Ben Thomas

Comedian Stephen Colbert's trip to New Zealand cost us more than $100,000, Tourism NZ has revealed. The American visited the country last month after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern invited him on his… Audio

International U2 super fans causing problems with their queuing system at the gates of Mt Smart stadium. Audio

Yesterday Parliament showed a rare display of cross party unity in all but unanimously enacting the bill designed to make New Zealand net carbon zero by 2050.  Audio

The Advertising Standards Authority has ordered the removal of an ad on a dairy in Whangarei which displayed Streets ice creams with the tagline "Ice cream makes you happy".  Audio

What one figure from history would you like to see a hologram of in concert? Dead musicians are taking the stage again in digital form.  Audio

Interesting opinion piece in the NZ Herald by former health social work manager Dara McNaught on the issue of superannuitants being caught in the trap of poverty.  Audio

Oranga Tamariki has announced its findings of an internal inquiry into its contoversial attempt to uplift a newborn baby from its teenage mother in Hawke's Bay.  Audio

Oranga Tamariki has announced its findings of an internal inquiry into its contoversial attempt to uplift a newborn baby from its teenage mother in Hawkes Bay. It found a litany of failures and the… Audio

What the panellists Ben Thomas and Verity Johnson have been thinking about. Audio

Story of the day with Emile Donovan. Audio

Former National party staffer, Ben Thomas, joins the discussion about Christopher Luxon as National's candidate in Botany and Maggie Barry leaving politics. Audio

Last night Former Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxon was selected as the National candidate for Botany. The seat is currently held by former National MP Jami-Lee Ross, who resigned from the party… Audio

The National Party released its social services discussion document, floating a series of "hard-line" policies on welfare, on Wednesday.

Ideas include blocking gang members and their associates from… Audio

The Green Party held its annual conference over the weekend. The party revealed their rent-to-own policy.  Audio

A pharmacist has warned about the danger of natural products and health foods. In Stuff today Andrew Brown says Kiwis often think natural products are safer and healthier but the truth is more… Audio

A 13-year-old boy is taking his school to court over their rules about hair length. Stuff reports James Hunt was stood down from Auckland Grammar for one day for refusing to cut his shoulder-length… Audio

Guy Williams had a rant last week about how terrible Monopoly is as a game, and has since put his thoughts into an opinion piece on Stuff on why it is the worst.  Audio

What do you think is the best/worst board game ever? Why? Audio