Podcasts about city rail link

Eden Park's boss says last night's Warriors match was a night to remember - even if it ended in a loss for the Kiwi side. It was our biggest turnout ever for a Rugby League game, with more than 48,000 fans piling into the national stadium. The new City Rail Link was put to good use, with more than 15,000 punters getting there by train, and 13,000 taking the return trip. CEO Nick Sautner says the game was huge for Auckland's economy and international profile. "We made headlines across the ditch, in terms of the Warriors fans and what they did." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aucklanders have been celebrating the opening of the City Rail Link this week, but work on a critical part of the rail system has barely started. It will cost about $3 billion and take 30 years to make level crossings safer across West Auckland alone. Residents in one community have been pleading for changes now. Erin Johnson reports.

Join Wallace for New Zealand's most explosive 30 minutes of politics. He is joined by panellists Andrew Williams, Guyon Espiner and Jenna Lynch. The discuss the harrowing inquiry into police and Oranga Tamariki's handling of the Tom Phillips case, two new political polls that make the major parties look more like minors, the latest pitches to bring supermarket prices down, and the historic opening of Auckland's City Rail Link.

For City Counselling this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about the opening of the City Rail Link on Sunday and what Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori looks like in Tāmaki Makaurau.  And for our politics catch-up with Whakaata Māori, they spoke to Daniel Perese about the results of the new Whakaata Māori-Curia poll.  Flo spoke with Labour MP Shanan Halbert about Labour's new price gouging policy and their proposed Capital Gains Tax as well as the possibility of a hung parliament. Producer Eloise spoke with Dr Olivier Jutel from the University of Otago about the fallout from Macklemore being dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop tour.

Has the success of Auckland's City Rail Link sparked a desire for passenger rail in other parts of the country? Christchurch is booming, while the nearby town of Rolleston is now New Zealand's fastest growing town. Council chair Deon Swiggs spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

In the last few days, we've seen the long-awaited opening of the City Rail Link, a huge infrastructure project that took years and billions of dollars to complete. Despite this particular project reaching completion, the country faces challenges with meeting maintenance needs of current infrastructure alongside long-term agreement on new projects. Earlier this year, a report commissioned by the national associations Civil Contractors New Zealand, Infrastructure New Zealand and Water New Zealand estimated that the stopping and starting of such projects has cost 11.8 billion dollars over the last thirty years. So what changes would the Opportunity party look to make for how we maintain and invest in our country's infrastructure? Then, shifting to another generational issue, youth voter enrolments sat at 57.45% by the end of last month. So what needs to change to see greater engagement with young people, and how will recent changes to election rules affect this turnout? But for our fortnightly catch up with the leader of the Opportunity Party, Qiulae Wong, producer Theo began by asking whether she's had a chance to travel on the City Rail Link yet.

With Auckland's City Rail Link now open, many people are contemplating the potential of train travel across the country. John Campbell spoke to Patrick Rooney, one of the founders of train advocacy group The Future is Rail, about where rail infrastructure is most needed.

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Cindy Mitchener and Chris Wikaira. First up, the first workday of Auckland's new City Rail Link has come and gone. Project chief executive Patrick Brockie comes along to mark the historic day. Then, building up a stack of rentals was once considered a surefire way to investors to get bang for their buck. But now the market has flattened out, is it still the lucrative pathway it once was? Property investment coach Steve Goodey explains. And what does a supermarket receipt from 1991 say about today's food prices? Such a receipt has been circulating online, and Massey University economics professor Christoph Schumacher breaks down the price difference. Finally, you would've scored yourself a free coffee if you'd ordered one in te reo at Te Kamo High School today, where head girl Charli McDonnell is leading the charge for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori.

