Podcasts about Radio New Zealand

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comWhat happens when the justice system becomes one of the central battlegrounds of American politics?In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram speak with Adam Klasfeld, veteran legal journalist and editor in chief of All Rise News, about several major legal fights unfolding in the Trump era. Adam has spent years covering high-profile court cases from inside the courtroom, including Trump's criminal and civil cases, the E. Jean Carroll litigation, the Epstein prosecution, impeachment proceedings, and major cases involving civil rights and due process.The conversation begins with Trump's proposed $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund. Adam explains where the fund came from, why its structure is raising alarms, and how taxpayer money could potentially be distributed with little public oversight. He also walks through why Capitol Police officers Harry Dunn and Dan Hodges are challenging the fund, and what the fight says about January 6, political loyalty, and accountability.The episode then turns to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was sent to El Salvador despite a court order blocking his removal. Adam explains why this case has become such an important due process fight, why judges across the political spectrum have raised concerns, and why the case matters even to people who may not follow immigration law closely.Finally, Adam breaks down the Trump Justice Department's case involving the Southern Poverty Law Center. He explains the government's claims about SPLC's former informant program, the connection to Charlottesville and Unite the Right, and why the case raises larger questions about civil rights organizations, extremism, and the rewriting of recent history.Relevant links for Adam Klasfeld:All Rise Newshttps://www.allrisenews.com/https://substack.com/@klasfeldreportshttps://x.com/KlasfeldReportshttps://www.instagram.com/adamklasfeld/Guest BioAdam Klasfeld provides some of the “best legal writing inside the courtroom” (MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell) and insights that are “always so smart and on the money” (MSNBC's Katie Phang). For more than a decade, he's covered the top stories and court cases from state, federal and military courts across the United States.A senior journalism fellow at Just Security, an online forum affiliated with NYU School of Law, Adam has served as a legal contributor for MSNBC's The Last Word. Previously, Adam served as the senior legal correspondent for The Messenger, the managing editor for Law&Crime, and a reporter for Courthouse News. He has appeared as a guest on the Dan Abrams Show on NewsNation, the Lawrence O'Donnell Show on MSNBC, CBS's Inside Edition, the BBC, and NBC on a variety of topics. He hosted the podcast "Objections: with Adam Klasfeld" and was prominently featured in the documentary "Who Is Ghislaine Maxwell?" — which premiered on the Starz Network and the UK's Channel 4. International television appearances include Sky News, CBC, and CTV, discussing Jeffrey Epstein's thwarted prosecution. Radio appearances: National Public Radio's “All Things Considered,” “Here and Now,” and “Trump, Inc.”; BBC (World, Scotland and Wales); Radio New Zealand; SXM Canada Talks; Sirius FM and more. He cut his teeth at the legal news beat for a decade at Courthouse News, and his bylines also have appeared on NBC, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and other outlets. Most major news outlets have cited his scoops and reporting, including the New York Times, Washington Post, NBC, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, Newsweek, Reuters, U.S. News and World Report and the Associated Press.Support the show

After picking up the only New Zealand interview with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Freelance Science and Technology Journalist Peter Griffin joins Influencing Insider on Thursday, 14th May at 1 pm AEST/3 pm NZST to discuss:The topics he's particularly interested in coveringHis experience interviewing Satya Nadella How he likes to engage with PRs, including his pitching do's and don'ts?About Peter Griffin Peter Griffin has multiple roles that involve talking about technology and science topics. He's a Technology Correspondent for Radio New Zealand and also a Technology Contributor and Podcast Host at NZME's BusinessDesk NZ. A three-decade veteran of the IT journalism community, Griffin's work has been published in a range of NZ publications. Have a question for Peter? Join the episode live, where you can submit your questions to be read out and answered on air.

