RNZ: The Detail

Taiwanese worry about living costs and their everyday lives while pushing the prospect of action from China to the back of their mindsTaiwanese people are used to air raid sirens and preparations for action ahead of any Chinese invasion, but life must be lived well in the mean timeGuests: Mark Hanson - journalist, publisher White FungusDr Ming-Shih Shen, Institute for National Defense and Security Research, TaiwanDr Jie Zhong - Institute for National Defense and Security Research, TaiwanKelly Sloan - Sloan & Associates, DenverYurii Poita - Ukraine scholar, specialist on Asia Pacific securityLearn more:Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 details

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's letter to Epstein to Prince Harry's ongoing conflict with his family, the House of Windsor has had a tough runGuests: Dickie Arbiter - Royal CommentatorFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 and poorly paid players make it vulnerable to match-fixing, opening the door for bad actors to manipulate matches - and athletesGuest:Dana Johannsen - In Depth sports correspondentDeclan Hill - Investigative JournalistLearn More:Read Dana's stories here, here, here, here and hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A new tripartite agreement for the Port of Auckland signals a turnaround for a workplace long dogged by controversy, including debt, delays and deathThe unexpected success story of the Port of Auckland includes an about-face on safety procedures, with the Maritime Union saying its work model needs to be replicated by ports around the countryGuest:Roger Gray - Port of Auckland CEO Carl Findlay - Maritime Union New Zealand national secretaryLearn More:Article on formal signing of Tripartite AccordArticle on the deaths at the PortArticle on Port financesFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The final report from the Ministerial Advisory Group on Organised Crime is delivered today, and it makes for frightening reading It would give you chills - the chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Organised Crime lifts the lid on a scary future for New ZealandGuest:Steve Symon - Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime and senior partner at Meredith ConnellLearn More:This page includes links to the group's monthly reports Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 turn up hereEven though he's been lambasted doctors around the world, Donald Trump's pronouncements on health issues none the less add to the less add to the mountain of misinformation in this areaGuests:Isabelle Montgomerie - post-doctoral fellow at the Malaghan Institute's Infection and Vaccinology GroupHelen Petousis-Harris - vaccinologist and co-director of the Global Vaccine Data NetworkLearn more:Helen's latest blog post on playing deadly politics with vaccinesSee the press conference at the White House via NBC on YouTubeFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Turtles have a relaxed reputation, but in reality they're quick-moving and aggressive, and are wreaking havoc on our native wildlifeBreeds including red-eared sliders, cumberlands and snake-necks are becoming New Zealand's worst pests at a turtle's pace - which, as it turns out, is pretty fastGuests:Imogen Bassett - Auckland Council Head of Natural Environment Specialist ServicesDonna Moot - Turtle Rescue founderLearn more:More on the influx of turtles in the South IslandWhy Auckland introduced the ban on the sale of certain turtle breedsFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Detail puts on a rabbit suit and gets special access to the incubators of Taiwan's semiconductor industryInside Taiwan's booming semiconductor sector, rabbit suits, sanitising air showers and transistors smaller than a speck of dustGuests:Brian Travers - CEO of Christchurch's Syft TechnologiesYuyi Chang - Electronic Engineering student Dr Sun-Zen Chen - Tsing Hua University researcher Zse-hong Tsai - Taiwan AI Centre for Excellence head Professor Yung-jen Hsu - Centre for Excellence chair Professor Tien-Wang Tsaur - EconomistLearn more by reading these two articles:The world's biggest chipmaker needs to move beyond TaiwanTaiwan Weaponizes Chip Sector to Deter China on World StageReferences:Space technology and Taiwan's strategic objectivesFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

