Podcasts about Waikato

A drinking water contamination scare has shut down several Waikato schools on what was supposed to be the first day back after the holidays. On Saturday the Rototuna Reservoir tested positive for ecoli, it supplies about 12,000 properties in North East Hamilton, Gordonton and Puketaha in Waikato District. About 30,000 residents have been told to boil tap water before using it for cooking, drinking, preparing baby formula or cleaning their teeth. Hamilton City Council's Three Waters unit director Maire Porter spoke to Lisa Owen.

Trout fishing season has just kicked off and for anglers in Waikato, there are warnings to watch out for the super-spreading invasive golden clam. 

Tokoroa residents say they are worried what will happen to their town after it was confirmed today 119 jobs will be lost at its plywood manufacturing plant. It is just the latest blow to the south Waikato town with its paper mill closing down in June taking 150 jobs with it. Carter holt harvey which run the plywood plant, met with workers this afternoon to discuss the future of the business. An E Tu Union delegate has confirmed to RNZ that they have decided to close in early November, with 119 workers to lose their jobs. A handful of workers will be kept on to process imported timber.

Yesterday, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced changes to the earthquake-prone building regulations that will remove nearly 3000 buildings from the classification register.   Previously, buildings would have to meet a 34%NBS (new building standard) threshold to predict likelihoods of withstanding seismic action. The new system instead prioritises identifying structures that pose a higher risk to human life. Alterations seek to measure risk in a manner that balances safety with more affordable and realistic remediation action for existing properties.   Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Dr. Megan Boston, Senior Lecturer for Civil Engineering, at the University of Waikato about what the new quake-prone building regulations mean for Aotearoa's community safety and heritage.

Yesterday, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced changes to the earthquake-prone building regulations that will remove nearly 3000 buildings from the classification register.   Previously, buildings would have to meet a 34%NBS (new building standard) threshold to predict likelihoods of withstanding seismic action. The new system instead prioritises identifying structures that pose a higher risk to human life. Alterations seek to measure risk in a manner that balances safety with more affordable and realistic remediation action for existing properties.   Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Dr. Megan Boston, Senior Lecturer for Civil Engineering, at the University of Waikato about what the new quake-prone building regulations mean for Aotearoa's community safety and heritage.

Residents of a small Waikato town are sounding the alarm over the fact there are more places to buy vapes than doctors. Retired teacher Ripeka Price spoke to Corin Dann.

Every month on Nights, University of Waikato philosophy lecturer Dan Weijers unpacks some of life's big issues - whether it's love, death, happiness, or whether it's morally right to keep a pet goldfish.

Libby reports on Waikato's regional scorecard, the fate of Tokoroa's polytech and proposals to close Tokoroa's plywood factory. Libby McLeod is RNZ's Waikato reporter

A Waikato food rescue group is harvesting hundreds of kilos of backyard bounty fruit that would other wise go to waste. Go Eco Food has been going for more than a decade but recently appealed to people with more home grown produce than they can use to donate it for re-distribution. Its chief executive Jo Wrigley spoke to Lisa Owen.

The government's overhauling the way annual leave and sick pay entitlements work. Owner operator of two Waikato cafes, Lisa Quarrie spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The clock is ticking for New Zealand to join a throng of other countries recognising the state of Palestine. Britain, Canada, and Australia have all formally recognised it, with the likes of Portugal, France and several others to follow at the United Nations General Assembly this week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned their moves, saying a Palestinian state would be a "huge reward to terrorism" and "will not happen". So, what’s holding up our government? And how might the war in Gaza unfold? Today on The Front Page, University of Waikato international law professor Alexander Gillespie is with us to explain what recognition means and how it’s not as black and white as we might think. 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.

The country is on the edge of a recession, according to Labour. New figures reveal a sharp contraction in Gross domestic product, the broad measure of economic growth. The economy shrunk, 0.9% in the three months to the end of June. South Waikato is suffering; Carter Holt Harvey is looking to close its Tokoroa plywood plant, affecting almost 120 jobs, about 150 job losses in the region earlier in the year. South Waikato Mayor Gary Petley spoke to Lisa Owen. 

