Stories by Sarah Robson
Audio and features
The girl-power economy has arrived
The pop culture dollar is being laid down on Barbie and Taylor Swift, as young women not in the market for a mortgage splash their joy around. Audio
After a summer of cyclones, are we ready for a summer of wildfires?
Scenes of mass destruction in Greece and Hawaii have shown us just how serious wildfires are. Audio
The future will be riskier – how will insurance keep up?
When a natural disaster destroys your home, who should foot the bill? The government, private insurers, or you? Audio
The waitlist algorithm that morphed into a political weapon
MPs have spent much of the week debating the merits - or otherwise - of an algorithm that takes into account ethnicity to help prioritise patients waiting for elective surgeries. Audio
Tracking the guns
The missing piece of New Zealand's firearms reforms falls in place this weekend – a long-called for registry which will tell us who owns what, and where guns go when they're sold. Audio
Men without a safe place to call home
How do some of society's most vulnerable people – men in particular – fall into insecure housing? Audio
The India dilemma
A relationship with India is one that requires a great deal of homework and hard work - something New Zealand has shied away from. Audio
What if we could RAT for STIs?
The Covid-19 pandemic made self-testing with RATs a household convenience - could we do the same with testing for sexually transmitted infections? Audio
A day of pomp and glory
Heavy is the crown that fits the King's head - and the weight of centuries of tradition will also cloak Charles III on the day of his coronation. Audio
New Zealand is juggling old mates and new friends
Australia has drawn closer to traditional allies the US and UK by inking its nuclear submarine deal. Meanwhile our foreign minister's just returned from China where some delicate diplomacy has been… Audio
Strippers give clubs a dressing down
Fines, unreasonable rosters and restrictive contracts - strippers are laying bare the realities of working in their industry. Audio
Younger audiences slip away from local media
Research shows 15-24-year olds are switching off from the likes of TVNZ and RNZ and reaching for TikTok and YouTube. Can they be brought back? Audio
Minor parties: Will they have a major impact?
Newsroom's political editor Jo Moir and RNZ's deputy political editor Craig McCulloch join The Detail to size up the minor parties as election year gets underway. Audio
When New Zealanders get into trouble overseas
If you're arrested or detained overseas, who do you call for help back home - and can they really help you? Audio
Do prized artworks need more protection?
In private hands, iconic New Zealand treasures can be sold off, hidden away, or even destroyed. Audio
Kauri: The fightback against dieback
Kauri dieback disease is killing our giants of the forest - are we any closer to a cure? Audio
Why Iranian women are rebelling against decades of oppression
They are the biggest protests in Iran for years - but will this women-led uprising force the regime to change? Audio
Slipping away: Can we keep fixing up after landslides?
Landslides can happen anywhere there is a slope, at any time. Can we stop them? Audio
Propping the theatre door open
In the digital age and the Covid era, how do you get people out to a play? Audio
The boom and bust of our polytechs
On January 1, Te Pūkenga will take over the country's 16 polytechnics and industry training organisations. Can a mega-merger bring the sector financial security? Audio
Shopping for change: Busting the supermarket duopoly
How did New Zealand end up with just two big supermarket players - and can the government's changes really shake things up? Audio
What makes a charity a charity?
The Supreme Court has ruled that Family First isn't a charity - so what actually are the rules about what is and isn't a charity? Audio
Taking the temperature on sick leave
We're told to stay home when we're sick – but for many workers, that's an almost impossible ask. Can employers be doing more? Audio
The warning you might get before the next big quake
Five seconds warning could be enough to take action to protect yourself in a major shake. Does New Zealand need an earthquake early warning system? Audio
The fight against mycoplasma bovis
New Zealand's on the brink of eradicating the devastating cattle disease mycoplasma bovis. But has it been worth it? Audio