First Light with Rachel Smalley: Recent Episodes
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Everything you need to know before you head off into the world, First Light is all about news, analysis and commentary that will give you an edge at the start of your day.
Leading journalist Rachel Smalley talks to newsmakers and business leaders from around the globe, reflecting the latest news from overnight 5am-6:30am each weekday.
Opinion: I was fossicking around in the written Parliamentary questions this week, and I came across a question written by National MP Erica Stanford, to Dr Ayesha Verrall, the Health Minister.
Here’s the question:
4635 (2023). Erica Stanford to the Minister of Health (08 Mar 2023): "Did Pharmac contact MediaWorks in December stating that they would not speak to any MediaWorks journalists indefinitely, and if so, why was this decision made by Pharmac, and does this meet the Ministers expectations?"
Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall (Minister of Health) replied: I am advised that Pharmac paused media interviews with MediaWorks while Pharmac was in debate with MediaWorks over the accuracy of its reporting on a topic.
No, Minister. That is not what happened. Pharmac has misled you. That is not correct.
Here is what happened.
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Opinion: It's been a remarkable few days in politics.
And this morning you're waking up to the news that Stuart Nash, one of Labour's better-performing Ministers has been stripped of all portfolios.
Here is what Chris Hipkins had to say about the behaviour of Stuart Nash.
"I expect ministers to uphold the highest ethical standards and his actions raise a perception of influence that cannot be allowed to stand."
Central to Cabinet is confidence -- what is discussed in there, essentially stays in there. And Nash emailed details of private Cabinet discussions to external people - some of whom had donated to his campaign.
"While Stuart was on a final warning I want to be clear that this incident alone would have resulted in his dismissal in its own right."
Hipkins, quite rightly, has pulled the pin and in the next month, it's feasible that Nash could leave politics altogether.
And that's a great shame. Stuart Nash is in politics for the right reasons. He's easy to talk to. He's easy to engage with. He knows his portfolios. And he's great at rolling up his sleeves and getting on with the job.
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Opinion: The role the media and politicians play in social cohesion has always been important, but perhaps never more so than right now.
Words matter. They really do.
What fuelled my frustration at the weekend amid the trans-rally, and one of the reasons I have elevated this issue in my programme, is because I watched the Greens engage with us through social and mainstream media, and their collective method of communication can only be described as one of social antagonism.
These are politicians - and they were reckless with social cohesion. They labelled people trans-exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs). They labelled people Nazis. They said white men were the source of all violence. They called on people to rise up and later applauded the intimidation tactics used in what should have been a peaceful protest.
There is no other term for it. It was socially reckless.
Neither Chris Hipkins nor Christopher Luxon operates in this way. Both are de-escalators. Both have the life skills and experience to read the room and understand the role they play in taking the public with them, and supporting social cohesion.
If the Greens possess any of those skills, they have not shown them.
How we communicate and educate ourselves, how we access information and form an opinion can rely, in part, on the way politicians speak with us, and how the media shapes and curates what they say and the news agenda.
Yesterday, I heard an interview with Sir Peter Gluckman, a former Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister. A highly respected man and someone who, in this interview on Newshub, so beautifully articulated what I haven't been able to over the last few days.
It's probably the most important five minutes of audio you can listen to about how we have found ourselves where we are today as a society - polarised, angry, divided and intolerant.
Below is a transcript of Sir Peter Gluckman on TV Three's AM explaining how we got here, and who needs to lead us back towards social tolerance.
"It's deep across all the Western democracies, across all the democracies that we're seeing polarised societies, not coping well with rapid change and change is very, very rapid," said Sir Peter.
"We've seen the weaponization of narrative, particularly through social media. And these things polarise people, and make people scared, which in turn reinforces the ability for people to be more polarised.
"We're also dealing with the fact that politics, as we've just been talking about in relation to disasters, has become short-term and superficial and focussed on identity rather than on ideology or ideas. And we would rather, I think as a society, have a contestation of ideas than a contestation of personality. But we can't have a contestation of ideas if we no longer allow for people who don't necessarily agree with each other to have constructive dialogue and find a way through what are difficult matters.
"And we see epithets like racist and other ‘ists’ being thrown around in ways that are not appropriate. And there are racists, but many people who are accused of being racist just happen to have a different idea to other people and to the people who are throwing the accusations at them. We need to get better. We need to find ways to have constructive, non-emotive or less emotive conversations on matters where society needs to come together and have a consensus.
AM co-host Ryan Bridge asked Sir Peter how such a vision could realistically be accomplished.
"How do we do that?" Asked Bridge.
"When you have things like Twitter which restrict the number of characters you can use and maybe forces people to become more extreme in their views?"
Sir Peter responded to say society needs to turn away from extremist ideals on both the left and right.
"That's precisely the problem," said Sir Peter.
"That's why organisations like yours need to encourage sensible discourse and not give hype and exaggeration to people at the extremes. We need to see our politics return and our discourse return to the centre. Otherwise, we will fragment and we'll look like other countries that we do not want to emulate in that regard, who have large protests on the street or where politics can quite cheekily say black is white and one and one equals three.
AM co-host Melissa Chan-Green asked Sir peter his thoughts on how the Posie parker protest was handled on all fronts.
"When you talk about commentary on the extremes, and I'm thinking particularly about what we've seen at the weekend with Posy Parker and the strength of feeling on both sides there, how do you think that was handled or how could it have been handled better so where it didn't come to the scenes that we saw at the weekend?," asked Chan-Green.
Sir Peter responded to say we need to understand each other's needs on a deeper level.
"People are scared by rapid change," said Sir Peter.
"Quite clearly, human rights are critical and we need to explain, and the whole of society needs to understand that every human has rights that need to be respected, and that includes the rights to express one's own identity and gender. It also expresses the rights to be concerned about the roles of people in society.
"And that needs to be a discussion whereby people understand that people who are transgender or who have issues with their gender identity need to be able to work that through and find their place in society as fully integrated members of society. That's a discussion about rights. We don't do that in that schools. Most people do not know what the Universal Declaration of Human Rights means.
"We don't hold our politicians to account to talk about these issues. We don't encourage discussion on issues of rights. And so when we don't do that, we fall into the trap of extreme contestation... Liberal democracy has two components. One component is trust between citizens and the institutions that govern them, and accountability around that through elections, a strong opposition and a strong proper fourth estate.
"But the other dimension is social trust, which means that people of different opinions find ways to have discourse and agreement, or find ways to accept that fair decisions have been made, which take into account the interests of the minority as well as that of the majority."
That was Sir Peter Gluckman, on the importance of listening, on creating space for each other, and for politicians and the media to understand the crucial role they play in supporting and enabling social cohesion.
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Remember this date – Saturday, 25th of March. It’s the day the Greens stepped up and publicly applauded the intimidation and silencing of women.
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Opinion: It’s a lonely old place in the media right now.
I believe in the freedom of speech and the need to have an open debate and consider everybody’s rights, and encourage good, strong, discourse.
I have also spent the best part of my life working in communication. Long enough to recognise that the route of all evil is when people feel they are not heard, or they are denied a voice.
If no one will listen to you, it fuels frustration and fear. If you’re talked at or drowned out, the effect is much the same. You become disenfranchised and disengaged.
I am pro-trans rights but I am also pro-women’s rights. I believe one shouldn’t come at the expense of the other, but I can’t say that easily. If I do, the abuse rolls in and I’m called a bigot and a transphobic and a Nazi. But I do believe Posey Parker should have been given space to speak because I don't think society should ever silence people it disagrees with.
Today and for much of this week, the Posie Parker protest and the fallout from it should be leading every media channel. The nature of that protest. The silencing of women. Intimidation tactics. Abuse. Who victimised who? And both sides of this debate should be given an equal voice and be challenged thoroughly too.
Last week, we saw some remarkable bias in mainstream media reporting. And when people like Kim Hill - the doyen of interviewing - spoke robustly to both sides of the debate, pro-Trans supporters immediately reported her to the Broadcasting Standards Authority for giving a voice to Posey Parker.
I don't think we will see balanced reporting again this week. The mainstream media is, by default, quite young – too young to really understand how hard-fought women’s rights have been. They have been born and raised in a world that many of us fought hard to change in the years that have gone by. They've benefited from those changes, but they haven't understood the struggle.
I first worked in a sports newsroom back in the 1990s. I was young and inexperienced. I was told by the ageing sub-editor, and you’ll have to forgive the language, but he told me there were only two reasons I wanted to work as a sports journalist – one, because I either wished I’d been born with a cock or two, because I wanted to be around them all day. I remember quietly disappearing into the loos to cry that day, but I never raised it with my boss. It was par for the course.
I was also one of the more senior sports journalists when the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games rolled around. Four journalists were sent. I was the second or third most senior sports journalist. And the boss called me into the office and said I couldn’t go to Manchester. The four boys they were sending could share two rooms and it would be more expensive to send me. Besides, the editor would later joke, what would I do when they went to the lap-dancing clubs at night?
No female sports journalists will endure that today. Women have a voice. And unlike me, back in the 1990s, they know how to use it. It's a different world. Thankfully.
But that's also why events like what unfolded at the weekend really upset me. I feel like society is going backwards. Men yelling at women. Men intimidating women. But worst of all, women yelling abuse at other women – or sanctioning intimidating behaviour against them.
It is my hope that across the mainstream media, you will find some very strong and brave analyses today that position this story right down the middle. It is my hope that you get journalists calling this intimidating behaviour out, and reiterating that to enable the rights of the trans community, you also need to enable the voices of women because we are all different and we all have stories, and backstories, and some of us will be impacted by the elevation of the trans community, and we have a right to speak up about our concerns if women are losing our rights to feel safe and occupy women-only spaces.
I don’t know whether you will read, see and hear that today but in a well-functioning democracy, it’s what you should see from our media.
I feel a very lonely voice at the moment in the mainstream media.
New Zealand feels like it’s digressed decades in enabling women, and after what I witnessed at the weekend, and the crushing of women, I feel like I’m back in a sports newsroom in the 1990s.
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After spotting a round, bright white dot on her breast, Jo has to wait over three working weeks for her mammogram results, despite a family history of breast cancer.
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Every day, New Zealanders die too soon or suffer needlessly because of Pharmac’s failures and refusal to change or engage.
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"China can be expected to be selling its peace plan and pointing out the benefits of stopping the war to Putin, I think that is probably Xi's goal this week," Geoffrey Miller said.
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Well done to the founders Larry Ellison and Sir Russell Coutts. Sail GP is Sail Grand Prix and it is fast and furious and so accessible to the public.
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Despite ongoing negotiations between the Government and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI), the planned teacher strikes on Thursday will go ahead as union members and the government failed to reach an agreement.
Thousands of teachers across the country are expected to participate in the protests, demanding better pay, support, and working conditions, The first rallies begin at 8 am and will run right across the day.
The strikes are expected to cause widespread disruptions to schools and parents, as many will have to make alternative arrangements for their children.