Hamilton's first domestic jet service in 25 years will connect thousands of people to Christchurch every year. Air New Zealand's Airbus A320 service will operate alongside two smaller planes, to be deployed to other parts of the regional network. From today the 171-seat domestic jet will leave Christchurch at 3pm five days a week and return from Hamilton just after 5pm. Waikato Chamber of Commerce CEO Don Good told Mike Hosking Air NZ wouldn't have put a plane on that route if there wasn't demand. He says they've seen the opportunity and believe that it will grow. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concern South Waikato's Tokoroa is facing another factory closure, with more than 100 jobs on the chopping block. Carter Holt Harvey is looking at closing its plywood manufacturing plant, the company has told staff. South Waikato mayor Gary Petley says he doesn't know all the details, but it's another blow for the region. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concern South Waikato's Tokoroa is facing another factory closure, with more than 100 jobs on the chopping block. Carter Holt Harvey is looking at closing its plywood manufacturing plant, the company has told staff. South Waikato mayor Gary Petley says he doesn't know all the details, but it's another blow for the region. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin speaks with us about potential biosignatures on Mars, iridescent mammals & plastic waste for carbon capture.  For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire Host Sara spoke to MP Carl Bates about Saturday's March for Humanity, AI and other new subjects in schools, and MP property declarations For Green Desk, Sara spoke with Dr Amanda Turnbull from the University of Waikato, and IT service Layer3 Solutions Director Daniel Bohan about the environmental impact of AI Jasmine spoke with Professor Toni Bruce about the lack of coverage of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, and what this means for Women's sport in Aotearoa

This week on Green Desk, Wire Host Sara takes a deep-dive into the environmental issues surrounding the proliferation of AI technology, particularly in New Zealand. In the context of Luxon's recent announcement about a $7.5 billion investment by Amazon Web Services into data centres in New Zealand, alongside the rapid adoption of generative AI in sectors across the country, academics have raised concerns about the environmental impact of the growth of this industry. Last year, University of Waikato's Dr Amanda Turnbull co-published an article about how New Zealand is outsourcing the “risks and costs” of AI and data centres, highlighting the water and resource consumption of global reliance on data centres and AI.  Sara spoke with Dr Amanda Turnbull about her concerns relating to AI's environmental impact and how the New Zealand government should be responding to the ever-expanding industry. Following the interview with Turnbull, Sara was interested in exploring how businesses are confronting the issue of AI, especially as it becomes more integral to work. Layer3's Solution Director Daniel Bohan published an article earlier this year scrutinising the confusing data surrounding the water footprint of AI. Sara spoke with Bohan more about how businesses and consumers should engage with AI and better understand the environmental impacts.  She start by asking about how he engaged with AI in his mahi

This week on Green Desk, Wire Host Sara takes a deep-dive into the environmental issues surrounding the proliferation of AI technology, particularly in New Zealand. In the context of Luxon's recent announcement about a $7.5 billion investment by Amazon Web Services into data centres in New Zealand, alongside the rapid adoption of generative AI in sectors across the country, academics have raised concerns about the environmental impact of the growth of this industry. Last year, University of Waikato's Dr Amanda Turnbull co-published an article about how New Zealand is outsourcing the “risks and costs” of AI and data centres, highlighting the water and resource consumption of global reliance on data centres and AI.  Sara spoke with Dr Amanda Turnbull about her concerns relating to AI's environmental impact and how the New Zealand government should be responding to the ever-expanding industry. Following the interview with Turnbull, Sara was interested in exploring how businesses are confronting the issue of AI, especially as it becomes more integral to work. Layer3's Solution Director Daniel Bohan published an article earlier this year scrutinising the confusing data surrounding the water footprint of AI. Sara spoke with Bohan more about how businesses and consumers should engage with AI and better understand the environmental impacts.  She start by asking about how he engaged with AI in his mahi

Send us a textThis chat is about a remarkable Kiwi story of grit, brains, and a touch of madness.  We welcome back Brian Gray – a Kiwi Master Swimmer with a heart as big as the Waikato River itself. Brian recently swam an astonishing 150 km's down that very river, the one he grew up beside, in honour of his dad.It took him 24 hours straight – no sleep, battling the tide, and pushing through every obstacle nature and his own body could throw at him. From the sheer physical toll to the mental chess of staying focused, and yes, even the not-so-glamorous reality of figuring out how to go number two while still swimming – Brian holds nothing back.This is a story of endurance, memory, and love for family, told through one of the wildest swims you'll ever hear about. So, grab your goggles and settle in....Brian on Instagram: @bmeister_gray

