Podcasts about Taranaki

In this 1 hour show you'll meet some of the beautiful people who make up Taranaki's vibrant international community.

We reckon it's a good idea to recognise some of those who'll keep working through the summer break, so that the rest of us can enjoy a holiday. Yesterday it was Ian King - on call most of the summer break for the Otaki Volunteer Fire Brigade. Today on the run home to Christmas, we celebrate the work of Holly Rawiri, Duty Nurse Manager at Taranaki Hospital.

In this 1 hour show you'll meet some of the beautiful people who make up Taranaki's vibrant international community. The Best of Clara, 2025.

In this 1 hour show you'll meet some of the beautiful people who make up Taranaki's vibrant international community. The Best of Brian, 2025.

Questions to Ministers ORIINI KAIPARA to the Minister of Justice: Does he stand by the Government's policy to ban enrolments in the final 13 days before an election, despite the Attorney-General warning that more than 100,000 people may be directly or indirectly disenfranchised by this proposal? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister for Economic Growth: What recent changes has the Government made regarding economic growth and supermarket competition? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Women: Does she stand by all her statements and actions regarding women's pay? TOM RUTHERFORD to the Minister of Justice: How is the Government progressing with its plan to restore law and order? Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN to the Minister for Disability Issues: Does she stand by her statement that the Government is committed to "breaking down barriers and improving the lives of disabled people"; if not, why not? DAVID MacLEOD to the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality: What recent announcements has she made about supporting major events in New Zealand? TEANAU TUIONO to the Minister for Maori Development: Is he concerned by the warnings of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Maori rights and entrenching disparities for Maori; if so, what is he doing to address these warnings? RYAN HAMILTON to the Minister for Universities: What recent announcement has he made about the Waikato Medical School? GREG O'CONNOR to the Minister for Veterans: Is he committed to ensuring that veterans receive their full entitlements from the Crown following the High Court rulings on Ta Wira Gardiner's case; if not, why not? SCOTT WILLIS to the Minister for Energy: Is he confident in the viability of the offshore wind industry in Taranaki? Dr DAVID WILSON to the Associate Minister of Agriculture: What recent announcements has he made regarding wool? SHANAN HALBERT to the Minister for Vocational Education: Will Industry Skills Boards be able to carry out their full mandate from 1 January 2026; if not, why not?

Robin discusses news from Taranaki including the fight against invasive golden clams in Lake Rotomanu. 

Reuben O'Neill has one of the most interesting stories in New Zealand rugby! A proud Taranaki lad, a cult hero in every team he's played in, and a man who battled more adversity than most ever knew. From crippling cramps, constant injuries, and being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes — to somehow rising all the way into an All Blacks camp before he'd even played Super Rugby.In this episode some of the things we talk about were..- How he's always embraced being himself- Being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and having no idea how to manage it- The shock All Blacks call-up having played just a few NPC games- The setbacks of a Neck fusion surgery, Achilles issues, stress fractures and how he kept coming back- How injuries turned him into a DJ, a truck driver, a nutritionist and more- The story behind “DJ Mince on Toast”- Why he believes the Crusaders have had more success than the ChiefsAnd he answers all your questions!Rueben is a unique human, always happy to be himself, enjoys taking the piss and is not afraid of awkwardness. He's genuine lad and someone who makes every environment better in his own unique way. I'm sure you will enjoy this inspiring story from this great man! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nhi is originally from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She has been living in New Zealand for almost six years now—four years in Wellington studying and working, followed by two years in Taranaki. Studying was the main reason she came to New Zealand. She was fortunate to travel here with a group of classmates she already knew in Vietnam, who have since become her closest and dearest friends in New Zealand. At the end of 2023, she and her lovely partner, Martí, decided to move to New Plymouth for work and have ended up loving life there.