Pauline Trathen, a teacher at Templeton School in Canterbury and council chair of NZEI Waitaha Canterbury, spoke to Rachel Smalley on Thursday morning to explain what teachers want the Ministry of Education to agree to.
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Opinion: For a whole bunch of reasons, I’m sorry to see Stuart Nash gone from the police portfolio.
He’s the fifth police minister in less than six years. That’s madness. Six ministers in six years fails all of us. If you’re the Police Commissioner, you must be rolling your eyes at the prospect of meeting a sixth Police Minister and talking through your issues, challenges and priorities.
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In a recent move by the Government, the alcohol harm reform bill was shelved this week, much to the dismay of communities across the country.
Despite being an important piece of legislation that aimed to give people a say in some of the licensing decisions regarding the sale of cheap alcohol and alcohol sponsorship, the bill has been delayed for a year, with little explanation as to why.
Of all the policies that were ditched by the Government this week, scraping the alcohol harm reform bill, as a money-saving tactic, made the least sense to many.
Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick has been a prominent advocate for alcohol harm reform and has been devoted to this cause for a significant period of time.
Smalley spoke to Swarbrick to get her response on the alcohol harm reform bill being put on the back burner.
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In a recent move by the Government, the alcohol harm reform bill was shelved this week, much to the dismay of communities across the country.
Despite being an important piece of legislation that aimed to give people a say in some of the licensing decisions regarding the sale of cheap alcohol and alcohol sponsorship, the bill has been delayed for a year, with little explanation as to why.
Of all the policies that were ditched by the Government this week, scraping the alcohol harm reform bill, as a money-saving tactic, made the least sense to many.
Rebecca Williams, the Executive Director of Alcohol Healthwatch, spoke to Rachel Smalley on Wednesday to express her disappointment at the decision.
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Opinion: The 'Make It 16' campaign has been canned.
This was to lower the voting age to 16 and Labour was circling it for a while, and now they've shelved it. Instead, they will consider applying it to Local Government elections instead.
Some of you, from the lofty heights of the middle classes, will say "well, it's just as well because those 16-year-olds don't have the lived experience that we have, and it would be unwise to let them have a say in the future direction of the country."
I have a different take on this as the mother of a soon-to-be 14-year-old.
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As China continues to flex its global power, leaders from around the world have been engaged in discussions on how to address the perceived threat posed by the country.
One particular area of concern is Beijing's growing naval capabilities, which prompted some countries to pursue a nuclear submarine pact.
The leaders of the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom are set to meet to finalise the details of this pact, which was first announced in 2021.
While some view the pact as a necessary step to counter China's growing influence, others fear that it could escalate tensions and lead to a dangerous arms race.
Geoffrey Miller, a geopolitical analyst from the Democracy Project, spoke to Rachel Smalley on First Light to explain what is known about the deal.
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Opinion: Health is increasingly shaping up as an issue where this election could be won and lost.
Every day, there’s another headline.
Every day, you wonder how those who are working in our health system are holding it together.
I salute them all because everything is being thrown at our health workers at the moment.
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The National Party Public Service Spokesperson Simeon Brown told Rachel Smalley if they win the next election, Steve Maharey will not retain his role as chair of Pharmac.
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"Pharmac underperforms. It shows contempt for patients and advocates. It won't speak to the media. And it's failing us all," writes Rachel Smalley.
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Opinion: I am in Wellington at the moment.
I flew here to get in front of the Prime Minister because Pharmac refuses to engage or be held accountable on significant issues - those issues include leadership failings that were highlighted in the Pharmac review and Phamac's dismissive approach to patients.
I knew the Prime Minister would be aware of the issues we've had for the last few months, and he would be frustrated by Pharmac's refusal to engage with the media. And that's why I wanted to speak to Chris Hipkins. If you want to enforce transparency and accountability, you go to the Prime Minister. You elevate it to the ninth floor of the Beehive.
If you have a government entity that acts like a law unto itself, and you are 100 percent confident that it’s out of line, then the PM’s office is where you go...
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"We have to be careful that we don't just have protectionism coming under the guise of national security," Geoffrey Miller told Rachel Smalley.
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Opinion: It is intriguing watching the two Chris’s at the moment.
Hipkins is pulling Labour more to the right. Luxon is taking some of the territory off the left.
And if you’re a swing voter, if you’re politically homeless and you’re not sure which way you’ll vote, it probably feels like you’re courtside at the tennis and you’re watching two equally-matched opponents slugging it out. Back and forth, back and forth.
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Opinion: I sense an inevitability that Rob Campbell will lose his position as the Chair of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). I don't think he should, but I think he will. He'll be walked.
The Government will want him gone fully from their ministries and entities. Yes, he broke the Code of Conduct for board members of Crown Entities, but his presence creates such a reputational risk in an election year, and Labour will not be prepared to take that risk.
And so he's out of Te Whata Ora…and I imagine he'll be fighting to remain at the EPA, but the Government will want him gone from there too.
It's a loss. It really is. Campbell is a greater leader and is particularly good in challenging environments.
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"The Health Minister sacked him (Campbell), but make no mistake – the directive came from the Prime Minister’s Office," writes Rachel Smalley.
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Opinion: It's intriguing how quickly politicians are rounding on Campbell… yet the failings of Pharmac's CEO have been far more impactful and the government says 'nothing to see here.'
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Opinion: You may be aware of an Official Information Act release from Pharmac, our drug-buying agency. It gives some insight into Pharmac as it readied itself to fund Trikafta to treat cystic fibrosis. This was in December.
Today FM broke that story, and the Pharmac CEO Sarah Fitt then blacklisted MediaWorks. She wrote to MediaWorks’ CEO Cam Wallace and said Pharmac would not speak to Today FM or any MediaWorks station until she could – quote – “trust us” again.
The OIA was focused on the ban but as is so often the case, it revealed far bigger issues at Pharmac, including a culture that continues to show zero compassion for patients.
Since the OIA was released last week, my colleagues Tova, Lloyd and myself have submitted no less than ten requests for interviews with Sarah Fitt, Pharmac’s Chair Steve Maharey, and Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. Ten requests. All have been declined.
So… given these three very senior public servants won’t speak to Today FM, I am going to ask the questions publicly.
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Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta is currently rubbing elbows with major Indo-Pacific leaders, but there's more to this diplomatic mission than meets the eye.
As the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine passes us by, all eyes are on China, with mounting pressure for the Asia superpower to choose a side.
While the Foreign Minister claims that the goal of her trip is to strengthen ties with Indo-Pacific nations, Geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller of the Democracy Project suspects that there's a hidden agenda at play.
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What absolutely wowed me last week was the 50th anniversary of Te Matatini - our national Kapa Haka Festival. Held every two years since 1972 - it absolutely shone from Eden Park last week.
42,000 tickets sold.
3,000 performers over 4 days.
More than 2 million global viewers online and via a live broadcast on TVNZ 1 and 2.
I thought this was a huge step forward for New Zealand to properly celebrate the art and music form that is Kapa Haka.
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"Pick up the phone, Pharmac. Call Cystic Fibrosis New Zealand and apologise for your failure to put patients first. That's what leadership looks like. That's what grace looks like."
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Lisa Burns told Smalley that Cystic Fibrosis NZ would have liked to be more involved in how and when the community received such a significant announcement.
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Document dump reveals brutality of Pharmac culture - CEO puts PR before patients.
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"Piles of dead animals, destroyed homes, no school and more than a thousand people still unaccounted for -- will be troubling for many of our children."
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"I don't think an end to the war is in any way imminent," Geoffrey Miller told Rachel Smalley.
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Telecommunications companies are working around the clock to restore services to communities along the East Coast, after Cyclone Gabrielle left a trail of destruction in its wake.
Many communities are currently cut off from the rest of the country, with limited access to essential services.
Information is crucial to those affected, but the infrastructure has been severely impacted.
People in Tairawhiti are being advised to use their cell phones for text messages and phone calls only, to help ease the load on the limited bandwidth available.
Despite the challenges, progress is being made in restoring services with a little bit of the Kiwi ‘number 8 wire’ mentality. Vodafone was able to set up a temporary small cell site on top of a scissor lift at Gisborne Airport.
Vodafone Chief Technology Officer Tony Baird spoke to Rachel Smalley about the progress made to reconnect the disconnected,
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Getting food and water to people is the major drive for many crisis teams right now.
Some areas, as you know, are cut off - areas like Wairoa - where there are only days of food and water left, and the roads in and out are destroyed.
Foodstuffs is using air, land, and sea transportation to get essentials to cut-off communities.
Two New Worlds remain closed, and 15 Four Squares also can't open.
North Island Foodstuffs CEO Chris Quin told Rachel Smalley on Thursday morning they have contracted military-grade transportation to fly the supplies in.
"We've got Unimogs, we've contracted a Black Hawk Helicopter that's lifting two and a half to three tonnes at a time," said Quin.
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Cyclone Gabrielle has brought damage to Northland and across the rest of the country.
The powerful storm has left a trail of devastation in its wake, with buildings damaged and communities displaced.
With Northland's health system already facing a major challenge, Dr Lance O'Sullivan expressed his worries to Rachel Smalley about the region's ability to meet the demand for medical care and the ability to support patients effectively following recent weather crises.
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Interview with Geoffrey Miller from the Democracy Project
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Interview with Alain Bailey from the Metservice
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Interview with Brad Olsen Principal Economist and incoming CEO at Infometrics
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Interview with Karin Kos, CEO of Apiculture NZ
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Interview with US correspondent Benji Hyer
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I emerged from that documentary feeling sorry for Pamela Anderson but also, suddenly, one of her biggest fans.
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Was Ardern's decision to stand down fully her own? Or did her tightest confidants - Robertson and Hipkins - see the writing on the wall?
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More than 11,0000 people have now died following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake.
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Chris Hipkins says more support is available “if necessary”. A quick look at the BBC and Hipkins would have realised that further support 'is' necessary.
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At least 5,100 people are dead with the toll expected to rise significantly.
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The magnitude 7.8 quake brought down whole apartment blocks in Turkish cities and piled more devastation on millions of Syrians displaced by years of war.
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Brown has learnt his lesson. To sack him now or force his resignation when Auckland is in the mess it is, would be foolish.
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As a UNDP intern, Producer Myles breaks down climate change, Paris Agreement transparency requirements, and the consequences of inaction
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MPI is backing a new Marlborough-based study to evaluate how hardwood forests could boost sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region’s wine industry.
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With Peter Little, Meteorologist at MetService
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With Nick Harper, Correspondent in Washington
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UK-based oil giant Shell has reported record-breaking profits for 2022, sparking outrage.
It made a US$40 billion profit last year - or more than NZ$60 billion.
The company's record earnings were more than double from a year earlier, and mirror those reported by US rivals earlier this week.
What's Shell putting these massive profits down to?
On Friday morning Rachel Smalley spoke to UK correspondent Giles Gibson to find out.
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Opinion: Remember when Jacinda Ardern launched her campaign in August 2017?
