Podcasts about Rotorua

Police bust 14 Vietnamese-run cannabis grow houses, and it has now been a year since Tokoroa teacher Jayleb-Che Dean went missing and police say they don't believe it is a case of foul play, but the case remains open. Kelly also discusses Rotorua man Justin Jeffries pleading guilty to a triple murder, and a recent political debate in the city. Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist at the Rotorua Daily Post

Should the indentities of court defendants be kept secret, even if they are found guilty? A Rotorua lawyer, who has spent years researching the issue thinks that should be the norm, with just a few exceptions. Dr Shannon Eldridge believes bias in the way name suppression is granted can unfairly disadvantage and stigmatise people. Dr Shannon Eldridge spoke to Lisa Owen.

A Rotorua tech organisation that has upskilling rangatahi at the core of its DNA has received a funding boost of more than $600,000. The Digital Natives Academy helps young people get re-engaged with learning, offering digital and creative tech with a Te Ao Maori focus. DNA education operations and systems manager Marcus Powell spoke to Lisa Owen. 

The owl of New Zealand was having a go at Bird of the Year. And it wasn't just Pete Wolfkamp and I that voted for the Ruru… We're both supporters of Wingspan in Rotorua – it's the place where falcons, harriers, and owls find a useful and caring home, especially when these birds have been whacked by a car on the road or flew into a glass window. It's not really something Ruru do a lot; they have phenomenal vision, especially at night. The Ruru that really became my friend was Whisper. I'll never forget that owl. Whisper was at Wingspan for many, many years. She would come and sit on my shoulder, have a little nibble in my pockets, and was happy to be scratched and treated with some tickling. All despite her preference to be cuddled by ladies (not males!). It did help to give her some insects (beetles and weta) with every visit I made! Whisper passed away a couple of years ago and all our Wingspan staff miss her dearly. The lifespan for Ruru is around ten years – depending on their place of living, I suppose. Ruru occur almost everywhere in Aotearoa, including many offshore Islands. The drier regions, especially in the eastern areas of the South Island, do not seem to have huge numbers. They are not common in Christchurch, for instance. This is the time of the year (September) when these owls are getting together and thinking about getting some young ones. Usually two eggs are the beginning of it all, with eggs hatching after a month. The parents fly silently through the forests and even trough gardens. Their ability to detect possible prey is literally the result of their silence – it makes so much sense, they can hear mice, rodents, and insects from a great distance! The Ruru's serrated feathers allow it to fly silently. After about five weeks, the kids leave their nest cavity and learn to forage their own food. If you are ready to look after your own Ruru Owl population, the least you can do is create your own Owl Box in the garden. Guess what: Pete Wolfkamp has been making a number of excellent boxes that seem to be attractive to these birds. Imagine springtime and Ruru looking after their young in a sizeable tree in your garden! The kids are relatively quiet, but mum and dad will call from time to time, yelling “morepork” just when you want to go to bed… LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New firefighters say they're missing out on valuable training by not having live fire training in this country. Last September, the live fire cells in Rotorua's national training centre were closed due to safety concerns. The professional firefighters' union says live fire training should be fundamental while Fire and Emergency says its training combines theory with practical exercises. Tess Brunton reports.

Rotorua's mayor says the Government needs to step up in support of regional tourism as the internationally renowned mountain biking destination faces a turning point. March next year will be the final event in the city's 10 year contract with international mountain bike festival Crankworx. Now Rotorua's many mountain bike groups must decide the best path to ensure the wheels keep rolling on its trails and events. Bill Hickman reports.

Rotorua's mountain bike community is planning its next move, as its 10-year deal with the Crankworx festival expires next year. The industry is a huge part of the city's economy, with the most recent impact report showing it's worth about $140 million a year to the local economy. Mountain Biking Rotorua co-owner Tak Mutu spoke to John Campbell.

