Navigation for News Categories
What you need to know
Featured What you need to know stories
Ten things RNZ explained in 2025
What were some of the biggest topics RNZ's journalists explained this year? Here's a look back.
-
How changes to the foreign buyers ban will work
17 Dec 2025Explainer - New Zealand's ban on overseas buyers of real estate has been softened - but there's one rather large catch. Audio
-
Why you might suddenly stop drinking milk
15 Dec 2025Explainer - Lactose intolerance affects most of us as we get older. Why does this happen?
-
The 3G shutdown has begun - will your phone work?
15 Dec 2025Explainer - Over the weekend, 3G networks started to shut down. What does this mean for you and your phone? Audio
What you need to know headlines with summaries.
-
How can I cool down my house in summer?
12 Dec 2025Explainer - If you're starting to swelter as temperatures around the country rise, you might be wondering how best to cool your house.
-
Why does New Zealand take such a long summer holiday break?
9 Dec 2025Are our summer breaks too long? And how did they become a Kiwi institution?
-
'24-7 every day of the year' - Who runs Auckland's traffic?
3 Dec 2025Explainer - It looks like Mission Control, but it's actually where traffic for Auckland and much of the North Island is managed. Video, Audio
-
What is open banking, and how does it work?
3 Dec 2025Explainer - It's often touted as a way New Zealanders could get a better deal on their banking - but how?
-
'Incredibly Shakespearean': How political leaders get rolled
2 Dec 2025Explainer - What happens if National or Labour MPs decide to turn on their party's leaders?
-
Regional councils demise: The plans, timeline and thorny issues
27 Nov 2025Explainer - The government is intent on reform, however, many questions on the "reset" remain unanswered. Audio
-
Why has Black Friday become such a big deal?
Explainer - You can't turn around without seeing a Black Friday advert this week. But where did it come from? Audio
-
Why you may pay more for parking on your summer holiday
22 Nov 2025Explainer - Whether you're a local or a tourist, you'll need to pay for parking at three top visitor destinations starting next month.
-
How dangerous is asbestos in coloured sand?
19 Nov 2025Explainer - Why is asbestos such a worry, and what's the risk after coloured play sand has been revealed to be contaminated? Audio
-
What gun reform proposals will change - and what they won't
17 Nov 2025Explainer - How will firearms proposals change access to guns in New Zealand? Here's what you need to know. Audio
-
How and why Kelston could be turned into a charter school
5 Nov 2025Explainer - Can a school be 'taken over' by a charter school conversion? Here's what you need to know. Audio
-
How porn deepfakes may soon become illegal
4 Nov 2025Explainer - They have been described as a sadistic and degrading weapon - yet in New Zealand, nude deepfakes are not explicitly a crime. Audio
-
Measles in New Zealand: What you need to know about the deadly virus
22 Oct 2025Explainer: Measles cases may be spreading in the community. Here’s what you need to know about the deadly disease.
-
Is wild spring weather the new normal?
31 Oct 2025Explainer - Weather forecasters say the last couple weeks haven't been normal, "even by spring's standards". But why? Audio
-
Will New Zealand ever ban fireworks - and should we?
28 Oct 2025Explainer - Every November, talk of banning fireworks sparks up. But despite petitions presented to Parliament, will it happen? Audio
-
How Fonterra's $4b deal will change New Zealand
22 Oct 2025Explainer - Why the dairy giant is selling off its iconic brands - and why Winston Peters is angry about it.
-
What you need to know about this week's mega strike
20 Oct 2025Explainer - There's a huge strike coming. Who's taking part, why are they protesting and what's so 'mega' about it? Audio
-
What to know if you're going to the US in a government shutdown
15 Oct 2025Explainer - What the on-going battle in Washington could mean for New Zealanders. Audio
-
Everything you need to know about changes to Jobseeker
Explainer - Thousands of young people will no longer be eligible for Jobseeker payments. Here's what we know. Audio
-
How fake doctors are trying to sell you weight loss drugs
8 Oct 2025Explainer - The popularity of Wegovy and Ozempic has seen a flood of ads pop up. Who can you trust?
-
What are the 10 warning signs of dementia?
6 Oct 2025Explainer - With cases on the rise in New Zealand, what should families be looking for?
-
'Vague threat' - Trump tariff talk takes aim at NZ film industry
1 Oct 2025Explainer - Donald Trump wants a 100 percent tariff on "foreign movies" made outside the US. What would that do to NZ's film industry? Audio
-
Digital driver licences are coming - how will they work?
30 Sep 2025Explainer - The government aims to introduce digital driver licences by the end of the year. But are they safe - and will everyone have to use them? Video
-
What sick leave and holiday changes could mean for you
24 Sep 2025Explainer - The government has announced sweeping plans to change leave rules. How will it work?
Top News stories
- Dozens killed in fire at Swiss ski resort New Year party
- One critical, two seriously injured in crash near Whanganui
- ManageMyHealth data breach concerning, but no clinical impact - Health Minister
- What it's like being the only residents on a private South Auckland island
- Five things to do if you're retiring in 2026
Subscribe
Get the top 8 headlines each day at 8am with our daily email newsletter.