Ardern stood in front of us and took a leaf from the leadership of David Lange and said "climate change is our nuclear-free moment".
And many of us said, "yep, fair point".
Ardern promised transformation. She would focus on climate change, she told us. It was time.
And five years on, half a decade later, when the Gods are throwing everything at us….the cyclone on the East Coast, Nelson is suffering devastating floods, when houses are falling into the sea in Auckland, and we've seen record rainfall…the Government that Ardern was still leading until a week or so ago, has announced it will continue to subsidise fossil fuels.
I stand firmly with the Greens on this. If you want to support people with a cost of living crisis, you provide people on low and middle incomes with targeted assistance.
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With Ross Cullen, Correspondent in Paris
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In December, Grant Robertson said Labour wouldn't be extending the fuel subsidy, but on Wednesday afternoon that's exactly what the new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins did... cheaper petrol for all.
Around the globe, countries are experiencing challenging economic times as many battle a cost of living crisis.
Some commentators have said the Government didn't have a choice in extending the subsidies, but the co-leader of the Greens, James Shaw, said there are other ways to provide relief to kiwis.
Rachel Smalley spoke to Greenpeace spokesperson Christine Rose on Thursday morning and asked Rose what Greenpeace thought about the extension.
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Interview with Sally Brooker, Co-chair of the New Zealand Hydrogen Symposium
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With Laura Makin Isherwood, Correspondent in London
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Interview with Co-Founder of Wonky Box, Angus Simms
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With Alex Cadier, Correspondent in Brussels
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Opinion: The Ministry of Education says Auckland schools are free to open if they wish. They have reversed their earlier decision - a blanket, one-week closure.
This Government, and the ministries that operate under it, have become far too comfortable with telling people to remain at home, and put their lives on hold.
Telling us to keep our kids out of school for a week is not a solution to a political problem.
It shows a frightening lack of critical thinking – an attribute that every senior leader should possess.
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Interview with Simon Wilcox from the Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association
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With Laura Makin Isherwood, Correspondent in London
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Auckland’s Watercare is dealing to significant damage following Friday’s floods, with fears of waste leaking into the environment.
Speaking to Rachel Smalley, COO Mark Bourne said they are working to fix four of their 10 pump stations, which remain offline.
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Interview with John Tubberty, Kāinga Ora Deputy Chief Executive for Tamaki Makaurau
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With MetService's Tamara Gnjidic Vuksa
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With Giles Gibson, Correspondent in London
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With Trent Murray, Correspondent in Berlin
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Interview with Alan Cole, Auckland President of Federated Farmers
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Opinion: It’s back to the future in Auckland.
Children have to stay home. It’s another lockdown. Auckland’s children and youth have spent a disproportionate amount of their lives in lockdown. And now, on the eve of our children going back to school, just hours before they return, a bolter from the Ministry of Education.
They are staying home for another week because Auckland's National Emergency Management Agency says they'd like fewer cars on the road this week. They need a week to sort the roads.
And so the Ministry of Education has, in the final hour, issued a declaration that children must stay home until February 7th. All schools. All early child care. All tertiary providers.
Remember, this is Chris Hipkins' portfolio. And the Prime Minister and Minister of Education is suspiciously absent from being associated with this decision.
This is what this government specialises in - using an almighty sledgehammer to crack a nut, and to hell with the reverberations for our community. Why didn't they engage with Principals? Why not empower them to make the decisions based on their circumstances? They are best placed to make that call.
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With Toni Waterman, Correspondent in Texas
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With Isaac Lukando, Correspondent in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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With Geoffrey Miller, International Analyst at the Democracy Project
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Opinion: I don’t want to spend too much time on this programme this morning focusing on the initial response on Friday - Auckland got there in the end with the State of Emergency, and the city is still in the midst of a crisis, so we need to provide support and solutions, and to move forward.
And in moving forward, the Mayor’s office quickly needs to sort out its communication.
I don’t care about the politics of the situation. I'm not interested. But I do care about leadership and performance in a crisis. You must put people first and understand that communication is everything. It has to be strong, informed and frequent because when a disaster strikes, good communication is both life-saving and life-enabling.
The Auckland Mayor, Wayne Brown, doesn't get that. And if you saw or heard some of his communication over the weekend, you will know what I mean. He has made no secret of his contempt for the media in the past. He hasn't developed any relationships with any media organisation. He doesn't know how to communicate with journalists. And so he has no experience of what to do or say. And that showed.
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Concerns are mounting over Russian retaliation following a commitment from western allies to deliver heavy tanks to Ukraine.
Last week, the United States, Germany and Canada confirmed they would be upping their commitment to Kyiv and sending in tanks.
For more on this, Today FM world news editor Kate Gregan spoke to Liana Fix - a fellow for Europe at the council on foreign relations.
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With Nick Harper, Correspondent in Washington DC
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With Chris Jones, Correspondent in London
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In Central Otago, there is an aviation drone project underway - there is some clever thinking going on. But, again, no-one has taken the bull by the horns.
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With Giles Gibson, Correspondent in London
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With Trent Murray, Correspondent in Berlin
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Hipkins has promised to ‘run a ruler’ over Labour’s extensive policy agenda, Auckland's Mayor Wayne Brown been requested by media to front for an interview 108 times... he's appeared twice
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With Rebecca Bundhun, Correspondent in Mumbai
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Interview with Kelvin Davidson, Chief Property Economist with CoreLogic NZ
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"The pomp and ceremony is over for Hipkins now. He has to get on and deliver - something his Government has never really achieved in five years."
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"And so it starts today here in Gotham. Batman has to outperform Boy Wonder. Get the popcorn out, and get yourself in front of the big screen."
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"Ardern’s exit has left space for an apology and it is only because of her resignation that an apology is now possible. It wouldn't trigger a political implosion."
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The coronation itself will be held on May the 6th at Westminster Abbey in London.
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If Chris Hipkins takes away one learning from Ardern’s leadership, it is this. You don’t have to have all the answers. But you do need to listen to the people you govern.
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With Ross Cullen, Correspondent in Paris
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With Ira Spitzer, Correspondent in San Francisco
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With Giles Gibson, Correspondent in London
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Interview with Michele A’Court, Writer, Comedian, and Social Commentator
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Interview with Lewis Ferris, meteorologist at MetService
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Labour cannot retain power. The party cannot appoint a new Prime Minister on Sunday and expect the country to accept its decision.
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The Pharmac model works on a fixed budget and Lisa Williams said the decision to only fund Spinraza and Risdiplam for children was a matter of sticking to their budget.
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Interview with Janet Wilson, Political Commentator
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With Giles Gibson, Correspondent in London
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With Jagruti Dave, Correspondent in Washington
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Interview with Pharmac’s Operations Manager Lisa Williams
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With Trent Murray, Correspondent in Berlin
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So while it’s great that we’ve funded the drug to treat people with the disease, it’s vital that we diagnose babies at birth – that’s when the treatment is most effective
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Clarkson probably doesn’t need the money, but what he has overlooked is his legacy – and that legacy will sit heavily on the internet for some years to come.
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Whatever we do, we should not heavily tax the most wealthy people in the world and hand over that cash to Governments.
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Geo-political analyst with the Democracy Project Geoffrey Miller said Russia will certainly take it as a victory.
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2023 is your year. You’ve got around 350 days left and that’s enough for a book. Do everything you can to write a good one.
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Opinion: Thank you to all of you .. for listening and for watching. We can’t wait to bring you more of the same next year!
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Making the most out of an all-you-can-eat buffet, hundreds of criminals have been stopped at Auckland Airport by new officers who watch for suspicious passengers, Buttons the cat's pole dancing adventure leads to a power cut
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With Jagruti Dave, Correspondent in Washington DC
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The company behind Graham Norton's new GN vodka and potato-based cocktail - the 'Tayto-tini'
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With Will Denselow, Correspondent in New York
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From the war in Ukraine to the death of Queen Elizabeth - the news stories of 2022 brought with them a mix of emotions.
Let's take a look back at some of the global events that dominated headlines throughout the year.
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With Nick Harper, Correspondent in Washington DC
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With Richard Kimber, Correspondent in Hong Kong
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If you have been to the mall recently you no doubt would have heard from Bublé, Carey or been blasted by ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’.
But have you ever wondered who chooses the Christmas tunes you hear in stores? Is it just a random playlist pulled from Spotify or a YouTube playlist? In most cases, it's a carefully curated musical journey with some real science behind it.
For head of music and content at AMS Nightlife, Matthew Lymbury, it’s his job to craft them.
He spoke to Wilhelmina Shrimpton on First Light on Thursday about what goes into creating the perfect Christmas playlist.
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Opinion: I applaud our new smoking laws, but we may actually have just ended up just moving the problem around in a never-ending game of smoking whack-a-mole.
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What's going on with milk prices, and lawyer Sue Grey has been making plenty of appearances in the media recently
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With Ross Cullen, Correspondent in Paris
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With Giles Gibson, Correspondent in London
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Interview with Tori Calver, Head Of Strategy and Impact at the Sustainable Business Network
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Interview with Westpac Industry Economist Paul Clark
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Apples, berries, and summer fruits
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With Ira Spitzer, Correspondent in San Francisco
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Many would be familiar with the post-Christmas cleanup, the pile of wrapping paper, cardboard boxes and plastic wrap strewn across the living room, the season is often a time of excess but is there a way to make Christmas more sustainable…
On Wednesday morning First Light's Wilhelmina Shrimpton sought an expert's advice on this and spoke to Tori Calver the Head of Strategy and Impact at the Sustainable Business Network, Shrimpton asked Calver if it was even possible to have a sustainable Christmas.
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Opinion: We need more drug testing resources than ever before... as most of us know, people have and always will use drugs.
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Inuit women in Greenland are demanding answers over a traumatising birth control scandal.
From the mid-1960s to the late 70s, thousands of women had an Intra Uterine Device (IUD) contraception device inserted into their uterus - often against their will.
World News Editor Kate Gregan takes a look at the birth control scandal.
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Created to treat intense pain, Fentanyl is now a scourge on the streets right across the United States.
Addiction to the synthetic opioid is now skyrocketing - and it's been named the deadliest drug in the nation by health officials.
World News Editor Kate Gregan looks at Fentanyl in the United States.
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As we heard earlier in the show trial and sentencing wait times have increased across nearly all offence categories in the two years to June this year.
According to data released under the official information act, it takes on average 2 years and 1 month for justice in sexual assault cases and nearly 2 years for incidents of homicide.
The lengthy wait times have left many victims feeling deflated, and victim's advocate ruth money says many are choosing to withdraw charges, and forgo their time in court.
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Hearing those wait times, it’s no wonder so many victims decide they would rather bail on a court case.
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Overnight, Pharmac has funded another three medicines.
We can’t talk to Pharmac about that - because, as you'll know, they've banned us.
You would think they would want to speak to MediaWorks' 2.4 million listeners, but no. We are banned for breaching a non-existent embargo.
Anyway, it is what it is.
We can talk about these medicines. We’ll get by.