Matty went to an event in Rotorua, and someone came up to Matty and did WHAT?! Matty McLean and PJ Harding are New Zealand’s warmest, most unpredictable drive show - perfect for the commute, the school run or whenever you need something to laugh about on the way home! They’re live on The Hits nationwide every weekday afternoon from 3-7pm. Listen to the live show on iHeartRadio Click follow so you never miss an episode! Follow us on Instagram @thehitsdrive | Facebook @thehitsdrive See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professional horse trainer Mark Langley helps horses develop confidence. Mark has trained thousands of horses and works to train not just horses - but their humans. His approach is all about engaging with a horse emotionally. He speaks with Kathryn ahead of a one-day horsemanship masterclass he is hosting in Rotorua this month. If you have any horse related questions for Mark, text 2101 and he'll do his best to answer.

July's record tourism numbers are being seen as a reflection of investment finally paying off. Stats NZ data shows 256,600 overseas tourists arrived during the month, overtaking pre-Covid numbers from July 2019 by 0.4%. Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell told Andrew Dickens the effort from local councils, regional tourism operators, and the Government is bearing fruit. She says July is usually a quiet time, so the big win is the 70% jump in business events that keep the likes of Rotorua afloat. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belief July's record tourism numbers is a reflection of an investment finally paying off. Stats NZ data shows 256-thousand-600 overseas tourists arrived during the month - overtaking pre-Covid numbers from July 2019 by 0.4 percent. Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell told Andrew Dickens the effort from local council, regional tourism operators and the Government is finally bearing fruit. She says July is usually a quiet time, so the big win is the 70 percent jump in business events that keep Rotorua afloat. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man has appeared in court this afternoon after a woman and two children were killed in Rotorua. Police earlier said they arrived at a property in the suburb of Glenholme on Monday night, where they found two dead children and a woman with life-threatening injuries. The woman later died at the scene. Waikato-Bay of Plenty reporter Rachel Moore spoke to Lisa Owen.

Rotorua mayor, Tania Tapsell spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss on Morning Report.

Locals can only watch and wait as Rotorua police investigate a triple homicide after a woman and two children died last night. Emergency services arrived to find the children's bodies in a Glenholme property, and the woman died soon after. A man's appeared in the District Court charged with assault in a family relationship - to reappear next month. Rotorua Daily Post reporter Annabel Reid says neighbours who saw police arrive have been looking on today. "They were discussing it on the street with one another and watching as police carried out their duties - they had tape measures and markers and drones." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Overseas visitors are being encouraged to get out of the main centres so our tourist hotspots stay fully booked all year round. The Government's putting $5 million into six initiatives designed to entice travellers to visit the regions, ahead of the peak season. Rotorua NZ will lead a $995 thousand food campaign focused on Chinese visitors, as well as co-leading another aimed at Australian and US tourists. Mayor Tania Tapsell told Ryan Bridge the overseas focus is important, so businesses thrive in the quieter months when there's less domestic travel. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast 2026, Todd Energy getting up to $23.5 million in government loans for gas security projects, Energy Resources Aotearoa CEO John Carnegie shares his thoughts. The Government's splashing another $5 million on regional tourism, Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell tells Ryan what the money will go to in Rotorua. Europe is shaking in it's boots after the far right party AFD's win in Saxony-Anhalt, Sky News Europe Correspondent Alastair Bunkall has the latest out of Germany. Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on a leaked text shows huge amount tipped for Solomon Islands from the Australian Government and American football fans descend on Melbourne for an historic NRL match at the MCG. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sheree sits for a korero with Rotorua RACCO founders, Hiroe & Paul Howell to talk about the importance of building community through art and craft, in this case, Taiko drumming.Content warning: this episode contains brief references to suicide.

