Podcasts about Gisborne

It is estimated more than 1000 young people in Gisborne don't have a home to go to. The area is one of the worst for severe housing deprivation according to a study by the Coalition to End Women's Homelessness. It said there were almost 33,200 people under the age of 17 experiencing some form of homelessness at the 2023 census, and homeless children were three times more likely to live in Gisborne. Shelley Hannah-Kingi from the Tairawhiti Beneficiary advocacy trust spoke to Lisa Owen

James has more on the Budget funding to secure the Waioweka Gorge and Gisborne's elderly and solo parents fear higher costs under social housing reforms.

It's time now for the A-Z of Aotearoa! We've been making our way through the alphabet, choosing something iconically Kiwi for each letter. This week we've arrived at 'U', and our subject is a place shrouded in geographic beauty and indigenous knowledge, Te Urewera. It's the home of the Tuhoe iwi, and it lies in the wide, mountainous space between Rotorua and Gisborne. For 60 years much of Te Urewera was designated a National Park, then in 2014 - following a Waitangi Tribunal settlement - the land was granted environmental personhood. In October 2007, Te Urewera was also the grounds for one of New Zealand's darkest days, poet and activist Ati Teepa talks to Jesse about his experience in the police raids. We also want to focus on the environment and geography of Te Urewera, and for that, Jesse is joined by Hinewai McManus Hinewai is of Tuhoe descent, and she's a former DOC ranger who also guided treks in Ngaputahi near Ruatahuna for many years.

New research shows anxiety is spiking during downpours, as more weather disasters threaten people's property and safety. A new survey shows 73 percent of respondents in the Hawke's Bay region feel anxious about the weather and 57 percent of respondents nationwide are concerned. Professor Holly Thorpe from the University of Waikato says people in Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, who were hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, reported impacts on their mental health as a result of adverse weather conditions. "The rain anxiety, the stress, the worry, the new kinds of experiences of vulnerability, were affecting people across the community." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for Mayoral minutes, each week we speak with a local mayor about the challenges they're facing how they're working to solve them and what makes their community special. Today we're heading to the Gisborne District on the stunning east coast from where Mayor Rehette Stolz joins Jesse. [picture id="4JR4AKI_Desk_photo_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

This is quite possibly from our "hopeless causes" file. But can I at least try and make the plea that we have a look at the economic damage done by trigger-happy weather offices and compliant clickbait media when it comes to storm warnings? Cyclone Vaianu was the latest and is hopefully still fresh enough in our memories to remind us of a week's worth of hyperbole and headline nonsense that actually caused quite a lot of damage. Not storm damage, but economic damage. Spending in Northland was down 48%. Auckland down 46%. Waikato down 52% (that would have included the Supercars that got canned). Bay of Plenty down 68%. Gisborne down 51%. Hawkes Bay down 56%. Now obviously in the middle of a storm on that blowy, old Saturday and into Sunday you have already worked out you're not booking an outdoor table for lunch. But these figures will include the week building up to the event, the drama that started the previous Sunday, with the ever-present "keep an eye on this one" headlines, and as the week progressed, the alarmism grew. Not because alarmism was required, but because the weather wonks and the media feed off each other. The weather people love publicity and the media, especially digital, love potential clickbait. And nothing baits your click like pending metrological carnage. So in that prior Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, how many things got cancelled? Bookings killed? Trips binned? Decisions altered? That's the economic damage we can avoid. If you remember, it wasn't until Friday they actually knew what the weather, they thought, would do. They were still wrong. But at least by Friday they had confidence in the ensuing days. When so much of our potential economic activity got canned, they were still speculating and blabbering on about trampolines and holiday travel and telling you how to live your life. Somewhere along the line the weather people got carried away with their own self-importance and the media gee'd them up and what is a two-day storm turned into a week-long extravaganza. An orgy of verbal diarrhoea, amping and amping and amping. And, as the data shows, doing untold damage to regions that didn't really need it, as well as a storm. The forlorn hope? That this data sobers a few people up and maybe, just maybe, next time a few grown-ups drive the narrative. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Halter has launched a world first direct-to-satellite service for its smart collars to enable beef cattle farmed in remote areas to access its virtual fencing technology. The new technology will provide the tech to beef farms that were previously out of reach due to connectivity limitations, particularly for regions like central Otago, Gisborne and Southland's high country. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Right, here's a question I'd like to answer: Do we all have strange priorities in this country, or is it just the evening TV news that does? Last night, I sat through 13 minutes of TV One telling me nothing had happened with the cyclone before we finally got to the Iran situation, where something actually had happened. First, One News took us to a reporter in the Bay of Plenty, who told us a tree had come down on the main street. A couple of older women joked about going for a swim in the swell, but really, nothing much had happened. Then we went to Gisborne, where wastewater had flooded, and the guy in the caravan from the previous night was barely affected - because, again, nothing much had happened. Next stop was Hawke's Bay, where nothing had happened yet. Then the Coromandel, where Simon Mercer reported large storm surges in Whitianga - but nothing had happened.After that, the Far North, where the river was high - but nothing had happened. Then the weather presenter wrapped it all up, and we were told Breakfast would be covering it in the morning - just in case something did happen. Finally - after 12 minutes and 45 seconds of this - we got to the Iran situation, where peace talks had broken down and the US delegation had left. That is a conflict that will affect every single one of us. The weather will impact some people - potentially quite severely - but the situation in Iran will affect everyone here. Diesel is tipped to hit $4 a litre, food prices will rise, inflation is forecast to peak higher than after COVID at around 7.5 percent, and ANZ is predicting three OCR hikes this year as a result. I wondered whether this reflects audience interest - maybe people can't get enough of the weather and don't care about a conflict in Iran. But I checked the Herald this afternoon. Both stories were top trending, and there wasn't much between them. So, I'd suggest the evening TV news might want to rethink leading with 13 minutes of nothing. I understand that pictures matter in television. And yes, they've paid to send reporters around the country, so they need something to show. But pictures of nothing are still nothing - and there's only so much time people will spend watching nothing before they simply switch off. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emergency Management Minister, Mark Mitchell, says Cyclone Vaianu could've been much worse - and Kiwis prepared well. Gisborne and some other East Coast communities are still cut off with sections of State Highways 2 and 35 closed, due to fallen trees, flooding and slips. The last of MetService's strong wind warnings and watches for Wairarapa and the Tararua District are set to ease at 7 this morning. Mark Mitchell told Ryan Bridge several thousand houses were evacuated across the North Island. He says some of them have flooded, but a lot were precautionary evacuations - which was the right thing to do.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James discusses the 37 year old relief firefightering truck being used in Gisborne, a reduction of 30% for the East Coast rock lobster fishery, worries over driving safety and wandering stock and the local vape stores breaking regulations.

