The Briefing
New Zealand
-
Summer drowning numbers tracking higher than last year
6:26 am todayThere have been 30 deaths over the past two months in waterways, lakes and beaches.
'For our mokopuna': Rangatahi voices rise at Waitangi
Southern Brown Kiwi lays rare two eggs
Politics
-
Luxon denies Treaty Principles Bill repeat on the cards
5 Feb 2026The PM faced heckling during his speech at Waitangi today amid tensions over the bill.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon heckled during speech at Treaty Grounds
Waitangi 2026: Thursday in pictures
Sport
-
Cricket: Sickness hits Black Caps in lead-up to T20 World Cup
5:01 am todayHowever, head coach Rob Walter is hopeful of a clean bill of health before the New Zealand team's tournament gets underway.
Super Bowl LX: Everything you need to know
Super Rugby Pacific law changes: Players give their verdict
Business
-
The sector with 17,000 more full-time jobs
5 Feb 2026Unemployment has hit its highest level in a decade, but beneath the headline numbers some sectors are faring much better than others.
Treaty concerns push out Santana Mines open-cast mine decision to October
'Really serious': Call for urgency as review of insurance commences
More News & Current Affairs
In Case You Missed It
-
'Girl queen and a bit of skin': The thrifted and homemade outfits of Laneway
5 Feb 2026Some wore cowboy hats and sparkly clothes that paid tribute to headliner Chappell Roan, but almost all had borrowed, thrifted or made their outfits.
-
New 'Māori gothic' film Mārama draws on horror of colonialisation
5 Feb 2026Mārama tells the story of a young Māori woman lured to Victorian England under false pretenses, and her fight to keep her identity.
-
Two studies link child ADHD diagnoses to poor school performance, unhappiness
5 Feb 2026Some clinicians are concerned by these results, while some people say a diagnosis brought validation and life-changing help.
-
'We are all connected': Indigenous, Pacific leaders unite at Waitangi
5 Feb 2026Waitangi Day commemorations have become a gathering point for Indigenous ocean leadership from across the Pacific.
RNZ Music
-
In concert: Muriwai
LISTEN: musicians Ariana Tikao and Bob Bickerton perform Muriwai, which refers to a confluence of two rivers. Their music is a convergence of Māori and Celtic musical traditions, through voice, taonga pūroro, and Celtic harp. Audio
-
Michael Norris thinks big
Composer Michael Norris talks about his latest work, SoundCathedral. Audio
-
Back where the korimako sings
UK composer, keyboard player and conductor Howard Moody is back to conduct his fourth Opera in a Days Bay garden. Audio
-
Around the world for a song
Jessica Kinney has moved to New Zealand from the UK to take up a brand new job managing artistic planning and outreach for ChoirsNZ. Video, Audio
In Depth
-
Are we stuck in a 'crisis and response' pattern?
Experts say the bill for disasters will only continue to rise unless we make changes.
-
How poo-detecting dogs can help native birds flourish
Kiwi have started to hatch on Waiheke Island and may thrive with the help of special detection dogs helping eliminate the last of the island's pests.
-
Integrity probe into Yachting NZ drags into second year
The Sport Integrity Commission's first major investigation, triggered by dozens of complaints about Yachting NZ, remains unfinished a year on.
-
Feral cat trapping could get easier
The paperwork currently required to legally trap feral cats could be replaced with a simpler online system, after criticism from hunters.
What You Need to Know
-
What to know about the entity replacing Wellington Water
Explainer- Ratepayers in the Wellington metropolitan area will have two bills from 1 July as new water entity Tiaki Wai steps up.
-
What Kiwis should know about the Nipah virus
Explainer - What is the Nipah virus, and why is it raising concerns about travel from parts of Asia? Here's what you need to know. Audio
-
What are the rules for ads in election year?
Explainer - Soon politicians will blanket the internet and airwaves with pleas for your vote. What are they allowed to do? Video
-
Is violence on buses getting worse, and what's being done?
Explainer - A series of attacks - including a fatal stabbing - have raised concerns about the safety of riders. Video
Radio on demand
Recently updated shows
What’s on
RNZ National
-
On now
Waitangi Morning with Stacey Morrison
- Just finished
-
Up next
Feature Programming - A tale of Two Wakas
RNZ Concert
- On now
Comment & Analysis
AI replicas of the dead an innovative tool or ethical nightmare?
Opinion - AI replicas are already used to assist people during bereavement and could be integrated into medical education - but should they?
Diabetes care in NZ: Who's being left behind?
Analysis - At first glance, it can look like the result of individual choices, but that doesn't hold up.
How to fix the 'build now, fix later' culture
Nearly 10 percent of the construction sector's total value is lost to systemic quality failure, writes industry consultant Mark Kirby.
The hidden cost of 'fairness' in NZ finance law
Analysis: How legal requirements that NZ financial institutions treat consumers "fairly" raises questions about subjectivity, regulatory power and consumer…