Ellie Pukehika is an accomplished horse trainer based in Rotorua, New Zealand. She brings together her knowledge from the English disciplines of Show Jumping and Dressage, as well as Horsemanship, to merge the art of working with the horse and understanding the psychology of how they think and learn. Ellie has been a clinician at the 2018 Equidays, 2020 Equifest, and 2022 Equifest. These days, Ellie focuses on teaching women how to start their own horses with partnership instead of force, she's the creator of the Atlas Massager, a Poll, TMJ, and Hyoid massager for horses using vibrational massage therapy, and she's the host of Rongoā, a podcast on indigenous horsemanship. Connect with Ellie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliepukehika/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ellieaobrien Atlas Massager website: https://atlasequinemassager.com/

Kelly discusses a Coroner's finding over the death of a Rotorua teenager returning from a music festival.

Jenna Hastings joins The Ride Companion for an incredibly honest and hilarious conversation about life as a professional World Cup Racer. The Pivot Factory Racing rider and 2022 Junior Downhill World Champion opens up about the pressure of qualifying, questioning whether she can still ride a bike during World Cup practice and crying between Q1 and Q2 before fighting back to finish fifth in Andorra. Jenna explains why winning at Crankworx hasn't automatically translated into World Cup success, what separates the fastest women in downhill and why making a final can still feel like winning. She also reveals that she sometimes vomits inside her helmet! Away from racing, Jenna talks about growing up riding BMX in Rotorua, leaving school at 17 to pursue her dream, travelling overseas with Eddie Masters and joining Bernard Kerr's Pivot Factory Racing programme. She also shares what it's like living in a renovated caravan in Wales, chasing summers and building a future beyond professional racing. This is a real look inside the life and mind of one of the World's fastest bike racers. We hope you enjoy it and don't forget to leave a like and comment. Get early access & ad-free episodes → https://www.patreon.com/theridecompanion You can also support our long term partners: Marin Bikes → marinbikes.com/gb Focus Bikes → focus-bikes.com SRAM: sram.com/en/sram adidas FiveTen: adidas.co.uk/five_ten invisiFrame: 15% off with code REFRESHANDRIDE at invisiframe.co.uk Manta Sleep → 10% off with code theridecompanion tinyurl.com/theridecompanion HUEL → 15% off with code RIDE: huel.com/ Mudhugger → Get 10% off with code ridecompanion10 at themudhugger.co.uk Compex → 20% off with code THERIDECOMPANION: compex.com/uk/ Igloo → igloocoolers.com/ Kecks → https://kecks.co.uk use code THERIDECOMPANION for 10% off Feedback Sports: feedbacksports.com WORX → 15% off with code THERIDECOMPANION at https://uk.worx.com/aff/theridecompanion/ HKT Products → 10% off with code PODCAST at hktproducts.co.uk Follow The Ride Companion Instagram @theridecompanion YouTube @TheRideCompanion Olly Wilkins Instagram @odub_23 YouTube @owilkins23 YouTube clips and BTS channel @moreridecompanion Get official Ride Companion merch, find old episodes and more theridecompanion.co.uk