Obesity related illnesses, as you well know, cost this country a fortune. The direct healthcare costs of obesity, well, they estimated it at $2 billion per year, per year, and that was in 2021, so it'll be a hell of a lot more now. It's more difficult to calculate the total economic impact that obesity has on this country. Estimates range between $4 to $9 billion per year. It depends whether you include lost productivity and how you quantify the loss of quality of life. If you are chair bound and you're in your 20's, how do you calculate the cost of that? Cardiovascular disease linked closely to obesity costs New Zealand a minimum of $13.8 billion. We're looking for hundreds of millions at the moment to try and balance the books with the Budget coming up – look at the billions being spent on healthcare costs. Type 2 diabetes, that costs an estimated $2.1 billion annually. Over two in three adults and nearly one third of children in New Zealand are overweight or obese, placing a severe strain on the health system. So it costs the country a lot. It would make a meaningful difference reducing the numbers of people who are obese and then see that obesity is triggering all kinds of health conditions. The cost in terms of New Zealanders not being able to live their lives, fulfil their potential, that too is staggering. So if there is a way to fix it, why wouldn't we fix it? If somebody said there's a pill for that, you'd take it. And indeed, turns out there is. Pharmac thinks we can and should solve the problem through medication. It has added the semaglutide drug to its list of medicines suitable for future funding. In a decision released yesterday, the drug funding agency confirmed it had added Wegovy, as you know it, to its list of options for investment. The options for investment includes all the medications Pharmac would fund if the budget allowed. It's currently unfunded, and if you want to buy it yourself, Wegovy costs someone about $400 a month. The order of Pharmac's list isn't made public for commercial reasons, as Radio New Zealand writes, but if chosen, the drug would be available to people with a BMI of more than 50 and also to those with a BMI of more than 35 with at least two comorbidities. There is a cure for obesity, but there will be a group of people, and you might be one of them as you're standing or sitting here listening to me, who don't want to fund obesity drugs despite the clear cost benefits, because you see fat as being a moral failing, and fat people as being inferior beings. You think it's simply a matter of willpower. There were no fat people during wars, food was scarce, and that's the end of that. Pull up your socks, go for a walk, say no, put down the fork, problem solved. Despite the fact that medical experts and psychiatrists say it is way more complicated than that. The ads we're running for weight loss drugs at the moment on this station give an indication of what it's like to see food as a reward and as an enemy. It's the voice chatter that Oprah Winfrey talked about when she went on Ozempic. She said the medication stopped the constant mental chatter about what to eat, what to resist, the constant negotiation about food, which was a feeling she'd experienced for 50 years. The okay, well, if I have an egg for breakfast, that's protein, that's good, but then there's the toast and that's carbs, should I try and put it on say a rice cracker? That doesn't feel very nice. Okay, I've been for a walk so I can reward myself with a piece of cake. Constant. And that's what the ads give an indication of, that's what Oprah Winfrey was talking about. She had an aha moment when she realised that overeating doesn't cause obesity, it's obesity that causes overeating. It is not a moral failing. And I know that when you exercise and when you restrict your food, you lose weight. I've done it before. I'll do it again. I'm in and out like an accordion – I can still hear the chatter sometimes, other times I let it go. But for some people, the chatter is so great that they simply don't have the option of going for a walk. Some people can't tie their own shoelaces. It's a psychological illness rather than a physical one. And that's what the experts say, that's not just me. And I know you feel smuggety smug smug smug smug when you're out there running in the early morning and having your chia and your sliced berries and that's your bag, or your marinated vegetables for breakfast, and you're feeling super fit. I used to feel smuggety smug smug smug too when I'd go for my early morning marathon training runs and you knew that people were lying in bed at 7:30 in the morning. Now I think, bloody who was the fool? But you go on feeling smug, you go on feeling smug and feeling superior, and in the meantime, there is a solution to a problem. It's a problem that affects a significant proportion of people. Some people can put down the fork, some people can reset their minds themselves. Great. Others need more assistance. As with many psychiatric illnesses, some people need to have their brain rebooted. And if we can do that and save ourselves billions, why would we not do that? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If it's not already obvious to you, the fact that Maiki Sherman has lost her job should now make it very clear: the media—especially the state broadcasters, both of them—are about to find out what it means not just to make and report the news but to be the news. Just look at what's happened this week alone. And this is only a sample—this has been building for some time.In one week, TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman has lost her job over poor behaviour in a minister's office. David Seymour, the ACT Party leader, has taken a significant swipe at RNZ for hiring John Campbell, who is well known for voting left—something he's said himself. Seymour has even gone so far as to suggest the head of RNZ should lose his job over it. Then there's the BSA, effectively the head girl telling everyone off for bad jokes at the party, being abolished. The politicians are coming for the media and Sherman's case is an example of that. The National Party lined her up. They complained about her allegedly door-knocking Stuart Smith for 10 minutes at night. They confirmed that she had sworn at Nicola Willis' event in the office—which was unusual, given that Nicola effectively broke Chatham House rules that MPs normally guard jealously. Now, look—I feel sorry for Maiki losing her job. That's a very high price to pay. But I don't feel sorry for the media in general for what's coming. We've had this coming. For years, we've collectively pushed a certain world view through the framing of our stories. We decide who the victim is, who the bad guy is and what language we use—labelling things as “controversial” to signal to the audience that something is bad, like the “controversial Treaty Principles Bill”. We flip angles too—turning a positive government crime stats story into a negative gang-focused story for the same government. And when Radio New Zealand, which is supposed to be more impartial and balanced than any other outlet in this country, chooses someone to front its flagship programme who has explicitly said he votes for left-wing parties—well, that matters. We deserve what's coming to us in this election. We can't shove the scrum for years and not expect to become part of the on-field play. And I, for one, am not unhappy about what's about to happen. I think it's time for this to be sorted out. If this election brings media bias into sharper focus and forces all of us in the media to stop, reflect and think hard about what we've been doing, I don't think that's a bad thing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Government ministers gave councils an ultimatum yesterday: come up with your own plans for amalgamation within three months, or the Government will do it for you. Local Government Minister Simon Watts and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop said there was broad support from councils – some were already gung-ho and proceeding with plans to amalgamate. One of them is Nelson Mayor Nick Smith. He's long held the view that merging with Tasman is the right thing to do for his city and cites common interests and unnecessary duplication. Back in 2012, Nelson voted in favour of amalgamation, Tasman voted against it. Tasman Mayor Tim King still prefers an arranged marriage – he wants to wait for the Government's backstop process, which would force reform before the 2028 local elections. King says he'd rather have central government just do it, decide on the country's local government model, rather than have all the arguments that come with trying to hash out, thrash out these sorts of governance arrangements for themselves. As King pointed out, the biggest problem councils face right now is financial pressure, and amalgamation won't necessarily save money, and it won't necessarily make everything magically better. Come on in, Auckland Super City! A prime example of amalgamation. Did it make things better? Back in 2010, the 1st of November to be exact, eight councils became one. And from that one big Super City Council, 21 local boards were created to focus on community issues. The council managed regional issues like transport and planning. The aim was, as Nick Smith said, to avoid unnecessary duplication and improve services. And I guess on paper it makes sense but back in 2020, on the 10 year anniversary of the Super City, some districts felt amalgamation hadn't really worked for them. Speaking to Radio New Zealand, former Franklin District Mayor Mark Ball said his community felt like a cash cow for the big smoke, that they had specific regional interests that weren't being represented at council level. He conceded that the water had got a lot better, the drinking water under the new structure was a lot better, but he said vital infrastructure like upgrading roads down south had been passed up in favour of bike paths in Auckland's CBD. He said elected members all love to build the shiny things, they love to have their Aotea Squares and go to the openings of this and that. Nobody ever wants to bury pipes. And he said, as an example of where your own region's specific needs are overlooked or misunderstood or not taken into account, some roads that had been built were too narrow for farming vehicles. Why would you possibly need a wide road? Says somebody driving a smart car in inner city Auckland. Because I've got a whopping great combine harvester, you numpty, would be the answer – and he said the town centres have been stripped of car parks. The thing that concerns me is that so few people take an interest in local body politics. So few. People could be getting up to God knows what with God knows who and you wouldn't have a clue until it's all too late because nobody takes an interest, nobody goes to the meeting – well, very few. I'm exaggerating for effect. Very few people go along to the council meetings, very few people bother to vote. So they can decide what you like and you go, oh, I don't think this is very good, I don't like this, and well, too bad. You didn't care. You care now. I find it really interesting that when it comes to amalgamation, trying to get these disparate interests all working together as one, and the case that Mark Ball cites is a really good one. Franklin needs new roads. Right then, let's build them. Oh, they're not big enough for farming vehicles – you know it's because nobody knew. The Far North seems to be quite keen to amalgamate. They're first out of the blocks. Far North, Whangārei, Kaipara, and the Northland Regional Councils are looking to merge into one or two authorities. But the difference between the West Coast and the East Coast is phenomenal. There's a line you cross when you're driving from Hokianga to Kerikeri and you know that you've crossed it, that you're on the East Coast now. How do you get fair representation and, and manage to lobby for what's important in your area when the needs in the other area are so, so different? On the West Coast of the South Island, they're also keen. Grey and Hokitika District Councils are considering merging into a unitary authority with Westland Regional Council. Buller's like, no thanks very much. Not for me. They'll go at it alone. So if you are one of the few in the country that is taking an interest in local body politics, if you are one of the few in the country that cares about what happens in your region, where your rates go, how they're spent, whether you'll get fair representation when a merger happens because it's a matter of when, not if. Is it going to work for your area? Can you see a case for it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

