POPULARITY
The uneasy truce between Netball New Zealand and Dame Noeline Taurua already appears under strain. RNZ understands the board of the national body have "started a process" to talk to Taurua about comments made during a media blitz earlier this week. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.
Dame Noeline Taurua insists she hasn't agreed to any changes in the Silver Ferns' high performance environment. In announcing her return after being stood down for more than six weeks, Netball New Zealand said the two parties would be working in partnership to embed "agreed changes". Sportstalk host Jason Pine raises questions about Netball NZ's statements. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
One expert has made a suggestion Netball New Zealand could be breaching employer obligations in events, including Noeline Taurua's suspension. The Silver Ferns coach is being reinstated, after being stood down in September over player concerns. She says she still doesn't know why - and and has revealed there was no investigation. Employment expert Max Whitehead says Netball New Zealand shouldn't have acted on this if it couldn't name players or complaints. "The employer has an obligation on good faith and a natural justice to provide her with a name - and what the allegations are." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How is it possible that the Dame Noeline Taurua crisis has actually got worse today? How is it possible that she's got her job back today and this thing has still got worse? I'm getting the impression that Netball New Zealand do not realize how bad this is today. If they don't realize the enormous damage that Dame Noeline has done to them by going on at least three radio interviews and one TV interview and saying repeatedly the same thing - that she does not know how she was stood down, that there was no investigation to clear her before she was brought back - if they don't realize how enormous this is, I can't explain it to them. They're not responding today to Dame Noels' comments and they're not saying if she's right or wrong. All we know is that the Netball New Zealand minder who was with her when she was doing the interviews told her to stop telling Mike Hosking that she didn't know why she was stood down. Now let me, for the benefit of everyone - but particularly I think for Netball New Zealand - explain how bad this is. None of us here in this office can think of a single employment disagreement that has been dragged out in public like this for this long with this much interest in it. Not even, I would say, the John Hawkesby-Richard Long case back in the late 90s, which was a really big deal at the time - not even that went on this long and was this badly handled. None of us can also think of a single time when Mike Hosking interviewed someone over four interview slots, which is what happened with Dame Noels this morning. Even during COVID, Jacinda Ardern maybe got three slots maximum. Noeline got four, that's how big this is. It's certainly big enough, I think, for somebody at Netball New Zealand to lose their job now. I'm sorry to say this, because I've got a lot of respect for Matt Whineray, the chair of the board, but I think this is now big enough for him to actually have to consider standing down. Either him or the CEO Jennie Wyllie - or frankly, both of them. Either that or they tell us that Dame Noeline is wrong and that what she said on air this morning was wrong. But if her version of events is right, then what has happened to her is completely unacceptable, and Netball New Zealand must indicate that they think this - that they do not condone this kind of ill treatment of employees because their judgment is now in question. We're all looking at this and thinking - if you can stuff up something this badly, what else are you going to stuff up? They cannot afford for us to not believe in their judgment because they are now far from through the worst of what they're going through, with the financial crisis that they're in and the broadcasting crisis that they're in, right? They have not actually solved their broadcasting problems and they have not saved the domestic competition. If they want us to trust that they know what they're doing, and if they want us to not question them at every single turn, then I'm sorry - someone absolutely has to lose their job over this. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Silver Ferns face Australia tonight in game four of the Constellation Cup. The series currently sits at 2-1 to Australia, but a win from the Ferns tonight could force an extra game to decide the series. Silver Ferns Head Coach Yvette McCausland-Durie told Mike Hosking that, 'it's gonna be hard work, but really confident, based on the way they played the other night, they've got the potential there.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Netball New Zealand boss Jennie Wyllie is looking forward to mending ties with reinstated Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua. The pair have been colleagues since Taurua's appointment to lead New Zealand in 2018. Wyllie says she's pleased the pair were able to reach common ground so Taurua could return to the Silver Ferns. "She's acknowledged that, in a high-performance environment, there is a balance that needs to exist - between how do you find the edge, but also who people are. And I think we've been working on - how do we keep that balance top of mind for the well-being of these athletes?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
No specific details from Netball New Zealand over the changes that will occur in the Silver Ferns' high performance environment moving forward. It comes as Dame Noeline Taurua's been reinstated as head coach, after an agreement with the governing body to implement undisclosed enhancements. Netball NZ boss Jennie Wyllie's refused to go into the details, but says change is needed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A refreshed sense of direction for the Silver Ferns amid Dame Noeline Taurua's return as head coach. Netball New Zealand's announced Taurua will resume her duties after the team's northern tour, with some revised operations. The sport's national body say they've agreed to changes that support wellbeing and performance, including strengthening the player voice. NZ Herald sports reporter Nathan Limm has labelled this situation a 'mess' - and wondered what took Netball NZ so long. "They had to bow to public pressure...it's been six weeks since she was stood down, 10 days out from the Taini Jamison series. I felt like it got to the point where if they wanted her back, she'd be back." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The highly public dispute between Netball New Zealand and Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua is becoming increasingly political. Earlier today Minister for Sport and Recreation Mark Mitchell told RNZ he asked Sport New Zealand officials to step in and help resolve the dispute. But RNZ can reveal they have been involved from the outset. High Performance Sport New Zealand has footed the bill for an independent review of the Ferns programme as well as player safeguarding measures - even as the coach at the centre of the crisis remains on the agency's board. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.