As you may have heard, this time a week ago ZB turned one hundred years old, and on Friday night we threw a little party to celebrate. The Prime Minister came, and made a speech, and he was brilliant. He was smart, very funny, relaxed - he roasted us respectfully and took the mickey out of himself beautifully. It was a great speech, well-delivered and it had everyone in the room asking - so where has this guy been? But here's the thing about being human - we're just not always ‘on'. It's hard to always say the right thing, articulate ourselves well and be relatable. Even if you are a politician who is expected to do it every day. And that's why I like Luxon. He hasn't completely turned into a political talking point robot. I know politics should be about policy and not personality, but personality has always mattered. As I've said before - whether it was John Key's easy-going style, Jacinda Ardern's empathy, or Winston Peters' theatre - how politicians communicate is just as important as what they say. And on Friday night, Luxon was probably the best communicator in a room packed full with communicators. I said it last week, the MMP referendum debacle had blown out of proportion. Then there was the Prime Minister's message to Rotorua businesses, true to the National Party view but poorly articulated. A more succinct, less patronising version eventually followed. With less than 90 days to the election, these hardly seemed meaty enough incidences to trigger a coup and destabilise the party. It seems enough National caucus members agree. For now. Luxon was able to stare down his detractors, but having to defend his leadership for the second time in four months is not good for the party. It implies internal division, and with no one believing Chris Penk went into the caucus meeting as a lone wolf it's clear not everyone believes Luxon is the best person for the job. So what does he do now? First, shut the door on the leadership question. Completely. No more speculation, no more caucus drama, no more leaks to journalists. If National is going to win on November 7, Luxon needs every MP looking outward, not over their shoulder at the person sitting next to them. Then he needs to simplify the campaign. Don't make it a referendum on Christopher Luxon. Make it a referendum on what National has delivered and what it intends to do next. Focus on the economy, cost of living, jobs, law and order, health and getting Government spending under control. These are the bread-and-butter issues that determine how people feel about their lives. And Luxon needs to rediscover the version of himself voters elected in 2023: competent, optimistic, focused and practical. Less political noise. Fewer unnecessary fights. More evidence that the Government is getting things done. Most importantly, National needs to look united. Not pretend to be united. Actually be united. Because right now voters need a reason to trust this team to run the country. Luxon has won the battle inside National. Now he has 12 weeks to win the one that matters. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Christopher Luxon: 8/10 Stared them down, again, and they folded like an umbrella. Chris Penk: 1/10 Not only did he get sucked in in the first place, he paid the ultimate price for a flop. Chris Bishop: 2/10 He can say what he likes, but we know. Erica Stanford: 3/10 She can say what she likes, if she was saying anything at all. Let's put it this way; if they ran the country like they ran a coup, we'd really be in trouble. Hipkins in Rotorua: 3/10 "Emergency housing got a bit out of control." Did it Chris? Honestly. And no apology? The guy is a robot. Trump in the food delivery truck: 8/10 And he takes Hegseth but leaves Rubio, Miller, and Bessent on board the old one with the blinds down. Who needs enemies? LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With speculation over his leadership swirling, National's Christopher Luxon is calling all National MPs to the capital for an urgent in-person caucus meeting tomorrow. He's just come off a fortnight defending his comments to Rotorua small businesses, his Foreign Minister telling a Chinese-born MP to go back where he came from, and announcing on live radio he wants a referendum on MMP - without having told his caucus. Political reporter Russell Palmer has the story.

