RNZ: The Detail

The Government's announcement of massive public sector cuts has ramped up the election year battle - even between Coalition mates With less than a week until the Budget announcement, public service cuts of nearly 9000 jobs kicked off a political firestormFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Immigration as an issue is being dressed up for the election and called a major social problem that needs to be solved - but an expert says that's not the reality In a recent poll immigration didn't even make the top 10 list of issues - but politicians are raising concerns over its effectsFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The praise for a new plan for green credit trading was quickly forgotten as two more announcements landed in the headlines  A trio of decisions from the Beehive made for a big week for climate and the environment, with environmentalists and the opposition looking at the plans with a critical eyeFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Te Tai Tokerau is becoming the new ground zero in a fierce battle for Māori political powerMāori politics has erupted as Mariameno Kapa-Kingi launched a rival party, Te Pāti Māori fractures deepen, and the battle for the Māori vote heats upFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Broadcaster Simon Barnett reflects on life after Jodi, opening up his heart again, changing careers - and being beaten by a Black Fern on TV this month Broadcaster Simon Barnett talks about finding purpose after losing his beloved wife Jodi, smiling through heartbreak, and returning to reality TV this monthFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New research from Auckland University reveals why it's not entirely our own fault for loving junk foodThe marketers of ultra-processed foods have taken a leaf out of the tobacco industry's playbook to make their foods more addictiveFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Trades trainers hope the shifting of government money from free university fees to vocational pathways will give students a better start in their work life University entrance has long been the gold standard result from our schools - but there's hope that planned changes will improve life for those who want to tread a different pathFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Political pressure, public distrust and a media in meltdown - the country is witnessing a reckoning for journalism New Zealand media is in the firing line, with political attacks, public distrust and a controversial high-profile resignation - so can newsrooms get back on track to regain public trust?Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Parliamentary Petitions Committee has taken the unusual step of recommending the government overhaul our fireworks laws by banning their sale to the public The days of yahooing, serious injury accidents, fires, and tragic animal deaths around November 5 may be numberedFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

An underage teenager was able to buy alcohol from three different places without being asked for ID, before he drove drunk to his death. His parents are asking for a simple change. A grieving New Zealand couple are fighting for justice and for laws to be enforced after their underage teenage son was served alcohol in three different places, then drove drunk, killing himselfFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Pens are poised, pages are turning, and egos are trembling; it's time for the biggest night in books at the Ockham Awards - but Dame Jacinda Ardern won't be there The biggest night in the book trade will celebrate 'the best of the best' in Auckland next week, but one notable finalist will now be a no-show at the Ockham AwardsFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

There's a new opportunity this election for the party started by economist Gareth Morgan to have a break-out year The new-look Opportunity Party is leaving a cat-related debacle behind, and has a new leader, new investors, and a new purposeFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

An American doctor in Palmerston North says he can't think of a single ED doctor in his team who was born here. With about 70 percent of new registrations each year being overseas doctors, perhaps that shouldn't be surprising. Anti-immigration sentiment is in the news again, but without foreign doctors, New Zealand's healthcare system 'would be more on our knees than we already are'Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Firefighters are battling bosses under pressure to cut costs, but FENZ's failures have seen the organisation face Parliamentary scrutinyFirefighters appear to be in an endless standoff with the body that funds them, with neither side willing to budgeFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Thousands of eels have been found dead after a Manawatū lagoon dried out, raising urgent environmental questions Thousands of eels are found dead in dried up Manawatū lagoon as questions mount over water use and a vanishing ecosystemFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The digital health revolution is here, and so are serious questions about privacy and cybersecurityData is the new gold - but many health organisations, under pressure on the front line, are leaving the door to the safe openFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New Zealand's lack of investment in blood cancer drugs and treatments is forcing patients to seek care in countries like Australia and ChinaThe Oz/NZ great divide when it comes to treating blood cancerFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A Bill to trace modern slavery in the supply lines of businesses has the near complete approval of Parliament - here's what it does, and doesn't doAn expert in modern slavery says the Bill going through Parliament now will have to be carefully framed to avoid it becoming a box-ticking exerciseFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Slightly more than six months before voting day, two of the country's astute political journalists give us their opinions on the lie of the land Guyon Espiner and Thomas Coughlan on coalition partnerships, economic headwinds and burying a leadership crisisFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The sale of state assets is shaping up to be an election-year battle as the country struggles to cope with rising costs and debtSome disastrous state asset sales in the past have coloured the move in the eyes of many New Zealanders - but we don't have to sell the family silverFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The unique, remote island that's a financial basket case, bankrolled by the New Zealand taxpayerThe Government has handed out millions, and is now asking questions over how the Chathams can help itself get out of the dire financial shortfall it's inFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A bond more than a century old is stronger than ever thanks to a French town that will never forget the sacrifice made by New Zealand soldiers at Le QuesnoyThe French town of Le Quesnoy marks ANZAC Day with us, thanks to the New Zealand soldiers who saved them over a century agoFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A large bust earlier this week and a separate conviction earlier this month highlight the growing threat to legitimate pounamu collecting and tradeDespite being the legal owners of the stone, Ngāi Tahu say people are consistently stealing the precious taonga - as two high-profile cases this month showFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