George Bridge isn't just another Kiwi working FIFO in Perth, he's an All Blacks winger, who played at a Rugby World Cup. He's a six-time Super Rugby champion. He's a golf enthusiast, he's a Dave Dobbyn fan and he comes all the way from Gisborne.Full Force Podcast host Cairo Takarangi chatted to George to discuss all that, finding out more about the All Blacks star.

In case you missed it... Dom talks with Rachael Thomas from Te Puia Springs, north of Gisborne, about her store general store which is renowned for its pies and KFC (Kai for Coasties), her involvement in the local community and why she bought a fire engine. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.

Taranaki's Three Sisters Brewery is purchasing Sunshine Brewing, including the Gisborne Gold brand. Three Sisters founder Joe Emans said he plans to keep the brands distinct and "keep them doing what they're good at." Emans joined Andrew Dickens to chat about the purchase and the future of New Zealand's beer industry. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A petrol bill that's tripled to over $300 a week, and that's before the latest price hikes at the pumps. That's the reality for a mother who has to make an hour-long trip twice a day to drop her teen at school, because he's no longer eligible for a government-funded bus. The Ministry of Education says it's reviewing routes around the country to make sure they comply with its rules, such as students going to their nearest school. But Checkpoint has learned that changes due to begin in the Gisborne area at the start of Term 2 next month will no longer happen. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

Kim Pittar of Muirs Bookshop in Gisborne reviews A Splintering by Dur e Aziz Amna, published by Duckworth Books.

Concerns have been raised in Gisborne, where rural school bus routes have been altered or cut. Over 100 Gisborne students could be affected by these changes, and parents are calling for a new solution to be found. Gisborne farmer Toby Williams says parents in these rural areas won't be able to get their kids to school efficiently anymore. "For me, that'd be a hour journey each way to get them there, it ruins the productivity on my farm to try and get my kids to the education they need." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 5 March, 2026, we ask Transport Minister Chris Bishop why the government's looking at scrapping the clean car standard altogether. A Gisborne farmer tells us why he's got a beef with changes to the rural school bus service. Black Cap Cole McConchie on what it was like having a front-row seat to Finn Allen's blistering century - the fastest-ever at a T20 World Cup. And on The Huddle with Jordan Williams and Gareth Hughes we hear how there could be more polling bad news for National. 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.

Explore the wines being made in Gisborne in New Zealand with Paul and Geordie of TW Wines.