The 2025 finale with a special three-part story looking at the single punch that took the life of 37-year-old Daniel Nganeko in Taranaki, followed by highlights from stories by The Hui throughout the year. “Made with the support of Te Māngai Pāho and New Zealand On Air”

About 100 critically-endangered Mahoenui giant weta have been released into the Rotokare Sanctuary in Taranaki this week as part of efforts to preserve the taonga species. Robin Martin reports.

A promoter says concerts in New Zealand have a bright future, despite some high-profile cancellations. Tauranga reggae festival One Love and Taranaki's WOMAD have called off their 2026 showings. Promoter Brent Eccles says other festivals like Electric Avenue are doing very well. He says there are plenty of future opportunities. "And I think you'll find that next year, with this new Government scheme that's going on, a lot will be announced." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our freshwater ecosystems are facing numerous challenges. Many of New Zealand's lakes have lost much of their native underwater plant life. At the Ruakura ‘tank farm' in Hamilton, researchers have been working on a project to help restore the freshwater forests. Sign up to the Our Changing World monthly newsletter for episode backstories, science analysis and more.Learn more:Listen to Invasive: the story of Stewart Smith from the Black Sheep podcast to learn more about New Zealand's pest fish issue.Read more about the koi carp bow hunting that removed tonnes of pest fish.While the announcement of the eradication of lagarosiphon from Lake Ngatu was welcome it came on the heels of the disappointing news about finding this invasive weed in two South Island hydro lakes.It's not just invasive plants that are an issue, invasive critters like the gold clam can also cause issues. Contained to the Waikato for the last two years, it has recently been found in a Taranaki lake.Restoring freshwater lakes and wetlands is a catchment wide effort, but groups around the motu are working on this.Guests:Mary de Winton, Earth Sciences New ZealandReferences: NIWA's RotoTurf webpage.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Meet Alex — an environmental policy professional, adventurer at heart, and proud Taranaki local. Her journey began back in 2015 when she arrived in Aotearoa on a working holiday visa, backpacked across the country, and fell head-over-heels for New Plymouth... and for her future husband, too! After a few years back in Peru, Alex returned to Taranaki in 2020 — just before Covid hit — drawn by the perfect mix of ocean and mountain, and the lifestyle that invites you outdoors every day. These days, Alex is a mum of two who loves spending time outside with her family, exploring trails and connecting with nature. Through her work in environmental policy, she's helping people and organisations make meaningful shifts toward more sustainable ways of living. She's also deeply involved in her community, contributing to projects like Community Energy Taranaki, The Nature Connection Trust's Trails and Tots programme, and the New Plymouth Montessori School.

On today's REX Daily Podcast, Dom talks with Alliance Group Chair Mark Wynne about its return to profit in 2025 after two years of heavy losses, what's led to the turnaround and his assessment of 2025 following the shareholder vote to sell 65% of the company to Irish outfit Dawn Meats... He talks with Findex HR Consultant Lou Baines about the major employment law changes underway, how these reforms will affect farmers, rural employers and their workers, and what the changes mean for rural workplaces... And he talks with Matt Stancombe, veterinarian and dairy operations manager at the Taranaki Veterinary Centre, about winning NZ Food Safety’s inaugural Antimicrobial Resistance Award, their concerted efforts to reduce antimicrobial resistance in cows and how they managed to achieve it. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.

A Taranaki programme which provides training and pathways into work has won an environmental award. Tupu a Nuku is delivered by local iwi Ngati Maru and helps rangatahi develop conservation skills. The programme has won the Taranaki Regional Council's Environmental Action in the Community award for 2025. The judges said Tupu a Nuku exemplifies excellence in hands-on, culturally grounded conservation education and the programme's work will have inter-generational impacts. Jayden Waiwiri from the Tupu a Nuku team joins Jesse.

A Taranaki family have paused work on the rebuild of their coastal bach after a pair of nesting little blue penguins - or korora - took up residence beneath its floorboards. The Vile family, who are redeveloping a classic two-bedroom bach at Urenui Beach, are now patiently waiting for the chick to fledge. Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has been at Urenui.

Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens is one of the most electric players in New Zealand rugby!A proud Taranaki man, who went from Blues prospect to a Highlanders star as his story takes a wild turn when a routine game left him with a fractured neck!What followed is a powerful story of perspective, gratitude, and rediscovering his love for the game. Jacob's honesty and maturity in this chat is incredible and the way he speaks about identity, family and resilience is seriously inspiring.Some parts that stood out for me were..• Growing up in Taranaki with his Fijian/Dutch heritage• Breaking into Super Rugby straight out of school• Losing the love for rugby and finding it again in Dunedin• The incredible story of playing on with a broken neck• How close he was to being paralysed• The mindset shift that changed everything• Life beyond rugby — content creation, purpose and gratitudeAnd heaps moreJacob is genuine, humble and wise beyond his years. He's a real talent and someone I believe will have a massive future in the game. I'm sure you will enjoy this one! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tania Niwa shows how to move between cultures without losing your identity. Through listening, storytelling, grounding, and authentic leadership, she bridges worlds while staying deeply connected to her Māori roots. This is her story.

Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus)  are the largest animals that have ever existed on Earth. Despite this, they feed exclusively on krill (Nyctiphanes australis) which are typically no larger than 2 cm. Thus, they must consume massive amounts of these tiny organisms to support the large energy requirements of their life history processes. Researchers are interested in understanding how predator-prey dynamics between blue whales and krill may shift with changing ocean conditions. Nicole Principe is a 2nd year PhD student in the Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna (GEMM) Lab at the Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute, led by Dr. Leigh Torres. Her PhD work is part of the SAPPHIRE (Synthesis of Acoustics, Physiology, Prey, and Habitat in A Rapidly Changing Environment) Project and will focus on blue whales in the South Taranaki Bight in Aotearoa (New Zealand). This interdisciplinary work involves using oceanographic data, active acoustics for prey, drone imagery (i.e., photogrammetry), and hormone analysis to investigate the availability of krill and blue whale health and population resilience to climate change. 

The opening of a $56 million Taranaki Cancer Centre in New Plymouth is being described as life changing for people living with the disease in the region, and for the professionals who care for them. About 300 patients a year have had to make the three-hour trek to Palmerston North for radiation treatment - lasting sometimes just minutes - but now 80 percent of radiation treatment will be done locally. Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin was at the opening.

This time of the year a wonderful Pohutukawa “shrub” is flowering its little heads off: Metrosideros carminia known as the crimson rata; a Native in the North Island all the way down to Taranaki and Hawkes Bay. It comes as a shrub when you get them from cuttings, but they'll move up like tree climbers when they emerge from seeds. Pollinators love them – and so do I. Favourite food of tui and bellbirds, as well as silvereyes and wood pigeons (kereru). Kowhai come in many different species and heights; there are fabulous, gnarled forms which, in themselves, are beautifully sculptured. Divaricating shrubs!! Muehlenbeckia astonii. A Native plant that could be your new hedge, or your sculpted shrub, or even a suitable nesting site for native birds. It's all about elegant little leaves, hanging from a zig-zagging system of branches that you will only find in Aotearoa. In winter the whole shrub will change colours to a Dark-Orange that will stand out, no matter what the weather is like. White flowers – and all this is endemic. May I introduce you to the Corokia - another yellow Native of our country. It's full of flowers at this time of the year; also with zig-zag twigs and Endemic distribution – we know how to grow weird and wonderful natives! Often on these flowering shrubs you will find native bees sucking nectar for their off-spring, pollinating the flowers and creating large amounts of seeds for our landscapes Horopito (Pseudowintera colorata) is another one of those shrubs that stands out in its colour – It's native to New Zealand, and our local “garden fiddlers” have managed to breed a range of varieties in all sorts of colours. If you want to see them spectacularly bunched together in our native habitat, go to the Catlins: you'll fall in love with them! Oh – and the leaves are edible… lovely and hot. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robin has the latest on the Mt Messenger by-pass project, issues with the Awakino Gorge continue and local garden festivals kick off.

