Podcasts about Waikato

There's not much Waikato dairy farmer Jim van der Poel hasn't been involved with in the past 40 years. 

Kenzi Jordon's already got NCEA level 3 and University Entrance. She has mainly been taught at home after finding school boring. Now, she's hoping to be accepted to the University of Waikato to study mechatronics. Kenzi spoke to Lisa Owen.

Waikato rubbish crews are increasingly facing aggressive and abusive behaviour. The council has now launched a social media campaign encouraging culprits to dump the attitude. Acting Zero Harm Manager for Waikato District Council, Joanne McArthur spoke to Lisa Owen.

A year after direct flights from Hamilton to Australia started, the region is reaping the benefits. Hamilton and Waikato Tourism general manager Nicola Greenwell spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Today on the radio show. Jay and Dunc broadcast live from Field Days at Mystery Creek in the heart of the Waikato. They have interviews galore and catch up with some of the heartiest people that New Zealand's rural sector has to offer. Enjoy.

A proposed new hotel set on the banks of the Waikato River could be Hamilton's first skyscraper standing at 25 storeys high. Kiwi high-rise developer Templeton Group presented the preliminary design for the Victoria Street Tower to Hamilton City Council on Thursday. Hamilton Mayor Tim Macindoe told Andrew Dickens he is 'fully on board' with the development. "There are all sorts of wonderful things happening in our city, and we need these beds and we need a, a top-quality hotel and I think this is really going to deliver in a spectacular way." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The final round of the ANZ Premiership has arrived and the finals roster has been locked in. However, the top spot on the ladder —which guarantees a spot in the final— is still up for grabs, and with a win over the Waikato BoP Magic, the Northern Mystics could secure the spot. Shooter for the Mystics, Maia Wilson joined D'Arcy to preview the final game. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fisheries Minister denies impact of bottom trawling; Most charter schools exceed attendance and achievement targets; Waikato medical students to be placed in regions from 2029; Knitting campaign captures hearts of knitters across country; Timaru girls choir goes viral following Big Sing performance

Students from the new Waikato medical school will have placements in five regions around the country from 2029. Dr Nathalie de Vries, Chief Medical Officer at Whanganui Hospital spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Raw sewage, dead animals, life-threatening logs are just some of the obstacles athletes worry about facing if they have to get into the water for their sport. New research from Waikato University has found climate change and the impact of extreme weather events have had a huge impact on getting young people into surfing, kayaking and waka ama. Joining us to talk about the concept of 'polluted sport' is the University of Waikato's Holly Thorpe

Business Editor Corin Dann spoke to John Campbell from Fieldays at Waikato's Mystery Creek.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast with Heather du Plessis-Allan for Wednesday the 9th of June, we hear from an expert why the Government's proposed LNG terminal shouldn't go ahead. We go to Waikato to celebrate the opening of Fieldays for 2026. Heather dives into the changing perceptions New Zealanders have towards Asia. And on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen go toe-to-toe over the appointment of Rakesh Naidoo to the Labour list. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, the United Nations released a report on the environmental cost of artificial intelligence, giving estimates for the amount of carbon, water, and land that will likely be dedicated to powering AI in the near future. For example, the report predicts that by 2030, Artificial Intelligence could consume 3% of the world's electricity and require more water than the total amount drunk by the entire population of Earth annually.  However, experts in AI also predict that the technology will continue to become more efficient as time goes on, requiring less electricity, water and land to operate. To explain how all of this can be true at the same time, some people in the AI world have invoked the so-called “Jevons Paradox”—referring to an insight from the Victorian-period economist William Stanely Jevons, who noticed that the increased efficiency of steam engines went hand-in-hand with increased coal consumption. This morning, producer Toby spoke to Dr. Amanda Turnbull-McRae, senior lecturer in Law at the University of Waikato, about this apparent economic paradox as it relates to the future of AI.