Freaky Friday time! The place for all your spooky and unexplainable stories. Jesse spoke to Jill, who shared a story of her encounter with a ghost in Gisborne in the early 90s.

We catch up with Kirsten Searle, owner of Matawhero Wines in Gisborne located on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. She is a dynamic producer in the region, producing a wide range of premium quality wine styles.

Signs the job market is on the up. New Seek data shows job ads have grown by 1.5% since October and are now 11.7% higher year on year. Gisborne's led monthly growth with an almost 4% increase, while Marlborough's the only region with a record annual decline in ads, at -6%. However Seek Country Manager Rob Clark says the fact growth stretches across regions and industries is a marked improvement on this year. He told Mike Hosking they're hopeful the growth will continue. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tai Rawhiti locals isolated again by January's slips on the Waioeka Gorge and East Coast highway want the government to find a more reliable route out of Gisborne. Mary Argue reports.

We delve into the business of making wine in Gisborne on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, with Mark Thompson head winemaker at GisVin.

Some farms in Tai Rawhiti are facing huge clean up jobs and access problems following heavy rain and flooding last week. Mud and slips have cut off roads and communities higher up the coast near Hicks bay and Te Araroa. The Prime Minister has said reconnecting some of those communities could take up to six months with significant damage to State Highwway 35 and SH2. North west of Gisborne some farms near Te Karaka have had river crossing washed out. Federated Farmers Gisborne president Charlie Reynolds spoke to Lisa Owen.

James discusses rescues at Te Aroroa during the recent flooding, a Swiss marathon runner's success after being stranded at the Waioweka Campground by slips and the 8 year old who was joint winner in a $40,000 fishing prize.

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

There is still a huge amount of clean up to do on roads around the upper North Island following last week's severe weather. Slips and flooding damaged major roads in Thames, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and the East cape. In Gisborne entire hillsides collapsed, bringing forestry and native bush down onto roads. Convoys have made it through State Highway 35 at the top of the east coast, but it could be several weeks before State Highway two between Gisborne and Bay of Plenty reopens. NZTA's Mark Owen spoke to Lisa Owen.

A Gisborne helicopter pilot helping with the East Coast civil defence response says treacherous weather has made flying conditions tough, as floods cut off roads and isolate communities. George Spence spoke to Corin Dann.

A large insurance bill is looming from the latest weather-related disasters. The landslide at Mount Maunganui combined with flood damage in Northland, Coromandel and Gisborne means that the claims are set to roll in. Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman Karen Stevens told Ryan Bridge that people affected can expect delays given the high number of claims being made. "I think everybody understands that with a significant weather event, there are going to be more delays than if it's just business as usual." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gisborne sheep and beef farmer and former President of Rural Women NZ on the devastation in her region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.Are we in a recovery or a price crash? In this week's episode, we tackle the mixed signals hitting the New Zealand market. BNZ economists are telling us "don't stop believin'" as business confidence hits multi-year highs, yet Trade Me data shows asking prices plummeted by over $80,000 in the last two months of 2025.We break down why REINZ says buyer confidence (and FOMO) is officially returning, despite the confusing data out of regions like Gisborne. Plus, we dive into the "Oil Tanker" effect—why dropping interest rates haven't put more money in your pocket yet—and settle the decade-long debate: Did KiwiSaver actually outperform property investment over the last 10 years?Topic #1:  NZ Adviser 22nd of January - "Don't stop believin'" in NZ recovery: BNZ economistTopic #2: RNZ 22nd of January - Confidence returning to property market, REINZ saysTopic #3: Good Returns 21st of January - Why mortgage holders don't feel like there is more money in their pocketTopic #4: 1News 20th of January - KiwiSaver or your house - which will give better investment returns?Topic #5: Interest.co.nz 21st of January - Average asking price of residential properties listed on Trade Me Property sank $82,500 in November and December - Auckland down $126,400, Gisborne takes a huge hit

State Highway 2 through the Waioweka Gorge from Opotiki to Matawai is expected to be closed for weeks with as many as 40 slips to clear up. Ratahi Cross, chair of Ngai Tukairangi Trust spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Locals in Te Araroa, north of Gisborne, were forced to flee for their lives as what may prove to be a deadly storm, bore down on the North Island. Kate Green reports. Kate Green reports.

Gisborne is in clean-up mode again after heavy rain and flooding caused major damage, leaving some areas cut off and roads blocked by slips and debris. Gisborne's mayor Rehette Stoltz spoke to Lauren Crimp.

