Lisa Owen

Pounamu is a prized taonga for both Maori and non-Maori alike and increasingly its gifted for significant life events and celebrations. But as interest around pounamu grows, what are the tikanga… Audio

Sports correspondent Glen Larmer spoke to Lisa Owen about an update on the cricket in Hamilton, a star player from the Broncos escaping conviction and some highlights in sport from the year.  Audio

A former spy minister said a police trip to China looks like a "classic effort" by the Chinese government to "curry favour" with New Zealand authorities. A group of 33 police staff visited China in… Audio

Richlisters and the kindness of a church means needy families are still being fed after a trio of key donors stepped into save David Letele's south Auckland food bank. The Butter Bean food bank has… Audio

Fiji's government is desperately trying to protect the country's reputation as a tourist destination after seven people fell violently ill after drinking cocktails at a five-star resort on Saturday… Audio

Local government minister Simeon Brown said these will be benchmarks that can be accessed by the public - and show ratepayers how their council compares to others. It's part of a raft of reforms… Audio

An advocate for young homeless people said it's clear Oranga Tamariki needs more funding to care for teenagers and children. The call comes as Oranga Tamariki data shows the number of kids and teens… Audio

A survivor of the Lake Alice child and adolescent unit, where children were tortured in the 1970s, has received an in-person apology from the Medical Council for not investigating a complaint he made… Audio

The clean up task force, that has been funded by the government, is only just finishing, almost two years after Cyclone Gabrielle battered the region. Hundreds of homes and land was coated in metres… Audio

Middle East correspondent spoke to Lisa Owen about what the situation is like in Syria, a week on from the fall of Bashar Al Assad's regime, a number of Israeli strikes happening on Syrian territory… Audio

Fijian authorities are scrambling to find out what led to seven people falling ill after drinking cocktails at a five-star resort on Saturday afternoon. All were taken to hospital where their… Audio

Food waste is a massive issue, it's estimated up to a third of all food is lost or wasted globally. A recent survey by social group Love Food Hate Waste found 42 percent of left overs aren't used… Audio

The country's first case of a high pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu, has been identified on our shores. It was found on a commercial free-range Otago egg farm in Moreaki… Audio

The richest cricket league in the world has commenced its annual player auction. The Indian Premier League has created dozens of overnight millionaires since its inception in 2008. Sports reporter… Audio

One retailer wants to know why shops are carrying the losses, when they're hit by credit card fraud and not the companies, whose cards are being used for the dodgy transactions. Earlier this month a… Audio

The Education Minister Erica Stanford has apologised in Parliament after allegedly calling her Labour Party counterpart Jan Tinetti a "stupid bitch" in the debating chamber. It comes at the same time… Audio

The Dunedin mayor is disappointed but unsurprised the Health Minister will be a no show at a meeting tonight to protest any cuts to the Dunedin Hospital rebuild project. Shane Reti declined an invite… Audio

Measles, one of the most contagious diseases, remains at high risk of an outbreak in New Zealand. There are low levels of immunisation the country and a growing number of cases overseas. A briefing… Audio

Former Black Caps cricketer Doug Bracewell has been handed down an anti-doping sanction by the New Zealand Sports Tribunal for using cocaine. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen. Audio

Almost a year on from the Auckland anniversary floods and cyclone Gabrielle, residents in Auckland's Muriwai are still picking up the pieces from their ruined homes and trying to move on. The area of… Audio