Dr Stacy Sims is an environmental exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist at the University of Waikato in NZ.She's an incredible athlete in her own right too, having competed at the Hawaii Ironman in Kona as well as the Xterra (Off-Road Triathlon) World Championships in Maui.And she's the author of an important book called Roar. It is a profound book that will challenge everything you thought you knew about training, nutrition, racing and recovery.At the core of Stacy's work is the concept that women are not small men.It seems obvious, I know!However the majority of sports science research - and a result, the majority of what we understand about the best way to train, eat, drink, race and recover - has been done on men.Even the common training program structure of 3 weeks of training followed by 1 week of recovery is - you guessed it! - based on research done on men, without any regard for the hormonal changes experienced by women each and every month.Yet given that every system in our body changes across the month (not just our hormones), it's hard and frustrating to believe this “shrink it and pink it” approach has also been applied to sports science.But unfortunately, it has! We've been taught to train, eat, drink, race and recover the same way as men!

10,000 jobs have disappeared in just three months, according to Stats NZ. There are now 50,000 fewer jobs than in December 2023. Auckland lost nearly 5000 jobs, Wellington over 1300, Hawke's Bay over 800, and in Waikato close to 700. Provincial areas have also been hit despite the farming sector being a bright spot in the economy. Economist and Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

Waikato District council is considering closing access to the notorious Papanui point in a bid to prevent drownings there. Ross McNaughton reports.

Ministers from both sides of the divide are praising the Police for their handling of the Tom Phillips situation. The four-year manhunt for Phillips ended early on Monday, when he was shot and killed by Police after he shot at an officer in rural Waikato. The children were safely recovered and are in the care of Oranga Tamariki. Former Police Minister Ginny Andersen says authorities have been doing their best, during the four-year search for Phillips. She told Mike Hosking the area is very remote and a difficult part of the country to navigate, so she thinks the police did everything they could. Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Hosking the police have been outstanding, and the huge relief is having the children in a safe situation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country is being urged to give Tom Phillips' children time and space to begin their long road to recovery. The children are now at an undisclosed location after their father died during an altercation with Police near Marokopa in western Waikato. Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad told Mike Hosking the children's needs must come first. She says over time, more can be understood about what's happened, but right now the privacy of the children is the most crucial thing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert has outlined the next steps for Tom Phillips' children to recover after four years of isolation. The manhunt for Phillips and the children came to an end yesterday, when police shot and killed him in rural Waikato. One of his children was found with him, and the other two were located at a campsite in dense bush. Child psychologist Sara Chatwin says for the children to feel secure, they need consistent care and unconditional love. "Pretty much none of which these kids have had for a long time. And I'm not just talking four years, but prior to that, there was obviously some dispute." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The four-year long manhunt for Phillips and his three children ended early yesterday morning - when police shot and killed him in rural Waikato. One of his children was found with him, and the other two were located at a campsite in dense bush. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper said Police Commissioner Richard Chambers weighed in on the case during a 'sombre' press conference. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oranga Tamariki says circumstances are unprecedented, as they care for fugitive Tom Phillips' three children. The four-year manhunt for the Marokopa father ended in the early hours of yesterday, when he was shot dead by police in Waikato. Children's Minister Karen Chhour says Tom Phillips' children are Oranga Tamariki's main focus - as they remain in the agency's care. "As an organisation, Oranga Tamariki has been working on a plan since the day they disappeared. That plan may have to change, depending on the circumstances of the young people." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell will visit the officer critically injured in the Waikato shootout with Tom Phillips. Mitchell spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell says officers faced a difficult and complex situation bringing an end to Tom Phillips's time on the run. He was shot dead by Police in the early hours of yesterday on a rural Waikato road following a burglary. An injured officer, who was shot multiple times, remains in Waikato Hospital and is facing a number of surgeries. One of his three children was with Phillips, the remaining two were found yesterday afternoon at a campsite around two kilometres from where Phillips died. Mitchell told Mike Hosking it's almost the worst-case scenario for Police. He says that although it was an absolute tragedy, safely recovering the three children is a good thing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Commissioner says they're very relieved to have safely recovered the children of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips after nearly four years. He was shot dead by Police in the early hours of yesterday on a rural Waikato road following a burglary. One child was with him, the two others were found in the afternoon at a remote campsite. Richard Chambers told Mike Hosking it took them a while to recover the children, but they'd been told there were firearms at the campsite. He says the way the situation played out was not something they wanted, but they suspected it could end that way. Chambers says the injured officer who was shot multiple times remains in Waikato Hospital. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The race is on to track down the two missing children of Marokopa man Tom Phillips before the end of the day. Phillips was shot dead earlier today by police, following a burglary in Waikato's Piopio. Former police negotiator Lance Burdett says the fact they're children will make the hunt so much tougher for police. "They'll be panicking, probably, and it's unpredictable. They won't stick to tracks and trails...so they could be all over the place." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The children of fugitive Tom Phillips are still missing. The Marokopa father was shot dead by police in the early hours of this morning, following a burglary in Waikato's Piopio. Police Minister Mark Mitchell says he's confident the police will find and recover the children. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A number of police resources have been deployed to try and find Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips' two missing children before it gets dark - after he was shot dead by an officer in the Waikato this morning. A quad bike being ridden by him and one of his children was stopped by police spikes after a burglary in Piopio. An approaching officer was then shot multiple times, including in the head, and is receiving surgery on his eye. A second officer arrived at the scene and shot the gunman dead. Newstalk ZB reporter Jordan Dunn says the authorities will be conducting this search 'meticulously' and 'strategically', as there's a good chance the missing children aren't alone. "They do say that there's a good chance they're alone, but the key there is that they're not making assumptions. They're going out there as if there is the possibility that they are being aided." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crime correspondent Sam Sherwood on the latest from the police incident in Waikato. 

