First Up Podcast Options

5:26 AM.In New Zealand in the 70s we had On The Mat, in the 80s it was the WWF Superstars of wrestling, and for the last 30 years the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) has been the biggest, if not the only… Read more Audio

5:23 AM.It's that time of the week where we cast our eyes around the motu and talk to our Local Democracy reporters, this week it is the turn of Chloe Ranford who's based in Marlborough. Audio

5:15 AM.Former WRC rally driver Hayden Paddon's electric car will make it's competitive debut this weekend at a hill climb near Waimate. Paddon has spent the last two and a half years developing the Hyundai… Read more Audio

5:10 AM.The first study in New Zealand into microplastics in wastewater plants has found hundreds of thousands of microplastics enter the ocean around Aotearoa every day. Taking samples from water coming into… Read more Audio

5:06 AM.We begin this morning in Europe where Italian police have made arrests in a mafia crack down. For more on this story and a few other morsels from the earth's most northern continent, Nathan Rarere was… Read more Audio

5:48 AM.Auckland hairdressers and barbers say they need more targetted financial support if they are going to make it out of the lockdown intact. And as Ella Stewart reports, the cost of staying closed for… Read more Audio

5:35 AM.Yesterday Nathan asked the audience what questions you might still have about Covid 19. And you did! ... about alternatives to the Pfizer vaccine, booster shots and mask wearing.. So Nathan put all of… Read more Audio

5:31 AM.The NBA season tips off today and what better way to catch up on what's in store than talking with our friend in San Francisco, Dan Dibley from 95.7 the Game. Nathan Rarere asked Dan if Le Bron James… Read more Audio

5:23 AM.It's that time of the week where we have a look into the lives of Aotearoa's small business owners. This morning we're hearing from the owner of 'Anj' Ashleigh Jenner. She makes clay flowers and… Read more Audio

5:15 AM.Northland is officially out of Level 3, but not everyone in the far north is lining up for level 2 living Kerikeri school teacher and new mum Renee Archer has let everyone know that while other… Read more Audio

5:09 AM.Nathan Rarere spoke to our own hot-potato, our correspondent in Australia, Pam Corkery about the Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins stepping down. Audio

5:54 AM.And Auckland businesses are bracing themselves for at least 14 more days in level 3 lockdown. That means malls and shops will remain closed except for click and collect and no indoor or outdoor dining… Read more Audio

5:51 AM.Auckland will stay in level 3 lockdown for at least two more weeks in a bid to get more people double vaccinated. Northland will shift back into Alert Level 2 tonight but Waikato will stay in Alert… Read more Audio

5:41 AM.A Pasifika business leader who survived Covid-19 has put work to one side in order to get people vaccinated. Tuala Tagaloa Tusani and his partner Fionna both thought they were going to die from the… Read more Audio

5:30 AM.Those of you who tuned into Saturday's vaxathon might have seen a recognisable figure all PPE-d up-to-the-nines and vaccinating the good people of Northland. National's deputy leader Shane Reti got… Read more Audio

5:22 AM.This week on TradeMe - a wonderful fundraiser for the Breast Cancer foundation - a Custom made bedroom set from the good people at Sealy worth over $15,000. There's beach front property for sale in… Read more Audio

5:15 AM.From 11.59 tonight Northland will rejoin the rest of the country at Alert Level 2 as a result of no further positive covid cases have been detected over the last week For businesses it means once… Read more Audio

5:54 AM.It's the first day of a new school term but Auckland students are again having to settle for online lessons ... if they're able to login at all, that is. It remains unclear just when students will be… Read more Audio

5:49 AM.There were 51 new community cases of Covid-19 reported yesterday including - worryingly - four in Waikato. The news is better for Northland, which may have dodged a bullet with no new cases being… Read more Audio

5:38 AM.Businesses are calling for dining and entertainment vouchers to support the industries hard hit by Covid-19 lockdowns. Vouchers to encourage people to dine out and spend money have been rolled out… Read more Audio

5:24 AM.Joining Nathan Rarere from the fresh produce markets - it's our Minister of Fruit and Vege, Glenn Forsyth. Audio

5:17 AM.Sam Richards is 15 and has just made 1 million dollars. The New Zealander teenager is currently living in Queensland and has sold his Amazon business Bellaforte which sells reusable, affordable and… Read more Audio

5:12 AM.We're off to the Cook Islands now where people are wondering what more they need to do to get New Zealand tourists back now they're 96 per cent vaccinated? Joining Nathan Rarere is the president of… Read more Audio