Lisa Owen

A hard working Hamilton Christmas tree is a little on the tired side and needs a pretty pricey zhoosh up if its going to stay on duty for years to come. The iconic tree, that is the tallest in country… Audio

Asia correspondent Erin Hale spoke to Lisa Owen about South Korea's parliament voting to impeach president Yoon Suk Yeol following his declaration of martial law two weeks ago, Prince Andrew being… Audio

All domestic cats will have to be microchipped and registered if a proposed law being championed by a Green MP makes it over the line. But the bill, backed by Celia Wade-Brown, stops short of… Audio

It's the time of year when many people are looking forward to getting away on their summer break -- to enjoy some sun and sea and let their hair down a little while they're away from home. But the… Audio

The government opened its books today - revealing the economic outlook for the near term is looking pretty bleak. A lower tax take and higher Crown expenses deliver continued budget deficits - with a… Audio

MPI is asking people to keep a close eye on their backyard chooks after a bird flu scare in the forced killing of 200 thousand birds. A mainland egg farm near Moeraki tested positive for an aggressive… Audio

A massive 7.3 earthquake has hit Vanuatu, at a depth of 10 kilometres. The quake struck 37 kilometres west of the capital Port Vila just before 1:00pm local time. A local journalist has told the ABC… Audio

A woman whose holiday home was at the centre of an online scam said it has taken weeks for the host site to take the property offline. Meanwhile she's worried people will have been fleeced for a… Audio

The National Emergency Management Agency says there is no Tsunami threat to New Zealand. Locals on social media are reporting landslips and say its the biggest quake to hit the island  in up to two… Audio

Auckland Zoo's had a pre-Christmas delivery, they've welcomed a bruiser of a baby southern white rhino calf. He arrived on Friday, following a speedy labour; a remarkable three minutes give or take… Audio

United States correspondent Zach Montellaro spoke to Lisa Owen about a school shooting Madison, Wisconsin where a teacher and student have been killed, President-elect Donald Trump holding his first… Audio

One north island council's revealed its roll of recycle shame, the items people stuff into bin pretending they can have a second life, when they know full well they can't. A deer carcass was found… Audio

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