The rural economy is awash with good news on the revenue front. Consumer spending figures from Cuscal Paymark, show consumer spending reached 3.8 billion dollars in May, that's up 1.2 percent, year on year. But in Waikato, the increase was 4.6 percent, 280 percent above the national average. Don Good, chief executive of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce spoke to John Campbell.

Winter sports are well under way, which means stories about poor sideline behaviour are back in the headlines. Things got so bad in Waikato a few weeks ago that all junior rugby league matches were cancelled. Sport Waikato says not only is the behaviour inappropriate, but it can actually have a detrimental effect on a kid's enthusiasm for sport. Sport Waikato CEO Matthew Cooper is with me now.

Te Huia train fares are rising 25% as passenger numbers surge. Waikato Regional Council's voted to lift the $24.06 one-way fare for the trip between Hamilton and Auckland to $32.50. Patronage in recent months rose 52% on last year, with fewer track disruptions and more reliability. But Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher told Heather du Plessis-Allan that's not why they're putting the price up. He says the government is currently supporting it by 60%, but if it becomes a permanent service that will drop to 51% and as a user-pays service, it needs to reflect the cost users are actually paying for it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's episode comes with a small technical disclaimer: we absolutely butchered the video file, so due to corrupted footage, this one is mostly audio-only with a few tiny video scraps sprinkled in. Apologies — although, to be fair, we've never looked better.But fear not, because the rugby chat survives.After the usual world-class nonsense, we dive into the URC, where the semi-finalists are locked in and rugby fans in New Zealand are, of course, absolutely buzzing with excitement. No irony there whatsoever. In all seriousness, though, the final four should make for some cracking clashes, and we break down what's coming.Then it's over to the final round of Super Rugby, where the Blues continued their late-season collapse by getting absolutely pumped by the Mooloo men of Waikato. Moana Pasifika delivered the feel-good story of the week, grabbing a win in what may sadly be their final game in existence. Meanwhile, the Crusaders — being the absolute bastards they are — appear to be coming right at exactly the right time.And who gets to face them next week in Christchurch, at their shiny new stadium? The Auckland Blues, currently riding a four-game losing streak. Lovely.Even better, thanks to the bizarre “lucky loser” setup, the Blues might still sneak through even if they lose. Because apparently even finals rugby doesn't need actual jeopardy anymore.We also touch on the Force, Waratahs, Highlanders, and look ahead to a weekend of knockout rugby, jump flights, jump sticks, and all the usual nonsense.Grab a beer and enjoy.

Frigates, freeloading, and our nuclear-free identity are all suddenly up for debate. New Zealand is being called a “freeloader” by the US Secretary of War for not increasing our defence spending as much as he’d like. Meanwhile, there’s a suggestion that we should have a “conversation” about our decades-old nuclear-free policy. So, as the world rearms and pressure from allies grows, where does New Zealand draw the line? Today on The Front Page, University of Waikato international law professor Al Gillespie is with us to talk about what happens next. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's relief the Waikato Expressway extensions can finally proceed, with $1.7 billion allocated in Budget 2026. The 16-kilometre stretch will reach the intersection of State Highways One, and 29 at Piarere. Waipā mayor Mike Pettit says it's exciting news. "It helps with New Zealand GDP, but it definitely helps with Waipā - but more importantly, Waikato GDP. If you can move freight in a more efficient way, it sort of saves costs right through to the consumer." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bathurst Resources has paused its plans for a fast-tracked mine expansion near Huntly in the Waikato because it doesn't know if it can sell the coal. Climate change correspondent Kate Newton.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday the 22nd of May, is today finally the day we get a deal on Iran, plus raucous sideline sport parents have caused cancellations across the board in Waikato. The PM is in ahead of the Budget while also talking about Labour's leaked attack strategy. Jason Pine and Andrew Saville talk the Auckland FC Championship win, Indycar and F1, the Warriors, surfing and some of the better Super Rugby of the season on 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.