EDITORIAL: Here's the thing — I just don't buy the outrage, and I actually think this needs to be called a bit more straight. Christopher Luxon pulling out of his regular Monday slot on Breakfast isn't some constitutional crisis. It's not democracy under threat. It's a political decision — and honestly, just say it for what it is. Don't dress it up, don't spin it. If Luxon doesn't want to sit there every week and get carved up by Tova O'Brien, then just say that. If he and his media team — and yes, people like Rachel Smalley advising behind the scenes — have decided that format isn't helping him, then fine. That's politics. That's strategy. Own it. Don't hide behind “changing media consumption habits” or scheduling tweaks. Just front-foot it: this isn't working for us, we're moving on. I've got no issue with that — in fact, I respect it more when it's said plainly. Now, the facts. Luxon hasn't disappeared. He's still doing interviews — including with Radio New Zealand and Newstalk ZB — and his office says access will now be handled case-by-case. So, this isn't shutting down scrutiny, it's changing where and how it happens. And this all comes after a tough stretch — poor polling, speculation about his leadership, and that caucus confidence vote he called himself and won. That's not someone avoiding pressure internally. The criticism, especially from parts of the media, is that he's ducking hard questions. But here's where I land: no politician is contractually obliged to turn up to the same interviewer every single week if they think it's a stitch-up rather than a fair contest. We've seen this before. Jacinda Ardern stopped going on Mike Hosking's show. David Seymour won't go on RNZ. Politicians will pick their platforms. Always have and guess what, always will. And in a media landscape that's now radio, TV, podcasts, digital — locking yourself into one weekly slot isn't necessarily smart politics anyway. Now, yes — the media's role in holding power to account is critical. No arguments there. But accountability doesn't equal entitlement to a guaranteed booking. If Luxon stopped doing all interviews, that's a problem. But he hasn't. This is a recalibration. A tactical move. I just don't want him to pretend it's anything else. I want him to be straight. He doesn't want to go on the show, he doesn't want to get carved up, he doesn't feel it good for him. Why should he have to sit there knowing someone is trying to get a gotcha moment? Rather than giving us, the people of New Zealand, a well-balanced interview on the way the country is. That's what I want to see. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with John Campbell presenting.