Auckland Transport's confident the new City Rail Link can cope with hordes of Warriors supporters heading to Sunday's game. The network faced its first weekday today - recording about 72-and-a-half thousand train journeys as of five this evening. It will be put to the test again this weekend - with 55 thousand fans headed to Eden Park to watch the Warriors take on the Newcastle Knights. Public Transport director Richard Harrison told Heather du Plessis-Allan extra trains will be running - and there will be buses to the stadium from the North Shore. He says those with tickets to the game can get free travel from 2pm. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I hope you'll be phoning in to tell me all about the CRL - because it's trains, planes and automobiles today with the official launch of the long awaited CRL yesterday. This morning it was the hard launch as commuters test the reliability, convenience and time saving potential of the railway line. Tough day to be a bus. Nobody cares, you big stinky diesel thing, even though I know a few of you have turned electric. There the buses are heroically supporting the commuter network, around 70 million passenger trips per year. Where's the gratitude? There is none. It's all, ooh, shiny trains. But honestly, who doesn't love a train? And there'll be some of you thinking, oh, how very Auckland. Come on, you know and I know that when you go to New York or London or Paris or Hong Kong or Singapore, even Australia, it's so exciting to be able to jump onto a commuter line that works, that takes you where you want to go cheaply, expeditiously. It's fantastic. We have our Oyster cards and we've worked out the lines, and we think we're so sophisticated as we jump on and off the trains. The subways, metros or tubes might be old and dirty or smelly, but you can spot a Kiwi, because they're so excited to be on there. There's none of this block yourself off and go into your own mind if you're a resident of the aforementioned cities. You just block yourself out and think this will be over soon, this too will end. We're bouncing around and hanging off the straps, just thrilled to bits to be there. And now we've got one of our own. I would definitely be using a train if the new harbour crossing is built with the capacity to run trains, although I will probably be dead by the time a new harbour crossing is built. My ancestors will rejoice. And the rejoicing yesterday, the Sky Tower was lit up with the CRL map, people of all ages set their alarms to stupid o'clock to catch the first train. People from around the country came to Auckland to ride the first train. I'd probably draw the line at saying, 'Tunnel, tunnel, tunnel' - a group chant as you go through the first tunnel, but then I'm not a rail fan or a trainspotter or a ferroequinologist or an anorak or a gunzel or a foamer or a densha otaku, which is all names from different cultures for those who love trains. But the fact that there are so many names in so many different languages and so many different cultures for people who love trains shows what a fan base they have. But beyond this special group of people getting their kicks, there's hope that there will be a significant return on investment with the building of the CRL. Aucklanders lose millions of hours each year stuck in traffic and removing even a small percentage of vehicles makes travel times faster, more reliable for everyone else and that improves productivity. It is hoped that the flow on effects will go right down the country, it won't just be a fun thing to ride - or to go on the new ale trail, or the ale rail trail, whichever you want to call it. Some friends of mine said they were going to go on the new rail link over the weekend and stop off for a glass of wine at different stations, or water after the first two. But there is an actual ale trail on the rail. Five breweries, independent breweries have signed up for it, so you can Google that and find it. Businesses like our lovely lady with the flowers in Victoria Street will be praying that the disruption and the loss of business and the hanging on by a thread will all be worth it now that the CRL is finally up and running. So I would love to hear from those of you who have ridden the train, who have jumped on board, test driven it yesterday or have taken the chance to come into work today on the train. Does it make much difference? Is it going to be part of your regular commute? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sean Ackland co-hosts tonight to debrief the education debate from Dunedin this weekend and get his thoughts as our resident industry expert.The hottest topic from this weekend and today was the opening of Auckland's City Rail Link. PM Luxon joined John Campbell on Morning Report this morning to share his completely out-of-touch perspective on what this upgrade to the city's public transport means for the average person and commuter.ANZ's outgoing CEO Antonia Watson spoke with Jack Tame over the weekend to discuss the state of banking in NZ, and reviews her previous comments about implementing a CGT and having an adult conversation around tax in order to tackle the looming worker/pensioner ratio diminishing and putting pressure on future Govt finances.++++++++++++++++++++Like us on Facebook.com/BigHairyNetwork Follow us on Twitter.com/@bighairynetworkFollowing us on TikTok.com/@bighairynetworkSupport us on Patreon www.patreon.com/c/BigHairyNewsCheck out our merch https://bhn.nz/shop/Donate to our work https://bhn.nz/shop/donation/