The Netball New Zealand v Dame Noeline Taurua saga is beginning to gain traction inside the halls of Parliament. Labour MP Willie Jackson is urging Sports Minister Mark Mitchell to freeze the Netball New Zealand funding until it clears up the suspension of Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua. Sportstalk host Elliott Smith explained the situation further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sports Minister Mark Mitchell has outlined why he feels it was time for the Government to step in with the ongoing Netball New Zealand v Dame Noeline Taurua saga. The side-lined Silver Ferns coach and the national body remain at an impasse concerning issues with the high performance environment. Mitchell says the situation has simply dragged on for far too long. "Everyone involved loves netball, but the fact of the matter is that this is not good for netball. It's one of our iconic games and so many people participate and enjoy the sport. This is not good for anyone, and so I've asked Sport NZ to give me advice and send a clear message." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tonight on The Huddle, broadcaster Mark Sainsbury and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day, and more! Should the Public Service Commission be putting out ads about Thursdays' mega strike, in a bid to attack the unions? Should we be concerned here? Sports Minister Mark Mitchell is weighing in on the Netball New Zealand v Dame Noeline Taurua saga, after Labour's Willie Jackson asked the Government to freeze Netball NZ's funding. What do we make of all this? A coroner is concerned no member of the public stepped in to help a girl that drowned in a public fountain in a busy park. What happened here? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Netball New Zealand v Dame Noeline Taurua sags is gaining some attention from inside the Beehive. Labour MP Willie Jackson is urging Sports Minister Mark Mitchell to freeze the national body's Government funding until it clears up the mystery suspension of the Silver Ferns sidelined coach. Willie Jackson joined Sportstalk to weigh in on a 'disgraceful' situation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The fallout from the Silver Ferns coaching saga has deepened over the past 24 hours after selector Gail Parata revealed she's resigned in protest over Netball New Zealand's treatment of Dame Noeline Taurua. Amid another flurry of headlines, the Silver Ferns flew out to Melbourne today ahead of their Constellation Cup opener on Friday. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.
