RNZ: The Detail

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

Skins, snow and scrutiny: How the 2026 Winter Olympics is unfolding for our athletes This year, the most contested "ice" at the Winter Olympics isn't on the rink - it's U.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementGuest:Nathan Rarere, RNZ First Up presenter and sports reporterLearn more:See Olympic winter games key facts and figuresRead more about New Zealand's Olympic team hereRead more about ICE agents in Italy and why ICE agents are at the Olympic gamesRead more about the crotch-enlarging scandal here Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Weeks after the January floods wreaked havoc on the east coast, The Detail visits two towns to see how locals are holding up - and what the future holdsSharon Brettkelly visits Ōpōtiki and Te Araroa to see how the towns are faring after the devastating January floodsGuests:Tani Atkins-Waitoa - Te Araroa localRobin Hapeta - Te Araroa localDavid Moore - Ōpōtiki mayorFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Where does New Zealand sit in a new world order that ditches traditional international rules and favours the mighty over the tiny? There's a rupture in the international rules-based order, but that doesn't mean New Zealand will be crushed by bigger powersGuest:Tim Groser- former NZ diplomatJayme Poisson- Front Burner podcast hostLearn more:Former National leader Todd Muller's view on how New Zealand should react to the new world order. (Stuff)Steve Maharey on why New Zealand needs to listen to Mark Carney. (NZ Herald)The Conversation piece by Nicholas Ross Smith on NZ surviving and thriving in Trump's new world of great-power rivalryMark Carney's World Economic Forum addressFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

As more and more discount chain pharmacies open, locally owned and operated chemists worry their customers won't get the high level of care that saves trips to GPs, and EDs In less than 10 years, nearly 100 Chemist Warehouses and Bargain Chemists have opened across the country - so where does that leave local pharmacies?Guests:Vicky Chan - Pakuranga pharmacistClive Cannons - Wainuiomata pharmacistLearn More: Read Dr Eric Crampton's article on pharmacy competition hereRead the press release on 12-month prescriptions hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Once the election date is announced, politics can disintegrate into a toxic mess. Don't expect this year to be any different.Politicians sharpen their knives and their tongues as we bump our way to November 7Guests:Laura Walters, Newsroom's political editorThomas Coughlan, NZ Herald's political editorFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The real treasure hidden in the wrecks of some 2500 ships buried along New Zealand's coasts isn't jewels or gold bars - but the stories of the people who were on boardThere are concerns divers are plundering one of New Zealand's famous shipwrecks. Are they treasure-hunting pirates, or just amateur souvenir-seekers?Guest:Garth MacIntyreLearn more:Stuff story on divers getting away with crockery at historic Mahia shipwreck Information about the sinking of the TasmaniaRNZ's award-winning podcast on Kelly Tarlton Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New Zealander Khol Gillies was fighting in Ukraine when he was badly injured, and he spent days in a bunker waiting to be evacuated Three months after an injury that cost him his leg, Khol Gillies tells RNZ's Lisa Owen the story of how he ended up fighting for Ukraine, and what it was like waiting in a bunker for days to be evacuatedGuests:Khol GilliesJasmine Gillies Learn More:To contribute to Khol's recovery, find his Givealittle hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The record number of prisoners are bouncing between facilities around the country, stretching court resources and rehabilitation programmesWith prison numbers at their highest ever and still rising, one former prisoner and critic of this government's tough-on-crime policies has put his hope in a controversial programmeGuests:Emma Priest, criminal barristerDr Paul Wood, formerly incarcerated PhD Learn more:View the most recent prison statistics from Ara Poutama Aotearoa/ Department of CorrectionRead about plans for the next boot camp, in March Compare stats on prison populations around the worldFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Extreme weather may be the trigger for deadly and devastating slash, but the lines on who is responsible for prevention and clean-up are blurredThe slash debate heats up - again - in Gisborne as forestry operators urge the government to remove their legal accountability for the devastating dischargeGuest:Dr Mark Bloomberg - adjunct senior fellow at the School of Forestry at Canterbury UniversityLearn More: Forestry group urges Government to remove legal accountability for slashFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The floods keep coming, and we keep rebuilding. Is there a better way to cope with increasing numbers of infrastructure-wrecking storms?New Zealand's most common natural hazard is flooding, but we're often unprepared for it, and more preoccupied with earthquakes or eruptionsGuests:Nick Leggett - Infrastructure NZ Chief ExecutiveRehette Stoltz - Gisborne Mayor Kate Newton - RNZ Climate Change ReporterFox Meyer - Newsroom political reporterFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The news year, unpacked, by five divas with microphonesAs the year draws to a close, The Detail looks back at 12 months of deep dives, sharp analysis, and the kinds of conversations that helped New Zealanders make sense of a turbulent, fast-moving worldGuests:Alexia Russell - The Detail editorGwen McClure - The Detail producer/ hostAmanda Gillies - The Detail hostSharon Brettkelly - The Detail hostDavina Zimmer - The Detail associate producerLearn More:Catch up on The Detail's 2025 episodes hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

From storms to scorchers, what this summer's wild weather means for New Zealand tourism With tourism numbers back to pre-covid levels, New Zealanders are getting ready for a swarm of tourists. Experts say those tourists should be getting ready for New Zealand's wild, changeable weather.Guests:Chris Brandolino - Earth Sciences New Zealand principal scientist and meteorologistDr Stephen Espiner - Lincoln University associate professor of parks, recreation and tourismFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

From stray dogs to traffic jams to the most controversial topic of all - berms - councillors and mayors from across the country report what's getting on their residents' nervesWhen residents have a gripe about rain, stray dogs, berm maintenance, or even a tree root, they call their councillor. Today The Detail is calling those councillors, too.Guests:Bryan Cadogan - former Clutha mayorSam Jennings - Horowhenua District councillorMax Brough - New Plymouth mayorRichard Hills - Auckland councillorLearn More:Auckland locals reaction to fortnightly rubbish collection proposalNew Plymouth women gets fined for planting on her bermChristchurch man takes fine for parking on berm to courtFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

At Auckland Museum's new shark exhibition, all the models are to scale, allowing visitors to get face-to-face with some of the largest creatures on the planetFrom a shark the size of a cigar to the long-extinct 400-kilo 'buzzsaw' to those that glow in the dark, sharks are an incredibly diverse species - and according to the exhibition's curator, 'the most misunderstood animals on the planet'Guests:Clinton Duffy - Auckland Museum curator of marine biologyLearn More:Details about Auckland Museum's Shark exhibition hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Between the high cost of living and a slew of toys failing safety tests, buying Christmas presents for kids is fraughtHow to shop for your kids this Christmas, in the wake of the asbestos-contaminated sand, toy recalls, and children's products failing safety testsGuests:Gemma Rasmussen - Consumer NZ head of research and advocacyMareta Hunt - Safekids Aotearoa Poutokomanawa/DirectorLearn More:Toy safety tipsMore about recent tests of toys from Shein, Ali Express, eBay and Amazon here and hereFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A year of highs, lows and hard questions: Inside New Zealand's rollercoaster sporting seasonThe country's biggest sports teams delivered everything from turmoil to triumph in 2025, with a mixed bag of results across rugby, league, netball and cricket, with off-field drama often dominating headlines.Guests:Rikki Swannell - Sports commentator and journalistLearn More:The Post's All Blacks season player ratingsRNZ's deep dive into the Netball NZ and Dame Noeline Taurua incident RNZ's piece on the Silver Ferns' win over England More rugby news here and hereMore on the Warriors here More on NZ football hereLiam Lawson's 2026 season confirmationFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details