Labour says small businesses are our economy's engine room, as the party launches a new election policy in Rotorua. It's campaigning on a $2 million annual fund to help smaller businesses adopt AI tools. It would also go into topping up an advisory group to help with AI use, and boosting mentoring and support. Leader Chris Hipkins says small businesses want to adapt to this new technology, and they want additional support to make this happen. "So that they can weigh up how AI could help them, what the risks of using AI could be - it's just levelling the playing field." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's a critical juncture in the run up to November's election. National will set its party list, meaning those MPs who either aren't standing in an electorate or are unlikely to win an electorate seat will be keenly waiting to see the numbers next to their names. If the current polling trends don't improve, National's in line to lose something in the vicinity of ten or eleven MPs from its caucus. Perhaps even more concerning to the party than the total number of MPs who'd be lost, is the experience under threat. MMP maths always makes this a bit of a tricky equation, but even if the party loses several of the electorate seats it currently holds, very few MPs are likely to get in on the list. Perversely, the party might find itself quietly hoping to lose more electorates in order to protect some of its most senior ministers. In an absolute worst-case scenario, any or even all of Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop, Gerry Brownlee, and Paul Goldsmith could be gone. A result like this would be devastating for National, even if the party is returned to government. Just consider for a moment the influence ACT and NZ First have been able to exert in the coalition this term, and now imagine a significantly smaller National caucus without some of its most senior and experienced Cabinet ministers. The list rankings are surely a bit of a penny-drop moment for members of the caucus. Unlike many of my media colleagues, I haven't thrown myself into frenzied speculation over Christopher Luxon's future at every opportunity, but as many have already noted, this was among his worst weeks as Prime Minister. Some will say his patronising comments to the Rotorua business audience and his off-the-cuff musings in this studio over the future of MMP were simply communication gaffs from a Prime Minister who by his own admissions, isn't always as strong a communicator as some of his predecessors. The problem with that of course, is that communication is such a big part of the job. Not just speaking to media, but speaking to voters, and being aware of how your communication is received. The thing I found most interesting about the Rotorua comments was that the PM apparently lacked the EQ to see that his bland, empty corporatese-riddled answer wasn't landing. Not only that, but his office doubled down. They released the transcript. And only when that garnered even more of a backlash did they pull back and apologise. The same thing could be said of his MMP referendum. It's hard not to be left with the impression that at times he lacks an instinct for understanding how his comments will land. And in an election campaign where those skills are going to be continuously tested, it constitutes a not insignificant liability. As National confirms its list rankings, the question isn't simply if Christopher Luxon can lead the party to an election result that allows them to form a government, it's what that government looks like. And whether the party risks being so diminished in coalition that it's a win in name only. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Luxon's MMP vote a stroke of genius to avoid an otherwise problematic week? His apology for Rotorua was a cluster, the Māorification issues that haven't been resolved despite all the talk, the Corrections massages, MBIE, Treasury love-ins, the Justice Department cock-up on the Harrison bloke, and the unemployment rate to the upside – it's all looked like very bad news. But then out of nowhere, "let's have a look at the entire way we elect Governments". It makes sense to the extent we are going to vote on four-year terms anyway. But here is your trouble with revisiting MMP; it's been too long between drinks. There is an entire generation of voters, and I include my kids, who have never known anything else. Constitutional change needs to be debated when an obvious issue has arisen i.e. Governments keep falling over and we lack stability, or we have recently had the debate and the ideas are still fresh in our minds. Neither scenario is in play here. Making it also problematic for the first-past-the-posters is Labour 2020-2023. They were an FPP Government and an example of why you would not in a million years let a single party near anything. Good parties take you good places. Ardern and Hipkins blew the place up. Is that a result of FPP or a singular example of incompetence? And do you want to run that risk? Obviously the counter is, on balance, our small players have not proved to be wonderful representatives of the broad idea that MMP brings wider representation. The representation they have brought is more calamity and chaos, than insight and brain power. The Māori Party have imploded, again, the Greens are insane and quite possibly dangerous, and not really "green", and New Zealand First are racists and stirrers. Having said that, if we insist on MMP overall, this current Government is the first full example of the art i.e. three parties in a full arrangement. It's been executed pretty well so Luxon comes off a strange run-up, given he's conducted it professionally and successfully. If you want to run a book it was 58% for MMP last time. I reckon it would be even more this time. And that's from a person who, push comes to shove, would probably vote FPP. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand has not seen jobless numbers like this for a decade. Bernard Hickey of the Kākā joins Toby to talk through the latest quarterly numbers, the reality they reflect, whether there is something brighter on the horizon, and how they fit with the mood Christopher Luxon encountered in Rotorua the other day.Plus: In How Good, Tara Ward gives her verdict on the new NZ television drama Ms X.At Large with Toby Manhire is produced by Te Aihe Butler, Jin Fellet and The Spinoff. Read more at ⁠thespinoff.co.nz⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to dig into the biggest stories of the week so far. Labour has received more details on National's social media ban bill – how are they feeling about it now? They also discussed the now-paused plan to roll Rongoa Māori health services to all prisons, including traditional massages, and Christopher Luxon's comments to Rotorua business owners. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rotorua's mayor says Chris Luxon doesn't need to feel sorry, after igniting backlash for comments at a local business event. The Prime Minister last week told business owners they have a parent-child mentality, and too often ask the Government for help. Yesterday he backtracked, saying that was wrong and didn't acknowledge the challenges many face. But Tania Tapsell says Luxon was right on the money and his comment was taken out of context. "Yes, times are tough - but actually, don't rely on the Government to be bailing you out. And I 100 percent agree with that, because, we don't need to keep getting into debt, we need to make sure we're innovating." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has apologised for his remarks to businesses, admitting it has been a tough time for them. Christopher Luxon told a business audience in Rotorua last week that there was a parent-child relationship between businesses and government and they should be more adult. He now says he could have expressed himself better. Political reporter Giles Dexter spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Christopher Luxon says he got it wrong when addressing Rotorua businesses, that he expressed himself poorly, and is genuinely sorry if he offended anyone. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Rotorua Business Chamber at the centre of comments the Prime Minister has now apologised for says it hopes there's some genuine reflection behind the apology. Lillian Hanly reports.

