The Front Page
Go beyond the headlines with The Front Page, the New Zealand Herald’s daily news podcast. Each weekday Chelsea Daniels unpacks the stories shaping Aotearoa, from what’s happening in our own backyard to global events shaping our future. Every episode we speak to leaders, experts, reporters, and those living the story, so you get the full picture. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode.
Episodes
In the early hours of Monday morning, a man police were hunting for nearly four years was shot and killed in a stand-off on a rural Waikato road.
That man was Tom Phillips, who in December 2021 vanished into the Marokopa bush with his three children, Jayda, Maverick, and Ember.
There have been numerous sightings over the years of the fugitive father - the last was in August when he and another person believed to be one of his child...
It was February 19, 2013.
Maree Schafer was excited to start a hairdressing course at the Eastern Institute of Technology the next day.
That night, three cars - a silver Holden Commodore, a blue Ford Falcon, and a grey Nissan Skyline were street racing near Napier.
The Commodore continued through an intersection, going well over 180km/hour, when the driver lost control, slid sideways across the road, and crashed into a tree.
There ...
French exchange student, Eloi Rolland, was last seen five years ago, today.
The then-18-year-old's disappearance has baffled authorities ever since... Was it a murder, kidnapping, an accident, did he get lost in the bush, commit suicide or plan an escape. Is he still alive, does he want to be found?
He searches Google Maps for directions to Piha about 5am the morning he vanished. He catches a train. He walks for nearly two hours. H...
New Zealanders will finally get to experience the labyrinth that is an IKEA store from December 4.
The new Sylvia Park site in Auckland is one of the company’s largest in the Southern Hemisphere – about the size of three rugby fields.
There’ll be thousands of products available online and in store, and yes, they will be serving up their famous Swedish meatballs in a 426-seat cafeteria.
So, why do we get so excited...
The mistlestoe's hung, the bells are a'ringing
And all through the malls Mariah Carey is singing
It's the same old story, told year after year
Of Santa and reindeer and widespread good cheer
But look a bit closer, and you might see a crack
In the stronghold St Nick has had since way back
Where once stood a hero, red coat and beard white
A sack on his sleigh promising Christmas delight
...Marsden Point operated as New Zealand’s only oil refinery for nearly 60 years.
At its peak in the 80s, it employed around 1700 people – when it was closed in 2022, nearly 240 lost their jobs.
Run by Channel Infrastructure, the site now operates as NZ’s largest fuels import terminal storing and distributing 40% of the country’s fuel.
In recent weeks, a slew of Ministers have visited the site, with NZ First in...
Is New Zealand’s largest city dying?
Auckland is home to roughly a third of the entire country’s population and is predicted to grow even bigger in the coming years.
The City of Sails is, by far, the largest contributor to New Zealand’s economic output, generating about 40% of GDP.
But, walk down many of the inner-city streets, and you’ll see vacant lots – with a lot of potential.
Today on The Front Pa...
The coalition Government has unveiled its second Budget.
Over 20 billion dollars in savings has been found over the next four years, more than half from controversial changes to our pay equity scheme.
There are changes to KiwiSaver contributions, means testing for support for parents, and a major new tax incentive for businesses.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis said that it is a “responsible budget”, while Labour has cal...
You might look on Facebook marketplace for a new couch, a lamp, a rug.
But, what about class A drugs? Or how about a ghost gun?
A Herald investigation has revealed at least 56 listings were circulating on the site offering magic mushrooms, cannabis, and in one case LSD across the North Island and top of the south.
And that could just be the tip of the iceberg of illicit sales on social media.
So how do we get on top of this?
NZ Her...
It’s been revealed that Police ignored sex allegations against a former top cop, and instead prosecuted a woman for ‘revenge emails’.
The woman had emailed police, politicians, and newsrooms accusing former deputy police commissioner Jevon McSkimming of being a sexual predator.
The police watchdog has released a scathing 135-page report into how the allegations were treated, and how the “ambitions of a senio...
The Corrections Association says New Zealand’s prisons are in ‘crisis’.
Last year saw record-breaking numbers of assaults on staff, almost double what they were just seven years ago.
There were also more than 15-hundred prisoner-on-prisoner attacks - the highest annual figure on record.
All of this comes with overcrowding, tight budgets, and a growing gang and meth problem.
Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald senio...
There are more than 9,000 gang members in New Zealand, and thousands more associates.
The coalition government from the get-go promised a crackdown on gangs – they've banned gang insignia in public, handed police greater powers, and created laws to disrupt get-togethers. But, is that all enough?
Jared Savage has been a journalist at the NZ Herald for about 20 years, with a focus on organised crime.
His latest book, Underworld...
A dark day in Australia, as two gunmen opened fire at a Bondi Beach Jewish event marking the first day of Hannukah.
Sixteen people are dead, including one of the assailants.
Police have confirmed there were two offenders and they aren’t looking for anyone else.
One of them, a 50-year-old man, is dead, and a second, a 24-year-old man, is in critical but stable condition. They were a father and son.
There were dozens of people ...
From geopolitical friction and climate chaos to a cost-of-living crisis and a haka heard around the world, 2025 has been a huge year for news.
Trump’s return sparked trade wars, artificial intelligence is getting, well, more intelligent, and we’re rounding out the year with no end in sight for wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
At home, Treaty principles were again put under the microscope, a huge blow for the New Zealand Police...
Tis the season to celebrate the end of the year with your workmates on the company dime.
But, are the days of huge bashes and unlimited bar tabs long gone?
They’ve always been high risk and loaded with legal landmines... with employees toeing the line between loose networking and plain unprofessional.
So, should companies ditch the drama for direct deposits? Or is there still a little magic to the traditional Christmas work d...
Kiwis are flying the coop, most of them heading for better opportunities across the Tasman.
Latest Stats NZ figures show just over 124,000 migrant departures in the year to October, up nearly 7% - 71,000 of them New Zealanders.
What is pushing our best and brightest out the door? And is the grass really greener on the other side?
Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald Business editor at large Liam Dann is with us to dissect what draws ...
Australia’s social media ban comes into effect this week, when all under 16s there will be restricted from major platforms.
We’re talking TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Kick, Twitch, Threads and X.
The EU passed a similar resolution this month, and the UK has introduced age restrictions on certain content.
But, can you really outlaw part of the world wide web for a generation that has grown up online?
A...
From sideline squabbles to damning defeats, 2026 will need to be a year of refresh when it comes to Kiwi sports.
The All Blacks’ season has been shaky to say the least, and headlines have been dominated with Netball New Zealand’s off-court chaos.
But, there have been some major wins on the world stage for some of our best athletes.
Liam Lawson has become a household name – and Ryan Fox has seen...
Auckland’s CBD should be at its brightest right now, but this Christmas season has exposed just how far the city has slipped.
The former Smith and Caughey’s building - once the centre of Auckland’s festive traditions with its iconic window displays and enchanted forest - now sits dark.
Across the CBD, retail spending is down, site vacancy rates are up, and the district has been plagued by stalled developments and ...
Russia is apparently ready to go to war with Europe, according to its President.
Vladimir Putin met with the US negotiators this week for about five hours to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
He has accused European leaders of trying to scupper his peace talks with the US, saying that their tweaks to a plan to end the war were “unacceptable”.
The Kremlin has apparently accepted some proposals to end the war, although l...
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