For Dear Science this week, we chat with our experts, Professor Sebastian Leuzinger and Dr Syrie Hermans,, about plants and their senses. For our Weekly Catchup with the National Party, Host Alex speaks with MP Ryan Hamilton about the CRL, Auckland Council's troubles with Fast-Tracked developments, and NZ's condemnation of Illegal Israeli Settlements Producer Thomas chats to Public Service Association National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons about an internal review into Ministry of Social Development errors, and how they may have been caused by cuts to the workforce. Thomas also talks to University of Auckland Associate Professor Helen Petousis-Harris, about New Zealand's flu vaccination rates being critically low. And this week we have a City Rail Link special. News director Castor and Producer Liam caught the very first train on the opening day and interviewed members of the public. Liam also interviewed Viv Beck from Heart of the City and Bevan Assink from KiwiRail about how significant this moment is for Auckland.

Many will likely remember Sunday 13 September as the day that Auckland's city rail link opened. After nearly ten years of planning and construction, Auckland finally has an underground rail line, and many hope this will lead to a renaissance in the city.  News Director Castor and Wire Producer Liam went to the opening of the CRL and caught the very first train departing at 4:57 AM from Ōtāhuhu. The passion was palpable on the day, everywhere one looked one could sense the passion of a lot of people passionate about trains and public transport. We interviewed members of the public to gauge people's feelings and hopes for the future.  Liam also spoke to Viv Beck, Chief Executive for Heart of the City, about what the CRL will mean for businesses in Auckland, and to Bevan Assink, Chief Metro Officer for KiwiRail, about how the opening day went from an operational perspective and what the CRL will mean in the context of Auckland's wider rail system. Here is their report...

Auckland's City Rail Link is finally open for business. After a decade of construction and delays the CRL opened yesterday. Train driver, and driver trainer CJ Withey spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The City Rail Link will go through its first real test for the Monday morning commute this morning. Reporter Matthew Theunissen is on board and joins us now.

After a decade of construction, and a history spanning more than 100 years, Auckland's City Rail Link is open for business. Mark Lambert, Auckland Transport's general manager of rail spoke to John Campbell.

Christopher Luxon discusses "game changing" CRL, infrastructure; Ingrid Hipkiss speaks to train driver as CRL opens; John Campbell speaks to Len Brown from City Rail Link; Barbara Edmonds discusses Labour's new KiwiSaver policy; Warriors boss discusses weekend loss, plans for next game

Former mayor of Auckland, Len Brown, who Sir John Key has called the 'great father' of the City Rail Link. Len Brown spoke to John Campbell from Te Waihorotiu Station.

After years of suspense, Auckland's City Rail Link is finally opening on Sunday morning. Former Auckland Mayor Len Brown was one of the infrastructure project's progenitors, with his lobbying for central government support one of the dominoes that had to fall before Auckland could cut the ribbon on its shiniest new toy. Brown joined Emile on the show to discuss his legacy, as written in train lines.

It's a massive weekend for Auckland as the much-awaited CRL, the City Rail Link, finally opens to the public. And there is excitement. Five and a half billion dollars and 10 years of chaos have come to this. The question will be asked: was it all worth it? Firstly, I have to say it never needed to be so expensive because it never needed to be this late. The idea of a rail link between Auckland and Morningside was first mooted in 1912 and again in 1918. There was even a plan drawn up in 1923. Robbie, Dove-Myer Robinson, talked about it in the 1970s. But it wasn't until 2003 that we finally pulled our finger out and started doing something about it. Imagine if we'd built it in the 1920s. Imagine if we'd built it in the 1930s, when Australia was building underground rail and the Harbour Bridge. But no, we were afraid of it. We hesitated. If only we'd had the courage of our convictions back then, when it was cheaper and easier. And it's not like we've always been this timid and overly cautious. Construction of the Central Motorway Junction, affectionately known as Spaghetti Junction, began in the 1960s. If you think the disruption caused by the CRL was significant, consider what happened then. To build Spaghetti Junction for the car, they effectively eradicated an entire inner-city suburb. Yet these days we lose our heads over a couple of inner-city streets, a few barber shops and some traffic cones. My own memories of the debate are full of toxic misinformation and, can I say, that came from all the radio stations and plenty of politicians. People were calling it a loop. It's never been a loop. It's a link. It's a through-link. People would say, "Well, it's a loop. What about the Simpsons monorail? What about the Sydney monorail?" But it was never anything like that. It was a link. It joined two previously disconnected parts of a railway network we'd already invested in. Those myths made much of the conversation unnecessarily fraught. But there we go. It's happened. It's done. Thank God for that. Now that it's finished, people will be demanding a revolution. It won't be a revolution. It will be an evolution. But it is the single biggest step we had to take to allow our biggest city to grow even bigger. It's what we needed to do to show we're not afraid of growth. That we're not the timid New Zealanders Christopher Luxon has so often accused us of being, and that our businesses are not afraid of growth either. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cybersecurity expert on ZenTech data breach; Can you tell where your bacon or ham actually comes from?; Businesses gear up for opening of City Rail Link; Kiwi journalist who spent 9/11 inside police cordon; Helen Clark discusses being PM during 9/11 attacks

