump. Christopher Luxon and Trump spoke at an APEC di...
How low vaccination rates left NZ exposed to another measles outbreak
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand may be on the cusp of another measles outbreak. There are ten known cases: One of those cases came from overseas, and the other nine were ...
Is Labour's new policy a watered down capital gains tax?
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Labour has announced what some are describing a “watered down” version of a Capital Gains Tax. This targeted CGT would affect profit made ...
New report says politicians should shift drug budget to a health focus
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New research suggests our drug laws are stuck in the 70s – and that Kiwis want to see a more health-based approach to tackling the country&rsquo...
How long will spring’s wild winds keep roaring across the country?
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand’s been experiencing some wild weather this week. Red wind warnings were issued for much of Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and s...
Public sector mega strike: up to 100,000 health and education workers walk out
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Up to 100-thousand union members across health and education are on strike today. The action prompted Public Service Minister Judith Collins, to pen a...
Can the Louvre’s stolen royal gems ever be recovered?
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In seven minutes, thieves entered the Louvre in Paris and made off with eight “priceless” jewels. The necklaces, earrings, brooches, and c...
'Power prices are the real headline': Why 3% inflation feels worse
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Inflation has risen even further. Latest Stats NZ figures show inflation reached 3% in the year to September. Economists had tipped to hit the top end...
Teachers day off: Improving working conditions will improve learning conditions, union says
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week will see mass walk outs across the country as 100,000 teachers and medical staff go on strike. This Thursday, October 23, 11,500 Allied Heal...
Barry Soper remembers Jim Bolger as a 'really good bloke'
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger has died aged 90. He became the 35th Prime Minister after leading National to a landslide victory in 1990. Bolger was...
Inside Gloriavale’s latest investigation into child discipline practice
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New details have emerged about what could be happening behind closed doors at Gloriavale. Authorities have been quietly been involved in yet another i...
Ceasefire deal ends hostage crisis but Gaza’s future uncertain
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emotional scenes in the Middle East as hostages reunite with their families across Israel. Busloads of Palestinian prisoners have also arrived to larg...
End of Windows 10 support raises security and e‑waste concerns in NZ
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Microsoft is ending its support for the Windows 10 operating system from today. It means computers still running this system might be at risk, given s...
Why people are falling in love with AI chatbots
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Artificial intelligence will likely end up touching every aspect of our days – but what about our love lives? It’s a growing trend, with m...
Youth homelessness crisis: Call for national strategy to close support gaps
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today is World Homeless Day – where organisations around the globe shed light on the issue. Right now, more than 2% of New Zealanders are withou...
Local elections: Hundreds of races being won by default
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Local government is how communities democratically decide what happens in their backyards. The park on the corner, what day our bins go out, your neig...
How the Reserve Bank’s next move could shape economic recovery ahead
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Reserve Bank is expected to cut the Official Cash Rate today, but how deeply it will cut remains to be seen. Markets are pricing in the cut as a c...
Inside the inquiry asking if NZ was ready for the deadly Cyclone Gabrielle
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been more than two years since Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods. Nineteen people died. A three-week long inque...
How can NZ stand out in the global fight for AI minds?
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand’s fight to attract the minds shaping the future in tech could have just gotten a bit harder. China has a new visa which targets youn...
Surging violence, record numbers: What’s driving the prison system 'crisis'
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Corrections Association says New Zealand’s prisons are in ‘crisis’. Last year saw record-breaking numbers of assaults on staff, ...
Trump claims Gaza ceasefire deal within reach, but could it be deja vu?
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
US President Donald Trump says a Gaza ceasefire is “closer than ever” - but, what’s the reality? The White House has released a plan...
Blind and low vision New Zealanders face rising costs and daily barriers
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are huge inequities facing at least 183,000 New Zealanders, and nothing’s being done about it. New data from Blind Low Vision NZ reveals h...
Overshoot Conference: What breaking 1.5°C means for climate action
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re edging closer to exceeding 1.5°C of warming globally, and scientists will gather to understand the implications of missing our climate...
Abuse in Care survivors face years‑long delays under current redress processes
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Church leaders are continuing to publicly apologise to survivors of abuse. The Presbyterian Church is the latest to address it in two public apology e...
Autism advocates say Trump rhetoric fuels stigma and harms families
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
US doctors will soon be advised not to prescribe paracetamol to pregnant women, after President Donald Trump claimed an ‘increased autism risk&r...
Government considers phasing out telco obligations in sector review
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For the past month, Kiwis have been able to have their say on proposals to change our telecommunications sector. Minister for Regulation David Seymour...
Inside the showdown between senior doctors and Health NZ over pay
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Thousands of senior doctors are on strike until midnight, after walking off the job yesterday. Their long-running pay dispute with Heath New Zealand c...
The pressure grows: Will NZ recognise Palestine this week?
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The clock is ticking for New Zealand to join a throng of other countries recognising the state of Palestine. Britain, Canada, and Australia have all f...
The Kiwi communities left stranded in the news desert
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past decade, New Zealand has seen dozens of community newspapers shut down, newsroom roles cut, and programmes taken off air. A new dis...
Foam-filled furniture: The deadly fuel hiding in your home
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A coroner has issued a damning report after the death of 16-year-old Canterbury teenager Lizzy Marvin — saying she likely died because the gover...
How new zoning plans could change Auckland forever
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Auckland is under pressure to make space for two million homes, and councillors have little choice in the matter. On September 24, the city&rsqu...
