The Front Page

The 1998 deaths of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope remain one of New Zealand’s most talked about cases.

Scott Watson has spent the last 25 years behind bars after being convicted of murdering them, despite no bodies ever being found.

Now, Watson is heading back to the courtroom four years after his case was referred back to the Court of Appeal, in what is his last shot at clearing his name.

Today on The Front Page, we’re going back to...

Tensions between Māoridom and the coalition Government have been bubbling up since the latter was sworn in last year. 

Outrage over the Treaty Principles Bill and cuts to services for Māori has seen multiple protests, mostly recently the ‘Carkoi’ rally across the motu on Budget Day. 

That same protest saw this animosity take on a new angle, with Te Pati Māori issuing a declaration of political independence and calling for a separ...

Even if you wouldn’t say it out loud, we've all fantasised about winning Lotto.

Whether it’s a few thousand dollars or a couple of million, you can’t how amazing taking home a win would be.

And the prize pool keeps getting bigger – in 2016, $40 million was still the limit, but now, someone could take home $43 million tonight, and it'd be the second largest draw for an individual ever. 

So, what happens when a life-changing amoun...

As the country’s economy continues to take a hit, one of the biggest sectors to struggle has been retail.  

Figures over the last few quarters have consistently shown low spending on retail as Kiwis prioritise where they put their money.

There’s the closure of physical TradeAid stores, the sale of Torpedo7, the closure of TheMarket.com, and now the end of Auckland icon Smith and Caughey’s and the Flybuys loyalty scheme.

So amids...

This year’s King’s Birthday holiday is not as celebratory as the royal family would like.

While King Charles is start to get back to work after his cancer diagnosis earlier this year, the Princess of Wales remains out of action, with reports that she might not return to work until 2025.

In amongst the health crises that have hit the Royal Family, the ongoing tensions between The Firm and Prince Harry have made headlines again ove...

The coalition Government has unveiled its first Budget, and Finance Minister Nicola Willis managed to deliver on her tax cut pledge.  

There was also money found for health and education, while the major tax cuts were funded out of significant cuts to the public sector.

The Budget also confirmed that our tough financial times are set to continue until at least 2028, and Willis is putting a cap on spending for the next few Budgets...

For decades, New Zealand’s persistently high road toll has been a worry for successive governments.

340 people died on our roads in 2023, down from the previous, but still far too high.

2024 is hardly looking any better – there was more than a day a death in January, the Easter road toll was at its highest in three years, while a recent head-on collision left five dead near Hamilton.

It’s an issue that is now on the coalition go...

Insurance is becoming an increasingly costly purchase for many households.

Whether you are looking to insure your house, contents, car – or even your pets – premiums are skyrocketing faster than incomes.

It comes at a time when the threats of the climate crisis and natural disasters are leading some people to give up on paying for insurance all together.

Former Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi is the new chief executive of the Insur...

While New Zealanders may have had their general election last year, more than 60 countries around the world will elect their government in 2024. 

In fact, with roughly half the world’s population due to vote, more people will be heading to the polls in one year than at any other point in human history. 

And with mounting global issues threatening the future of our planet – particularly our climate – who we choose to vote for is m...

Six months have passed since the coalition government was sworn into office – and the honeymoon period has well and truly ended.

After being met almost immediately with protests by Māori leaders, backlash grew over the repeal of anti-smoking laws, the extent of job cuts in the public service, and cuts to disability services.

As polling suggests an uphill battle for the coalition to reach a second term, moves to tackle law and ord...

We’re not officially into winter yet, but as the days get darker and the nights get colder, many of us are starting to come down with bugs and viruses.

From flus and sore throats to the common cold, there's a lot going around already – and that’s without adding in the threat of yet another Covid-19 wave.

But with no government restrictions in place anymore, how prepared are we for the months ahead?

Today on The Front Page, Unive...

The coalition government’s first Budget is out on May 30.

After a rush to find savings, cancelling multiple major projects and cutting back the public service, Finance Minister Nicola Willis has been tempering expectations for a splashy budget.

So, how low key will it be, what areas should we be keeping an eye on – and what about that tax cut promise?

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald business editor at large and host of the Mo...

One of the Government’s most contentious bills is now before select committee.  

The Fast-Track Approvals Bill is designed to speed up the process on consenting major projects, from transport initiatives like roads, to major housing developments.

It also allows three ministers the power to make the final decisions on these projects, even if it goes against the advice of expert panels – or existing laws.

Victoria University of We...

Amid continuing unrest in New Caledonia, our Defence Force is preparing rescue flights for about 250 stranded Kiwis.

Protests in Noumea have been escalating after violence broke out over proposed changes to voter lists – with six dead and hundreds arrested.

French authorities have declared a state of emergency – as pro-independence supporters and security forces clash.

Today, Chelsea talks with Mike Lightfoot, a Kiwi tourist cur...

The years-long saga of Julian Assange could finally be at an end – in a decision crucial not only to what happens next for the infamous whistleblower – but for press freedom as we know it.

14 years after his site, Wikileaks, published hundreds of thousands of classified US military and security documents online, and 12 years after the first warrant was issued for his arrest.... judges at London’s High Court could finally decide hi...

Major earthquakes may not be a regular occurrence in New Zealand, but the threat of them is often in the back of our minds.

With a major faultline running through the middle of the country, you only have to look to the events in Christchurch and Kaikoura to know the risk they pose.

Now, new modelling has highlighted the impact a catastrophic quake could have on this country, and if we’re prepared for what that means.

Today on Th...

There’s a new movement on social media in response to celebrities’ views – or lack thereof – on the war in Palestine.  

“Blockout 2024” started with an inconspicuous video of a TikTok influencer posed outside the glamorous Met Gala with the sound bite “let them eat cake”.

Now, an online movement to unfollow and block celebrities is gaining momentum – with the likes of Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner losing hundreds of thousands o...

The National-led Government is continuing its crackdown on gangs.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell this week announced New Zealand will get its own National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units.

The announcement follows a rise in gang violence, including the fatal shooting of a man on Auckland’s Ponsonby Rd by a Killer Beez gang member.

It comes off the back of anti-gang legislation that continues to make its way through Pa...