Auckland businesses are gearing up to reap the benefits of Auckland City Rail Link, which officially opens on Sunday. The $5.5 billion project has taken 10 years to build, and caused significant disruption for businesses along the route. Northern Line Bar and Social, on the corner of Beresford Square and Pitt St, has seen the lows and is now hoping to see the highs. Owner Craig Wright spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The City Rail Link is set to finally open this weekend, hailed as a game changer for transport in the city, and eagerly anticipated by local businesses who've faced a decade of disruption. But the story of the CRL goes back not just a decade, but over a century. Matthew Theunissen reports.

On today’s show: (00:00) We dive into our Instagram algorithms and discover what the app really thinks we're into (03:20) Samsung goes into full Gen z mode during Apple’s latest iPhone announcement (06:20) Ben shares the simple relationship hack that gave both him and his wife a much-needed reset (08:50) Warriors legend Monty Betham joins us ahead of a massive finals clash (13:30) Megan stains Ben’s prized Warriors jersey just moments after borrowing it (16:40) The best calls from listeners who were the first to try, use or experience something (24:45) Jono gets hidden inside a train ahead of the City Rail Link opening ceremony Join the Itty Bitty Hitty Committee HERE!Instagram: @THEHITSBREAKFASTFacebook: The Hits Breakfast with Jono, Ben & Megan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s show: (00:00) Ben Boyce reveals how he broke his first bone while filming a video! (03:50) The team debates whether Jono should perform as the “Town Pryor” at Auckland’s City Rail Link opening by himself... (07:40) Troy’s migraine leads him to a Thai massage experience he’ll never forget (11:25) Listeners share events they definitely shouldn’t have attended (19:15) Megan discovers how to reset your social media algorithm! (23:00) Netsafe’s Sean Lyons explains how scammers get your details and how to stay safe after Megan Papas is HACKED (31:35) The problem with people who ask “Can I ask a favour?” before telling you what it is (33:35) Should partners tell the brutal truth or back each other no matter what? (41:50) Jono discovers he’s not the world’s greatest podcast guest Join the Itty Bitty Hitty Committee HERE!Instagram: @THEHITSBREAKFASTFacebook: The Hits Breakfast with Jono, Ben & Megan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(5:58) Did you get injured before the big day? (23:14) How to be the first to ride Auckland's new City Rail Link. (27:49) Bree's dream theme park. (33:39) Producer Ella's last ever game of Let's Get Classical. Bree Tomasel & Clint Roberts on ZM - find us @breeandclint on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We convene a roundtable discussion with Gosha Haley, Ludo Campbell-Reid and Gyles Bendall on the future of Auckland, as the metropolis prepares for a new era of mobility with the City Rail Link. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A number of wins for Auckland as the city heads into a new era. The fourth annual State of the City report, commissioned by the independent non-partisan Committee for Auckland, compares the super city to others globally. It scored well on innovation, international business events, and the number of people coming here, but did less well on things like productivity and keeping talent. Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck told Ryan Bridge Auckland now has the International Convention Centre and the City Rail Link's about to open. She says it can now leverage investments like this to drive density, growth, and vibrancy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First up, the Opportunity Party says that it wants to clean up politics by regulating lobbying and capping donations. How realistic are those changes? Transparency International New Zealand chief executive Julie Haggie explains. Then, an ongoing trial allowing cars on Queen Street between 7pm and 7am could dampen the incoming benefits of the incoming City Rail Link, according to transport advocates. But that's not the view of Steve Bielby, who's renovating the St James Theatre - he wants the cars to stay.

