Features

Growing up, Tipene assumed his destiny was being a Mongrel Mob member, but music steered him on a different course. He tells Kirsten Johnstone of his path to debut album Tautoko. Video, Audio

New Zealand’s Parliament was founded on the model of the UK's Westminster Parliament. But much has changed since, mostly here (Westminster is a sucker for tradition). So how many of the current events could happen in New Zealand? Audio

When the police started cracking down on Pasifika overstayers, a group of young people called the Polynesian Panthers started pushing back. Audio

The #MeToo movement and the reduction in harassment it has achieved has brought with it a ‘backlash’ with negative side effects for women’s careers, research has found. Audio

Famed Russian violinist Viktoria Mullova, who’s performing in Auckland this week, was touring Finland at the time of her defection, leaving her Stradivarius violin on the hotel bed. Audio

Internationally renowned Wellington group Fat Freddy’s Drop have announced ten shows across New Zealand this summer, with support from acts including L.A.B, Avantdale Bowling Club, JessB, Bailey Wiley, and Philadelphia-native DJ Jazzy Jeff. Audio

Checkpoint - Auckland's incumbent mayor Phil Goff and contender John Tamihere have expressed little love for each other so far, and their debate hosted by Checkpoint's Lisa Owen last night was no exception.  Video, Audio

An Australian medical specialist said free consultation and education for Pacific doctors through a network of instant messaging and telemedicine is saving lives.

Best-selling author Robert Harris' latest novel, The Second Sleep, has all the trappings of a historical novel but it's actually set far into the future and the characters look back on the ruins of our world as we do to past civilisations. Audio

Melanie Bunce cut her teeth in journalism at the Otago Daily Times. Now she teaches at one of the UK’s most prestigious journalism schools and tracks the trends that shape - and threaten - news.  Audio

Voices - While there are many community initiatives with unique ideas to reduce, reuse and recycle, Pacific Vision Aotearoa has a particularly novel approach involving an octopus or feke. Audio

RNZ Music is proud to present the new single and video from country/pop singer Abby Christo. ‘Body Language’ is Abby’s second single, following her debut ‘Kiss Me into Monday’ which has been streamed over half a million times.

It’s one step forward and two steps back for those fighting against the hunting of whales. Audio

First person - Following the Tall Blacks camp around China during the Basketball World Cup, I learned a few things, Matt Chatterton writes. 

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will be playing Water Music, a collection of music by Telemann and Handel at the Civic Theatre in Invercargill. 

Seven of Tuvalu's sixteen members of parliament will be newcomers.

A young Fijian author and activist has described being bullied and discriminated against in her first children's book.

The Gizo community in Solomon Islands' Western Province is mourning the death of a woman who was killed in a landslide this morning.

The Norfolk Island Chamber of Commerce is calling for an urgent change in direction by Canberra or the island risks becoming a "failed state".

Planting more radiata pine while maintaining our native forest is the best option for fighting greenhouse gas emissions - and should not add to the wilding pine problem, a forestry scientist says. Audio

Hinewehi Mohi made history at Rugby World Cup when she performed the New Zealand national anthem in te reo Māori in front of 70000 rugby fans. Twenty years on, she is tackling Aotearoa’s unofficial anthems. Video, Audio

In 1999, Hinewehi Mohi made history at Rugby World Cup quarter final when she performed the New Zealand national anthem in te reo Māori. Twenty years on, she explains why she chose to sing in te reo Māori that day in Twickenham. Video, Audio

The Detail - With 4.5 billion air passengers last year, and that number set to double in less than 20 years, how on earth are airlines going to help save the planet? Audio

Fear and the drive for freedom are behind the success of famed Russian violinist Viktoria Mullova who's currently in New Zealand. Audio