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Zoe George and Tim Wilson. First up, Fonterra's farmers have voted to sell its consumer brands Mainland and Anchor to a French company. Taranaki farmer Gavin Faull thinks the move opens the company up to all sorts of risks. Then, the government is cracking down on companies choosing to employ immigrants rather than locals. The panel discusses the issue with an immigration expert.

A significant milestone has been reached in the Mt Messenger Bypass Te Ara o Te Ata project on State Highway 3 in Taranaki. RNZ Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin reports.

Questions are being raised about what more the Transport Agency can do to improve the resilience of State Highway 3 between Waikato and Taranaki. Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin reports.

There have been calls for a review of the warnings issued ahead of last week's weather event which brought down hundreds of slips, closed dozens of central North Island roads, inundated farms and flooded homes. An orange warning was issued, but the Mayor of the Waitomo District and the Minister for Rural Communities are questioning whether that should have been uprgaded. Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin was in Waitomo.

Two young Taranaki job hunters have been out of work for months and relying on the benefit despite both having completed the Stratford Mayor's Taskforce for Jobs programme, as well as actively looking for jobs. Taranaki is top of the table when it comes to 15-24 year olds not in employment education or training. Ash Tolland and Isaac Murray spoke to Lisa Owen.

A South Taranaki hotel dating back to the late 1800s is on the market. Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin reports.

The Prime Minister has doubled down on his claim there are jobs for young people across the country, and they should take any work. Despite youth unemployment sitting at nearly 13%. Taranaki is top of the table when it comes to 15-24 year olds not in employment education or training, or NEETs. In the second quarter of this year 18.5% of people in that age group in region were NEETs. Nelson Pulotu is the general manager of Tutaki, a NGO in Stratford which is running a pilot programme to help young people on benefits into work, he spoke to Lisa Owen.

Family members of a Taranaki man killed by a coward punch have expressed their horror that his killer filmed his victim and taunted him as he lay dying on the ground. Daytona Thompson appeared for sentencing for the manslaughter of Daniel Nganeko at the High Court in New Plymouth. Our Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin was in court