All Waikato junior league rugby games have been cancelled after fights and abuse from adults on the sidelines. The Waikato Junior League Rugby Board said it would continue working with clubs to address the issues and ensure appropriate standards are upheld. Sport Waikato CEO Matthew Cooper joined Mike Hosking to chat about the issues, calling the behaviour 'disgraceful'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A controversial waste-to-energy plant at Te Awamutu, the successful Raglan international surf competition, disputes at South Waikato District council and the Waikato Winery that has won gold.

The University of Waikato is facing opposition to its new medical school. Dr Grant Morris looks back in history to see if we are seeing a repeat of the challenges faced by the University of Waikato's law school in the early 1990s.

The acting head of Corrections says staff integrity is a priority, after revelations of a major prison corruption investigation. Twenty people have been charged, including 15 Corrections and Reintegration officers at Auckland's Mt Eden, Waikato's Spring Hill, and Auckland South Corrections facilities - and five members of the public. They're accused of smuggling phones, drugs and tobacco to prisoners in exchange for cash. Corrections' acting chief executive Rachel Leota says they will continue to support staff. "Work with our unions - and I met with them last night - there are many other things that we can be doing, and we will continue to commit to doing that to ensure our staff are safe." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

University of Waikato philosophy lecturer Dan Weijers joins to deconstruct this viral hypothetical thought experiment testing game theory and morality. 

This week we're heading to the Waitomo District, located in the south-western part of the Waikato region in the North Island, from where Mayor John Robertson joins Jesse.

New research shows anxiety is spiking during downpours, as more weather disasters threaten people's property and safety. A new survey shows 73 percent of respondents in the Hawke's Bay region feel anxious about the weather and 57 percent of respondents nationwide are concerned. Professor Holly Thorpe from the University of Waikato says people in Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, who were hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, reported impacts on their mental health as a result of adverse weather conditions. "The rain anxiety, the stress, the worry, the new kinds of experiences of vulnerability, were affecting people across the community." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surf's up in the small Waikato town of Raglan, as it hosts the World Surf League, and locals are just as excited for what it means for the town. Finn Blackwell reports.

To honor ICOM's 80th anniversary and the 2026 International Museum Day, Girl Museum's Head Girl Ashley E Remer speaks with Aotearoa New Zealand museum leader Liz Cotton about this year's theme-- 'Museums Uniting a Divided World'. Join us for a great conversation about our work in museums and how we approach the aspirations of IMD themes.Bio: Elizabeth (Liz) Cotton is an experienced museum and gallery sector leader based in Auckland with over 25 years of experience fostering community relationships and enhancing visitor experiences in cultural institutions. She has held senior roles including Director of Museum Experience at MOTAT and Director Museum & Arts at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, where she led significant visitor experience transformations and team development. She prioritizes building strong relationships with mana whenua, iwi, councils, and funders, integrating Te Tiriti principles throughout her work.Check out the Museum of Technology and Transport (MOTAT).And ICOM NZ.

For City Counselling this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about the need for council to be involved in discussions about the details of an additional harbour crossing, and the number of job losses in the Auckland Transport restructure.  And they spoke to Māni Dunlop from Te Ao Māori News for our new bi-weekly catch-up on the political issues of the week from a Māori perspective. News Director Castor spoke to kaumatua and climate activist Mike Smith about his court case against Fonterra in the wake of the government removing its legal basis. They also spoke to Professor of Law at the University of Waikato, Alexander Gillespie, about the legal ramifications of such a decision.  For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Producer Pranuja spoke with Shanan Halbert about the Government disestablishing the BSA and scrapping the tertiary Fees Free scheme, as well as the Government's new citizenship test. She also spoke with Associate Professor Alice Mills about why secure housing is central to reintegration for those leaving prison.

A new, simple and very local initiative is increasing primary school attendance across dozens of schools in Waikato and Canterbury. Ngaruawahia Primary School deputy principal Margaret Gillies.

The Waikato Rugby CEO has written an open letter urging adults to do better, warning toxic behaviour risks driving young people, and volunteers, away from sport altogether. Amy Marfell spoke to John Campbell.