The Prime Minister's says he believed he had a good robust chat with the Rotorua Business Chamber last week, but that doesn't minimise his apology for comments he made. Chris Luxon responded to a question over the city's struggles, saying businesses had a 'parent child mentality' and need to be more adult. Today he's apologised, saying he got it wrong, and he's sorry if he caused offence. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says this apology has raised questions from Labour, who claimed it wasn't 'convincing'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prime minister got a shock when he saw the media coverage of his breakfast meeting with Rotorua businesspeople – it talked of him scolding them about a “parent-child mentality” in government-business relations, urging “adult” behaviour and recounting his own attitude in Chicago corporate life. So his office issued a transcript of the exchange, which didn't much help. Duncan Greive, founder of The Spinoff, joins Toby (with a cameo from Claude AI) to discuss the PM's communication challenges, and his ongoing struggle to take any grip of the narrative.(Since this podcast was recorded, Luxon has apologised for the remarks.)Plus: In How Good, Te Aihe Butler on the old tech that is healing his brain.At Large with Toby Manhire is produced by Te Aihe Butler, Jin Fellet and The Spinoff. Read more at ⁠thespinoff.co.nz⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Luxon's standing by his comments telling struggling business owners to take more responsibility for themselves. The National Party leader told a Rotorua business function on Friday to not rely on the government and "be adult, be adult, be adult", responding to a question about the city's struggling economy. He says the previous Labour government had treated business with a "parent-child mentality" - and that he didn't wait for the Government when he was a business leader. Luxon told Mike Hosking that his government's trying to empower businesses. He says they've partnered with businesses through the fuel crisis, which is different to Labour's approach of dictating to businesses through Covid. LISTEN ABOVE Below is the transcript of the prime minister's full response to the question at the event, provided to Newstalk ZB by his office. "I think that's a negative view, to be honest. Like we're entrepreneurs and business people, and I get it. You know, if you're not retooling and radically disrupting your business, you ain't doing the job. "You know, you have to disrupt yourself aggressively before you get disrupted by global events, and if you keep thinking you want the same business model, the same customer mix, the same margin structure, you know you've got to be retooling and refinancing and rehoming, and that's just the reality of business people all around the world. "So, my job is to make sure I'm setting up the conditions for you to be able to go create that growth. And I think some of the subtext and assumption in your question is that...I think in New Zealand I'll be honest with you as a business person who was... I sat in Illinois for six years in Chicago, and the last person I wanted to ever talk to as a CEO was the government. I didn't sit there in Chicago saying I wonder what the government thinks and I wonder what they're doing to help me for my business? Can I get some grant money to do something? No, no, I'm a business person. "I'm building a kick-ass company that actually has commercially superior returns, great customer experience, and awesome internal culture. That is the job of what makes a great company, not a good one, a great one. And so that was my mentality. "Come home to New Zealand, and there's a parent-child mentality. I have literally sat in boardrooms across New Zealand, and the conversation goes: 'I wonder what the government's going to do? I wonder what the government's going to think?' "Who cares what the government thinks or does? Our job is to be adult, adult, adult. The business leaders, the political leaders, and the community leaders working together, doing things differently. I set up the operating system. You go out there and smack it and go create the road, and the community leaders see the pain, the hurt, the need, and the frustration, and the three actors do different things but complementary things to deal with the challenges and the opportunities. "So I still think there's a little bit of.... okay, so in this chamber, how many of you are actually using Claude or Claude code? Okay great. How many sessions has the chamber run to help you understand that? Is that your number one focus right here, right now? Because that is going to disrupt your businesses, and it's a huge opportunity for you to do exceptionally well off the back of it. "So how do we collectively lift our SME literacy on something like AI as a result? So I'm just pushing back to say my job is to set the conditions up. We're getting spending under control. We're getting inflation back into the band. We're at 2.9 percent, strip out the fuel pieces. We've got growth coming in. And that creates opportunity."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 3rd of July, policy announcements up the wazoo and a chat with Dame Noeline Taurua after a redemption gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. The Prime Minister defends his business comments in Rotorua, responds to NZ First's plan to increase the birth rate and talks fast-track projects causing angst. Jason Pine and Andrew Saville talk the value of the Commonwealth Games, the Warriors win and whether the NPC was a success over the weekend. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Rotorua business leader told Prime Minister Christopher Luxon about the city's struggling economy at a function, prompting the PM to tell business owners to 'be adult'. Luxon was in Rotorua last week with appointments including the recent Business Chamber Westpac Smarts Breakfast. Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths says Luxon's comments have prompted outrage, with Labour condemning him for 'lecturing' business owners about the state of the economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part two, Rotorua locals are rallying to save the city's Prince's Gate Archway before "irreversible" work is done to take it down. It has deteriorated to the point where it may no longer be able to safely remain in place in its current state. Then, Pauline Gilroy in Tai Rawhiti has seamlessly blended Line dancing and kapa haka. How and why? the panel finds out.