A Police officer has been shot and an offender has been killed in a serious incident in Western Waikato on Monday morning. Crime Correspondent Sam Sherwood spoke to Corin Dann.

The home of Te Kiingitanga is Tuurangawaewae in Ngaaruawaahia and for many generations Waikato whānau have devoted their entire lives to serving their monarch.

On today's episode of The Agenda, James Lauderdale McOnie III joins Finn Caddie to discuss sights and sounds at the Auckland FC kit reveal (00:00)...WATCH THE FULL EPISODE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE!Then the fellas break some news about how many All Blacks will be in the Waikato starting XV for the Shield challenge this Sunday (05:00)! Plus, is it time for Finn to give up on Man United (14:50), the Super Rugby Playoff rules are changing, but not how everyone wants (22:35,) and are the Wahs locked in for the Top 4 (26:15)?Finally, they get to your feedback in 'Yours Please' (34:40)...Did you know that we've launched a new Facebook Group called 'The Caravan' JOIN HERE!Brought to you by Export Ultra! Follow The ACC on Instagram or Facebook or TikTok Subscribe to The Agenda Podcast now on iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! iHeartRadio Apple Spotify YouTube THANKS MATE! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kicking off the second half: South Australia is about to be the first aussie state to ban soy sauce fish containers. The Panel talks to Dr Nina Wootton a marine scientist specialising in microplastics at the University of Adelaide: she's pretty happy about the whole thing. And then: the story of Pleakly the tūī. Pleakly lives at the Otorohanga Kiwi House in Waikato and has around 15 favourite phrases including "hey buddy" and "good boy". He's become a TikTok star and the panel talks to manager Mat Ronaldson about their famous feathered friend.

Police have just held a media briefing after a sighting in the Waikato town of Piopio of two people they believe are the fugitive father Tom Phillips and one of his three children.