Excitement is building in the coastal Waikato township of Raglan on the eve of the fourth stop of the World Surf League. Heemi Ngahere, is President of the Maori Board Riders club and spoke to John Campbell.

A YouTube channel is providing some income cream for a fourth generation waikato dairy farmer filming life on the land. Andrew Macky, who runs a 98 hectare family farm at Paterangi with 320 jersey cows, started filming and broadcasting his day to day in 2020. Now, more than 35,000 people subscribe to "The Once A Day Farmer." Waikato dairy farmer Andrew Macky spoke to Lisa Owen.

Waikato University is defending plans for New Zealand's third medical school after criticism from Auckland University's medical dean, who said existing schools could have trained more rural doctors sooner if they had capacity for more students. Professor Joseph Lane, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Health at Waikato University spoke to John Campbell.

Nate Alley grew up in Tokoroa without a father, got kicked out of school at 16, and spent the better part of a decade angry, lost, and making decisions he's not proud of.Today he runs his own Sentinel Homes franchise in the Waikato, with nearly 200 million dollars in construction work completed over the last decade.In this episode Nate speaks publicly for the first time about his upbringing, a failed first business, burnout, and divorce - and the moment holding his newborn daughter that forced him to confront who he was really becoming.Between Two Beers is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One NZ connects New Zealand, while Between Two Beers connects New Zealanders. And together, we are NZ's most trusted connection platform.Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers Clothing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When he did make it home, the old way was gone, so Tarn, along with his parents and a new bride, headed to a new life farming near Te Awamutu.

A cool study caught our eye, and we wanted to learn more about it. A University of Waikato project is looking at taking advantage of neighbourhoods generating power through solar and seeing if that power could be shared in the community. Dr Min Zhang is the co-lead on the project and joins me now to discuss community energy sharing.

This is quite possibly from our "hopeless causes" file. But can I at least try and make the plea that we have a look at the economic damage done by trigger-happy weather offices and compliant clickbait media when it comes to storm warnings? Cyclone Vaianu was the latest and is hopefully still fresh enough in our memories to remind us of a week's worth of hyperbole and headline nonsense that actually caused quite a lot of damage. Not storm damage, but economic damage. Spending in Northland was down 48%. Auckland down 46%. Waikato down 52% (that would have included the Supercars that got canned). Bay of Plenty down 68%. Gisborne down 51%. Hawkes Bay down 56%. Now obviously in the middle of a storm on that blowy, old Saturday and into Sunday you have already worked out you're not booking an outdoor table for lunch. But these figures will include the week building up to the event, the drama that started the previous Sunday, with the ever-present "keep an eye on this one" headlines, and as the week progressed, the alarmism grew. Not because alarmism was required, but because the weather wonks and the media feed off each other. The weather people love publicity and the media, especially digital, love potential clickbait. And nothing baits your click like pending metrological carnage. So in that prior Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, how many things got cancelled? Bookings killed? Trips binned? Decisions altered? That's the economic damage we can avoid. If you remember, it wasn't until Friday they actually knew what the weather, they thought, would do. They were still wrong. But at least by Friday they had confidence in the ensuing days. When so much of our potential economic activity got canned, they were still speculating and blabbering on about trampolines and holiday travel and telling you how to live your life. Somewhere along the line the weather people got carried away with their own self-importance and the media gee'd them up and what is a two-day storm turned into a week-long extravaganza. An orgy of verbal diarrhoea, amping and amping and amping. And, as the data shows, doing untold damage to regions that didn't really need it, as well as a storm. The forlorn hope? That this data sobers a few people up and maybe, just maybe, next time a few grown-ups drive the narrative. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Petra digs into what it looks like to actively care for the world we live in. First up, producer Sam heads to the mighty Waikato to talk to organic farmers Pauline and Sam Hunt. If you've ever wondered what it means to be an organic farmer or what it looks like to practice conservation on working land, this chat is for you. Later in the episode, Petra talks to Ed Walker, the Executive Director of A Rocha International. A Rocha is a faith-based conservation charity with a presence in over 20 countries around the world. Sacred Texts: Feminism, The Body and The Machine by Wendell Berry Prayer for Nature by Walter Rauschenbusch (used as the benediction) Music: Pīwari by Christoph El Truento Bees by Caribou Grazing in the Grass by Hugh Masakela Let the Waves Know by Christoph El Truento and Lucky Lance Sun Rays Like Stilts by Tommy Guerero Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) by Marvin Gaye East Cape by Headland Cinquante Six by Ali Farka Touré

