First Up Podcast Options

5:17 AM.To the Middle-East now where Iran's leader is defending laws around the wearing of the hijab - our correspondent in Doha is Alex Baird. Audio

5:12 AM.To the Pacific now - Nathan Rarere joined from Tonga by our Pacific correspondent Kalafi Moala in Tonga Audio

5:05 AM.Let's begin this morning in Australia - Nathan Rarere joined from Brisbane by our friend Pam Corkery. Audio

5:53 AM.Someone who's been raising concerns about political lobbying in New Zealand for years is Max Rashbrooke, who's a writer on democracy and economic inequality from Victoria University. He spoke with… Read more Audio

5:46 AM.The government is looking at overhauling how political lobbyists operate, and has already removed swipe card access to Parliament for more than 80 of them. It comes after an RNZ series that showed a… Read more Audio

5:35 AM.Anyone aged 30 and over is now eligible for a second covid booster. So far, 89 per cent of the eligible population have had their first two doses of the vaccine, and 73 per cent have had the first… Read more Audio

5:24 AM.Time to check in with the Local Democracy Reporting Programme now, and this morning we're in Nelson. I talked with reporter Max Frethey and asked him how are things looking for property owners with… Read more Audio

5:16 AM.Time now to hear from our correspondent in Japan, Chris Gilbert. Nathan Rarere asked him why US, Japan, South Korea have been engaging in two days of war drills. Audio

5:55 AM.At your local supermarkets, you'll notice that the greens in the produce section look pretty-well perfect -- the leaves don't have holes, the fruit is all around the same size, and the veggies are… Read more Audio

5:45 AM.Hundreds of people head out to sea each day to ensure Kiwis can get some of the freshest seafood in the world. It's tough work, which can be really stressful and isolating. But the mental wellbeing of… Read more Audio

5:40 AM.Shakespeare lovers in Taranaki are bathing in 2 weeks of The Bard's greatest hits. The Stratford Shakespeare Festival has been re-ignited after a long hiatus and there's a feast of plays, readings… Read more Audio

5:20 AM.For his first report for the month of April is our Minister of Fruit and Veggies, Glenn Forsyth. Audio

5:06 AM.It's expected that Donald Trump will be charged over hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels, and deadly storms have hit the United States. With Nathan Rarere from California is LA broadcasting legend… Read more Audio

5:54 AM.We're joined now by the deputy leader of the Act Party, Brooke van Velden. Audio

5:45 AM.A car crash resulted in Joe Flavell being left as an above the knee amputee, but this weekend he lines up in his first golf tourmament at the New Zealand All Abilities golf championship at Windross… Read more Audio

5:25 AM.Twice a week, we're joined from the fresh produce markets by our Minister of Fruit and Vege Glenn Forsyth - this is one of those times. Fruit of the Week: NZ Feijoas Audio

5:16 AM.The NZ Dance Company has restructured itself over the past couple of years and is excited to announce the appointment of a new artistic director and CEO Moss Te Ururangi Patterson. (Ngati Tuwharetoa)… Read more Audio

5:12 AM.To Africa now - Nabil Ahmed is our correspondent in Ghana, and he spoke with Nathan Rarere. Audio

5:05 AM.We begin this Friday in the US, where Nathan Rarere was joined by our correspondent Katherine Firkin. Audio

5:49 AM.There was another twist to the Stuart Nash saga yesterday, with the revelation that an email which led to his sacking had come to the attention of the former Prime Minister's Office back in 2021. Mr… Read more Audio

5:44 AM.To the Coromandel now where Transport Minister Michael Wood will today meet with local leaders to discuss plans for the peninsula's crippled roading network. His visit coincides after the release of a… Read more Audio

5:34 AM.From April 1 anyone aged 30 and over will be able to get for a fourth covid shot. And that makes 44-year-old Prime Minister Chirs Hipkins eligible for the second booster. So, he will be rolling up his… Read more Audio

5:25 AM.Time to check in with the ace reporters from the Local Democracy Reporting Programme now and today we're in Tai Rawhiti with Matthew Rosenberg. Audio