RNZ: The Detail

Rather than being stuck behind their screens for entertainment, an old type of gaming is luring players out into the real world - one with people in itA sector of gamers are trading in their consoles and visual effects for real live company, turning to a centuries-old social version of entertainmentFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Billions in military aid crosses from the US to Israel in a decades-old alliance. But two current conflicts have many younger Americans questioning those ties. As the Iran war affects the global economy, Americans are asking if their ties with Israel look like the tail wagging the dogFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

South Australia has a law around truth in campaign messaging that appears to have set a better tone. We ask if New Zealand should follow.Does New Zealand have robust enough checks and balances to stop politicians lying in election ads - or should we be looking to Australia for stronger lawsFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

"No family should go through this":  - campaign push for free jabs grows following student meningococcal casesA grieving dad renews his call for free meningitis vaccines as cases hit NZ students, and a deadly UK outbreak growsFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

It's currently illegal to ride on the footpath, but when the rubber meets the road, kids do it anyway. Proposed changes could make it legal for kids 12 and under. Both the previous government and the current one kicked the can down the road on making 'sensible' changes to road rules, but now the changes are back on the agendaFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A community rallies to involve itself in democracy, only to be tainted with accusations of fraud when they win a seat at the table Papatoetoe's Indian community put its hand up to be counted in local elections. It went unbelievably well, until it all went terribly wrong.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Kiwi dark comedy Crackhead tackles addiction and takes on the television world New Kiwi dark comedy Crackhead turns real-life addiction struggles into sharp humour - with Holly Shervey starring and husband Emmett Skilton directingFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

An economist says despite entering the year 'quite optimistic', we could now be staring down the barrel of another recession Higher fuel costs mean higher transport costs, and that means higher prices across the board - and that's a hard pill to swallow for Kiwis three years into a cost-of-living crisisFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

'Stupid Rules' is the new book, written by a Kiwi professor, that aims to throw out the rule book Too many rules, too little judgement - why one Kiwi professor says the country is strangling itself with red tapeFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

America's war in Iran has hit global markets, but after a tough five years for the New Zealand Stock Exchange, things here may finally be looking up The NZX is a small exchange, and it's had a difficult stretch, but despite global events there may be hope on the horizonFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The country's two biggest users of electricity could both soon be located in Southland if resource consents for a new data centre bring the project to lifeIt's being billed as the data centre that changes everything - but hopefully that doesn't include the price of your powerFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

There is a bitter internal rivalry shaking one of New Zealand's most storied institutions, with a rebel alliance fighting the national body of the RSA A civil war has been unfolding inside the RSA, with suspended clubs, unpaid fees, and a High Court fight exposing the deep fractures in one of New Zealand's most historic organisationsFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The unemployment rate for young people is three times higher than the national average - leaving new graduates in despair Three years minimum to set them up for a better career - and then new graduates discover there's nothing out there for them, thanks to our soaring jobless numbersFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

There are so many factors feeding into see-sawing petrol prices that predicting a landing price at the pump has become impossibleIt doesn't matter where we get our oil from - in a globally connected world, New Zealand is at the mercy of wildly fluctuating prices as long as the Iran conflict continuesFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Six years after New Zealand moved into its first lockdown, the final inquiry report examines lockdowns, mandates and the cost of the pandemic -and another Covid surge sweeps the countryA deadly Covid wave returns, just as New Zealand gets its final pandemic report cardFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New Zealand track and field athletes have achieved on the world scene for decades - but now there's a new strength and diversity not seen since the 1990s Sam Ruthe has set the world alight with his speed but he's far from the only Kiwi track and field athlete making waves right nowFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

One million Kiwis use a Buy Now Pay Later scheme, but not everyone is convinced the regulations governing them are adequate to protect users from harm Financial watchdogs want the rules about Buy Now Pay Later schemes strengthened, saying the last tweak didn't workFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The once quiet workhorse of climate policy, the humble tree, is now headline material, fuelling political fights and finding itself at the very root of a legal battle over our climate futureTwo environmental groups are taking the Government to court over the country's second Emissions Reduction Plan and its 'risky' reliance on trees. The verdict won't just interpret the law but will test the country's climate ambition.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New Zealanders finally seem to be dialling down their obsession with owning houses to create wealth New Zealand's love affair with property could be in the break-up stage, with no shortage of houses and investors turning to the share marketFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A week after the US and Israel struck Iran, The Detail looks at what really led to the war, how Tehran hit back, and the political storm brewing at home A week after the US and Israel struck Iran, The Detail looks at what really led to the war, how Tehran hit back, and the political storm brewing at homeFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Our national carrier is flying through turbulent skies, with grounded planes, global conflict, and growing criticism from politicians and passengers Air New Zealand is struggling in a booming aviation market, and new fears the war in Iran raise fuel costs and questions over whether the national carrier can regain altitudeFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Central Otago is sitting on a gold mine that may be worth billions, but the decision of whether to dig has tensions simmering A proposed gold mine is on the fast-track list. Proponents says it will bring jobs and money to the region, but opponents say it will be an economic 'short-term sugar hit ... with long-term consequences'.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