Kylem O'Donnell is a lad who has truly lived the highs and lows of chasing the rugby dream. From starring at Hamilton Boys' High to winning an NPC title with Taranaki and travelling the world with the All Blacks Sevens, he looked destined for it all. But behind the speed, fitness and flair, Kylem's story is one of setbacks, mental battles, and resilience.In this episode he opens up like never before from the challenge of dealing with injuries and non-selection, to a being on the receiving end of brutal bouncer assault. He even shares some incredibly hard moments in his life including a terrifying drug-induced psychosis that had him running to on the motorway naked! However the most powerful of all are the moments where Kylem shares his raw struggles with mental health, including times he nearly didn't make it through, and the support that helped him fight back.This episode is not just about the rugby it's about honesty, vulnerability, and rediscovering who you are. An incredible chat with a man who is now using his own journey to inspire and help others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you were looking forward to today to learn how the Government would rescue the country from the energy crisis we face, you are already disappointed by now because you've looked at it and you've seen there's nothing here. There is nothing here that is going to stop us going through what we are going through right now. For months and months every winter for the last two winters we've seen the closing down of mills, extremely high power bills, and a shortage of gas - and all of that's going to continue. The disappointing thing is that we have waited two whole winters for this package of ideas, and yet the best idea seems, to me, to be a kooky idea, which is that the Government may be backing the construction of an LNG import terminal. That was an idea that sounded great last winter, but in the months since, when we've actually had a look at the thing and had some reports done and it has been debunked for being quite expensive for not a lot of gain. To set up one of these terminals, most likely at the port of Taranaki, it would cost somewhere between $200 million and $1 billion dollars, which is not money that we have. The gas that we would then import from offshore to basically make up for the shortage of gas that we have in the country at the moment would be very expensive. Have a look at what you're paying for your gas right now - and add 25 percent to that. The second best idea in this seems to be the Government throwing taxpayer money at the partially owned gentailers in order that they can raise capital to build more generation. Which is not capital that they appear to be asking for. They do not seem to have a shortage of money, as evidenced by the fact that they keep paying out massive dividends. The upshot for all of this - as in how much we're going to save - Simon Watts reckons he might be able to drop power prices by two percent a year. Two percent. Now, I'll tell you the problem with this plan is that it appears - and from what I hear - they haven't spent much time understanding the problem and thus understanding what it would take to fix it properly. So what they've done is, in haste, cobbled together a series of what sounds like maybe decent announcements if you're half listening. But they're really things that will not do that much. Unfortunately for them, we have an energy crisis, and it is massive. It is probably the biggest thing that is facing business in this country right now. A crisis of this size demands a proper fix. This is becoming a theme for this Government - having lots of really big things to deal with, and they're not really dealing with them properly. This is not really a fix. So unfortunately, and I'm so sorry to say this, strap yourself in because it looks like for next winter and the winters to come, the deindustrialization of New Zealand will continue. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government is expected to signal its support for a liquefied natural gas, or LNG, import terminal at Port Taranaki as part of its long-awaited plan to tackle the energy crisis. Independent energy analyst William Bisley spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Get used to seeing Airana Ngarewa's face, he's got a new novel out and over the next few weeks he'll be up and down the country appearing at book shops and writers' festivals. The book is 'The Last Living Cannibal', and it's Airana's third book about the Taranaki region. The others covered contemporary life, but this one looks back and reimagines life in Taranaki in the 1940s. Airana Ngarewa is with Jesse.

In part two, the road cone hotline has been cranking along, it's had its detractors, but the number of reports received suggests that it's a popular move for punters, with over a thousand tips in the first few months. Then, we're heading to little Taranaki town of Hawera now, where window painter Mel Graham has been painting temporary murals on shopfront windows for years, and demand for her work is booming.

When a loved one experiences dementia, grief does not wait for a tidy ending. Francesca and Louise sit down with resilience researcher and grief expert Dr Lucy Hone to talk about living loss and how to cope when someone you love is in ongoing cognitive decline. Later in the episode Helen Frank from Alzheimer’s Taranaki shares clear guidance on early signs, getting a diagnosis,and the support available for carers. 'How Will I Ever Get Through This?' - pre-sales for the new book from Dr Lucy Hone are available from 6th October 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil and gas exploration applications have reopened for the first time since the 2018 ban. Companies can now apply for new prospecting and exploration permits anywhere in the country - not just onshore Taranaki. An open market application pathway's also being introduced to allocate new permits, in addition to the current competitive tender process. Energy Resources Aotearoa chief executive John Carnegie says there's concerns among investors about the ongoing certainty of this, given the backlash from the opposition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So fast track has a problem - it's not fast enough. Eight months in, only two projects have been approved. The mining in Taranaki is still undergoing consultation. AKA: delayed. The word is that every man and his dog is lining up to have their say, including Mount Taranaki - literally. How you ask a mountain its thoughts and feelings is beyond me, but are we even surprised anymore? Shane Jones is miffed because the EPA, which is looking into all this, has apparently hired a former Forest and Bird lawyer - and all this while we've got $850m in minerals just sitting there. Now, all of this could have been avoided if the Government didn't cave to the media and the legal scholars and the green mafia, and just give politicians all the power to override whatever they want. So the delays and the consultation are by design. And in Auckland, you've got Eden Park. Eden Park, they tell us, is choking under regulation. So why not use your new RMA superpowers to unshackle it? You can't. You have to consult first. Why? Because, again, the Government specifically designed the law changes this way. The windmills they want to put in Taranaki - one local hapū is taking their opposition to the UN. You can see the problem here, can't you? This country is its own worst enemy. We bitch and moan about the GDP number. We freak out about the manufacturing jobs disappearing. Rightly so - but as soon as it's time to do something about it, to create something new like an industry or a mine, we oppose it. We slow it down. We delay. Either we accept that you can't have everything for nothing, and that creating new jobs and growth will cost us something but it's worth it. Or we accept that, actually, we're to be poor and happy to stay that way. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frustrations are growing around the fast-track process in Taranaki, which has grounded to a halt due to bureaucracy. 215 parties are now having their say in the ‘VTM' seabed mining project. Resource Minister Shane Jones told Mike Hosking that the discourse around the project is responsible for hindering its progress. ‘We're dealing with a substantial reduction in earnings, not only from manufacturing, but from oil and gas.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farmers are beginning to spend and cash registers are ringing in rural Taranaki with the two-speed economy showing green shoots for some. Robin Martin reports.