So, let’s go through what medicines the Government has funded. Some have already been announced, but they have now had the final tick.
First of all, let's talk about the vaccine they're funding.
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Opinion:Pharmac has revisited its ban on Today FM. It’s now proposing a one-week ban across the Mediaworks network.
No one knows quite why that ban's in place. Pharmac can’t tell us. But we're banned, they say.
On Friday, when we reported on Trikafta, only one person had received an embargoed media release - that's according to Pharmac. And that was Paddy Gower at Newshub.
But look. Let’s bury into what is a largely unprecedented situation where a Government agency bans a media network. The PM was questioned about it by the media after she met with Cabinet yesterday. She said she didn’t want to weigh into it. This whole thing. This whole thing around media suppression.
But here's what she had to say anyway, about the ban.
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Interview with Roger Partridge, chairman and a co-founder of The New Zealand Initiative
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Opinion:Pharmac, a Government entity, and our drug-buying agency has issued a media ban on Today FM and all stations in the MediaWorks network. Pharmac says they will not be speaking with any journalist at our organisation for the foreseeable future. What are the implications of that? Our newsroom provides news for 2.4m listeners across the Mediaworks network, so that is a big government-instigated media blackout.
Here's how it came about.
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Interview with Health Minister Andrew Little
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US President Joe Biden has said he is willing to sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin to draw a close to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
But - just how likely is that scenario right now?
International analyst with The Democracy Project Geoffrey Miller believes it's not going to happen any time soon.
"Well, it's not likely in the short term," said Miller.
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Jacinda Ardern -- children are a priority you say -- make this happen.
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The reaction in the room with Jacinda Ardern and her Finnish counterpart, The Block NZ won't be returning to our screens next year, Netflix has shared the trailer for their White Island eruption documentary
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Interview with Sarah Wood, CEO of realestate.co.nz
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Meat exports are on the rise - including an increase in demand for New Zealand hide
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With Giles Gibson, Correspondent in London
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With Trent Murray, Correspondent in Berlin
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With Ira Spitzer, Correspondent in San Francisco
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Opinion: You may have read about the case of a baby who needs urgent heart surgery but the parents want the blood to come from someone who hasn't been vaccinated.
What a thorny and complex issue this is.
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European fashion house Balenciaga is facing stiff backlash over its recent campaigns.
The brand has admitted to 'grievous errors' after publishing adverts that included images of children holding BDSM teddy bears.
World News Editor Kate Gregan breaks down the Balenciaga controversy.
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The gates to Fieldays, New Zealand's largest agricultural event opened on Wednesday morning after its usual June event was postponed due to COVID-19 impacts.
Rachel Smalley spoke to Peter Nation, the CEO of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society.
Fieldays is a massive event taking over Mystery Creek in Hamilton with hundreds of thousands in attendance, but how many exactly? Nation broke down the numbers Fieldays sees.
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Interview with Samira Taghavi, Criminal Defence Lawyer
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The attempt to entrench ownership of the Three Waters assets and the retirement age debate is kicking off again
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Interview with Sarah Hogan, Principal Health Economist at The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research
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With Richard Kimber, Correspondent in Asia
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With Giles Gibson, Correspondent in London
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With Ross Cullen, Correspondent in Paris
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Sparked by anger at strict lockdowns, mass testing, and quarantines; protesters in China have displayed the most extraordinary acts of civil disobedience for decades.
There is now a heavy police presence across many cities, as authorities try to ease tensions.
World News Editor Kate Gregan has more on China's strict zero-COVID response.
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FAB Group and their UK venture, security is being tightened in China after widespread COVID protests, staff at 'Stuff' are going to strike over pay
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Interview with Josie Pagani, Political Commentator
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Interview with Todd Hunter, CEO of Turners Automotive Group
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President of Retail Meat New Zealand and owner of the Aussie Butcher New Lynn
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With Laura Makin Isherwood, Correspondent in London
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With Alex Cadier, Correspondent in Brussels
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Opinion: It doesn't focus on anything. It just reacts. And it reacts by throwing money at each issue.
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Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin will visit New Zealand this week, including a meeting with Jacinda Ardern.
It will be the first time Marin and Ardern have met in person, and the first time a Finnish leader has visited New Zealand.
But Marin is also jumping the ditch and meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Geopolitical expert Geoffrey Miller from the Democracy Project explained to Rachel Smalley some of the reasons behind Marin's trans-Tasman trip.
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Victims of sexual abuse in the US state of New York can now sue over decades-old allegations.
The Adult Survivors Act gives victims one year to file lawsuits – even if the statute of limitations on their claims has expired.
World News Editor Kate Gregan has more on The Adult Survivors Act.
If this story has been tough for you, or for someone you care about, you can free call or text 1737 at any time.
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Opinion: Well, there's nothing like a big release of information from the government to wade through just before the weekend.
Treasury has just released it's first 'big picture' overview of wellbeing in New Zealand.
It's called Te Tai Waiora – and it looks at our wellbeing in terms of the trends, distribution and sustainability of wellbeing.
It's 114 pages, so forgive me for not getting through it all last night. And it was accompanied by a gazillion Excel spreadsheets of data and graphs. So it WILL make for interesting reading if you have the time.
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On the strain in the rural sector with 97 fewer farm sales for the three months to October compared with the same period last year
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With Rebecca Bundhun, Correspondent in Mumbai
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Interview with Brooke Van Velden, ACT’s Deputy Leader and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson
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With Ross Cullen, Correspondent in Paris
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Tips for getting the most out of Snapper, making face masks from Hoki, and what's coming in on the boats
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Health experts have sounded the alarm - there is now an "imminent threat" of measles spreading in every region of the world.
A joint report by the World Health Organisation and the US public health agency says millions of children are now susceptible to the disease.
With the details, here's our World News Editor Kate Gregan.
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With Alex Cadier, Correspondent in Brussels
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With Ross Cullen, Correspondent in Paris
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Interview with Ah-Leen Rayner, Chief Executive of the Breast Cancer Foundation
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Interview with Sharon Zollner, Chief Economist at ANZ
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With Will Denselow, Correspondent in New York
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A Wellington man has commissioned his own survey on fireworks use, New Zealand’s youngest mayor is facing scrutiny over personal assistant costs, and the Australian public's attitude to COVID-19
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Spring growth and increased supply of a broad range of vegetables
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OPINION:If you want to know who my Person Of The Moment is right now, it's the Auditor-General, John Ryan.
I applaud his courage and his leadership.
In today's democracy where the media is struggling to get access to politicians and this information, you're demanding it. And you should never stop.
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Nearly three years after COVID-19 first arrived on America’s shores, the face of the country's pandemic response has made his final White House appearance.
Dr Anthony Fauci has dedicated more than 50 years of his life to government service.
World News Editor Kate Gregan has more on Dr Fauci's time in the public eye.
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OPINION: The Healthy Homes deadline has been pushed out for Kāinga Ora and they will no longer have to meet the healthy homes compliance deadline by July next year as planned.
Kainga Ora now has another year.
The healthy homes initiative is a good one. There are now certain heating and insulation requirements that are mandated and they make a home healthier for tenants. Warmer. Better ventilated. Easier to heat.
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Police are struggling to buy new utes, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown says he has lost confidence in the board of Ports of Auckland and is aiming to replace it, former Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel is writing her first column for newsroom
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Best buys this week, the strawberry season, and stone fruit hitting the shelves
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Cherry production and the benefits of cherry juice
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With Nick Harper, Correspondent in Washington
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A US army veteran Richard Fierro has been praised for taking down the gunman at an LGBTQI+ club in Colorado.
Five people were killed and dozens injured at Club Q in Colorado Springs at the weekend.
World News Editor Kate Gregan has more on Fierro's story.
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OPINION: Many are saying "don't give 16-year old's the vote, it will be a disaster" and I want you to bury into why it is that you think that way.
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With Toni Waterman, Correspondent in Texas
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Interview with Angus Hines, Meteorologist at MetService
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With Richard Kimber, Correspondent in Hong Kong
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How ‘living’ products can improve wellbeing and gut health
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With Alex Cadier, Correspondent in Brussels
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The Supreme Court has ruled the law preventing them from voting inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act.
Interview with Josie Pagani, Political Commentator
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The Supreme Court ruling in favour of lowering the voting age to 16, and Will's interview with Allbirds Founder Tim Brown
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OPINION: I’ve been away for a week down south cycling the Alps 2 Ocean. You start in Mt Cook and you cycle to Oamaru on the east coast. It’s about 320km. And it was my first time on an e-Bike. And I loved it.
There were 10 of us and one of the men who I rode with said e-Bikes are what you ride when you want to take in the scenery. And he is so right. The great thing about e-Bikes is that it doesn’t matter how fit or old you are, e-Bikes put everyone on a level platform. You can all ride at the same pace and keep together.
And the scenery in that part of the world, as you know, is magnificent. You’ve seen the photos and you’ve seen it from the air, but when you’re moving through it, it is truly something else.
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With Jagruti Dave, Correspondent in Washington
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New Zealand's Defence Minister Peeni Henare has paid his respects to war victims in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, after undertaking a secret visit. But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is yet to visit Ukraine herself.
Geopolitical expert Geoffrey Miller from the Democracy Project told First Light's Rachel Smalley that now is not the time, given the escalation in missile strikes.
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With Isaac Lukando, Correspondent in Tanzania
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The Reserve Bank is setting out its final determination for interest rates in 2022 on Wednesday, retail spending data for the September quarter is out on Friday, ANZ is expected to release the latest ANZ Roy Morgan consumer confidence figures
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Commercial Real Estate Consultancy
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Roses are starting to bloom across the country - how to take care of them
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Changes that water down the proposed hate speech legislation, Elon Musk lifts Trump's Twitter ban, Samoa coming so close to top of the league world
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Interview with Daniel Gerrard, CEO of Water Safety New Zealand
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All up I spent about 4 and a half hours driving to and from Bunnings, and my broken cabinet door is still sitting on my kitchen floor waiting for its hinge.
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On promoting farm safety, rural health and wellbeing, and her latest book "Wool's the Word" about the wonders of wool. Available at www.gurtandpops.com
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Sanford & Sons Sales and trained Dietician and Nutritionist
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With Giles Gibson, Correspondent in Estonia
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Interview with Lisa King, Founder of The Curious AF Bottle Shop
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Interview with Letitia Harding, Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ CEO
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With Nick Harper, Correspondent in Washington
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New Zealand's "hyper-ageing" population, only about a third of COVID-19 infections are being reported, the saga of Wookie the dachshund
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On New Zealand's first ever forestry expo event at the Rotorua Racecourse and industry challenges
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Interview with JT Tuoro, Lead Consultant at RespectEd Aotearoa, one of the partner agencies working on the campaign
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With Rebecca Bundhun, Correspondent in Bali
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With Trent Murray, Correspondent in Berlin
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With Ira Spitzer, Correspondent in San Francisco
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Social media has made information more accessible, but it’s also made misinformation and disinformation more accessible too.