With LNG on the way, The Detail looks at two possible fuel alternatives that could deal to New Zealand's reliance on gas and coaWith geothermal energy exploration underway and torrefied wood pellets already in use, New Zealand could look to turn away from fossil fuelsFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Hauraki Gulf is back in the spotlight as National backflips on their own fisheries policy, leaving the commercial fishing industry sweating - and confusedNational has announced that, if re-elected, it will ban ring-net fishing in some areas of the Hauraki Gulf, but the policy they've promised to reverse was their ownFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Bio-hackers are looking for the answers to stretching out their lives as long as possible, but research says there's a biological end point for our bodies We're all getting older - but we're not all happy to admit it. The longevity trend has taken off, with some people paying six figures for protocols that promise to make them live longer.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Rule changes for putting a granny flat on your section cut very little red tape, but move questions of liability from councils to homeowners The new regulations over granny flats may save homeowners some time when it comes to consents, but they won't save them from liability if things go wrongFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The government's making city shop owners happy with its decisive move-on orders for homeless people, but there are doubts they'll achieve anything Legal and social services experts say sweeping the streets of vagrants won't make them less homeless - and we should be ashamed of the way we're treating society's most vulnerable New ZealandersFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

For the past decade, Sunny Kaushal has been a man on a mission to crack down on retail crime, and he's one step closer to getting his wayThe Government has long promised to be tough on crime, and legislation could see a major crackdown on retail crime - but within the retail industry, the proposed hard-line changes are controversialFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's dramatic arrest is the first of its kind for the royal family in nearly 400 years, and has shaken the House of WindsorThe former prince hardly received the royal treatment last week as he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, but an insider says the House of Windsor will do what it always does - keep calm and carry onFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Canterbury preserves company wants to spray wastewater - which contains cleaning chemicals - onto a neighbouring DOC reserve. It's a stark difference to the way the company deals with wastewater at its French plant. The Barkers jam maker is already in trouble with its neighbours over stinky wastewater ponds, and now it wants to dump the waste onto DOC landFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Between State of Origin coming to Auckland and rule changes allowing Kiwis to play, NRL strengthens its foothold on a New Zealand audience Mate against mate, state against state - but exported. Why Auckland will host Australian rugby league's premier event next year.Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

After another wild week of weather, The Detail looks at the surge in declarations of states of emergency, and whether we risk 'crying wolf' Once-in-a-hundred-year storms are coming thick and fast, and the number of states of emergency declared across the country has skyrocketedFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Unemployment is at its highest level in more than a decade, but one expert offers a silver lining, saying that could actually be a sign of early economic growth New Zealand's unemployment rate is the highest in a decade, but a leading economist is cautiously optimistic about the country's economic outlookFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Too many grapes, international headwinds and a dramatic drop in drinkers is proving problematic for our wine producers Perfect growing conditions for grapes at a time when demand for wine is dropping is likely to result in more fruit left on the vine again this harvestFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

It hasn't been ratified yet but the terms of New Zealand's free trade deal with India have been agreed on, even though the details are somewhat mysterious Workers, wine, and building new alliances - what New Zealand and India get from our free trade deal Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

It's not so much what's in the recommendations as how they were put together that's concerning some in the medical and nutrition worldsNew dietary guidelines from the US have upended the traditional food pyramid, moving protein into the spotlight - but some of the maths doesn't add upFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

What started as an experiment has become a global phenomenon. MAFS is a ratings powerhouse and one of the world's most argued-about shows. Former New Zealand cricket star turned Australian love expert John Aiken talks love, scandals and the show that changed reality TVFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Government's LNG plan has triggered an explosive row over the difference between a tax and a levy, but the major question is whether it will keep the lights on Imported liquified natural gas could be a stopgap insurance policy against dry years - or an expensive, dirty fuel that will hit Kiwis in the pocketFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

More than 600 million litres of untreated sewage have poured into Wellington water, leaving beaches empty and questions over who's responsible  A Breaker Bay local with a long history of fighting for clean water in Wellington explains why the sewage dump is so catastrophic, for health, history, and the environmentFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Auckland could become a victim of Sail GP's success, with harbour cities around the world bidding for hosting chances Great photos, terrific facilities and enthusiastic crowds don't necessarily mean Sail GP is a certainty for the city in the futureFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

From boom to brake - we look at what went wrong for EVs in New Zealand, and what needs to happen to get the spark backThe EV slowdown: How Government decisions changed the road ahead Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Auckland Council's planning has been thrown for a loop after what looks like yet another government-imposed rule change over housingGovernment interference in planning rules for Auckland housing has reached new heights with another u-turn frustrating the councilGuests:Richard Hills- North Shore Councillor Kristen De Monchy- Sandringham residentPhilip Bradley- Sandringham residentLearn more:Read more about Richard Hills and intensification on RNZ NZ Initiative opinion piece on the intensification rowAuckland Council clarifies the 2 million myth Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details