Ruakura Turei (Nga Rauru Kitahi, Taranaki, Ngati Paoa, Ngai Tai ki Tamaki) is an artist, architect, actor, and a rising star in the world of Maori art. 

Du'Plessis Kirifi has had one of the more inspiring journeys to the top and is one heck of lad to top it off. From growing up in Taranaki and spending part of his childhood in Samoa, to working three jobs while chasing his rugby dream, Dups has had anything but a straight road to the top.He opens up on the setbacks that shaped him — missing out on NZ U20s after being told he was “good enough but a bit of a dickhead”, the grind of trying to pack on size when everyone said he was too small, and the lessons he learned from competing hard in his early Hurricanes days.But through sheer hard work and resilience, he's gone from labouring on worksites and sleeping in mates' garages to captaining Wellington, becoming a leader at the Hurricanes, and finally achieving his All Black dream.In this episode we chat about…Growing up between Samoa and Taranaki, and the values his family instilled in himThe brutal honesty that sparked his turnaround after missing NZ U20sThe conscious effort he puts into his speaking The near move to Japan and the moment that kept him in New ZealandThe call from Razor How he got such big Quads!And heaps moreAn inspiring story of perseverance, self-awareness — this is such a good epiosde. Dups is not only a competitor on the field but also one of the most thoughtful and articulate players in the game. What a lad! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A New Plymouth business is stamping its mark on the crazy world of American sports trading cards and sporting memorabilia. Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has more.

Robin Martin is a RNZ reporter based in Taranaki.

A Taranaki father has shared his sense of loss and anger following the death of his son in a one-punch assault. About 200 people gathered at the Tukapa Rugby Club in New Plymouth today to remember Daniel Nganeko and join a march calling for tougher penalties for coward-punch-style offences. Robin Martin reports.

Angus Ta'avao is one of the biggest characters in New Zealand rugby, someone who is always good value to be around and has a great ability to bring a side together with his personality.Angus has done it all: NPC champ with Taranaki, Super Rugby champ with the Blues, he's an All Black, TV star, saxophone shredder and he is still playing rugby as good as he ever has! Angus is the ultimate lad. In this episode we get into- Why he has decided to move down to the Highlanders for 2026!- He talks through the moment when he said he'd never play rugby again.- He reflects on "that tackle" where he was concussed, red carded and suspended.- The journey he has been on as a father- He goes through the potential options for life after footy- We chat why he's decided to move south- And of course plenty of random chatThis one's got everything – laughs, honesty and a heap of inspiration from one of the great characters of our game. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A cardio test that heart patients in some regions can wait up to six months for can be delivered in days, according to a private provider. Half of all heart attack patients are not being treated within accepted timeframes in New Zealand according to a new Otago University report. CardioScan Aotearoa is contracted by Tairawhiti and Taranaki hospitals to offer cardiac tests and it said more people are paying out of their own pockets rather than waiting. Jez Morris from CardioScan Aotearoa spoke to Lisa Owen.