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On the new model 'Communities Feeding Communities' aimed at increasing food security for families and individuals who need a helping hand
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The RMA announcement, Trump's announcement later today, and Twitter's blue tick debacle
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Interview with James Bell-Booth, Founder and Inventor of Earshots
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With Nick Harper, Correspondent in Washington
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Interview with Leonie Freeman, Chief Executive of the Property Council NZ
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With Giles Gibson, Correspondent in Estonia
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"Apparently New Zealanders throw away just over 157 tonnes of food a year - that’s the equivalent of 271 jumbo jets full of food, worth about $1.17 billion dollars."
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After a big surge in the second half of the 20th Century, population growth may now begin to slow.
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Interview with Simeon Brown, National’s Transport Spokesperson
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On the Waikato Regional Council’s wallaby control programme
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Queensland are bringing back recommended mask use, Warner Bros. Discovery NZ content offering and partnership with Sky, and a new report has found 40% of New Zealanders and half of Māori and Pasifika people can't afford dental care
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With Rebecca Bundhun, Correspondent in Bali
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Interview with Darcy Ungaro, Financial Adviser and Cryptocurrency Expert
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With Toni Waterman, Correspondent in Texas
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The world's longest BBQ and specials on this week
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With Chris Jones, Correspondent in Washington
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Food prices have now risen at their fastest rate in 14 years - with food inflation sitting at 10.1 percent for the year ending October.
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Interview with Professor Jennifer Curtin, Researcher of Women and Rugby Union
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On Regenerative Farming and Matakana Meadows
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With Jagruti Dave, Washington Correspondent
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Interview with Geoffrey Miller, International Analyst at the Democracy Project
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Watering tips for the hotter and drier weather
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With Brad Olsen, Principal Economist at Infometrics
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With Isaac Lukando, Correspondent in Tanzania
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"I felt so inspired watching our wahine toa, and I can only imagine what that would’ve meant for young women and girls across the country."
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According to a recent poll, GOP voters say they trust Ron DeSantis OVER Donald Trump to guide the Republican party into the future.
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Interview with Monalisa Urquhart, former Black Fern and four-time Rugby World Cup Champion
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Interview with Jordan Tini, tech commentator for PriceSpy
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On the growth of the sheep dairy industry, including the recent expansion into the Taranaki region and the announcement of the Scale-Up programme
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With Laura Makin Isherwood, UK Correspondent
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Senior Retail Supervisor at Sanford and Sons
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With Jagruti Dave, Washington Correspondent
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With Ross Cullen, France Correspondent
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OPINION: I want to talk about the police hit and run in Auckland on Wednesday night.
An officer was critically injured after being struck by a car in Manukau.
They’d been tracking a stolen vehicle and were laying road spikes when the vehicle was driven into them.
The 37-year-old driver took off after the incident but was arrested not long after.
It got me thinking about the danger our frontline officers are facing, and the seemingly consistent lack of fear or repercussion among the New Zealand public.
It’s becoming evidently clear that some Kiwis aren’t deterred from crime by our men and women in blue.
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For the first time, NHS nurses in the UK have voted to go on strike.
And - just like New Zealand's healthcare sector - workers there say they are fed up, burnt out, and underpaid.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has more on this historic strike.
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OPINION: Is this the end of the Trumpism?
The US midterms were expected to be a red wave - the Republicans were tipped to dominate, and the Democrats were expected to lose the Senate and the House.
But the candidates endorsed by Trump didn't have a great night - and that was one of the biggest talking points of this year's campaign was how the army of Republican candidates that are backed by Trump, would do.
Not so well, it works out.
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Interview with Kimberley Symon, BDO Advisory Partner
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With Nick Harper, Washington Correspondent
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Interview with Carissa Fonseca, CEO of TheiaNova
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With Laura Makin Isherwood, UK Correspondent
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On recovering and recycling plastic farm waste
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With Toni Waterman, Correspondent in Texas
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Have you heard the big news out of the US?
No, it's nothing to do with elections - one lucky person has won BILLIONS of dollars in the lotto, US$2.04 billion to be exact.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has more on the mega win.
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OPINION: Much ado about Adrian Orr's reappointment for another five years as Reserve Bank Governor.
ACT says they have no confidence in him.
National is using language that is not becoming of politicians who are talking about public servants. Irrespective of what you think of the Reserve Bank Governor, you can't describe his reappointment as 'appalling'. You need to have some grace. You need to respect the office.
Yes, you may be frustrated. Disappointed, even. You may be very disappointed. But you can't be appalled, and that was the language that National used. Orr is the Reserve Bank Governor, he's in charge of our central bank, and irrespective of what you think of his performance, he is in a very senior position.
Also, if the polls are accurate, the Nats will be working with Adrian Orr towards the end of next year. Politics is a funny ol' thing but diplomacy is central to everything.
National asked Labour to confirm Orr's reappointment for one year only, because of the election. That was never going to happen. If Labour had agreed to that, they would signal that it's possible there may be a change of Government next year. That's conceding defeat before a vote has even been cast.
And National wants an inquiry into the Reserve Bank's economic response to our COVID response. God, why stop there? We need a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the entire COVID response and the impact of this Government's decisions. That will take years, though. The impact on children, the impact on mental health, the impact on every Kiwi with a disease, disorder, illness, or delayed diagnosis because we put COVID front and centre of everything in our health system. Our closed border. Our separated families. Our immigration failures. The impact of endless lockdowns on businesses and entire sectors.
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Interview with Mark Goldsmith, MSD's Regional Commissioner for Auckland Central and East
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With Giles Gibson, Correspondent in Estonia
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Interview with Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director of the NZ Initiative
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With Laura Makin Isherwood, UK Correspondent
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With Will Denselow, US Correspondent
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On Leaderbrand's mega greenhouse under construction in Gisborne for sustainable farming
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The latest season of the hit Netflix show 'The Crown' has already created its own drama before Thursday's release.
The crown has been blasted for blurring the line between fact and fiction.
The new season finds the royal family in 1991, in the thick of one of the ugliest periods of its recent history.
Today FM World News Editor Kate Gregan has the details.
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On New Zealand hosting the World Avocado Congress
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Interview with Nadine Higgins, Financial Coach at Enable.me
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Interview with Meg Coffey, Social Media Strategist
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With Jagruti Dave, Washington Correspondent
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President of Retail Meat New Zealand and owner of the Aussie Butcher New Lynn
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With Rebecca Bundhun, India Correspondent
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On Wednesday, the United States holds its midterm elections.
The outcome will have a major impact on the remaining two years of Joe Biden's presidency.
But what are midterm elections and who could come out on top? World News Editor Kate Gregan explains.
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With Jagruti Dave, Washington Correspondent
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Interview with Josie Pagani, Political Commentator
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Interview with Brad Olsen, Principal Economist at Infometrics
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On the upcoming rise of eggs prices due to new welfare standards
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Interview with Prof. Alastair Sutcliffe
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OPINION: It was quite the poll – National and ACT can form a government with an overwhelming majority. This is what the Newshub Reid Research Poll stated last night.
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All eyes will be on the US this week, as American voters head to the polls for midterms.
The election results will set the tone for the rest of Joe Biden’s first term as president – and die-hard Democrats are hoping for the best.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan spoke with Biden super fan Amanda Linton ahead of the midterms.
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Interview with James Shaw, Climate Change Minister
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Interview with Dr. Cath Duthie, Biosecurity New Zealand's Manager of Readiness
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With Laura Makin Isherwood, UK Correspondent
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Sanford Group Export Sales Manager
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With Alex Cadier, Brussels Correspondent
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With Jagruti Dave, Washington Correspondent
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"However, in this case, where a boy wants to wear an earring to school, I think the issue is that it's mum in the Principal's office. It's mum talking to the media."
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UN climate scientists say global temperatures have risen 1.1 degrees, and are heading towards 1.5.
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Interview with Fiona Tolich from Patient Voice Aotearoa
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With Alex Cadier, Brussels Correspondent
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Interview with Don Brash, former Reserve Bank Governor
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With Jagruti Dave, Washington Correspondent
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With Ira Spitzer, US Correspondent
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"This was foolish. It was a decision made by people who saw the situation as a challenge, but they failed to see opportunity."
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Under the new law, ravers could face up to six years in prison and a €10,000 fine while organisers could be wiretapped.
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Interview with Colin Hurst, winter grazing spokesperson for Federated Farmers
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Interview with Cameron Heath, Managing Director of Unilever New Zealand
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With Rebecca Bundhun, India Correspondent
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With Ira Spitzer, San Francisco Correspondent
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With Laura Makin Isherwood, UK Correspondent
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"I was super grateful for the conversation. Thank you to our police force. They do so much to keep us safe, as we all navigate an increasingly complex world."
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To comply with COVID-19 prevention measures, the amusement park suddenly shut its gates.... trapping visitors inside.
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Interview with National’s Local Government spokesperson Simon Watts
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"Ardern continues to force some of her communication. It’s frustrating. She’s over thinking it."
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Luiz Inacio 'Lula' da Silva gained just over half the countries votes to beat Jair Bolsonaro and will become the countries new leader in January 2023.
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"This year they are actually being asked to produce how they are actually going to get there not just this big picture target," - Geopolitical expert Geoffry Miller.
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"How arrogant are we to think that immigrants will keep coming here, and keep queuing up to live in this country, when we treat them so appallingly?"
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The Socceroos, Australia's national football team, have released a powerful statement of protest against the hosts of the FIFA World Cup.
A range of players delivered a video message where they called for an "effective remedy" surrounding the treatment of migrant workers and those in same-sex relationships in Qatar.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has more.
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OPINION: There was a pretty hideous headline that flashed across my phone yesterday.
It read "21 students at a girls' school in Christchurch have been the victim of a sexual assault that ended in rape or near rape."
These aren't just women - these are students. They're teenagers, kids even .. who have barely scratched the surface of their lives, and are already having to deal with the turmoil of a sexual assault… and its very adult aftermath.
21 rape or near rape survivors is a lot when you think about the fact that just 572 Avonside Girls High School students were surveyed about their experience.
It's even worse when you hear that 394 of them also said they'd been sexually harassed - 163 at least two to five times.
They said it happened everywhere - outside school, around town, while they were socialising.. and even while they were on school buses.
What's even more concerning is that this is just one school, in one suburb, and in one city.
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Two New Zealanders - who spent months detained by Iranian authorities - are finally free.
Christopher Richwhite and Bridget Thackwray disappeared after entering the conservative country in July.
The New Zealand government says the couple have endured "difficult circumstances" but are now safe and well, and are out of the country.
Iranian journalist Alireza Mohebbi told World News Editor Kate Gregan it would have been a different story if they were dual citizens.
Listen to Kate's World News package above for an interview with Alireza Mohebbi and a breakdown of the final moments before Richwhite and Thackwray were detained.
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OPINION: I'm now going to talk about something that many people, including myself, probably find a little awkward to discuss.
I'm going to talk about cervical smears and prostate checks.