EDITORIAL: Fuel prices are starting to quietly creep into everything… and I mean everything we do. We always talk about it when we fill up the car — that's the obvious one. But what we're starting to see now is the next layer of it… the ripple effect. And it's hitting hospitality, right where you notice it most — in your wallet, when you go out for a coffee or a bite to eat. There's a really interesting story out today from Radio New Zealand about a well-known Wellington spot, Smith the Grocer, down in the Old Bank Arcade. Been there or a long time, very successful, very well run cafe. They're not doing it yet — but they're seriously considering adding a fuel surcharge to their prices. And here's why. Their suppliers are already doing it to them. One meat supplier has slapped on a 4 percent increase across the board. Another is looking at about 5 percent temporarily. Eggs going up. Delivery costs going up. It all stacks up. And when you look at the numbers, you can see why. According to the fuel app Gaspy, 91 petrol is sitting around $3.48 a litre, diesel closer to $3.89. These are real costs, and the flow is going right through the system — from the truck, to the supplier, to the café, and eventually… to you. Now the café owner says they'd rather not do it — margins are already tight — but when everything goes up at once, they've got two choices: absorb it… or pass it on. So here's the question I've been thinking about. If you walked into your local café tomorrow… and there was a 5 percent surcharge on the bill — not hidden, not sneaky, just clearly there because of fuel costs — would you pay it? Or would you just walk out and go somewhere else? Because I'll be honest with you — I already do this in my own head. Every time before I start the show I go to 2 places to get my coffee There are two coffee spots near me. One's five bucks. The other one — the one I actually like — is $6.30. And every time I go there, I think, “why am I paying more?”… but I still do it. Why because I like the place and I think it's better there. So are we actually price sensitive… or are we habit sensitive? If that surcharge becomes the norm — because let's be honest, this isn't going away anytime soon — do we just accept it? Or does it start changing where we go, what we buy, and how often we go out? That's where it gets really interesting. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report", reunited at long last with the great John Campbell.#trump #iran #blasphemy #midterms 