As Shane Jones talks of a 'butter chicken tsunami', new data shows Kiwis hardening on immigration and deeper fractures in trust, identity, and belonging A new report on the state of social cohesion in our country shows rising opposition to immigration, falling trust in government, and rising lonelinessFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Moana Pasifika's uncertain future sparks fears for Pacific representation in Super Rugby and raises questions about finances and governance The rugby team that captured a global audience has been handed a permanent red card, though fans hope for an 11th hour financial saviourFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Substances that were once discarded as the useless by-product of gold are now much-sought after critical minerals From electronics to batteries to weapons, the critical minerals to be found in New Zealand are in hot demandFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

There's hope we may have won the fight against the yellow-legged hornet, but a crucial phase lies ahead A massive eradication effort to get rid of what could have been a disastrous insect invasion is showing encouraging signsFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Sir Don McKinnon has travelled the world, rubbed shoulders with diplomats - and was nearly kidnapped at Paremoremo prison Nearly fifty years ago, six of the country's worst offenders were released from prison for the night for a debate in central AucklandFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Following yet another storm battering our coasts last weekend, pressure mounts on coastal communities to discuss relocation New Zealand communities confront the financial, cultural, and spiritual costs of staying by the sea - and of leavingFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Scientists worry that the often-long time lags between cause and effect when it comes to polluting our lakes and rivers will give politicians the excuse not to do anything about itThere's always something more urgent to attend to, but here's why we need to take freshwater warnings more seriouslyFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Petroleum is in everything from plumbing products to chocolate, so with the Strait of Hormuz blocked, industries face price hikes and folding projects The price of plumbing products is set to soar by 30 percent as the impact of the petroleum crisis spreads beyond the petrol pump, in what one expert calls a wicked problemFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

'Not one cent' - National MP moves to cut taxpayer funding to gang-linked groups, but one critic calls it 'short-sighted' and argue there will be fallout - including more victimsA member's Bill could stop public funding to gangs and organisations with gang ties. It's unlikely to be a hard sell, but one expert says it's 'cutting off our nose to spite our face'.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Opua Cruising Club has taken over management for the iconic event, and it's promising to be bigger and better than ever The oldest competitor in this year's solo trans-Tasman yacht race is also one of the favourites to take the titleFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

It's a second chance for criminals, which Letele says is really their first chance, given the life many of them were born into A new documentary shines a light on the Grace Foundation's bold rehab model for high-risk offenders and addicts, fuelled by the loss and lived experience of a former gang criminalFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A 'permanent presence' on the moon is only a few years away, and Mars maybe a decade behind that - but that doesn't mean it's time to sell your house and make plans to relocate Space scientists expect a 'permanent presence' on the moon by 2028, and say now is the time to lay the groundwork for international rules for lasting peace in spaceFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Birth rates are falling globally, inspiring pro-natalist movements and government schemes to incentivise procreation - but it's not working Countries around the world are trying everything from financial incentives to law changes to reverse declining birth rates. None of it is working.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Little cellulose balls could be a big answer to burying carbon emissions - if there's proof they work. Getting that is proving difficult. A company that says it has a startling solution to carbon storage wants New Zealand to make rule changes so it can forge aheadFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Statistics are a vitally important tool to plan and inform government policy - but when they're wrong or misleading, trust is at risk A former government statistician is sounding alarms about our ditching of the five-yearly census, saying we risk losing a rich seam of informationFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Almost 40 years after two Swedish backpackers disappeared, David Tamihere has had his convictions quashed. A journalist calls it 'another example of how slowly and painfully the system works when it sometimes might have got it wrong'. David Tamihere's murder convictions have been quashed, after nearly four decades, re-opening wounds and calling into question whether justice has actually been servedFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Lake Onslow pumped hydro project could be back from the dead, with the "mega battery" that will cost billions, approved for the fast-track list by the same government that axed it The same government that scrapped the Lake Onslow pumped hydro project has put it on the fast track list. But whether this country can pull off a project of its size is another question.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Fear and politics are increasingly dictating where our shrinking aid money is going Giving aid to shore up your strategic position in the world isn't the way to go about it, says an expert - because your aid won't help if you're not trying to helpFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The government's backdown on an undersized fish rule has intensified scrutiny of sweeping fisheries reforms There's been a U-turn on the most controversial part of the sweeping new Fisheries Bill, but keeping undersized catches wasn't the only fishhook in the legislationFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details