RNZ: The Detail

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

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's the City of No Sales, productivity is wasted sitting in traffic and much of the inner city is broken. Does Auckland have better times ahead?Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 thereNine homicides in just four months have stretched Northland police, who have had to turn their back on other crimes, triggering an "unprecedented" mayday call for out-of-town helpFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Queen of Goth - Frankenstein author Mary Shelley - is the inspiration behind a new play written by Jess SayerThe playwright behind a new production centring on the gothic author of Frankenstein shares her inspiration for the storyFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 Auckland this weekend, there's big money, professional mindsets, and for spectators, a 'very exciting night out'Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 living and a pandemic hangover have put the pressure on businesses, sending nearly 1300 into liquidation already this yearFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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's Antarctic rescue mission involved hot refuelling, night vision goggles, minus 30 degree temperatures and the black hole effectFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 government's NCEA reset vary from welcoming the abolition of a confusing system, to fear that poorer communities will be left behindFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 Auckland heritage buildings have been the centre of attention - one because it's finally getting funding for restoration, the other because it's facing a mult-million dollar asbestos problemFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This just finished season of reality TV show Love Island UK kicked off with misogyny and bullying - and soaring viewershipReality TV shows are becoming increasingly problematic as bigotry and sexism thrives - and the audience starts to believe that it's all very normalFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 Palestinians in Gaza increasingly bear the brunt of conflict, and international support for Israel wanes, there are questions over New Zealand's continued low key approachFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 up Local body elections are struggling to spark interest in spite of candidate numbers rising. Councils govern so much of our lives, but it seems we don't care who's in charge.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 Epstein files.Donald Trump's supporters said he would be going after the satanic cabal of pedophiles in the Democrat party when he gained power again. But now they are in charge, the rhetoric has dried up.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 was a flurry of excitement when parliamentary journalists outed the head of the FBI at the Beehive - but was Kash Patel's visit really a big deal?Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 in our criminal net  Past government moves to chase down dirty money have had the unfortunate effect of tying up ordinary New Zealanders in red tape. Now there are moves to change thatFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 supermarket chains are in the throes of promotional giveaways that couldn't be more different - but they're pushing the same buttons to make us change our shopping habitsFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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 this weekNew Zealanders will be able to watch the 2026 netball premiership live and free to air for the first time in 18 years, but there are many unanswered questions over the TVNZ dealFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

When one of our smallest ministries is shredded in the name of saving taxpayer dollars, critics say it feels like cultural vandalismA world class website documenting New Zealand's history could be allowed to wither and die with cuts confirmed at the Ministry for Culture and HeritageFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Rights groups are concerned a government spotlight on terror laws will see protest, freedom of speech and advocacy endangered …Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details