A collective dedicated to bringing back North Island Kokako to our forests swooped into Rotorua last weekend. The group discussed new research, conservation efforts and ongoing threats to the species. Attendees included DoC staff, scientists, and volunteers from across the North Island. As well as enjoying the meet up, they got to view a yet unreleased Kokako documentary which traces decades of conservation efforts. Department of Conservation's Rhys Burns is the leader of the Kokako Recovery Group, he joins Jesse.

Rotorua's mayor believes councils are racking up hefty insurance bills looking after artwork in storage. A Taxpayers' Union report finds councils across the country are sitting on $1.12 billion worth of art. It finds more than 71 thousand art pieces are owned by local government, with only 33% of the works on public display. Mayor Tania Tapsell told Mike Hosking having it in storage is money on a balance sheet that could be invested elsewhere. She says the cost of insurance alone would be enough to deliver the hydro slides she wants for her community. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ultra marathon runner is going the distance, fundraising for children living with disabilities so they can hopefully move more freely. Hawkes Bay runner, Andrew McCrory, is raising money for a Rotorua centre that specialises in intensive therapy for children with neurological disabilities and disorders, including cerebral palsy. His next big run is the 320km Great Naseby Water Race in August. Andrew McCrory spoke to Lisa Owen.

A Rotorua teenager is rolling in the success of an ice cream business that started as a school project. Izzy Talbot launched Izzys ice cream in March, The ice cream truck serves real fruit ice cream made from local ingredients. The 18 year old made the decision to to turn her project into reality rather than head to university straight out of school. Izzy Talbot spoke to Lisa Owen. 

Azura, Charlie and Hadz will discuss something new, something old & something borrowed alongside the question master. This week, Hadz reveals an almost catastrophic moment in a Rotorua gym, Charlie talks about his wife taking up a career as a model, and Azura gets caught red handed by a Warriors player. For more, follow our socials: Instagram Facebook TikTok See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our new weekly segment where we discuss the issues that have been in the news over the past week or so. Joining Emile this week is Victoria University's Dr Lara Greaves, from somewhere between Rotorua and Auckland is comedian and commentator Tim Batt and from the heart of Feilding is FSU member and commentator Dane Giraud.