There's not much I feel uncomfortable talking about, but even this is a little much for me - especially on the radio. I mean - I'm perfectly happy doing stories and interviews about cervical screening, but I don't often talk about my own experience.
But the more I thought about it, the more I realised it shouldn't be awkward.
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OPINION: Netball Australia - what a disaster.
It's fallen into the trap of Cancel Culture. Over the weekend, Netball Australia shot itself in the foot and lost $15m in sponsorship. Netball is not a sport that can afford to lose money. It's a sport that needs capital to develop, and so what a disaster this is. How did they let $15m slip through their fingers?
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There is so much going on overseas right now, from Brittan, and China to Ukraine and everywhere in between and there are implications for New Zealand right across it all.
It has been a revolving door at 10 Downing street and we have finally seen it slow down enough to allow Rishi Sunak to enter.
Speaking to Rachel Smalley on First Light geopolitical expert Geoffrey Miller explained what will likely be top of Sunak's to-do list.
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These men have not only survived this abuse but are doing everything they can to make sure it doesn’t happen to another child.
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"No one wins from her vanilla stance. Not Ardern. And most certainly not Iranian women. Does Ardern have one eye on a UN role? Is that the issue?"
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"No one wins from her vanilla stance. Not Ardern. And most certainly not Iranian women. Does Ardern have one eye on a UN role? Is that the issue?"
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Residents have banded together to protect their town from major flooding damage.
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"Zero accountability. Zero lessons learnt. Zero transparency. And a young boy who is now mentally and physically disabled. This is child protection, New Zealand style."
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The former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's assassin said he killed the former leader because he supported the Unification Church.
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"Zero accountability. Zero impact on anyone’s salaries or career trajectory. Zero fallout for any individual, and zero sleepless nights."
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What gardening tasks do we need to be focused on in the lead up to Labour Weekend?
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Two big wins with the Silver Ferns beating Australia in the Constellation Cup and the Black Ferns triumphing over Wales to qualify for the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals. Plus what's next for the Kiwis?
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Following the death of a woman who failed to correctly wear a hijab, Geoffrey Miller is surprised NZ hasn't taken more action condemning Iran's actions.
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If Ardern resigns the leadership, she’ll stand down as an undefeated Prime Minister, and the only Prime Minister under MMP to ever win a majority government.
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As an energy crisis looms, nimble French activists are using superhero-like moves to switch off wasteful outdoor lights.
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It's been more than two weeks since Hurricane Ian slammed South Florida.
Hundreds of thousands of people in hard-hit regions are still feeling the lingering effects of the devastating storm.
With more, here's our World News Editor Kate Gregan.
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It’s probably not the most foolproof idea I’ve ever had, but I thought about a really simple, short-term measure.
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The date for the coronation of the British King - Charles III - has been officially announced by Buckingham Palace.
It will take place in London on the 6th of May.
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OPINION: The Government is looking at bringing in a split-gas scheme to charge farmers at the farm gate for their emissions – this is the Government proposal that's just gone out.
And I'll try and explain it because it's complex, and a little convoluted.
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It's been 20 years since the Bali bombings.
In October 2002, terrorists - deliberately targeting westerners - blew up two packed nightclubs in the tourist hub of Kuta.
It was a horror that killed 202 innocent people.
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OPINION: Over the weekend, I went on a roadie. Not a big roadie… but in the wake of COVID, a little 3-and-a-half-hour drive to Taupo constitutes a roadie, I think.
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Jacinda Ardern, perhaps more than any other woman in the world, has the international credibility to call on Iran to end its brutal and violent oppression of the women who are protesting in Tehran.
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"Abbey’s Place Childcare Centre did nothing. They didn’t kill Malachi. But they didn’t save him either."
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Over the past two years, the drought has killed millions of livestock and destroyed crops.
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We don't fund the immunotherapies to treat the blood cancers, the gastric cancers....I could go on. And we don't any of the modern medicines to treat prostate either.
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"And Truss, I think, thought she was being innovative, but she should have known better."
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Voters will have four weeks to have their say in the second round of voting in the second round of the world's fourth largest democracy.
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Despite four Ukrainian regions being annexed by Russia, Geoffrey Miller told Rachel Smalley Ukraine is likely feeling 'quite emboldened' right now.
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All of us have a right to go to work without fear of someone coming through the door with a hammer.
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Uganda's first case was detected on the 20th of September, causing alarm amongst residents and officials.
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Hurricane Ian has passed over Florida and is expected to strengthen again before it makes landfall in South Carolina on Saturday NZ time.
As hurricane Ian intensified on its way toward the Florida Coast, 'hurricane hunters' were in the sky doing something almost unimaginable, flying through the centre of the storm.
Madeline Montgomery a reporter for Atlanta News First was aboard the plane for 10 hours as it flew directly into the eye.
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OPINION: We would be far better to provide targeted assistance to the most vulnerable, instead of continuing to provide a cheaper ride for all and sundry.
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Thousands of Russians are fleeing their country - creating traffic jams and headaches for officials, as men try their best to avoid conscription.
'Draft dodgers' - those who try to evade their call-up to fight - have been a feature in all modern wars.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan explains.
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OPINION: Rebecca's story has formed part of the campaign to fund a drug to treat this disease - Alex and Jaki's goal has always to stop another family going through a loss like theirs.
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"You may have noticed that when Jacinda Ardern or Grant Robertson speak, they often reference how we compare to the rest of the world. "
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"Christopher Luxon says this is on his radar. Education is on his hit list. It should be. National started this mess, and Labour has done nothing to improve it."
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Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to line the streets from London, through to Windsor in Berkshire.
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Depending on where you live, you may have noticed that New Zealand's roads look a little different these days… with an increasing number of EVs and hybrids.
US president Joe Biden has announced US$900 million in infrastructure money to build Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers across 35 states. This, coupled with their EV tax credit and other initiatives, shows the world's biggest economy is taking commitments seriously..
So what's happening in New Zealand?
EV industry expert Kirsten Corson spoke to Rachel Smalley this morning.
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OPINION: There is always a plan in place – there has to be for a monarch. And there will be one for King Charles already.
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OPINION: Who are we as New Zealanders? Where do our values sit? And have we grown to a point where we can now step away from Mother England and stand on our own?
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The Government announced on Monday that they have scrapped the Traffic Light System and with it most COVID-19 restrictions which has many, least not retail breathing a maskless sigh of relief.
They also announced that Aotearoa will have a one-off public holiday on September 26 to mourn the Queen. A decision likely to hit businesses in the pocket again.
CEO of Retail New Zealand Greg Harford spoke to Today FM's Rachel Smalley about the removal of mask requirements and how the retail sector is reacting.
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"On September 22nd, a Thursday, it will be a public holiday in Australia to mark the Queen's death. I hope we don't follow suit here."
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The former New Zealand Prime Minister extended his sympathy to everyone who has lived through her reign.
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"Never mind COVID. Never mind the impact of COVID on our youth – worry about vaping."
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OPINION: For 9 months, he'll watch Netflix, he'll spend a bit of time on PlayStation, Xbox maybe. He'll sleep in his own bed. He won't do anything. He'll just hang at home. How is that a punishment?
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OPINION:It’s time for a story about Einstein and Elsa and their smash-and-grab on Ponsonby Road.
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The outgoing UN human rights commissioner Michelle Bachelet has said China has committed 'serious human rights violations' against Uvghur muslims, and it may amount to crimes against humanity
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Sometimes you need to look back to realise just how far you've come.
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WARNING CONTAINS DISTRESSING CONTENT
For years, human rights groups have said Beijing is committing crimes against humanity against Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region of China.
Now a long-delayed United Nations report says it agrees with them.
World News Editor Kate Gregan has the details.
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Last Friday, the team at Lifewise in Auckland invited Today FM's Wilhelmina Shrimpton to the emergency motel accommodation unit they help to run under the Housing First programme.
They say demand for services has soared since the COVID pandemic in 2020.
Shrimpton spoke to peer support managers and residents about the full wrap-around service they provide onsite.
It's unlike other emergency motel accommodation through Ministry of Social Development (MSD) that often leaves residents feeling isolated and unsupported.
Lifewise community service manager River Paton spoke to Shrimpton on First Light and asked how big the demand for the services is at the moment.
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Auckland's multi-billion dollar City Rail Link (CRL) project is a public transport dream providing a key link in the city's rail network or business owners' nightmare with construction impacting business for several years.
The currently costed NZ$4.4 billion project will connect Britomart to Mount Eden via a 3.5 km long double-track rail tunnel with two new underground stations being constructed, Te Wai Horotiu near Aotea Square and Karanga a Hape near Karangahape Road.
After COVID lockdowns impacted operating schedules and facing delays in our supply chain and labour shortages, the 2024 completion deadline is in limbo.
The question on every Aucklander's lips is - when will the CRL be up and running? Wilhelmina Shrimpton spoke to City Rail Link CEO Dr Sean Sweeney about when we could see an update on the project's completion date.
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I know I sound like a broken record, but imagine living and being that broken record.
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It costs a lot of money to run a pub during winter - you’ve got to keep the beer cold - and the customers warm… and this winter it’s going to cost a lot more.
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"It's been historic, Pakistan has never received so much rain in its history and it's due to climate change."
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300,000 homes are gone - another 700,000 are damaged - and more than 33 million people have been displaced.
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There’s something seriously wrong when the passionate, hard-working people who have our lives in their hands can’t get the pay and resources they deserve.
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The 30th of August 2021 marked the end of America's longest war.
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After a friend had some valuables stolen by a criminal well known to police but unable to be tracked down, Wilhelmina Shrimpton worries how common this situation is.
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Geoffrey Miller from the Democracy Project said while most international soldiers are simply fighting for Ukraine's freedom, Russia is unlikely to see it that way.
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LA country residents will get to vote on whether those rooms should be offered to the homeless in 2024.
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Professional firefighters will abandon their posts from 11 am to midday as negotiations with FENZ continue to drag on.
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He flew an ultra-light aircraft called a Shark - which can hit a cruising speed of around 300 kilometres per hour.
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36 year old Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin came under scrutiny after videos of her dancing with some friends were leaked last week.
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202 people were killed after a terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda deployed three bombs in 2012.
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August is Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) awareness month.
It's the biggest genetic killer of infants. Some children with less severe forms of SMA will never walk, others will also suffer severe respiratory issues or need feeding tubes.
This morning's show was dedicated to some of the key people at the coalface of SMA in New Zealand - the parents with sick children, Pharmac - our drug buying agency, the pharmaceutical companies who've developed the drugs to treat this diseases, the advocates, the neurologists who are treating children, and the medical refugees - the kiwi families who've left these shores to save their children's' lives.
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Earlier this year, Chauntel noticed her toddler, Zoey, wasn't meeting some key milestones.
Her mobility and her motor skills in particular were affected.
It turns out she had SMA, and now Chauntel has to watch on, knowing every day her daughters body is slowly getting worse and worse, while there is a treatment that could be preventing any further damage out there.
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But it was only when Lincoln was one and Lani was pregnant with her second child that Lincoln was diagnosed.
