First Up Podcast Options

5:52 AM.The government is giving 200 dairy workers and 50 veterinarians permission to enter New Zealand. The Agriculture Minister, Damien O'Connor, made the announcement this morning due to pressures on the… Read more Audio

5:41 AM.The Deputy Prime Minister says it's an unfortunate truth that our nurses can earn more money in Australia, as they demand better pay and conditions. Nathan Rarere spoke with Grant Robertson about the… Read more Audio

5:33 AM.Every Thursday we're catching up with the reporters from the Local Democracy Reporting programme, which is dedicated to covering parts of the country which can get overlooked by the big news outlets… Read more Audio

5:23 AM.An Auckland GP is concerned that the public is not taking covid-19 seriously enough. It's been more than 100 days since New Zealand's last community case of covid-19 and South Auckland doctor Sapna… Read more Audio

5:14 AM.Around 30,000 nurses across the country downed tools yesterday, in protest against pay and working conditions. The action comes after failed negotiations in which nurses voted on Monday to go ahead… Read more Audio

5:05 AM.We're not the only ones heading to the UK, President Joe Biden arrives later today for his first G7 meeting, his first overseas trip since becoming President in January. From London, Nathan Rarere… Read more Audio

5:51 AM.Around 30-thousand of the country's nurses will take part in an eight hour strike today to demand better pay and conditions at work. Nurses will picket outside hospitals around the country from 11am… Read more Audio

5:44 AM.Over-crowded, soiled carpets, inadequate toilet facilities and patients subject to potentially degrading behaviour. That's how Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier described the Te Whare Ahuru 'acute care'… Read more Audio

5:35 AM.To the Cook Islands now where the burst travel bubble is in to its fourth week and it seem business is booming. We've been talking with Liana Scott who is GM of the Muri Beach Club Hotel and president… Read more Audio

5:25 AM.To Fiji now where the country is battling it's worst Covid-19 outbreak to date with 147 new cases in the last two days alone. 681 cases have been recorded since the latest outbreak began in April, for… Read more Audio

5:18 AM.As you wake up this morning, you might find that a number of your favourite international websites are either down or struggling to perform. Joining Nathan Rarere to tell us more is our UK… Read more Audio

5:09 AM.Melbourne continues to put out covid-19 fires with at least 3 more community cases in the last 48 hours. The city is still in lockdown and it's possible the initial week long lockdown, which was… Read more Audio

5:51 AM.As we do every week, Nathan Rarere caught up with the Deputy Leader of the National Party Shane Reti. This time they spoke about cycling over Auckland's harbour, tax for big corporates, and Nathan… Read more Audio

5:44 AM.It's feared that the plague of mice which is eating its way across rural New South Wales could swarm the country's towns and cities next. Entire farms and homes have been overrun by billions of… Read more Audio

5:23 AM.We'd all love to be "off-grid" - you could be motivated by thinking solar or wind is better for the envorniment OR maybe the most appealing thing is not having a power bill. Dream no more - you too… Read more Audio

5:16 AM.Hinewehi Mohi has been made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to Maori, music and television. She is one of the 170 recipients recognised in yesterday's Queen's… Read more Audio

5:07 AM.Joining Nathan Rarere from Sweden is our Europe correspondent Anita Purcell Sjölund. Audio

5:51 AM.The Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman is warning hopeful bubble travellers to be prepared to take risks. Karen Stevens says the independent service received 230 mostly travel-related… Read more Audio

5:35 AM.Joining Nathan for a look at all the news from off the planet is our regular space correspondent SPACE JAMES.. James Parr from the Open Space Agency. Audio

5:25 AM.Joining Nathan Rarere for all the mid-year fresh produce news is our Minister of Fruit and Veges, Glenn Forsyth - update on produce affected by floods in Canterbury. Read more Audio

5:15 AM.Did you know that until the end of the month if you have a community services card or gold card and live in Auckland you can get up to 10 cats desexed and microchipped for free? The SPCA is running… Read more Audio

5:06 AM.We start in the Middle East where Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, is on the verge of losing power as his opponents strike a deal that would see him replaced by ultranationalist… Read more Audio

5:50 AM.The clean up is well underway throughout Canterbury after last weekend's epic rainfall and subsequent flooding. Nathan Rarere spoke with the Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson and started by asking… Read more Audio

5:45 AM.To the United States now where President Joe Biden has gone out of his way to address the growing threat of what's being called the Republican Party's "war on voting rights". The President was… Read more Audio

5:35 AM.Truck drivers in Canterbury are facing massive delays because of a bridge damaged in the floods, forcing them to take a big detour inland in order to travel south of Ashburton. The Hakatere Bridge… Read more Audio