The Detail

Join The Detail team six days a week as they make sense of the big stories with the country’s best journalists and experts.

A Newsroom production for RNZ, supported by NZ On Air

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The Year in Detail: 2022

Natural disasters, economic turmoil, and injustices in the justice system - The Detail recaps the big stories from this year.
Diamonds line up for the national anthems ahead of the opening Constellation Cup test against the Silver Ferns.

How the case of Baby W made global headlines

The case of Baby W ended up in the international spotlight - how did it happen?
e Whatu Ora is taking a case against parents who are refusing to allow blood from vaccinated people to be used during their baby's life-saving heart operation.

Rebuilding a broken city

It's more than a decade since the Canterbury earthquakes, but how far has the Christchurch rebuild come?
An empty lot in central Christchurch, with graffiti on walls.

Making a dent in Tākaka's housing shortage

The Detail catches up with the man with a grand plan to solve Tākaka's afforable housing shortage.
Chris Bennett sits on the deck of an unfinished house. He is wearing a navy long sleeved shirt and dark coloured pants and shoes. He smiles at the camera. The house is covered in scaffolding.

AI's new frontier: Works of art and human-like chatbots

Artificial intelligence continues to seep into our daily lives, but what are the ethical implications of it?
Episode image

Nelson's long, sodden road to recovery

The Detail heads to Nelson to survey the damage left behind by a massive storm four months ago.
A hillside has collapsed into the back of someone's yard. A slip of loose earth wrapped in wire is slumped over a wooden fence. There is a neighbour's house and fence in the background. Above is a blue sky.

Are our Olympians actually employees?

A group of top athletes is taking an employment case against High Performance Sport - why?
Mahe Drysdale

Cutting the cloth: What it takes to make clothes in New Zealand

It was once one of the nation's biggest industries. Now this Christchurch clothing factory is among the last of its kind.
Ben Kepes wears a black hoodie and stands on an elevated platform. Behind him is the factory floor of Albion Clothing, with rows of workbenches and tools. There is a string of flags hanging over the factory floor.

Franz Josef: The tourist town bouncing back, with a new problem

The pandemic turned it into a ghost town, but Franz Josef is bouncing back and is as busy as ever.
The main street of Franz Josef with snowy mountains in the background.

China's Covid protests: What happens next?

The most dramatic protests in a generation - The Detail looks at the growing dissent in China over Covid-19 restrictions.
People gather as police officers block Wulumuqi street, in Shanghai on 27 November, 2022, in the area where protests against China's zero-Covid policy took place the night before following a deadly fire in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang region.

Are we in for another Covid summer?

Summer has arrived, but with our restrictions largely kicked to the curb and a soup of different variants at play, what can we expect from Covid-19 case numbers?
Colourful beach umbrella on a summer sunny day above unrecognizable people on a beach at the north shore of Auckland, New Zealand

When New Zealanders get into trouble overseas

If you're arrested or detained overseas, who do you call for help back home - and can they really help you?
Topher Richwhite and Bridget Thackwray, pictured in South Africa, recorded their round the world travels on Instagram.

The problem with entrenching party policy

Could entrenching part of the Three Waters legislation set a dangerous precedent?
Three Waters.

Do prized artworks need more protection?

In private hands, iconic New Zealand treasures can be sold off, hidden away, or even destroyed.
BNZ will be selling some of the country's most significant artworks from tomorrow.

New Zealand says Xin Chao to trade with Vietnam

What do closer trade ties with Vietnam mean for New Zealand?
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh.

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