It's less than a month until Auckland's City Rail Link opens, but a transport advocate says the city risks not making the most of it. Since April, Auckland Transport has been running a trial to allow cars on some bus lanes around Te Wai Horotiu station after 7pm and before 7am. The idea is that it will improve evening access to key arts and entertainment venues. Business Association Heart of the City pushed for the trial, saying banning general traffic around parts of Queen Street and Wellesley Street was hurting economic recovery. Connor Sharp - from the transport and urban advocacy organisation Greater Auckland - spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss

A transport advocate says Auckland risks not making the most of its multi-billion dollar City Rail Link investment, with an ongoing trial allowing more cars in the city centre. Since April this year, cars have been allowed on parts of Queen Street and Wellesley Street after 7pm, as part of an Auckland Transport trial. Heart of the City pushed for the change, saying banning cars on Queen street was hurting economic recovery for businesses in the area post-Covid. Luka Forman reports.

We were promised a functional train tunnel for $2 billion, but Auckland's City Rail Link blew out to $5.5 billion. Unaccountable council staff and ministers went missing while gold-plating stations and dropping over a million dollars on public art installations. We take a hard look at the $3 billion cost overruns, who signed off on the lavish designs, and why long-suffering Auckland ratepayers will be paying off this massive bill for decades. PLUS, Minister Simon Court joins us to discuss who signed off on this gold-plated blowout and why Auckland ratepayers are left holding the massive bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah & Adam here! Missed the show? Here's some of our fave bits: New Zealand's longest escalator is about to open as part of Auckland's City Rail Link. Since it takes just over a minute top to bottom, Jen plays the Pop Quiz while riding ... Did she win a grand? How'd ya get your nickname? You tell us what it is and we guess how you got it. New Zealand souvenirs can be a bit naff right? We build the ultimate kiwi gift bag. If you have a great yarn for the radio or just want to get in touch, you can message us anytime on our socials:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morefmdriveFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/morefmdrive

Christchurch has quietly become one of New Zealand's strongest economic success stories. Independent economist Tony Alexander shares how affordable housing, a booming tourism sector, and major infrastructure projects, are all driving momentum. Plus why Auckland still holds the key to New Zealand's overall economic performance, and how projects like the City Rail Link could help shape its future. For more places to follow Shared Lunch—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website. Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The City Rail Link is about three and a half kilometres of tunnels and will be the country's largest transport infrastructure project to date. It's set to speed up public transport in the city, creating more connections and modernise So have all the road cones been worth it? Mihi checked in with Joel Rowan who's Auckland Transports, communications manager for the City Rail Link.

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Aimie Hines and Alan McElroy. First up, power prices have overtaken housing as New Zealander's biggest financial concerns, according to a new report from Consumer NZ. Then, it's official: Auckland's City Rail Link will open on September 13th. Greater Auckland director Patrick Reynolds joins the show.

There's promises Auckland's City Rail Link's good to go, with an opening date announced for next month. Passengers can ride the $5.5-billion-dollar lines from September 13, after extensive testing and dress rehearsals. Mayor Wayne Brown says this is a good project for Auckland, even if it was 'too costly and too slow.' "It will be a good thing for Auckland, it's up to us now as a council to make sure that instead of having a capacity of 19,000 people per hour, we actually have customers of 19,000 people per hour." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 6 July, 2026, Winston Peters says Christopher Luxon's pledge to look at a referendum on MMP is a sign of desperation. We talk to a pharmacist about whether they're prepared to treat more conditions, as ACT wants them to do. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown on the number of passengers he hopes will catch the City Rail Link. And on The Huddle, Mike Munro and Jordan Williams discuss Chris Luxon - one of them says he's a dead man walking. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At last we've got a date for the opening of the City Rail Link – is it really going to transform Auckland? Hayden Donnell joins Toby to talk through the decade-long, multibillion project, how it will change things from an economic and practical standpoint, who deserves the credit on the Donnell index, and where we sit on the utopian-to-sceptic spectrum.Plus: In How Good, Claire Mabey raves about the survivalist TV show Alone.At Large with Toby Manhire is produced by Te Aihe Butler, Jin Fellet and The Spinoff. Read more at ⁠thespinoff.co.nz⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill updates on a range of urban issues covering Auckland, in particular the latest on Plan Change 120; the Central Interceptor - a 16 kilometre sewer - now in operation; and City Rail Link soon to open. Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.

