Latest audio from RNZ National

Scottish writer Douglas Stuart recently won the 2020 Booker Prize for his debut novel Shuggie Bain. Before its success, the book was rejected more than 30 times by various publishers. Set in 1980s… Audio

Fran Kora is originally from Whakatane. He's contributed a lot to NZ music, as a founding member of KORA and now Modern Maori Quartet. KORA, which stars the four musical brothers of the Kora family… Audio

This week Tony is joined by RNZ's Jana Te Nahu Owen, and founder of Banished Music Reuben Bonner, to bring you six brand new tunes. Video, Audio

Matt Berninger finally released his highly anticipated solo project Serpentine Prison earlier this year. Nick Bollinger reviews the new solo venture on this episode of The Sampler. Audio

Tony Stamp investigates our local vinyl industry, looking at increasing record sales, the environmental impact of making vinyl, how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected things, and visiting NZ's first… Audio

LEAO is the musical project of Auckland born Samoan musician David Feauai-Afaese. His music is influenced by the traditional Samoan-pop staples The Samoan Surfriders, Punialava'a, and The Five Stars… Audio

Music from the world, for the world, hosted by Trevor Reekie. Audio

Soiling your undies isn't normally encouraged, unless it's for the good of science! Students from six North Otago schools are undertaking a number of activities to assess soil health in their schools… Audio

Penguin expert and Antarctic explorer Lloyd Spencer Davis blends natural history, evolutionary biology and stories of adventure in his new book A Polar Affair: Antarctica's Forgotten Hero and the… Audio, Gallery

Dr Alyce Swinbourne is a wombat specialist based at the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Adelaide. She says the animals use their amazing armoured backsides (made up of… Audio

Judith Jones is an expert audio describer, providing verbal descriptions of museum exhibitions and stage performances to people who are blind or with low vision. She works as a host at The Museum of… Audio, Gallery

Cognitive neuroscientist Dr David Moreau has been recognised by the Royal Society Te Aparangi Te Kōpūnui with the Early Career Research Excellence Award for Social Sciences. Moreau is a lecturer in… Audio

Australia is not well known for casting envious glances across the Tasman. But what can 'the lucky country' learn from us? Laura Tingle is a senior political journalist with the Australian… Audio

Saliva-based Covid-19 tests could have many advantages over current nasal swabs; being potentially cheaper, quicker, easier, and safer for health workers. Recently returned expat New Zealander Dr Anne… Audio

Laboom Dyer was a 23-year-old new father, and working at Ports of Auckland as a straddle crane driver.

He was on the night shift in August 2018 when he was critically injured after the loader he was… Video, Audio

Kees Weytmans audits forests so that buyers and forestry companies can be sure of the volume and quality of trees coming off the hills. Audio

The freight backlog at Ports of Auckland is turning into a serious safety issue according to truckies, with hundreds of freight containers being driven long-distance to destinations after ships have… Video, Audio