Police believe they've captured CCTV footage of Marokopa father Tom Phillips and one of his children, during a burglary in rural Waikato. Reporter Finn Blackwell spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

This podcast description was blatantly written by AI... Join Clint, Meg, and Dan with Ash London for a jam-packed episode filled with laughter, heartfelt moments, and fascinating stories. In this episode, they discuss polyamorous relationships inspired by a Friends episode, relive Dan's attempt to become a butt double with guest Jack Black, and introduce a stunning new song for Waikato as part of their postcode playlist series. The show takes a touching turn as they call listener Michelle, who is battling terminal cancer, with a surprise gift of a luxury spa day and lunch outing. You'll also hear insights from convicted ex-prisoner Dr. Paul Wood and a deep dive into the surprising world of AI chatbots. Don't miss out on this rollercoaster of emotions and fun! 00:00 Introduction and Welcome02:20 Throwback Song and Mika Discussion05:18 Pool Prank Story07:03 Bewitched Song and Daughter's Compliment08:37 Death and Remarriage Conversation11:33 First Call of the Day and 3D Printing16:35 Scandal and Benson Boone's Singing29:37 Shooting Your Shot and Engagement Stories46:13 The Proposal's Grand Finale47:51 Ed Sheeran's Artistic Side49:35 K-Pop Demon Hunters' Oscar Buzz51:24 Dr. Paul Wood's Inspiring Journey01:01:48 The Waikato Postcode Playlist01:10:45 Michelle's Heartwarming Surprise01:16:40 Friends Episode and Relationship Deal Breakers

Welcome back to The Pick and Go Podcast.The Rugby Championship Has been blown wide open with Argentina humbling New Zealand with a shock win, while South Africa take Austraila back to reality making it one win and one loss each. NPC is showing the Blues region is in a very tough spot, North Harbour, counties and Auckland still searching for there first win of the season, Waikato take home the Ranfurly Shield in a thriller.The Rugby Championship takes a week break the lads preview round five will Auckland get their first win. 

Dr Anna Marie Brennan is a senior lecturer in law at the University of Waikato, where she specialises in outer space law and she speaks to Mark Leishman.

The age limits on New Zealand working holiday visas are "antiquated" according to a 77 year old year Waikato woman, who has regularly traveled overseas on working holidays. At the moment working holiday visa's are an option for people up to age 35. But the number of those visas issued has been steadily declining, prompting calls for change. Journalist Venetia Sherson has been travelling to italy to work on organic farms for decades, and spoke to Lisa Owen.

Corrections is playing down an incident Spring Hill Corrections Facility in which 11 rioting prisoners lit fires and pushed the Waikato prison into lockdown over the weekend.

A nine year old has become Waikato's youngest indoor bowls champ, as part of a trio. Pixie Blake's team mates are a few decades older than she is. The trio took out the title at the Champion of Champions tournament in Hamilton at the weekend. Pixie Blake spoke to Lisa Owen.

A damning new Otago University report exposes deep flaws in New Zealand's heart healthcare system, including a lack of staffing that means the country only has a third of the cardiologists it should. Waikato cardiologist and Chair of the Cardiac Society Professor Martin Stiles spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

It's a tough time for environmental groups in Waikato, with hundreds of thousands of dollars from government, council and private funding drying up over past few years. Libby Kirkby-McLeod has more.

Oli Mathis is one of the most talented young players in the country. The Hamilton Boys star produced some of the most iconic NZ Schools performances we've ever seen. Whether he's been playing loose forward or on the wing, the 20-year-old has been unstoppable playing for Waikato, the All Blacks 7's side & the NZ U20s. In this episode, we chat about:What it was like growing up in Waihi on the farmWhy he moved to Hamilton Boys and his time in the First XVWe talk about those incredible NZ Schools performances and what he felt set him apart as a schoolboyWhy he turned down the Crusaders Academy to stay in the Chiefs regionHis experiences with Waikato, Chiefs wider squad, All Blacks 7s and NZ U20sThe frustration of missing the U20 World Cup Final through injuryLife as a hybrid forward/wing and where he sees his best positionWhere he see's his future in the game And heaps moreAs you'll hear Oli is a passionate rugby man, he always has been! And then when he's not on the field, he is up on the hills hunting in true kiwi style. This is an awesome insight into someone with a huge future ahead of him, a special talent and one of the great lads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An agreement between Taupo councillors and local iwi Ngāti Tūwharetoa has caused controversy after one of the councillors called in lobby group Hobson Pledge to raise concerns with a wider audience. Maori News Journalist Pokere Paewai spoke to Corin Dann.