I doubt there'll be many people out on the water —certainly not in the upper North Island on the East Coast— but the next time you go out, let me know what the catch is like. The Government's done a U-turn on minimum size limits for commercial fishers, but that's not enough for fishing advocacy groups. They want the Government to kill the Fisheries Amendment Bill entirely. They say it's not doing enough to protect our fish stocks. Meanwhile, Seafood New Zealand says it's ironic that the change has resulted in an outcome that's not great for the environment and doesn't provide the incentive to avoid catching small fish. So when the advocacy groups and the commercial fishers are not happy, you'd have to wonder at the point of the bill. The Fisheries Amendment Bill as drafted would have ditched most commercial size limits, effectively allowing commercial vessels to land and sell baby fish if they can, including snapper and tarakihi. Recreational fishers said this is madness, the changes would decimate future populations. Other people say, well, it's a bit more complicated than that. Catching the big fish, they're the ones that have the babies. So nobody's happy. Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has argued that the change would prevent wastage, but after public outcry was forced into a major U-turn over his plans. He says, hey ho, it's democracy in action and isn't that good to see. But still, no one is happy. Sam Woolford from LegaSea told Mike Hosking this morning that the fight is not over. “No, it's definitely not over and I think that's the really important thing is that there's actually some really nefarious stuff still in the legislation. They want to remove judicial reviews or make it really hard for public to get involved in public consultation. They're still going to legalize dumping and discarding of fish at sea. So even if they catch those undersized fish, they're still going to be legally allowed to dump them.” Well, quite. Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Lisa Futschek told Radio New Zealand she was disappointed because the proposal would have strengthened the incentives for commercial fishers to avoid catching small fish. She says we don't want to catch small fish. Our processors don't want to process small fish. This proposal would have provided incentives not to catch small fish. She said the change would have meant those catching small fish would have needed to balance that fish against their quotas. They would have had to pay for it. As it turns out, removing that clause means the status quo remains. That is, fishers that catch small fish return them to the sea and don't pay for it. So is it time to go back to the drawing board? If everyone thinks the bill is a dog and isn't addressing the real issues, everybody within their own particular lobby group or advocacy group is saying no, it doesn't address the issues. The environmental groups, the commercial fishers, the recreational fishers, maybe it's time to tear it up and start again. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with Ingrid Hipkiss.

What I found more outrageous on the internet yesterday was yet another example of this country's propensity for doling out jobs for the boys and indeed the girls. Every political party does it, every government does it, rewards the party faithful and their generous donors and backers with cushy sinecures. Grafter-in-chief would have to be Trevor Mallard's posting to Dublin – although would it? Because there are plenty of other opportunities to point the finger. Look at Simon Bridges, the ex-National Party leader was appointed as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency, Waka Kotahi, in March 24. There are many, many examples of political cronyism. And in the latest one, a KiwiRail director has quit the board two years early after only a couple of months in the role. That's not the news. What is news is that he was appointed to the board at all given his conflict of interest. Scott O'Donnell is a big player in trucking and freight. And given some of the 10 companies he's involved with supply services to KiwiRail, what on earth was he doing being made a director of KiwiRail? The conflicts required Treasury to put a management plan in place. The conflict of interest mitigation plan contained seven measures to manage conflicts, including recusing himself from board meeting discussions where there was a conflict of interest. It was simply unsustainable. He was being paid to do a job that he simply could not do because of the conflicts of interest. He ended up leaving meetings early and missing agenda items and, you know, became apparent that this wasn't going to work. He'll be stepping down next week and thanked for his service. But he should never ever have been appointed in the first place. So not only are there existing conflicts of interest, he's one of four directors of HW Richardson's Transport Tapunui, which donated $20,000 to New Zealand First in July 2024. The company's also involved in a project that recently received a government regional infrastructure loan, Shane Jones slush fund of $8 million. And then he's appointed by Winston to the board of KiwiRail. It's just another example and it's so common that it barely registered. I mean, I have to give credit to Radio New Zealand who were following this all the way through and BusinessDesk pointing it out going, No, no, no, this isn't good, this isn't right, this doesn't work. Do we have so few people in this country of five million who can do governance jobs and chief executive jobs that we have to accept there'll only be one or two degrees of separation, if that? That there is always going to be a conflict? If you think of the five million of us, how many of us could do a chief executive job or be on a board, take a director's role on a board? Look at the yawning vacancies that we have for our major companies, with a new one with Fonterra now. I mean, Miles Hurrell could walk into about 20 jobs in this country right now, either in sports governance or in business. There are so few people able to do the job. Do we have to accept that there is going to be a conflict of interest in just about every single appointment made? Do more of us have to put up our hands and do the directors' courses so that you can find maybe somebody somewhere who doesn't, hasn't made a donation or hasn't worked or hasn't been a politician who can then do the job? Or are we just simply too small? How we haven't appeared on the dirt list of corruption is beyond me. It shows either a really, really principled closed doors approach to business in this country, being able to separate your different business interests and focus on them solely and leave everything at the door when you go in, or we just haven't uncovered it yet. I'd really love to see an end of the appointments of jobs for the girls and the boys, but then who would do the job when you look at the vacancies that exist right now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What I found more outrageous on the internet yesterday was yet another example of this country's propensity for doling out jobs for the boys and indeed the girls. Every political party does it, every government does it, rewards the party faithful and their generous donors and backers with cushy sinecures. Grafter-in-chief would have to be Trevor Mallard's posting to Dublin – although would it? Because there are plenty of other opportunities to point the finger. Look at Simon Bridges, the ex-National Party leader was appointed as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency, Waka Kotahi, in March 24. There are many, many examples of political cronyism. And in the latest one, a KiwiRail director has quit the board two years early after only a couple of months in the role. That's not the news. What is news is that he was appointed to the board at all given his conflict of interest. Scott O'Donnell is a big player in trucking and freight. And given some of the 10 companies he's involved with supply services to KiwiRail, what on earth was he doing being made a director of KiwiRail? The conflicts required Treasury to put a management plan in place. The conflict of interest mitigation plan contained seven measures to manage conflicts, including recusing himself from board meeting discussions where there was a conflict of interest. It was simply unsustainable. He was being paid to do a job that he simply could not do because of the conflicts of interest. He ended up leaving meetings early and missing agenda items and, you know, became apparent that this wasn't going to work. He'll be stepping down next week and thanked for his service. But he should never ever have been appointed in the first place. So not only are there existing conflicts of interest, he's one of four directors of HW Richardson's Transport Tapunui, which donated $20,000 to New Zealand First in July 2024. The company's also involved in a project that recently received a government regional infrastructure loan, Shane Jones slush fund of $8 million. And then he's appointed by Winston to the board of KiwiRail. It's just another example and it's so common that it barely registered. I mean, I have to give credit to Radio New Zealand who were following this all the way through and BusinessDesk pointing it out going, No, no, no, this isn't good, this isn't right, this doesn't work. Do we have so few people in this country of five million who can do governance jobs and chief executive jobs that we have to accept there'll only be one or two degrees of separation, if that? That there is always going to be a conflict? If you think of the five million of us, how many of us could do a chief executive job or be on a board, take a director's role on a board? Look at the yawning vacancies that we have for our major companies, with a new one with Fonterra now. I mean, Miles Hurrell could walk into about 20 jobs in this country right now, either in sports governance or in business. There are so few people able to do the job. Do we have to accept that there is going to be a conflict of interest in just about every single appointment made? Do more of us have to put up our hands and do the directors' courses so that you can find maybe somebody somewhere who doesn't, hasn't made a donation or hasn't worked or hasn't been a politician who can then do the job? Or are we just simply too small? How we haven't appeared on the dirt list of corruption is beyond me. It shows either a really, really principled closed doors approach to business in this country, being able to separate your different business interests and focus on them solely and leave everything at the door when you go in, or we just haven't uncovered it yet. I'd really love to see an end of the appointments of jobs for the girls and the boys, but then who would do the job when you look at the vacancies that exist right now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lenny McAllister is a nationally renowned op-ed writer, political analyst and media staple on outlets ranging from Radio New Zealand and Sirius XM Radio to CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News. He is a Senior Fellow at the Commonwealth Foundation. It's a Talking Point Tuesday - Mr. McAllister and Ms. DiPrima mix it up on issues from the war in Iran to School Vouchers.https://www.lennymcallister.com/ https://www.instagram.com/diprimaradio/

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with Ingrid Hipkiss presenting.

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand with Corin Dann.

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with Corin Dann presenting.#Clinton #Epstein #Trump #midterms #HouseOversight #news #simonmarks

Simon's report for Radio New Zealand's 'Midday Report' as the limited fallout from the Epstein files continues in the United States.#Epstein #Attia #CBSNews #Trump #politics #Midterms2026

Simon's live report on the death of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with Ingrid Hipkiss presenting.