Two brand new train stations will be opening in Auckland on Sunday. Auckland Transport says the Drury and Paerata stations will put South Auckland and Franklin on the rapid transit map just in time for the City Rail Link . A third new station between the two is set to open next year. Franklin councillor Andy Baker spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Jono is officially Auckland’s new Town Crier aka “The Town Pryor”, with Mayor Wayne Brown backing the campaign to have him open the City Rail Link! That sparks a trip down memory lane as listeners call in with jobs that have disappeared over the years... Join the Itty Bitty Hitty Committee HERE!Instagram: @THEHITSBREAKFASTFacebook: The Hits Breakfast with Jono, Ben & Megan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calls for a 24-hour police presence in Auckland's Karangahape precinct before the City Rail Link opens. Two men are due in court today - after one person was seriously injured on Mercury Lane last night. Several people were arrested in the weekend after a bar fight nearby. Karangahape Precinct Collective chair William Keung says there's been a persistent series of anti-social incidents in the area - and concerns have been raised. "It seems to draw in that crowd that's actually causing the issues and challenges that we've got in play...there's been numerous callouts." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's rail network is closed once again as gencies run a final dress rehearsal for the long anticipated City Rail Link. Auckland Transport and KiwiRail remain tight lipped on when the underground loop will open to commuters, but promise the four day Matariki weekend closure will be its last push to the finish line. Felix Walton reports.

Some lucky train enthusiasts are getting a glimpse of how Auckland's City Rail Link is expected to operate during peak times. The entire Auckland rail network is closed to the public today, while the new timetable, stations, and systems are put through their paces. Auckland reporter Felix Walton spoke to John Campbell from the brand new Karanga-a-hape Station

GP discusses rise in number of homeless being hospitalised; New non-invasive tests for endometriosis rolled out in the UK; Julian Wilcox previews Matariki events; Auckland's City Rail Link put through major test; Young readers compete for Kids Lit Quiz title; Teen pianist Shan Liu set for NZSO mainstage debut

Tech New Zealand is trying to dispel fears about bringing more data centres here. Crown agency Invest New Zealand is looking to attract up to $30 billion in offshore investment in the centres, over five years. We already have 56 of the facilities here – using around 0.6% of our total power. Tech New Zealand Chief Executive Graeme Muller told Mike Hosking he hates hearing that data centres use a lot of water. He says it's an American issue with old centres, suggesting the new facilities like those built in Auckland using less water than the average dairy farm. Muller is also assuring that lots of jobs will be created by bringing new data centres here. Invest New Zealand claims the centres could employ up to three and a half thousand people, but local industry advocate Don Christie says the centres are largely automated and only employ a few people. Muller argues the new data centre being built in Southland is creating a lot of jobs – he says it's going to create more construction jobs over the next decade than the City Rail Link, and create 220 fulltime positions. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon takes his best guess on when City Rail Link might finally open, how likely is a second harbour crossing? What's going on with Heart of the City? And submissions close soon on the controversial move-on orders, Simon discusses what they might mean for Aucklanders.

From World War II air raid shelters to a buried stream, Auckland's CBD has a fascinating underground historyAucklanders are getting ready to head underground with the opening of the City Rail Link ... but trains aren't the first invisible infrastructure under the cityFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

One of the country's largest commercial property developers says sentiment in Auckland is picking up, with the City Rail Link on its way, tourists back in the city, and more public spaces being developed. Precinct Property CEO Scott Pritchard spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.