How New Zealand manages to develop brand awareness without spending a fortune on advertising itselfNew Zealand ranks pretty highly in this year's Global Soft Power Index, but we've been better in the past, and some of our key images are aging outGuests:David Downs - New Zealand Story CEOAlice Peacock - Newsroom business reporterLearn more:NZ Story Market Pulse reportGlobal soft power report 2025 - David Downs' piece is on page 37Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 greyhound racing to dismantling the Māori Health Authority, this Government's hallmark is fast becoming its speed of lawmaking - and the industries and unions in the firing line aren't happy about itGuests:Laura Walters - Newsroom political editorLearn more:Read Laura's article on the High Court's decision regarding greyhound racing hereWatch Winston Peter's greyhound racing ban announcement hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A workplace performance expert warns that introducing artificial intelligence simply to replace people will backfire badly for companiesCompanies trying to use AI simply to reduce staff costs are being told they risk weakening morale, diminishing trust and stalling innovationGuests:Craig Steel - Transforming New Zealand's Productivity authorLearn more:Read Steel's paper on Transforming New Zealand's Productivity hereRNZ's coverage on New Zealand's latest GDP dataFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle allowed Chinese canned peaches to get a perch in the market - now they're undercutting the local offering and are here to stayGuests:Andrew Bevin - Newsroom business reporterGary Hamilton-Irvine - Hawke's Bay Today multi-media journalistLearn more:Discussion about peaches on RNZ's The PanelAndrew Bevin's story in NewsroomFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 spend their days arguing with their opposition over decisions that shape our nation, but behind-the-scenes there's a bit of room for collegiality Guests:Find a list of the current New Zealand MPs (including those interviewed in this episode) hereLearn more:How Parliament worksFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 time" will take on Canada this weekend in the Women's Rugby World Cup semi-final, with hopes of taking New Zealand to victory Guests:Suzanne McFadden - LockerRoom founding editorLearn more:Women's Rugby World Cup websiteThe Spinoff's article about the many complex truths in the lack of Black Ferns coverageFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 and economics - and irking Donald Trump - would joining be smart diplomatic strategy for New Zealand, or just risk alienating an allyGuests: Chris Ogden - Associate professor in Global Studies at Auckland UniversitySam Sachdeva - Newsroom national affairs editor Learn More: See Professor Chris Ogden's story hereRead about Trump threatening tariffs on countries part of BRICS hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The sunscreens under investigation for their labelling claims in Australia, but still for sale hereSunscreen law dictates how SPFs are labelled, but when a product doesn't meet its claims, enforcement is a grey areaGuests: Belinda Castles: Researcher and Test Writer, Consumer NZLearn More: See Consumer NZ's sunscreen database hereSee Choice's recent test results hereSee Ultraviolette's statement on Lean ScreenRead ABC's reporting on other 'paused' productsSee the Suncreen (Product Safety Standard) Act 2022Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 details With the Greens' bill that would have encouraged more durable products gone, it's feared New Zealand may become the dumping ground for cheap, unrepairable goodsGuests: Marama Davidson - Green Party co-leaderMarc Daalder - Newsroom senior political reporterLearn More: RNZ's political reporter Anneke Smith's coverage on the issueConsumer NZ's Paul Smith on Why the Right to Repair is big newsFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 have local democracy under pressure, but the stakes for communities at local body elections are highGuests: Tim Murphy - co-editor of NewsroomScott Necklen - Local Government NZ interim CEOLearn More: See Tim Murphy's story hereSee the complete guide to the NZ local elections 2025 hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

An overhaul of the secondary education curriculum will likely see outdoor education become a vocational subject, and critics say the change risks loss to New Zealand's identity and industry  Changes to the secondary school curriculum will likely mean outdoor education becomes a vocational path, but feedback from across industries suggests the ministry can't see the woods for the treesGuests: Fiona McDonald - Education Outdoors New Zealand chief executiveClaire Amos - Albany Senior High School principalRob MacLean - ED nurse and former director of Outward BoundLearn More: Education Outdoors NZ petition to Stop the Government taking away Outdoor EducationRNZ's education correspondent John Gerritson's report on Tourism and outdoor education teachers opposing the NCEA subject changeFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 generate enormous amounts of money, and have brilliant ways of hiding their profits from the taxman - but a new report suggests a simple gotchaGuests: Craig Elliffe - Professor of Tax Law, Auckland Law School; Director of the Master of Taxation Programme; Director of the New Zealand Centre for Tax LawNick Miller - Author of the report Big Tech Little Tax - Tax Minimisation in the Technology Sector for Tax Justice AotearoaLearn More: Read the Big Tech Little Tax reportFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Entrenched gang conflict, personal grudges and methamphetamine use have fuelled a spate of gang shootings in LevinA Gang Conflict Warrant is in place in Levin, and locals say they're seeing the result of a heightened police presence, but fear for what happens when the police pack up and goGuest: Alecia Rousseau - Senior Journalist, Manawatū StandardFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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, fugitive Tom Phillips' story is over, and multiple investigations are now underwayGuest: Tony Wall - National Correspondent, StuffFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 KiwiSaver.The United States has long been held up as the peak of the free-market economy, but several factors including political interference in institutions are giving it the speed wobblesGuest: Mark Brighouse - Chief Investment Strategist, Fisher FundsLearn More:Read Mark's piece on US Exceptionalism here See the US Federal national debt clock hereSee Emeritus Professor of Accounting Practice at Sheffield University Management School, Richard Murphy, on the failure of American Exceptionalism here. He is director of Tax Research LLP and the author of the Funding the Future blog.Read renowned economist Sir Niall Ferguson's controversial piece, We're All Soviets Now hereSee PBS's Crosscut Talks interviews former US Secretary of State Robert Gates on 'Is This The End of American Exceptionalism?' hereRead about problems with airport infrastructure here (paywalled)Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 over name-calling emails has shone a spotlight on the power imbalance residents of retirement villages can faceGuests:Jon Duffy- Consumer NZ chief executiveGayle Chambers - Grey Power Foundation national presidentLearn more:Listen to Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson on Breakfast - from September 2022 - hereRead the Condell Retirement Village disputes panel decision hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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's book 'That's What I Am' 16 lesbians tell their stories of living in Wellington last century, before they could be unapologetically outGuests:Lois Cox - author of That's What I AmLearn more:Find Lois's book hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 body positivity - Is New Zealand losing its balance in its pursuit of thinness?Guests:Evelyn Ebrey- fashion journalist and producer of Cutting the Curve documentary seriesProfessor Wayne Cutfield - Auckland UniversityLearn more about the topic by listening to The Detail's previous episodes on weight loss medication and the body positivity movementFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 government is proposing changes to make getting a driver license easier, including scrapping the full license test. But with more than a third of drivers failing that test, experts have concerns.Guests:Dylan Thomsen - Road Safety spokesperson at AAMark Revel-Johnson - president of the NZ Institute for Driver EducatorsLearn more:Read more details about the changes here Find the statistics on youth road safety statistics referenced in the episode hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 New Caledonia again, with a French journalist saying that locals are armed and readyGuests:Coralie Cochin- Journalist at New Caledonia La PremierLearn more about the history of civil unrest in New Caledonia and other Pacific nationsFrench claws in the Pacific The tiny nations that want to stand aloneFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 firm's breakthrough solution for recycling EV batteries goes offshore, where countries are scrambling to keep hold of their valuable e-waste metals.Guests:Will Barker - Chief executive and co-founder of MintSue Coutts - Director of external affairs at Zero Waste AotearoaDave Young - Head of research and development at MintLearn more about Mint's deal with British car maker Jaguar Land Rover and its partners, the University of Warwick and LiBatt Recycling. Follow their progress here, as they work to recover critical metals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt from old batteries.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 between head knocks and long-term brain injury, and he asked for his own brain to be studiedFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 getting a tough time in the headlines lately, but locals say it's the same creative, beautiful place they've loved for a long timeFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