Leonard Marcus joins us to talk about his show Click! Photographers Make Picture Books at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.Visionary photographer-illustrators from Edward Steichen and William Wegman to Dare Wright, Mo Willems, Tana Hoban, Charles R. Smith Jr, and Walter Wick have long trained their camera eye with young people in mind. Their work reveals the hidden beauty of our everyday surroundings, makes the fantastic seem real in artfully choreographed collages and staged photos, and documents the amazing diversity of life on our planet. Eighty archival photo prints and a selection of rare children's books from the 1890s onward put this vibrant, under-explored strand of children's book art into eye-opening sharp focus.Curated by Leonard S. Marcus. https://leonardmarcus.comhttps://carlemuseum.orgThis podcast is sponsored by the Charcoal Book ClubBegin Building your dream photobook library today athttps://charcoalbookclub.comLeonard's pathfinding writings and exhibitions have earned him acclaim as one of the world's preeminent authorities on children's books and the people who create them. He is the author of more than 25 award-winning biographies, histories, interview collections, and inside looks at the making of children's literature's enduring classics. His reviews and commentary have been featured in the New York Times Book Review, Washington Post, The Horn Book, and on numerous radio and television programs including Good Morning America, All Things Considered, PBS NewsHour, BBC Radio 4, CBC As It Happens, Beijing Television, and Radio New Zealand, among others.A founding trustee of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Leonard curated the New York Public Library's landmark exhibition The ABC of It: Why Children's Books Matter, as well as a long roster of touring exhibitions highlighting the art of Golden Books, Alice and Martin Provensen, Leonard Weisgard, Bernard Waber, Jules Feiffer, Garth Williams, and others. He has served as a consultant to the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, National Book Foundation, Bank Street College of Education, American Writers Museum, Bard Graduate Center, National Book Council (Singapore), Lamsa Media (UAE), and Trust Bridge Media (China). In 2007, the Bank Street College of Education awarded Leonard an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. In 2019, Leonard became the first American to win the Shanghai-based Chen Bochui Foundation International Children's Literature Award for “special contributions to the development of Chinese children's literature.”His literary archive is now in the collection of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University. Leonard teaches at New York University and the School of Visual Arts, and speaks to audiences throughout the US and around the world.Born in Mount Vernon, New York and educated at Yale and the Iowa Graduate Writers' Workshop, he lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report", on the apparent climbdown by the White House in Minneapolis following the killing of two American citizens there last month by federal agents. With Ingrid Hipkiss presenting,

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3287: Radio New Zealand breaks down the science behind vitamin C, showing it's not a miracle cold cure but a vital nutrient with powerful benefits when used wisely. Learn how vitamin C supports everything from genetic regulation to immune defense, why our bodies absorb it like sponges, and how a few kiwifruit or capsicum can do more than most pills, unless you're already under physical or immune stress. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.lesmills.com/articles/vitamin-c/ Quotes to ponder: "Vitamin C is at the hub of almost every biological function that we know." "There are specific vitamin C transporters that line our entire intestine." "The more ill you are, the harder your body is having to fight to maintain you being alive." Episode references: Free Radical Research Centre – University of Otago: https://www.otago.ac.nz/free-radical Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3287: Radio New Zealand breaks down the science behind vitamin C, showing it's not a miracle cold cure but a vital nutrient with powerful benefits when used wisely. Learn how vitamin C supports everything from genetic regulation to immune defense, why our bodies absorb it like sponges, and how a few kiwifruit or capsicum can do more than most pills, unless you're already under physical or immune stress. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.lesmills.com/articles/vitamin-c/ Quotes to ponder: "Vitamin C is at the hub of almost every biological function that we know." "There are specific vitamin C transporters that line our entire intestine." "The more ill you are, the harder your body is having to fight to maintain you being alive." Episode references: Free Radical Research Centre – University of Otago: https://www.otago.ac.nz/free-radical Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with Corin Dann presenting.#epstein #starmer #mandelson #news #Trump #midterms #uspolitics #simonmarks #Clintons

In episode 45, Johnny talks to Auckland-based Radio New Zealand journalist Nik Dirga. Nik moved to New Zealand from the USA in 2006. He has more than 30 years of journalism experience, for publications in California, New York, Mississippi and Oregon and has won multiple awards for his reporting and essays. On this side of the world, his work has been published by Radio New Zealand, the New Zealand Listener, the New Zealand Herald, the Australian Associated Press, the Spinoff and much, much more.Their chat includes a look at a slew of this year's Oscar-nominated films, they discuss the work of David Cronenberg, Billy Wilder and Charlie Chaplin, they take a deep dive into the messy, uneven films of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, and Nik shares his experiences two years ago watching the actual filming of one of 2025's movie masterpieces……This conversation was recorded face to face in late-January of 2026.Thanks to James Van As who wrote and performed the brilliant podcast music (check out James' ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Loco Looper⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ game) and to Willow Van As who designed the amazing artwork and provided general podcast support.You can contact My Movie DNA on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @mymovieDNA or email mymovieDNA@gmail.com.Check out Johnny's new podcast series, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠500 Films: A Journey Through Genre Cinema⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, available wherever you get your podcasts. 

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with Corin Dann. Moments after President Trump indicated that he's keeping Kristi Noem as his Secretary of Homeland Security, despite the lies she and her top aides continue to tell about Alex Pretti.#pretti #Minneapolis #Trump #simonmarks #RNZ #news #ICE #BorderPatrol #Bovino #Homan #uspolitics

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Summer Times" with Anna Thomas.

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Saturday Morning", with Susie Ferguson presenting. A look-back at 2025, and look ahead to the New Year.

