Robin Martin
Coronavirus: What the streets are like after lockdown
It's the first morning of Alert Level 2 after nearly seven weeks of strict lockdown protocols in New Zealand.
This means most people can go back to work with almost all businesses except for bars… Audio
Decades old signage sets tongues wagging in New Plymouth
Renovations on a heritage building in New Plymouth have set tongues wagging after they revealed signage dating back to when the city only had four-digit phone numbers.
Stories have emerged about a… Video, Audio
Coronavirus: Australian woman misses chance to see dying kiwi mum
An Australian woman says her attempt to get an exemption to the New Zealand travel ban so she could visit her dying mother has left her feeling distraught and disrespected.
The Sydney resident… Audio
Drought relief 'drop in the ocean' - Hawke's Bay farmer
A Hawke's Bay farmer says the government's latest drought relief package - a $500,000 fund for advisory services - is a 'drop in the ocean' and will not go far to alleviating struggling farmers'… Audio
Coronavirus: Retailers' pain continues in Level 3
It's been a week since we moved into Alert Level 3, but retailers and small outlets say the restricted move back into economic activity is doing very little to help their prospects of recovery.
… Audio
Coronavirus: Dropping migrant workforce leaves dairy industry with jobs to fill
The dairy industry wants New Zealanders to fall back in love with life on the farm.
With Covid-19 meaning the migrant workforce isn't available, it's predicted the sector will need to fill 1000 jobs… Audio
Coronavirus: Business owner caught by small print in lease
A Taranaki business owner is warning leaseholders to read the fine print of their contracts after being asked to pay his rent in full despite a clause in his lease allowing for a rent cut if he… Audio
Coronavirus: New Plymouth enters Alert Level 3
New Zealand is now at Alert Level 3, which which reduces restrictions on businesses and schooling and will see hundreds of thousands more people out and about.
However we're still being asked to stay… Audio
NZ should work on charging Facebook, Google for local media - expert
A New Zealand media expert says this country should waste no time in following an Australian decision to draw up a mandatory code forcing Facebook and Google to pay for content generated by… Audio
Coronavirus: NZ embraces the sound of silence
Can't remember the last time you let your hair down and threw that Bruce Springsteen album on the stereo or pulled out the latest grime release and gave the neighbours a lesson in contemporary dance… Audio
Coronavirus: What the streets are like under lockdown
It's the first morning of New Zealand's four week lockdown in which our number one job is to stay at home to stop the spread of Covid-19.
If the message has got through there should be no one on the… Audio
Covid-19: Show goes on at Womad
Organisers of the Womad festival in Taranaki this weekend are asking ticketholders who feel unwell to stay home as part of their plans to mitigate the affects of the Covid 19 virus.
They insist that… Audio
Farmer says govt can pay if it wants 'orphaned' oil well
A Taranaki farmer says if the government wants to plug an 'orphaned' oil well on his property it can pay for the work itself or stay off his land.
A report obtained by RNZ under the Official… Audio
New Plymouth mayor calls for infrastructure warrants of fitness
The mayor of New Plymouth says local authorities should be required to pass a warrant of fitness on the state of their water infrastructure.
He estimates it will take a decade and hundreds of… Audio
Yarrow Stadium risk register a sea of red
An analysis of the $50 million repair and upgrade of the earthquake-prone Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth reveals it has a high degree of risk.
A Risk Register discussed behind closed doors by… Audio
Sports groups cry foul over Yarrow stadium funding call
Taranaki sports organisations are crying foul over being asked to back funding applications for the $50 million upgrade to Yarrow Stadium that they didn't support in the first place.
They say the… Audio
Government taken to task for not plugging orphan oil and gas wells
The government is being taken to task for failing to act on a 2017 report which found more than 100 'orphan oil and gas wells' around the country had not been properly decommissioned.
Released to RNZ… Audio
Gold Card holders top ebike injuries list
As sales of ebikes continue to accelerate, pensioners now account for more than 40 percent of ebike crashes resulting in claims to ACC.
Figures released to RNZ show the agency had 704 active ebike… Audio
Kiwibuild property sales in New Plymouth expected to be slow
New Plymouth real estate agents say they don't expect properties in a Kiwibuild development in the city to sell quickly.
hey say prospective buyers will be balancing reservations about its location… Audio
Ancient volcanic rock transformed into New Plymouth sculpture
Tonnes of ancient volcanic rock are being transformed into works of fine art on New Plymouth's Coastal Walkway.
Twenty-seven artists - including three from overseas - have set up camp on the popular… Video, Audio