Querida comunidad hoy nos vamos a Rotorua, el rincón más vibrante y fascinante de Nueva Zelanda. Ya somos más de un millón de reproducciones en esta aventura y hemos superado los 1.300 episodios. Este podcast es tuyo y mío; gracias por hacerlo posible.

Kelly discusses the latest including the two housing projects opened in Rotorua after both almost went bust. 

A major new music festival is set for Rotorua in January, with hopes of it going international. New Zealand reggae band L.A.B and their record label Loop have launched '8th Wonder'. The one-day family friendly event is expected to attract 10 thousand people to the lakefront, showcasing Kiwi talent. L.A.B's Frontman Joel Shadbolt told Mike Hosking the aim is to go big after the initial show. He says they want to take Aotearoa music to the world – they'd love to see something like this go off in places like Hawaii. 8th Wonder will take place in Rotorua on the 23rd of January, 2027 – the line up consisting of L.A.B, Sir Dave Dobbyn, Te Wehi, Aaradhna, Betty-Anne (Ardijah), Corrella, Che Fu and The Kratez, The Elovaters, Ladi6, and Son & Water. Tickets are on sale from 12pm tomorrow at 8thwonder.live. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poachers are allegedly pilfering trout at a popular fishing spot in Ngongotaha near Rotorua, and it's making some locals pretty mad. A fishing club there says the culprits are fishing outside of legal hours, using illegal methods and exceeding limits. NGO Trout Fishing Club founder Simon Aston spoke to Lisa Owen.

Mayors of some of New Zealand's biggest tourist centres are calling on political parties across the spectrum to support a proposal for national accommodation levy. Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell spoke to John Campbell

This is our NEW RELEASE review podcast, ONE HOT TAKE.Josh Lawson's Kano cuts through the confusion like a live wire. He mocks the film from within, turning every line into a pressure-release valve, and, in doing so, becomes the only consistent source of energy. Synopsis:The fan favourite champions -- now joined by Johnny Cage himself -- are pitted against one another in the ultimate battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.Garth FranklinOne of the very first online entertainment journalists, Sydney-based Garth Franklin has clocked up more hours, stories and experience in this field than the entire staff of various other sites combined. Respected and well-regarded amongst his peers, Franklin created and designed the very first Dark Horizons® incarnation on geocities.com back in April 1996 and has steered it through at least four major re-designs, two recessions, hundreds of interviews, thousands of screenings, and tens of thousands of articles.Garth's work over the twenty plus years has taken him all over the globe to places like Auckland, Albuquerque, Atlanta, Bangkok, Baton Rouge, Berlin, Calgary, Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton, Harare, Hwange, Honolulu, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Nadi, Naples, New York City, Paris, Perth, Prague, Rome, Rotorua, San Diego, San Francisco, Siem Reap, Singapore, Surfer's Paradise, Suva, Toronto, Vancouver, Venice and Wellington. He has regular consulted with and/or worked alongside publicists, managers, producers, studio VPs, agents, filmmakers and celebrities in the US, UK, Europe and Australia.Franklin, who is also a ‘Top Critic' on Rotten Tomatoes and member of the Australian Film Critics Association, has also contributed columns for several outlets including Empire Magazine Australia, Cinescape Magazine and AOL, served as a film critic on both Foxtel's Channel V and ABC Radio 702 with Angela Catterns, contributed content or towards pieces for numerous outlets ranging from IGN to USA Today to the U.S. Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.One Heat Minute ProductionsWEBSITE: oneheatminute.comTWITTER: @OneBlakeMinute & @OHMPodsMERCH: https://www.teepublic.com/en-au/stores/one-heat-minute-productionsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy