Podcast appearances and mentions of phil pennington

The Defence Force's flagship project to fix up poor housing that is bad for soldiers' health has failed to break ground two years after it was funded. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

The United States is modernising its nuclear weapons command and control system, and while it is not directly involved, New Zealand will feel the effects. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

New Zealand soldiers are embarking for the Southern Hemisphere's biggest military exercise in Australia, the first since defence learned it will get a big shot in the arm. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Last week's Budget had nothing in it for a key type of drone the government says is crucial to transforming the navy. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Complaints to a union show staff in a department of Southland Hospital were told they could only talk to each other for at most five minutes a day. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Oranga Tamariki is facing complaints from the New Zealand Security Association over its new contract to safeguard children's homes. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Heading into next week's Budget, Judith Collins says she doesn't want any more money for weaponry even if it was offered to her. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Health Minister has been warned of a large number of serious risks to his plans to outsource surgery to private hospitals to cut public waitlists. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The US military is holding talks with New Zealand about launching more satellites from here. Phil Pennington reports.

The Trump Administration is sacking 10 to 20 percent of its generals and top officers, saying this will make its military more lethal. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Oranga Tamariki is pinning its hopes on a $70 million IT upgrade, as alerts about children being abused surge. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Discord in the community and among doctors - this was an 'extreme risk' facing the scaled-back new Dunedin Hospital build, according to health authorities. Phil Pennington spoke to Alexa Cook.

The country's biggest electricity lines company is warning artificial intelligence is becoming a big wildcard in how much demand Auckland faces. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

FENZ moved to urgently restart a group working on a strategy for big-ladder trucks, just before one broke down in Auckland last week, stranding firefighters above scorching flames. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Police have been warned that shifting information to the cloud could have "severe detrimental impacts" on people if they aren't careful. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Two widespread communications failures in the Northland storm and Otago-Southland within two days last week have again exposed the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

A report commisioned by Health New Zealand warns its current management of its hospitals and other facilities is so poor, it cannot effectively plan for upgrades or replacements, among other issues. RNZ's Phil Pennington spoke with Ingrid Hipkiss.

New Zealand is increasingly enmeshed in Five Eyes spy satellite projects designed to primarily benefit the US Navy in its race against China. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

A major drone maker is warning that New Zealand's Defence Force should not buy any of the weapons that have not proved themselves in the Ukraine war. Phil Pennington reports.

The national aerospace centre is pursuing two local companies interested in building rocket launchpads. Phil Pennington reports.

The Defence Minister has given the OK for the military to acquire killer drones so long as a human is operating them and they only kill other soldiers. Phil Pennington reports.

The boat capsize that claimed five lives off Kaikōura in 2022 has shown up failings in the outdated 111 emergency call system. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Five years after the first stocktake of shonky hospital water pipes and power cables, more than 40 percent of the worst cases have had no remedial work done. Phil Pennington spoke to Paddy Gower.

A patient information system lauded by Health New Zealand is among a raft of digital projects put on hold. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

New Defence Force planes used for maritime patrol and submarine hunting will need to be sent to Australia for any servicing. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Can New Zealand and other members of the Five Eyes spy group trust the US any longer after the blunder by top Trump officials? Phil Pennington reports.

The top US commander in the Indopacific has given a glimpse of a war with China playbook, as his boss Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth heads around the Pacific fresh from revealing actual war plans to a journalist. Phil Pennington reports.

China has unveiled a new tool deployed by a drone capable of cutting the most fortified undersea data cable, adding to fears for fibre-optic cables that are the lifeblood of the internet and New Zealand's economy. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

"Grievous" privacy breaches have been revealed at Oranga Tamariki, including a staff member who took a screenshot of a mother's file and shared it with the child's father, leading to the mother suffering further physical abuse. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The company taking over the country's mobile speed cameras is running tests in the UK on how to catch drunk drivers. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Prime Minister is calling for new norms on how armies use artificial intelligence, but also says rules are 'giving way to power'. Phil Pennington reports.

New Zealand has joined military exercises in the Californian desert testing the world's most lethal drones. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Police officers who have been getting hurt putting out road spikes to stop fleeing drivers, have had to wait seven years for a safer option. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

New investigations are underway into a Lower Hutt sewage plant with a recurrent stench. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

A former army major says our defence force would scramble to raise a single company to act as peacekepers in Ukraine. Phil Pennington reports.

US President Donald Trump's pause on sharing military intelligence with the Ukraine may not have blinded it entirely. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

What would it look like if New Zealand follows the United Kingdom in cutting international aid to boost defence spending in May's Budget? Phil Pennington reports.

In another government IT pratfall, ACC has had to pull in contractors from around the world to mount a costly salvage job. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Police use of number-plate spotting systems has skyrocketed to over 700,000 times a year or 2000 times a day. Phil Pennington spoke to Alexa Cook.

China has been accused of being provocative by sending warships into the Tasman Sea - but New Zealand plays a part in United States moves that provoke Beijing. Phil Pennington spoke to Alexa Cook.

Two firefighters wearing the wrong gear suffered sulphuric acid burns in a botched callout to a damaging spill near Napier. People think Fire and Emergency are the experts on hazardous substances - but they didn't know what they were doing - and it's clear they aren't the only ones. Phil Pennington is looking at Fire and Emergency's internal investigation that shows a host of unsafe actions.

On today's episode, Corin Dann speaks Ingrid Hipkiss from Beijing, a man from Havelock North has been banned from his local supermarket after raising concerns about trollies blocking the fire exit, Phil Pennington joins us on the topic of two firefighters wearing the wrong gear who suffered sulphuric acid burns, FENZ incident controller Corey Matchitt joins us for an update on the fire in Waipoua, meanwhle, the Police Association has slammed the beefed-up citizen arrest powers proposed by the Government, saying they are highly risky and could have unintended consequences, and we drank more beer last year but eased back on wine and spirit-based drinks. Those were the findings in Stats NZ data about alcohol consumption in 2024.

The US is making power moves in space at the same time China is projecting naval power int he Tasman Sea. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Health New Zealand is scrambling to fix contracts that gave it no power to check if people have been misusing sensitive health data or not. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

There's a call for a Trump taskforce to be set up here to advise the government on any potential policy ambushes. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Two years on from Cyclone Gabrielle, what is the state of the backup power supply at all the cellphone towers that went dark that night? Phil Pennington reports.

A private prison operator has been paid millions as a reward for reoffending rates that are incredibly low even by international standards. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Does Donald Trump's presidency mean it's 'time-up" for the world's most powerful and far reaching spy group, Five Eyes? New Zealand needs to start asking that question, say experts, since it is the minnow in the group among the intelligence giants. Phil Pennington reports.

Fresh from his quickfire moves on trade tariffs, will American President Trump's next target be defence? Phil Pennington reports.

Police have backtracked on replacing their old road spikes - despite injuries and despite testing new ones that are safer. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.