Most stories need a hero, and Gail Parata might fit the role in this netball mess. Or is it now a scandal? Gail Parata has resigned as a national netball selector and in doing so has gone out guns blazing and, because of that, has given the rest of us a decent insight into what a shambles the Dame Noeline Taurua story really is. This thing is now weeks old since she got stood down. The story and the incidents go back, apparently, to a camp in summer. Taurua's treatment, writes Parata on social media, sends a chilling message to every coach in the country. The coaching profession's voice has been sidelined. Even the most successful, world class coaches are now dispensable. The very essence of coaching, relationships, trust and lived experience no longer seems to hold weight with those making decisions. She's on a roll at this point, God bless her. Who, she asks, would step into a role now knowing that one complaint, one misinterpretation or one moment taken out of context could end your career? The value of this, quite apart from the fact it's the first time as far as I know we have heard from a so called third party, is that the so-called "third party" seems to infer what we all suspect. This thing got blown out of all proportion. This thing, whatever it is, seems to involve some sort of upset, moaning, whining, fragile, ego-related overreaction to an event at the camp. In other words, some players got huffy over Noeline's approach. So the big question for Netball NZ is just how many casualties do you want? You have star players publicly calling you out and wanting their coach back, you've got lawyers in six minute blocks, and now a selector who clearly feels someone has to break the silence and flush a few truths out. The damage is to Noeline, to the sport, to the selection panel and to coaches generally because the questions raised by Parata are all excellent and, like all the other questions in this stinking mess, require some answers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Former Silver Ferns selector Gail Parata has rebuked a lack of due process by Netball New Zealand in standing down coach Dame Noeline Taurua and assistant Debbie Fuller. The pair have been sidelined after allegations of an unsafe high performance environment, which remain unresolved. The issues are understood to date back to a Silver Ferns camp in January. Parata resigned as selector last month in a show of support for Taurua, and she told Mike Hosking no formal complaint was lodged. She says there's about 31 people in the Silver Ferns environment, including management and other athletes, and they only spoke to five Silver Ferns and two Junior Silver Ferns. “Why did they not speak to everyone? That's really, really disappointing.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Diamonds were back to their sensational best against a South African side that failed to capitalise on their chances against the world number one team. This series against the Proteas saw four Diamonds debut on home soil as head coach, Stacey Marinkovich, leaves no stone unturned on the road to the World Cup in 2027. We also discuss the ongoing feud with Netball New Zealand's board and their Head Coach, Dame Noeline Taurua, who will not coach the side in the upcoming Constellation Cup against the Diamonds. Questionnaire on menstruation and contraception for netballers https://lnkd.in/e7WRVqCZ
Another blow for Netball New Zealand in the wake of their unresolved coaching saga with Dame Noeline Taurua. Silver Ferns selector Gail Parata has resigned after becoming frustrated at the way the governing body has treated the World Cup-winning mentor - and claimed Taurua hadn't been properly protected. Parata said that many in the coaching community beyond netball have been left disheartened and disillusioned. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Silver Ferns are trying to put off court dramas to one side as they prepare for what will be their toughest test series this year. Over the weekend Netball New Zealand announced that coach Dame Noeline Taurua was being suspended for the rest of 2025, less than two weeks before a series against Australia. Sports Reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.
There's no further movement on the Silver Ferns coaching saga front. Netball New Zealand and Dame Noeline Taurua are stuck in mediation with no resolution in sight. Sportstalk host Jason Pine outlines the situation - and wonders if Taurua will want to return. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua will remain benched for now as talks with Netball New Zealand remain deadlocked. Sports correspondant Dana Johannsen spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
There's still no clarity in the ongoing saga of the Silver Ferns and Dame Noeline Taurua. Taurua was stoof down as coach on the 10th of September, and despite days of mediation, no decision has been made to whether she'll be reinstated. Partner at Tavendale + Partners, employment law expert Anthony Drake joined Piney to give an insight into the mediation process. Drake told Jason Pine that since it's such a high-profile game and situation, it would probably be helpful for Netball New Zealand to reveal what the concerns are, and whether they think they can be worked through. He says we're talking about a national team and a high-performance environment, and since all parties are in the public eye, it would be helpful to have an insight into what the concerns are. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dame Noeline Taurua has been in negotiations with Netball New Zealand today to see whether she'll be able to coach the Silver Ferns again. Taurua and her coaching team were stood down ahead of the Taini Jamison series earlier this month, in what was a bombshell announcement from Netball New Zealand. With the Silver Ferns heading into their next camp on October 6, the clock is ticking to try and find a resolution and break what appears to be a deadlock between Taurua, the Players' Association and Netball New Zealand. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.
Former Silver Ferns coach Yvonne Willering believes Grace Nweke's statement following the Taini Jamieson series will help to force Netball New Zealand to make a decision on the future of coach Dame Noeline Taurua.
A crucial meeting is expected today between Netball New Zealand and Dame Noeline Taurua as they try to solve a stand-off that's left the Silver Ferns without their long-time coach. Former Coach Yvonne Willering spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
In today's episode, Labour leader Chris Hipkins has blasted the government's decision not to recognise Palestinian statehood, calling it "morally reprehensible" and a failure of leadership, US President Donald Trump says a Gaza peace deal is "beyond very close", after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the health minister says New Zealanders are now getting more timely access to care, a crucial meeting is expected today between Netball New Zealand and Dame Noeline Taurua as they try to solve a stand-off that's left the Silver Ferns without their long-time coach, more and more job seekers are using AI to write their CVs and cover letters.