Could it be that the smartphone and social media brought us together only to make us completely intolerant? Research seems to be pointing that way - so what can we do? Also, fake receipts, fake voices and fake apologies - the more AI we use, the more we get faked out. Finally, 'mind captioning' - could bring a voice to those who can not use their own! Recorded live on Radio New Zealand's "Nine To Noon" show on Thursday 20 November 2025 - with big thanks to host Kathryn Ryan! The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim is Executive Editor, Audio, at Radio New Zealand.RNZ's new 17-episode podcast Nark tells the extraordinary story of New Zealand's first prison murder at Mt Eden in 1985, where burglar Ross Appelgren was convicted twice—and had both convictions quashed—for killing fellow inmate Darcy Te Hira. Appelgren went to his grave in 2013 maintaining his innocence, even escaping prison once to plead his case on radio. Now, thirteen years after his death, his widow is taking the case back to court to clear his name. At the heart of this gripping investigation is a fundamental question: can you trust the testimony of convicted criminals, particularly "the Nark" who claimed to witness Appelgren commit the murder?What makes this podcast groundbreaking is RNZ's innovative use of AI voice cloning to bring Appelgren's own words to life. With the blessing of his family and estate, the production team used ElevenLabs to recreate Appelgren's voice from rare radio interviews, combined with a New Zealand actor's performance to capture his intonation and Kiwi accent. Rather than simply having an actor read his memoirs, court transcripts, and affidavits, listeners hear what sounds remarkably like Appelgren himself pleading his case across hours of content—a deeply moving experience for his family and a powerful connection for audiences.This marks RNZ's first use of AI in journalism, carefully considered through ethical working groups and justified by the principle of giving voice to the voiceless. Lead producer Mike Wesley Smith has spent two and a half years investigating this case, and the result spans 35 to 65 minutes per episode, rolling out three times weekly through early December. It's an ambitious true crime series that pushes the boundaries of audio storytelling whilst grappling with questions of justice, credibility, and how we remember those who can no longer speak for themselves.

I'm trying to work out what the ratio would be. How much squeaky clean, beyond doubt, rock solid truth would the BBC need to deliver to offset the one gargantuan cock up that has seen the Director General and Head of News quit? Or in this day and age, where doubt and mistrust is so high, is it a futile exercise and the damage is permanent? Like all these stories you can dilute its seriousness – the Panorama programme wasn't actually made by the BBC, it was a contract company, so was the bias external not internal? Obviously I am clutching at straws. Does a resignation mean the organisation is no longer biased, or perceived as biased? I would have thought not. How do you prove inherent bias? Which is an ongoing charge not just at the BBC but a number of public broadcasters all over the world. I cited the Radio New Zealand example yesterday, out of the boot camp report, their headline read the conclusion was of a ‘rushed' exercise. That wasn't the conclusion. It was an observation, not a conclusion. But even if you argued the observation was a conclusion, that would mean there were many conclusions. Why pick that one when there were positive ones to choose from as well? And is that inherent bias or just a busy journo looking to publish a story? Are we the punter inherently biased and therefore whatever we see and we don't like must be biased? The BBC bit is of course indisputable. It's not about inference or emphasis, it is about making something seem real which factually wasn't – they made it up. Why would you do that unless you had an agenda? Why would the BBC not spot it? Too busy or too biased? The Culture Secretary said now more than ever the need for trusted news is essential to our cultural and democratic life. Which is what they say when they have carnage to deal with using taxpayers' money. The BBC were already booked in this week, ironically, for a parliamentary inquiry into their coverage of trans rights and Gaza, cementing in many people's minds what they already suspected. My summation is basically: it's over. The jury is in, the verdict is guilty, and the people are always right. Whatever the media might once have had by way of respect and trust is largely, if not completely, gone. And two resignations cemented any remaining doubt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon's live report for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with Corin Dann presenting.

Should the clanging of prison gates replace the rigour of military detention for a soldier who tried to spy on New Zealand? That's the decision a panel of three judges will now grapple with after a day of appeals in Wellington. The Court Martial Appeals Court is deciding whether the sentence imposed on the soldier for attempted espionage is too light; whether he can be named; and if Radio New Zealand should be allowed to appeal against a further suppression ruling. Reporter Jimmy Ellingham spoke to Lisa Owen.

Massive increases in productivity lure businesses into adopting artificial intelligence. But what if pursuit of that elusive 'superprodctivity' produces exactly the opposite? A rebroadcast of Radio New Zealand's Nine To Noon from16 October 2025, host Kathryn Ryan and I ask whether any business advantage can be gained by the 'promiscuous' use of AI. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with Corin Dann anchoring.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.