Federated Farmers’ Bay of Plenty president and Gisborne-based national board member give an update on the flooding and slips in their region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An RNZ special on the unfolding weather event in the North Island, presented by Ingrid Hipkiss. Red heavy rain warnings are in place for Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, and Gisborne from Tologa Bay north. Several regions have declared a state of local emergency, including Coromandel, Hauraki, Bay of Plenty, Whangarei and Gisborne Tai Rāwhiti.

Gisborne is waking up to very soggy conditions after a night of heavy and persistent rain. Mayor Rehette Stoltz spoke to Lauren Crimp.

Gisborne is one of the regions currently being hit hard by heavy rain and strong winds with a precautionary state of emergency declared at 5pm last night. RNZ Reporter Kate Green spoke to Lauren Crimp.

Civil Defence in Tolaga Bay East Coast says low-lying households near Hikuwai River should evacuate now. Surface flooding has stranded several East Coast communities - with no easing yet of the tropical storm battering the North Island. Tairawhiti has now joined Whangārei, Hauraki, Thames-Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty in declaring States of Emergency. Red rain warnings for Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and parts of Gisborne will start expiring between 11pm and 11am tomorrow. Hauraki District Council says some homes in Whiritoa have been evacuated, and the Surf Club has been set up as a Civil Defence site. In Thames Coromandel, Mayor Peter Revell says Whitianga, Cooks Beach and Pauanui are cut off, with near record rain already last night. "There's going to be significant volumes of rain in the next four or five hours, so that will certainly load up the rivers and threaten slips on roads and what have you." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand surfing Nationals have been on all week in Gisborne and they're getting to the pointy end of the competition with the men's and men's open finals tomorrow. Surfing New Zealand's Ben Kenings spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Vital lab tests for Gisborne patients are facing unnecessary delays as samples are flown or driven hundreds of kilometres across the country for analysis, according to one union. Apex represents MedLab workers who are currently locked in a pay dispute. It says delays to key diagnostic tests for life threatening conditions like meningitis, leukaemia and antibiotic resistance are because the medical lab at Gisborne is 50 percent owned by a private company that is profit driven. National Secretary for Apex, Deborah Powell spoke to Lisa Owen.

An 81-year-old Gisborne great grandmother has joined the DJ line-up for this years' Rhythm & Vines festival Molly Pardoe aka DJ SuperGran will debut with a ten minute set.

The cost of water infrastructure projects have been rising as councils learn more details about what's required. Every council has now submitted their plan under Local Water Done Well programme. As Newstalk ZB first revealed last week, the final bill is now expected to reach almost $48 billion – about $9 billion more than first thought. Local Government New Zealand Vice-President and Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz told Heather du Plessis Allan they've taken a more detailed look into costings over the whole ten years than they previously had. She says we're comparing a ten-year plan which wasn't as in depth, to the current very detailed plan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gisborne District Council is asking residents to keep an eye out for an invasive plant as its seeding season begins. Biosecurity officer and Educator Glenn Brown spoke to Corin Dann.

Hawke's Bay and Gisborne are sweltering under heat alerts today with temperatures reaching 34 degrees at Napier Airport and 32 degrees in Wairoa. They're not the only regions wilting under warm conditions - Gisborne hit 32.6 degrees this afternoon, and on Sunday new records were set for December temperatures in Tauranga and Whitianga. Warmer ocean temperatures are behind the surge in heat - as marine heatwave conditions develop in the waters off New Zealand. Hawke's Bay Tairawhiti reporter Alexa Cook has more. 

Summer has well and truly arrived, with the heat a big topic of conversation in the RNZ office. MetService has issued a heat alert for Hawke's Bay warning residents to take care as temperatures are expected to hit a high of 34 degrees in Hastings. Gisborne, Napier and Wairoa will also experience temperatures in the early 30s today. That seems hot - especially for early December - but is it? MetService meteorologist John Law joins Jesse

Tangihau Angus near Gisborne has a habit of breaking records. Last year it set the top price for New Zealand bulls at $135,000. This year it's done it again setting a new record price of $161,000. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.You can find more about Tangihau Angus, here.With thanks to:Dean McHardyGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week, Thursday host Emma Gleason was joined by Gisborne teen Salem Māhia, who won first place in the Play It Strange 2025 National Songwriting Competition with ‘A Girl Named Abigail'. He tells Emma how he got into music and what it was like being part of the Play It Strange programme (you can donate to the charitable trust's mahi here.) Thanks to The Tuning Fork

James discusses Gisborne's "in-house" water services plans getting government approval, the local deer hunt feeding families, Tairawhiti schools pledge to uphold Te Tiriti despite law change and a long serving search and rescue volunteer is recognised.

A multimillion-dollar Gisborne site is being investigated by council for a possible new waste facility.