Harlan was born, and he too had SMA.
One of the pharmaceutical companies provided the family with free access to treatment...And her boys have turned the corner.
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Fiona Tolich has advocated for some years now to fund the modern drugs to treat SMA -- she's lobbied the government, she's lobbied Pharmac, and she supports many parents whose children have SMA.
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Gavin Old and his wife Belinda have two children with SMA – ivy is now 7 and olive is 5.
Gavin was the General Manager of Operations of Fullers Ferries at the time his children were diagnosed – his wife Belinda was a Clinical Dietician in the ICU department of North Shore Hospital.
In 2018, when Pharmac declined to fund the drug, Gavin resigned, packed up his family and their lives and in five weeks, had moved to Australia.
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August 24 also marks six months since Russia first invaded Ukraine.
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His views have helped shape Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now, ultra-nationalist Alexander Dugin has escaped a likely assassination attempt that instead killed his daughter, Darya.
Kyiv has denied any involvement.
But who is the man that many call "Putin's Brain"?
World News Editor Kate Gregan explains who Alexander Dugin is.
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Opinion: Left unchecked, a sore that once required a band-aid can quickly become a painful, weeping wound.
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Japan's young adults are a sober bunch - and it's something authorities are hoping to change.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has the details.
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Australia's only marsupial apex predator died out in the 1930s, but scientists hope the animal could be reintroduced into its native Tasmania within 10 years.
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'Money is flying out the door and it ain't funny anymore'
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Thousands of people in the United Kingdom contracted HIV or hepatitis C after recieving blood plasma from prison inmates and drug-users.
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Would you like to speak at your own funeral? Well, thanks to new technology this could now be part of your plans.
A firm has combined holograms with artificial intelligence to allow the deceased to seemingly answer questions from their mourners.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has the story.
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OPINION: Time is running out for Auckland’s St James Theatre.
What once was the site of glittering lights, concerts and events is now a rundown derelict shell of a venue. Graffiti litters the walls, piles of concrete and debris cover the theatre floor and after multiple break-ins - the worst being last month, its future now hangs on a knife edge.
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Johnson & Johnson will stop selling its talc-based baby powder globally, in 2023.
The move comes two years after it ended North American sales due to thousands of consumer safety lawsuits.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has more on the decision to end sales.
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The threat from Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant continues to ramp up as shelling continues.
Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for the attack, with each side saying there were 10 hits on the office and fire station of Europe's largest power plant.
So are we looming ever closer to a nuclear disaster?
Geoffrey Miller, International Analyst with the Democracy Project spoke to Wilhelmenia Shrimpton about how dire the situation around the power plant is on First Light on Monday morning.
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The threat from Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant continues to ramp up as shelling continues.
Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for the attack, with each side saying there were 10 hits on the office and fire station of Europe's biggest power plant.
So are we looming ever closer to a nuclear disaster?
Geoffrey Miller, International Analyst with the Democracy Project joined Wilhelmenia Shrimpton on Monday morning.
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Tova O'Brien joined Trudi Nelson on First Light to share an insight into meeting the Ukrainian President, what it's like on the streets of Ukraine and more.
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With the recent increase in cases, Trudi Nelson looked further into the disease and found it has no correllation with monkeys at all.
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The former US President released a campaign style video, potentially hinting at a second run for Presidency.
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It's time for our View from the Top, this morning it's Karl Budge, Chief Commercial officer of the New Zealand SailGP team.
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OPINION: Yesterday he called himself a 16-year-old thug… but apparently, at University, he was also allegedly an 18-year-old, 19-year-old, and perhaps even a 20-year-old thug.
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Dame Olivia Newton-John, the British-born Australian singer and star of the hit musical Grease, has died at the age of 73.
Newton-John had been suffering from cancer for over 30 years.
Today FM's World News Editor, Kate Gregan looks back on her successes.
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Along with the steep decline in our street safety, we’ve seen a steep increase in crime. So what are we doing to stop it? writes Wilhelmina Shrimpton
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Four sets of remains have been uncovered in the last four months.
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Geoffrey Miller with the Democracy Project told Wilhelmina Shrimpton that Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan was 'unhelpful'.
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The 26-10 loss to South Africa has many Kiwis shaking their heads but Wilhelmina Shrimpton wonders if it may be a chance to reassess the NZR as a whole.
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The significant danger that comes with attempting to summit Mount Blanc has led to a deposit covering the cost of rescue and burial services for potential climbers.
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It's time for our View from the Top, this morning it's Dr Philip Stevens, Director, economics & research at the New Zealand Productivity Commission.
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OPINION: Buckle up, people. We're in for a bumpy ride.
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Hundreds of thousands of women get silicone breast implants every year.
Most of them turn out well, but complications can arise which can ruin lives.
But an implant trial across the Tasman hopes to provide a safer alternative to silicone.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has the details.
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Opinion: If it wasn't for immigrant doctors right now, neither myself nor my son would have a GP.
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China and Taiwan's relationship has been thrown in the spotlight.
The history is long and complicated - and it can be tricky to understand what this tension is all about.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan breaks down the history of the region.
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'I always thought the Republicans were the more aggressive of the two major parties in the States but under Joe Biden’s leadership, the Democrats have become agitators.'
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After a manhunt spanning more than two decades, the Egyptian radical has finally been taken out.
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"The net result is the Government has increased its debt."
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'This is a clear abdication of leadership. You can't pick and choose when you will lead and when you will leave it to someone else to.'
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Jacinda Ardern sat down with Jack Tame to face the music and Rachel Smalley was not overly pleased with what the NZ Prime Minister had to say.
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One ticket has claimed the third-largest jackpot in US history.
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While Nancy Pelosi contemplates a visit to Taiwan, Geoffrey Miller from the Democracy Project thinks the provocation could be coming more from the US than China.
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'No one wins when a Government is out of ideas and out of options We all lose. Every single one of us.'
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There aren't any national statistics about how many swatting incidents occur each year, but the FBI estimates hundreds - with each one costing on average US$10,000.
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Sarah Balle joined First Light host Wilhelmina Shrimpton.
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Perhaps this sickly obsession with followers and likes is a virus in itself.
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The figures show young women and adolescent girls are at particular risk, with a new infection every two minutes in this population in 2021.
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The phrase, 'Serving sizes' might not mean exactly what you first thought.
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Two new studies, which take totally different approaches reveal the earliest known cases came from food markets.
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At least 25 states in the US are one Supreme Court decision away from banning same-sex marriage.
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Pressure continues to mount on the government over its refusal to admit we're in a health crisis.
Emergency department and surgical wait times have ballooned, and doctors, nurses, and medical staff are burnt out.
Many are considering leaving the profession altogether or taking their valuable skill sets overseas... Adding more pressure to Aotearoa's already stretched health system.
Wilhelmina Shrimpton spoke to 'Sarah,' an anonymous medical worker at a regional hospital.
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It's time for our View from the Top, this morning it's Owen Culliney, Managing Partner At iCLAW.
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Opinion: I read something pretty hideous online yesterday. Something I’ve always wanted to believe doesn’t happen in New Zealand, and something I’m gutted to realise does.
It was about a racially motivated attack on Auckland’s North Shore. A man of Chinese descent went to the Albany PAK'nSAVE to buy food for his kids when he was approached by another man.
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At least 25 states in the US are one Supreme Court decision away from banning same-sex marriage.
Last week, the House voted to protect same-sex marriage under federal law, but it will now head to the Senate where it faces a tougher and uncertain passage.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has the details.
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Opinion: ACT has rolled out a bit of a bullet point plan to address the cost-of-living situation.
How are they going to fix this? What would they do better than the current Government?
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Who will the party members choose to lead the United Kingdom?
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Opinion: The 'active investor plus' visa category will stop investors in their tracks. Applications will dry up.
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The band's 1981 record is now owned by 1 in every 4 households in Britain.
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A female police officer was punched in the face by a man while the police attempted to apprehend him in Auckland on Monday.
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Mass evacuations have been forced following fires in Greece, Spain, Portugal and France.
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In the last 72 hours, 136 Americans have died as a result of gun violence.
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Scientists say heatwaves have become more frequent, more intense, and last longer because of climate change.
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Despite a deal being signed in principal with the GCC in 2009, it was never ratified by the Gulf Cooperation Council.
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"I want to hear the Prime Minister’s plan or strategy or solution. This is when your most senior leader must know their stuff."
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Iconic tabby, Larry the cat has called Downing street his home for over a decade now and is loved by all.
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'I'm a little anxious that no one in Government is talking about the next vaccine, and the rest of the world is.'
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One women is now a deputy governor while two others will join the committee to chose bishops in the congregation for bishops.
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'We need to provide information and clear advice. And not provide free platforms to people who are using fear as a form of social control.'
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Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been appointed acting President.
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Today FM's world new's editor Kate Gregan takes a look at who's in the running to replace BoJo.
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'The mandate is keeping nurses, ambulance staff, and ED workers out of our health system....it's locking them out.'
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Zimbabwe will start selling gold coins later this month as the country battles to control runaway inflation.
The coins, which can be used as legal tender, will contain roughly 31 grams of 22-carat gold.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has more.
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The former right hand man of ex-UK PM Tony Blair.
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Boris Johnson’s days as British Prime Minister may be numbered.
The list of resignations of senior ministers has hit alarming rates, dealing a heavy blow to the political heavyweight.
Bojo appears destined for the political guillotine, but will he squirm his way out once again?
Our World News Editor Kate Gregan takes a look back at his chequered past, and his rise to prominence.
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Opinion:Pharmac has issued an RFP to supply a drug to treat a form of lung cancer.
So what does that mean, you say, in non-Government speak?
Very good question.
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It's time for our View from the top, this morning it's Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ CEO Letitia Harding.
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The government is promoting the anniversary as a new chapter of prosperity for the city.
As Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong for First Light, celebrations have left the public divided.
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Opinion: With all the focus on physical survival, mental health was put on the back burner. However, concerns have started building up big time.
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Lightyear has developed a solar-powered electric car and claims you can drive their car for months without charging.
Rachel Richardson, head of P.R. at Lightyear, joined Trudi Nelson on First Light to discuss if the solar car will meet expectations.
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The leaders of NATO nations and partner countries such as New Zealand have been meeting in the Spanish capital Madrid as war rages on in Ukraine.
Today FM's Europe correspondent Giles Gibson reports.
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It's time for our View from the Top. This morning it's Rare Disorders NZ CEO Lisa Foster.
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Opinion: Bellis moved the dial on MIQ.
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Macron won the presidential election recently, but he no longer has a majority and he and the prime minister need to try and break a political deadlock.
Ross Cullen reports from Paris.
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The government is being hauled over the coals for refusing to acknowledge hospitals are in the midst of a crisis.
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This morning on View from the Top Rachel is joined by Richard Klipin CEO of the Financial Services Council.
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Opinion: Right now, our health system is at war, its opponent isn't covid or the flu, it's a disinterested and disengaged government.
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A growing number of voices are calling on the Japanese government to open more fully.