Gianina Schwanecke heads for the hills of Waikato to learn more about the art of deer stalking during the roar.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to:Allen and Sophie JunoTune in next week to learn more about the Pureora Hunting Competition.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Anisha sits down with a country musician, Gianina joins a Waikato farmer on a deer hunt, and Sally visits the Carb Club, a shared food-growing initiative. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:42 - Conditions Wrap9:19 - Country music chats15:53 - We hunt at dawn29:35 - The Carb ClubWith thanks to:Molly HarrisonAllen JunoSheldon Levet, Justin Connor, Katie Rosati, Jane Riddiford and Mika ZollnerMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Jonathan talks about the success of the Homegrown music festival and how it's sealed its future in Hamilton.

Eating disorders are estimated to affect somewhere between 100 and 200,000 New Zealanders. And it's an issue that seems to be getting worse rather than better. So a boost in funding from the Government is very welcome news to places like the Waikato Region Eating Disorders team. To discuss, Jesse is joined by Waikato's regional mental health and addictions lead Vicki Aitken.

Part of a colossal fossil collection gathered over Paeroa man Rex Williams' life time is now on display at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery. Williams collected thousands and thousands of preserved remains, including fossils from the jurassic age, as a hobby. Gallery curator Jon Primmer spoke to Lisa Owen.

If you shopped at a Waikato Bunnings store today, you probably had your face scanned. The hardware giant switched on its new technology at its Hamilton South and Te Rapa stores this week. The AI technology is targeting repeat shoplifters and offenders and is is due to be implemented at all Bunnings stores around New Zealand in a phased rollout. Bunnings New Zealand general manager Melissa Haines spoke to Lisa Owen.

Maurice Yearbury is the president of the Waikato Centre Sheep Dog Trial Association and says they are struggling to bring in younger members. 

Today we unpack the term “safey”, which pervades education debates world wide. My guest is Marta Estellés. Marta Estellés is a senior lecturer in the school of education at the University of Waikato. Her new, open access book is entitled The Safetyfication of Education: Neoliberalism, Psychopolitics and the End of Critical Education. freshedpodcast.com/estelles/ -- Get in touch! LinkedIn: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com

In less than a year, NZ-based virtual fencing company Halter raised $165 million and then $220 million more, reaching a $2 billion valuation at a time when global agtech funding is down more than 70% from its peak. By any measure, that's a remarkable achievement. But what does it actually mean? In this episode, Halter founder and CEO Craig Piggott speaks with our producer and dairy owner Kirsten Diprose about building the company from the ground up, from training cows on his parents' farm in the Waikato to shipping a million solar-powered collars across three countries. Craig and Kirsten discuss: What virtual fencing is and why pasture-based farmers are adopting it The technical and behavioural challenges of building reliable hardware for animals Halter's evolution from a tech-first experiment into a farmer-first platform What scaling from New Zealand into Australia and the US actually looks like The conversation was recorded at the Australian Dairy Conference just before Halter's Series E announcement. Host Sarah Nolet shares her own perspectives at the end, including the questions she wished she'd been able to ask Craig directly. Useful Links: Halter raises $220M in Series E less than a year after raising $165M Series D Kiwi AI farming start-up worth $2.9b as Peter Thiel invests Halter says it's not an agtech company on the heels of $220m Series E The Innovation Sweet Spot: Aligning Corporates, Startups and Investors, with Brad Fruth and Frank Wooten For more information and resources, visit our website.  The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe the information is correct, we provide no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness.