RNZ: First Up Podcast

On today's First Up pod: Alex Baird has the very latest from the Middle East; in business we hear about a big spike in the number of over 50s looking for work, meanwhile, with long wait lists for surgery here in Aotearoa - producer Ross McNaughton talks to Kiwis travelling as far as Turkey for health treatment. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: our correspondent Chris Gilbert explains why pressure is growing on the Japanese Prime Minister to resign; in we hear about a 91 year old council candidate who's actually following his friends' advice NOT to spend his most of his remaining years at council board tables and the government's planning to replace NCEA, we ask uni students what their experience was like at high school. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: producer Ross McNaughton finds out how much Netball NZ is paying for TVNZ to broadcast ANZ championship games; we have the fresh juice from Minister Glenn Forsyth at the produce markets and reporter Ke-Xin Li looks at the rules around medical certificates and sick notes. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: we have all the very latest news from South Asia and the US; Fruit of the Week with Glenn Forsyth; we catch up with the perfectly named running champ Lisa Cross - who's at the New Zealand Cross Country Champs this weekend and we meet a team of trained ferrets - leading the charge in the battle against Queenstown's exploding rabbit population. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: the UK announces it will recognise the state of Palestine at the UN in September; the World Press photo exhibition has opened in Auckland, with thought provoking images from international photojournalists... the curator takes us on a tour and with high unemployment and competition for jobs - reporter Ke Xin Li finds out about ageism in the workforce in Aotearoa. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: rugby could be the latest game to get the Saudi sports-washing treatment, producer Ross McNaughton looks at what R360 is all about; we look back to a musical moment that shocked the world and reporter Ke Xin Li asks Auckland office workers what working from home means to them. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: we have latest from Trump's USA as MAGA bite back over the Epstein files; the latest boxing heavyweight decider is here - Oleksander Usyk and Daniel Dubois in the ring this weekend with Kiwi fighter Joseph Parker watching in the wings; and we hear from recently retired principal Maurie Abraham about how Modern Learning Environments worked well at his secondary school. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: Australian news and in the UK we hear about the fallout from huge data breach from Britain's Ministry of Defence; Labour's Willow-Jean Prime talks about open plan classrooms and New Plymouth is winning the war on rats. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: In South Korea, medical students have gone back to class after a boycott of more than a year; we celebrate the birthday of a Dutch artist who turned black paint into magic; Nicola Willis talk about electricity, and Australian police trying to take our cops and Tess Brunton checks out a seaside suburb in Dunedin, to find a taste of Italy. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: the jury yesterday reached a verdict in the mushroom murder trial - and Erin Patterson has been found guilty on all charges; it's 20 years since the July 7th suicide bomb attacks in London, we find out how it's being remembered and health minister Simeon Brown tells us why Commissioner Lester Levy is staying on as the chair of Health New Zealand. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: we have the latest on the weather which has been hitting hard across the country overnight; Glenn Forsyth's here with Fruit of the Week and in rugby league, teachers and police by day, Warriors by night! We meet the women returning to the NRLW. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: Selwyn District Council claims it has "the lowest rates" in Canterbury, but not everyone is convinced; we have the latest from overnight with our correspondents including Henry Riley in London where that heatwave is moving up from Spain and raising temperatures in the UK and Finance minister Nicola Willis tells us she has NOT failed to fix FamilyBoost. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: one business in Queenstown just had at least 400 people line up for one of their jobs on offer; the Minister is here with the best fruit and vege for your dollar and the latest from the US and Europe on reaction to the United States carrying out air strikes on Iran. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: the power moves and mind games have begun ahead of this weekend's Super Rugby final - our reporter Adam Burns talks to fans on the street in Christchurch; Labour MP Willie Jackson is here to catch up on the week in politics - sick leave, census and more and hangi master Rewi Spraggon is cooking a Matariki feast at Government House. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: our Middle East correspondent Alex Baird has the latest on the conflict between Iran and Israel; astronomer and educator Josh Aoraki reminds us how to look for Matariki and Puanga in the sky this Maori New Year and Super Rugby Pacific chief executive Jack Mesley is here for the grand final - he tells us what's planned for fans next year First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: we have news and reaction from around the world as the G7 summit kicks off in Canada; its a very important day for the lovers of the chocolate chip cookie and finance minister Nicola Willis says the plans to change sick leave are about being clear. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod with Melissa Chan-Green: We have the latest from the Air India crash in Ahmedabad.. where at least 290 people have been confirmed dead; US correspondent Bevan Hurley talks to us about this weekend's planned protests against President Trump on his birthday; apparently everyone's talking about our gin, thanks to a Coromandel distiller and we hear from the Chiefs, ahead of the weekend's Super Rugby Pacific semi finals. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: we check in with our people around the world, around the regions, and talk politics with Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni; at Fieldays, Barry Dawe chats about the ride-on lawn mower racing and golfing legend Ryan Fox joins us - fresh from winning the Canadian Open, and now he's getting to know the greens in Pennsylvania ahead of the US Open First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: One week into the reign of South Korea's new president, we get an update on his progress; we hear the sad news that hosiery manufacturer Columbine is shutting up their factory in Gisborne; we talk about Ryan Fox's superb win at the Canadian Open and we ask Finance Minister Nicola Willis what's next for our supermarket duopoly. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: Donald Trump has sent National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles - US correspondent Katherine Firkin has the latest; we're into the semis of Super Rugby Pacific now, one Aussie team in the mix - we talk sport and our reporter Ke Xin Li visits Auckland's urgent care clinics, where it's from 60 to 130 dollars, depending where you go. And those fees hit hard for some. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: what is a cherimoya? We explore the world of produce with the Minister of Fruit and Veggies Glenn Forsyth; we get the latest from around the planet with our correspondents in Africa and in North America as the world responds to President Trump's travel ban on 12 countries and as we settle into winter, how are those winter illnesses tracking? Doctor Allan Moffitt joins us to explain. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: Finance Minister Nicola Willis goes in to bat for her colleague Chris Bishop as the government takes a bat to road cones; Pam Corkery has all the news from across the ditch, including the latest from the mushroom murder trial and we hear from the whanau of Makareti Papakura and find out how she ended up being the first indigenous woman to study at Oxford University. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: Kiwi student Samuel Taylor is studying at Harvard University - but the US government crackdown means he may lose his visa; this week in the world of Trade Me, there's a vintage 90s Barbie doll with crystals up for grabs and just a couple of months 'til the Women's Rugby World Cup, we talk to Ella Ferguson about the Black Ferns' victory over the USA, and we look at what's ahead. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: King Charles is visiting his realm of Canada, UK correspondent Henry Riley has the details; finance minister Nicola Willis joins us for her regular catch up and stack em up or knock em down? We look at the debate over rock cairns in New Zealand's tourism hotspots. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: a signed copy of Taylor Swift's latest album is up for grabs on Trade Me, in CD format - so you might want to also bid on an old CD player there too; and do you use a water filter at home? Our reporter Ke Xin Li visits an Auckland water treatment plant to see how they clean up what falls from the sky to make it safe for drinking. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: our Tokyo correspondent Chris Gilbert updates us on the unfortunate trend of tourists getting stuck on Japan's mountains; we catch up with Black Ferns co captain Kennedy Tukuafu - after that nail biting draw against Canada on the weekend; we have the latest on the new deal between the UK and EU and with Budget Day this Thursday, Nicola Willis tells us she's sticking to tradition. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod with Melissa Chan-Green: South Africa's President calls whites claiming refugee status in the USA cowards, Nabil Ahmed Rufai has his report from Africa; we're in Basel Switzerland for the 69th edition of the Eurovision Song contest and we talk with an educator about the implications of AI in the classroom ..and ask you - how often is it used in your everyday life? First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod with Melissa Chan-Green: One week til Budget Day - we put the Greens alternative budget to Labour's finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and ask what the party be willing to work with; we cross to Islamabad for the latest on the fragile ceasefire between India and Pakistan and in Northland, reporter Peter De Graaf tells us about an MMA champion's homecoming in Kaikohe. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: we ask Finance Minister Nicola Willis about the rushed way the government changed the pay equity law; we head to Southland, where local democracy reporter Matt Rosenberg tells us about an abandoned building the community's been trying to get rid of for ages and we catch up with Steve Corica, the coach of Auckland FC, who are in A League semi finals after a record breaking season. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: India has launched strikes on Pakistan - correspondent in Pakistan Anas Mallick has the latest from Islamabad; the government has rushed through changes to pay equity legislation, Carmel Sepuloni is calling for the Women's Minister to resign - Labour's deputy leader joins us; and we go to Wanaka, where Olivia Caldwell tells us about the local rugby club turning 125 years old. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: Donald Trump has announced tariffs on non-US made movies; we talk about teens leaving New Zealand for a better life overseas with finance minister Nicola Willis and Tess Brunton has the details on a new alliance between tourism leaders to get more international visitors to explore the North Island. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: some early childhood teachers are warning that an upcoming overhaul of the sector will make centres unsafe and lower teaching standards; we celebrate the anniversary of a popular sandwich; in Australia, a landslide win for Anthony Albanese's Labor Party, and an ousting for Opposition leader Peter Dutton - we catch up with our Brisbane correspondent Pam Corkery. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: we have the latest on the weather; we talk with striking doctors, and find out about the pressure they're under in the current economic enviroment; it's election eve in Australia, Pam Corkery has the details and Super Groove saxophonist Nick Atkinson comes in to talk about K Rd's new FAM festival. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: correspondent Anas Malick is in Pakistan where they're getting ready for an attack from across the border in India; we update the latest from this wild weather; Labour's deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni joins us to talk about the government's very tight Budget that's coming up and Taupo news editor Dan Hutchinson tells us about a local athlete who fell 50 metres down a cliff face! First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: in Canada the Liberals led by Mark Carney have won a historic fourth-straight term in government; should we still follow the 'three months for each season' thing? Katie Kenny explains how our seasons are changing and we visit a Hamilton primary school to see what healthy food is available to kids and how it's helping them learn. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

First Up - The Podcast , Thursday 24 April 2025

First Up - The Podcast, Wednesday 23 April 2025

First up - The Podcast, Tuesday 22 April 2025

On today's First Up pod: it's going to be wet and windy for parts of New Zealand with tropical cyclone Tam over Vanuatu and somewhat headed in our direction - Weather Watch head forecaster Philip Duncan gets us ready for what's ahead; and 101 year old croquet champ Neville Sandiford tells us since turning 100 he's taking things a little easier and is a little less competitive. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: the 2025 World Expo has opened in Osaka, we find out how it's going; Finance Minister Nicola Willis talks tourism, trade and the Treaty; in Canterbury reporter Jonathan Leask tells us about toxic algae in Lake Hood and our resident money genius Susan Edmunds explains all the retail rules this Easter weekend. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: The Red Crescent aid group is calling for an inquiry into Israel's killing of paramedics in Gaza; Pam Corkery joins us from Queensland where the federal election campaign is in full swing and a new study highlights the rising level of abuse against our female MPs, their families and their staff. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

On today's First Up pod: millions of protesters across the US have rallied against Donald Trump and Elon Musk over the weekend, we cross to the US and Europe for the latest tariff reaction; and at home we hear from 33 year old GP, Dr Richard Lowe, who tells us about why it's so important for him to have part-ownership in his clinic. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!