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Opinion: Our health system is under extreme pressure but this is not news to us
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It's time for our view from the top, this morning it's Genesis Energy CEO Marc England.
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The country has imposed its biggest interest rate hike in 28 years.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has more details.
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Our View from the Top this morning is with Comvita CEO David Banfield.
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Winter is here and with it comes a bunch of colds and flu.
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Opinion: The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in state care is an example of that.
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World News Editor Kate Gregan looks into what is behind the shortage.
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Our View from the Top this morning is with ANZ CEO Antonia Watson
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On Tuesday, we discussed how some asylum seekers who arrive in the UK will be sent to Rwanda.
The government says the scheme - which faces legal challenges - will discourage others from crossing the English Channel.
With more on this controversial policy, here's our World News Editor, Kate Gregan.
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OPINION: The man who was hauled out of a ute on the Waikato Expressway and attacked by a group of Tribesmen gangsters is still in hospital. He's been there for three months now.
And three months have passed, and still not a single one of the animals who attacked him - and they were animals - has been arrested.
That man was just like you and me. He was 31 years old, in the prime of his life, driving on the motorway. And he switched lanes, probably trying to avoid the thugs around him, and when he clipped one of the bikes, he did the right thing and pulled over.
Except when it comes to dealing with the gangs in this country, it wasn't the right thing.
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Labour’s reshuffle reminded us just how poorly so many Ministers have been performing.
It was a minor reshuffle said the Prime Minister. Minor.
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Defence Minister Peeni Henare is at the Shangri-La Dialogue, which is Asia's top defence meeting.
Over the weekend, Henare said Pacific Island nations were free to make their own decisions about co-operating with China, A shift seemingly in the conversation given the Prime Minister issued a joint statement with US President Joe Biden recently saying she was concerned by China's increasing role in the pacific.
Today FM's international analyst and geopolitical expert Geoffrey Miller, from The Democracy Project, joined First Light's Rachel Smalley on Monday morning to discuss the shift in language.
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A Congressional committee has begun its public hearings into the 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
On January the 6th last year, thousands of Donald Trump supporters stormed the government building.
The attack saw the deaths of several people, including police officers.
But what is the aim of these hearings? And why is it being billed as “blockbuster viewing”?
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The trio - two British citizens and a Moroccan - are accused of being foreign mercenaries...
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Because scientists say 'ugly' reef fish are more endangered than 'pretty' ones.
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New York is bracing for a Supreme Court ruling that could make it easier for someone to carry a gun.
A decision could come as early as this week.
Our World News Editor Kate Gregan reports, listen in full above.
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The Prime Minister's next international visit should be to China, we've got a bit of work to do on that relationship. And our economic well-being depends on it, writes Rachel Smalley.
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Her reign the longest in British history has covered an era of extraordinary change.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan looks back across 70 years.
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If you don’t know where Tora is, that’s okay. You’re not alone. I didn’t either.
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The move highlights the stark differences in gun control across North America.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan has more.
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Nanaia Mahuta is coming under increasing pressure as China's foreign minister, Wang Yi continues his tour of the Pacific.
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The former NBR Rich list is now just a 'list' for thesecond year as NBR has takeninto account philanthropy or 'purpose' as well as profit.
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Bold yet necessary Reporting from One News, After Kamahl Santamaria from the breakfast program resigns just 30 days after starting
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It's a historic milestone, the first time a British monarch has reigned for 70 years.
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I came up with a somewhat simplistic solution last night, it won't solve the issue in its entirety, but it will solve part of it, writes Rachel Smalley.
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Singapore brewer taking the phrase 'getting on the piss' to a new level.
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RUSSIA HAS PUT AN OFFER ON THE TABLE - A CONDITION TO RELEASE SOME OF ITS KEY FOOD EXPORTS.
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Americans have the highest gun ownership rates in the world. And unless they change their laws, more people will die.
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The 18-year-old opened fire at a school in Texas, and also killed two teachers who were trying to protect their students.
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Filipa Payne is a 501 support advocate and a co-founder of iwi in Australia and joined Rachel Smalley on First Light to discuss the situation.
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For reasons known only to the government, the report hasn't been released, writes Rachel Smalley.
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As Russian shells explode in Ukraine, everyone takes cover apart from Patron, who doesn’t even flinch.
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Instead, we need the finest strategic, economic, and innovative brains on this.
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"We've seen so much ZOOM diplomacy over the last couple of years"
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Transport for London says it’s not a tube line, but a "new mode of transport".
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The Emissions Reduction Plan has been a long time coming. And it's huge. Multi-billion-dollar-huge. And, if I'm honest, I want quite a bit more detail.
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US correspondent Toni Waterman joined First Light with Rachel Smalley to discuss.
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Just five days till Aussie's head to the poll for the 2022 Federal Election.
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Opinion: Saturday sport, It provides a sense of belonging, A sense of family, It’s a shared experience, A sense of community.
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A major policy shift prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
First Light correspondent Trent Murray joined Rachel Smalley to discuss the situation fresh out of a NATO conference.
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This time next week, Australia could have a new Prime Minister.
It’s the incumbent Scott Morrison versus Anthony Albanese.
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Authorities in Zimbabwe say 60 people have lost their lives to elephants since the start of this year.
A government spokesperson has described the human-animal conflict as an emotive issue in the country.
Today FM correspondent out of Africa, Chris Ocamringa, spoke to First Light's Rachel Smalley about why so many deaths have been caused by elephants.
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We're still here, we're still waiting
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Bono and guitarist The Edge visited Bucha and Irpin after their performance
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The Government is increasing police numbers, meaning one police officer for every 480 people
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Nadia Lim has not had a text, email, voice message or missed call from Henry
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Sinn Fein is considered historically the political arm of the IRA
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The annual spectacle on the 9th of May marks the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
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Health officials are sounding the alarm about a mysterious new outbreak of severe hepatitis in children.
Around 300 probable cases have been detected in 20 countries.
With more, here’s our World News Editor, Kate Gregan.
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How do we fix a problem like Simon Henry.
The CEO who made such harmful comments about Nadia Lim, and therefore about women in business in general too.
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WE'VE BEEN REPORTING ON ROE VERSUS WADE IN THE STATES.
IF THE SUPREME COURT DOES OVERTURN THE LANDMARK ABORTION LAW, IT WON’T BAN ABORTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
INSTEAD, IT WILL BE UP TO EACH STATE TO DETERMINE THE LEGALITY OF THE PROCEDURE.
SOME STATES HAVE ALREADY SIGNALLED THEIR READINESS TO BAN ABORTION BY PASSING SO-CALLED TRIGGER LAWS.
OUR WORLD NEWS EDITOR KATE GREGAN LOOKS AT WHAT THIS ALL MEANS:
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The US state of Tennessee has halted all executions for the rest of the year.
It comes after it was revealed that it had failed to properly test the drugs it used for lethal injections.
46 men and one woman are currently on death row in Tennessee - but thousands of condemned inmates are still awaiting their deaths across dozens of states in the US.
And America is just one of many countries that still use capital punishment…
Our World News Editor Kate Gregan looks at how common the death penalty is in 2022.
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World News editor Kate Gregan explains.
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Unlike the oligarchs, none of the Russian or Belarusian players financially benefit from Vladimir Putin or his Government.
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The CEO of Air New Zealand has signalled that a large portion of planes will not be returning to the Air NZ fleet following the rebuild of the business.
Early on Monday morning, the first flight from a visa waiver country arrived in New Zealand.
The plane landed from Los Angeles - flight NZ5 - and we are starting the process of opening up to the world again.
Greg Foran, CEO of Air New Zealand, spoke to First Light's Rachel Smalley about this early on Monday morning.
Smalley asked Foran where we have been storing some of our fleet as presumably not all planes had been sitting in New Zealand over the duration of COVID-19.
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For a while, I took a break from the media and worked for the Ministry of Housing.
I know, right? Me, in a Ministry...
You won’t be surprised to hear that I wasn’t a particularly brilliant public servant. I was always a bit exasperated. Always a bit frustrated. Nothing ever happened at pace, there were always so many rules, and there are lots of titles, tiers, and protocols in the ministry.
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The Philippines is holding presidential elections on 9 May. It’s set to be highly controversial because the frontrunner is a former dictator’s son.
With more, here’s our World News Editor Kate Gregan.
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The Cancer Control Agencey had an opportunity to be bold, reveal how poorly we are doing - They chose not to.
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There is a big canoe race happening today, the final of a best of three, between Olympic champion Dame Lisa Carrington and reigning world champion Aimee Fisher.
The winner will represent New Zealand at the 2022 Sprint World Championship in the women’s k1 500m event and only one spot is available per nation.
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Ian Ferguson, who knows all about the pressure of racing on the water, joined First Light's Rachel Smalley on Thursday morning.
Smalley said she feels like the whole country will be watching these two today and asked Ferguson what must be going through their heads.
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A study has begun, led by the University of Auckland and in partnership with a number of other organisations, including Otago, the New Zealand Aids Foundation, and the Blood Service, is looking at the whether the three month stand-down period for men who have sex with men (MSM) should remain in place.
At the moment, MSM can't donate blood for three months if they have had oral sex or anal sex without a condom, or if they have been exposed to HIV or are thought to have been.
What the study looks at is whether this policy is unscientific or discriminatory, given the advances in HIV prevention.
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Europe is delighted, but France is divided.
Emanuel Macron has been re-elected as french president but a significant percentage of the vote wasn't for macron, as such, but instead to keep the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen out of government.
International analyst Geoffrey Miller from the democracy project joined First Light's Rachel Smalley to discuss the French election.
Smalley asked Miller whether the Macron's re-election is necessarily a vote of confidence in him or his leadership.
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Spare a thought for those who've gone before us to fight for the freedom we have today
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Life is certainly getting more expensive... And this morning we'll get a clearer idea of just how tough it is to get by.
The much-anticipated release of the consumer price index for the March quarter is set to reveal the true extent of our current inflation problem.
Former Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash joined First Light's Rachel Smalley to explain what the reserve bank is charged with doing in terms of influencing inflation.
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Russia's bombardment of cities across Ukraine is continuing. Intelligence suggests another offensive is coming.
At least seven people have died in the western city of Lviv after a number of missiles hit the city. That area has largely escaped attack until now.
International analyst from The Democracy Project, Geoffrey Miller, joined First Light's Rachel Smalley on Tuesday morning to discuss the evolving situation in Ukraine and where Russia is focusing its intentions now.
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They take the focus away from policy, political accountability, from what the public really needs to know
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The North Islands East Coast could see around 200mm to 300mm of rain today alone
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The Ministry of Business estimates anywhere between 50,000 - 125,000 kiwis could leave the country next year.
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The COVID-19 protection framework, or the traffic light system as we know it, is how the government says we should manage ourselves during omicron. Today, there will be another announcement. Will it be lowered from red to orange? Will hospitality, events and retail be given a reprieve just in time for the Easter holiday? Will it shift from red to orange? Well, who knows?
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