AI-hallucinated scientific research and legal precedents are making their way into academic papers and court cases, highlighting AI's real-world impactThe world's most cited cat had a brief, successful run. Then Google Scholar brought his career to an abrupt halt.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 costs and tough rules have cruise companies turning their backs on New Zealand, and our cruise industry on the brink of sinkingFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 supply crisis could threaten the hothouse industry, end thousands of jobs and send consumer prices even higherFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Inside the Auckland event where tech startups pitch to New Zealand's wealthiest investors, the economic outlook is sunny At the Icehouse Showcase, tech start-ups vie for the attention - and cash - of some of New Zealand's richest, in a stark contrast to the economic slump across the countryFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 recent wave of morally-motivated lobbying has succeeded in making big changes to global gaming and internet laws. Critics say there are potentially dangerous consequences.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Amanda Gillies speaks with media chaplain and broadcaster Reverend Frank Ritchie on his podcast re_covering, to unpack the one story that most impacted her personally and professionally. Gillies was on the way to an interview when she got a call confirming Newshub's closure. Despite the shock, she continued on – and in the telling of a brave Te Kūiti amputee's story was reminded what had first drawn her to journalism.Watch the video version of the episode here.After a tip-off, Amanda Gillies drove to Te Kūiti to meet Bev McIndoe – a woman who had survived a catastrophic accident that left half her body amputated, and who now faced losing her home after an ACC funding cut.But just five minutes from her destination, Amanda's phone rang with news that turned her own world upside-down: Newshub was closing.In shock, she decided to push on – and in sharing Bev's story of grit and generosity, found her own perspective shifting and a timely reminder of why she became a journalist in the first place.In this kōrero with Rev Frank Ritchie, Amanda Gillies opens up about the moment she learned her workplace of 23 years was shutting its doors, reflects on her time fronting The AM Show, and talks about her new role hosting RNZ's The Detail.re_covering is a Media Chaplaincy New Zealand podcast series produced by not-for-profit production house Love It Media for RNZ.If you know a media professional who'd appreciate a free, independent, and confidential chat, encourage them to get in touch at mediachaplaincy.nz.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 Hopkins catches up with his fellow cast members from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, when they appear at a massive fan convention in LondonFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Two of the big stars from last weekend will be coming to Auckland for Labour Weekend's Armageddon convention in Auckland - Elijah Wood, or Frodo Baggins to Rings fans, and Andy Serkis who plays Gollum. Hobbit actors Evangeline Lilly (Tauriel, an elf) and Graham McTavish (Dwalin the dwarf) will also be there.In this podcast, Bruce Hopkins speaks to Elijah Wood, Dominic Moynihan, Billy Boyd, Sir Ian McKellen, David Wenham, Sean Astin and John Rhys-Davies at the For the Love of Fantasy convention in London. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 "maybe more like a bumbling wannabe-spy" A former New Zealand soldier convicted of attempted espionage wanted to defect to a foreign country. Instead, he'll serve time in military detention, and is likely to have his name suppression removed.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

As rate payers feel the pinch, plans for rate capping offer welcome relief. But councillors here and across the Tasman have warnings. New Zealand householders are likely to get some relief if councils are forced to cap rates - but the plan could punish those already keeping rates lowFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A growing list of rollbacks of Māori language and culture beg the question: is the Government pushing New Zealand towards an identity crisis? From taking Māori words out of children's books and government agency names to switching the order of languages on passports, te ao Māori's place in NZ - and the country's cultural identity - are under threatFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details