Netball New Zealand dropped a bombshell when it announced that Dame Noeline Taurua and her assistant coaches were being stood down for the Taini Jamison series. That series starts on Sunday when the Silver Ferns host South Africa in Auckland. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.
Despite all the headlines Netball New Zealand are attracting right now, there is still a Taini Jamison trophy that needs to be played for! Last night the Silver Ferns side to take on the South African Proteas was named ahead of the tournament getting underway on Sunday night. Yvette McCausland-Durie is the interim head coach of the Silver Ferns following the standing down of Dame Noeline Taurua and she caught up with D'Arcy to talk about the squad she's named for the series. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Silver Ferns squad taking on South Africa in the Taini Jamison Series has just been named. The team heads into the competition without coach Dame Noeline Taurua who was suddenly stood down by Netball New Zealand last week. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.
It's been quite the week for Netball New Zealand. The walls came crashing in on Wednesday when it was announced that super coach Noeline Taurua was stood down in the shadow of an investigation into the Silver Ferns high performance programme and environment. The statement was as abrupt as it was unexpected. Netball went into a tailspin as the whole sport, from deep inside to the exterior, flailed about trying to make sense of what had just happened. And we couldn't. It was a mess. It was clumsy at best, although negligent would be a better description of the handling of the situation. I will give them this though, the lid was well and truly sealed on this chaos. Short of those deep in the interior of this schism, no one knew, or at least no one leaked anything. Then the can sprang open, and the snake popped out to everyone's shock. I understand that at the heart of this issue is an employment tussle, making it difficult to share details of the rupture, but the lack of any detail surrounding the slow collapse of the relationship between the coach, the players, and the administration, leaves huge holes in the narrative. The executive team should've done better. They've given themselves a black eye. What happens in a vacuum such this? People build their own story. They take loose ends and string them together, creating a macramé mess that ties the sport in knots. There are reckons everywhere. Outrage in some quarters, confusion in others. That the CEO Jenny Wylie was on leave and the chair Matt Whinery was left to face the music created more angst. The whole process was, and still is, being poorly managed. Netball NZ has taken a number of body blows over the past few months, is this the one that will floor the organisation, leaving them prone on the canvas? Only time will tell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
RNZ can reveal Netball New Zealand's shock decision to stand down Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua came after several players raised allegations the environment had become "psychologically unsafe". The allegations prompted an independent review, which highlighted "significant issues" within the programme. Taurua is understood to have rejected the findings, prompting a months-long stand-off between the national body and the Silver Ferns coaching staff. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.
Former Silver Fern Laura Langman has expressed shock and disappointment over the shock decision to stand down coach Dame Noeline Taurua. Netball New Zealand yesterday announced that Taurua was being stood down for the series against South Africa, starting in 10 days. Langman doesn't approve of this move - and says this isn't a direction we should want sport to be going. "Netball used to be a household-celebrated sport - and at the moment, we're just not doing ourselves any favours at all." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dame Noeline Taurua will not be coaching the Silver Ferns for the upcoming series against South Africa. In a statement, Netball New Zealand said discussions are ongoing between Netball NZ, Dame Noeline and the Silver Ferns management team. Netball NZ Board Chair Matt Whineray said all parties remain hopeful of a resolution, but added that the organisation needs to focus on supporting players on the immediate challenge of playing South Africa. Matt Whineray spoke to Lisa Owen.
Netball New Zealand has denied any suggestion that players threatened a boycott if Dame Noeline Taurua stayed in the Silver Ferns coaching role for their upcoming series.
The netball world has been left in shock, after Netball New Zealand announced it was standing down Silver Ferns coach. Netball reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Corin Dann.