Charlie Kirk shooting sparks warnings on online radicalisation risks
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has shone a spotlight on political violence in the US, and around the world. The 31-year-old w...
All Blacks' record loss to South Africa sparks questions over future
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The All Blacks have taken a giant step backwards in a 43-10 crushing at the hands of South Africa in Wellington. It’s their worst ever defeat &n...
Pecking order politics: Why Kiwis care so deeply about Bird of the Year
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
International campaigns, a Russian vote-tampering scandal, and an imposter taking the win, there’s one election that New Zealanders have taken v...
Christ Church Cathedral: Inside the long, costly, and bitter fight to restore a city’s broken heart
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a new plan to re-open the Christ Church Cathedral in stages. It’s after the reinstatement of the iconic building came to a standst...
Dezi Freeman manhunt: The risks, reach and rise of the sovereign citizen movement
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In Australia, the massive manhunt continues for suspected cop killer Dezi Freeman in rural Victoria. Officers had gone to his remote property in Porep...
Minister for Mafias? Behind the proposal being put before the Government
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Government’s being urged to create a new ministerial portfolio to focus on organised crime. It’s the “number one” threat t...
“We know the family, we know the cop”: Mayor speaks of close-knit Marokopa community
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the early hours of Monday morning, a man police were hunting for nearly four years was shot and killed in a stand-off on a rural Waikato road. That...
What China's show of military might means for global power balance
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
China recently rolled out the red carpet to some of the world’s most controversial leaders – in a massive display of military might. It wa...
Costco, then Ikea: What could be the next megastore and why do we care?
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealanders will finally get to experience the labyrinth that is an IKEA store from December 4. The new Sylvia Park site in Auckland is one of the ...
From a schoolyard brawl to murder: Why do innocent people confess?
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Police interviewing techniques have been a controversial topic here and around the globe. There have been countless, high-profile cases where someone ...
Why thousands of NZ nurses are striking this week
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
More than 36-thousand Nurses' Organisation members nationwide went on strike yesterday, and they will walk off the job again tomorrow. Health New Zeal...
Why AI chatbots may not be ready to support NZ teens' mental health
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As many as one in five Kiwi youth, aged between 15 and 24, have experienced anxiety or depression at some point in their lives. The 2022/23 New Zealan...
Te Pāti Māori aims to unite, not divide, says co-leader
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is known for unapologetically fighting for the rights of Māori. The co-leader of Te Pati Māori never shies away from speaking ...
20 years after Hurricane Katrina: How NZ can learn from disaster response
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
20 years on, and the devastation left behind by Hurricane Katrina is still being felt. The category three hurricane made landfall on August 29, 2005 d...
What is North Korea's Kim Jong Un up to? A possible Trump meeting and a bizarre video
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
US President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his ‘close relationship’ with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. In a meeting with South Korean Pre...
'Like dwarf-tossing': Concussion experts call for Run It Straight ban
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A group of concussion researchers have likened Run It Straight events to “dwarf tossing”, where organisers turn “real human risk and...
Inside NZ's Police college: A leadership shakeup, target backdown, and new cops 'barely' equipped
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s been a leadership shakeup at the Royal NZ Police college, after a recruit debacle. It’s while a newly released survey of training ...
NZ Customs battles growing illicit tobacco smuggling trend
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The illegal tobacco trade has become a very lucrative business worldwide. In Australia for example, illegal, excise-evading cigarettes now comprise of...
Marsden Point's potential to be 'world-leading' in sustainable aviation fuels
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marsden Point operated as New Zealand’s only oil refinery for nearly 60 years. At its peak in the 80s, it employed around 1700 people – wh...
Tāmaki Makaurau by-election: What you need to know
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The race is on for the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election – sparked by the death of Te Pati Maori MP, Takutai Tarsh Kemp. The Māori electorate covers...
NZ debt nears $1 trillion — Is it too late to pay off?
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealanders are well on their way to a collective $1 trillion in debt. At the current rate of growth, we’ll hit that landmark inside the next...
Marama Davidson presses for big system change at Oranga Tamariki
17 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since entering Parliament 10 years ago, Mārama Davidson has become a co-leader, been appointed a Minister, and has helped the Greens reach its larges...
Putin already seen as winner in US-Russia summit on peace in Ukraine
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The countdown to the Putin-Trump summit is on. The two leaders are due to meet in Alaska to discuss what peace could look like in Ukraine, more than t...
Kiwi mum in US immigration limbo: What are your rights with ICE?
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A New Zealand citizen and her son have been detained by ICE in the US. Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old son were detained at the Canadian border after ...
Recognising the state of Palestine: What does it actually mean?
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Government’s decision on whether it’ll recognise the state of Palestine has been put on hold until next month. It’s despite our ...
‘Legitimate concern’: Should we regulate YouTube’s algorithm?
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Video-sharing website, YouTube, began 20 years ago with a 19 second video of one of its founders at the San Diego Zoo. Now, hundreds of hours of conte...
‘It won’t happen in my lifetime’: Shane Jones on renewable energy goal
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A self-described “Prince of the Provinces” - there are few politicians like Shane Jones. He’s Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Regi...
Economic worries putting pressure on National as parties lay groundwork for next election
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cost of living and the economy remains top of the agenda for National. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s already touting his leadership as one ...
What the US tariffs mean for our economy - is it time we pivot our trade strategy?
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From tomorrow, there’ll be a 15% tariff on New Zealand imports for US businesses. The announcement of the arbitrary amount saw us frantically se...