A telling response as speculation swirls around the standing down of Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua ahead of next week's international series against South Africa. Netball New Zealand claim they've made the decision due to "issues" within the high-performance environment which remain unresolved. When asked by Mike Hosking if the players were boycotting Taurua because she's pushing too hard, Board Chair Matt Whineray paused, before denying the claim. Whineray told Hosking that they have some issues they need to resolve, and they're hopeful they can, but in the meantime, they need to focus on the series against South Africa. Yvette McCausland-Durie has been parachuted in as interim coaching cover. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Netball New Zealand have no idea when or if Dame Noeline Taurua will return as Silver Ferns head coach. The World Cup-winning mentor and assistant Deb Fuller have been replaced by former Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie and current Southern Steel assistant Liana Leota for the Taini Jamison series against South Africa starting Sunday week. Netball NZ board chair Matt Whineray says discussions have taken place, but he can't reveal certain details. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
All eight Super Netball teams have locked in their 10 full-time contracted players for the 2026 season and it is time for us to unpack the craziest signing period in the history of the league. There has been so much movement it's been hard to keep track of, including some shock retirements and surprise switches for some of our favourite athletes. Britt and Maddie go through each side with a fine tooth comb and discuss the influx of kiwi imports after Netball New Zealand finally decided to change its Silver Fern eligibility rules.
Netball New Zealand will dip into its own pocket to keep the ANZ Premiership afloat next year. A one-season broadcast deal with TVNZ was recently confirmed, with the 2026 ANZ Premiership being exclusively free-to-air. Chief executive Jennie Wyllie has not revealed whether players will take a pay cut, but says the governing body must invest. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Netball New Zealand has finally secured a broadcast deal for next year's ANZ Premiership, following months of negotiations. Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
Netball New Zealand will dip into its own pocket to keep the ANZ Premiership afloat in 2026. A one-year broadcast deal with TVNZ has been confirmed, with the competition to remain in the current two-round format. Chief executive Jennie Wyllie has not revealed how much the deal is worth or whether players will take a pay cut. She told Mike Hosking there is a change in economics, but they feel it's the new deal is aligned with the vision they have for the game – that Kiwis can see it with ease. Wyllie says the broadcast is different and there's more risk in the market, but they're willing to step into it as they know the game has a future. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 30th July, nurses are on strike today and gang numbers are up – a double blow for the Government. Netball NZ has secured its broadcast deal – a one year deal with TVNZ. Is it the solution, or just a band aid? Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk gang numbers, the House performances, and Brooke van Velden and eggs on Politics Wednesday. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The New Zealand netball game has been facing increasing struggles. It's tried to innovate, however it's still far from the game it once was. Former GM of the Mainland Tactix, Haidee Stratford joined Piney to discuss the state of the game, and what more needs to be done to save it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Netball is navigating choppy waters as participation declines and viewership remains low. The future of the New Zealand game's highest level competition is still uncertain, as a broadcasting deal for the ANZ Premiership is still up in the air. Justin Nelson was the driving force behind the revival of NZNBL, and joined Piney to discuss the problems with netball in New Zealand, and how it can be brought back to it's glory days. “When you're at the crossroads you need to think differently, you need to act differently, you need to embrace change and innovation, and most importantly, you need to be bold and courageous.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Silver Ferns are heading into the next international season without their captain. Ameliaranne Ekenasio is taking a break, which makes yesterday's eligibility announcement by Netball New Zealand even more important. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.
Netball New Zealand has announced that the Silver Ferns eligibility criteria will be relaxed. That means star shooter Grace Nweke might be able to play for the Silver Ferns later this year, despite playing in Australia. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.
Netball New Zealand is about to relax its rules around Silver Ferns eligibility.
On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 22nd of July, a new medical school in Waikato has finally been greenlit – the Waikato University Vice Chancellor and Health Minister discuss the course. Netball New Zealand is changing the eligibility rules to allow players to play in Australia for the domestic season and still represent the Silver Ferns. Longevity expert Dr Eric Topol talks our health habits, red wine, chocolate, and if blue zones are fact or fiction. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Netball New Zealand's updated the eligibility criteria for the Silver Ferns. Overseas-based players can now be considered for national selection through a formal exemption process. The updated criteria will be implemented ahead of the upcoming international season, allowing Grace Nweke to be available if she applies. Board chair Matt Whineray told Mike Hosking they had to balance everyone's interests – players' aspirations and development, the strength of the domestic competition, and the needs of the high-performance system and Silver Ferns. He says they're pleased to have a process in place now to balance the different needs and to understand how everything fits together. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Netball New Zealand has called for World Netball to amend its strict eligibility criteria, which prevents players representing two different countries at consecutive world cups. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.