Phil Pennington
US government cloud email accounts hacked
A hack of US government cloud email accounts blamed on a group linked to China raises questions about the New Zealand government's growing reliance on American data firms.
The government here is… Audio
Damning report on health services hidden by Te Whatu Ora has been released
A damning report on health services that Te Whatu Ora kept hidden for months by using whistleblowing laws, has finally been released to RNZ.
The whistle-blower, a senior doctor, says he told the… Audio
Firefighters lacked documents on landslide risks
The only substantial document firefighters had about landslide risks prior to the fatal Muriwai slip in February, was a 10-year-old manual from Sweden.
The document was in English, but it said little… Audio
Private sector investment could be considered for public hospitals
The government could use private sector investment to build public hospitals, a major shake up to how health projects are funded.
Te Whatu Ora has set up a new national infrastructure team which is… Audio
Social Development Ministry begins makeover
The Social Development Ministry has embarked on a $2 billion makeover that consultants, called "strategic partners", are already making many millions of dollars from. The programme overspent by at… Audio
Kaitaki lost power due to old parts
The Cook Strait ferry Kaitaki lost power in January due to an old engine part which ruptured.
RNZ can reveal just how many old parts were in its engines at the time.
Documents show three other… Audio
Engineers working to stabilise motorway
Transport agency Waka Kotahi is insisting the country's newest motorway north of Auckland is built to last, despite extreme weather triggering a big landslip which is now under urgent repair.
… Audio
Landslide threatens new motorway
The Auckland Anniversary floods have reactivated a landslide that now threatens a new billion-dollar motorway north of the city.
The Pūhoi to Warkworth highway has only been open a month, but cracks… Audio
Government provided no advice on fire risks
The government rushed into promoting much more intensive housing with zero advice on the higher fire risks.
An OIA response shows the Housing Minister Megan Woods got no advice despite Fire and… Audio
Cancer patient delays longer than Te Whatu Ora claims
The national health agency Te Whatu Ora has been sending letters to cancer patients in the far south warning of long delays, despite claiming it was seeing most patients on time.
Te Whatu Ora told… Audio
Government pay China $38 million over forfeited money
New Zealand has given $38 million to China over a Canadian-Chinese businessman who laundered millions here for years, then last month tried to become mayor of Toronto.
Xiaohua Gong ran under the… Audio
Dunedin hospital faces deadline
Tomorrow is the deadline for Dunedin hospital to report back on how it is improving its gap-ridden services for cancer patients in the Southern district.
But in key ways it has been going backwards… Audio
Big moves underway to fix fragmented health records
Big moves are underway to fix the way people's health information is shared by doctors and hospitals.
Health authorities have chosen a company to set up the first-ever national data platform, and are… Audio
New report shows costly mistakes in hospital projects
Health officials in charge of getting massive hospital projects built have been making basic, costly mistakes for years around budgets, timings and design.
That's according to a newly released report… Audio
Microsoft wants Education Ministry to use AI
US tech giant Microsoft pushed the Education Ministry to adopt an artificial intelligence programme for continuous live reporting on children and teachers in the classroom.
Emails released under the… Audio
Hospital costs blowout
The latest cost blowouts at hospital projects, including two Bay of Plenty mental health units, are expected to triple in price to $150 million.
The latest briefings to the Health Minister also show… Audio
Restoration of comms during an emergency a 'top priority'
Critical telecommunications equipment was unloaded off aircraft and replaced with other gear, on flights into regions cut off by Cyclone Gabrielle.
A new report into the emergency response says… Audio
NZ scrambling to deal with flood rescues
The country is scrambling to deal with flood rescues in the face of the growing threat fuelled by climate change.
After New South Wales suffered extreme floods last year, the State government… Audio
Surf lifeguards told not to respond in crisis without gear
Surf lifeguards say they've been told they should not have responded to the calls for help during Cyclone Gabrielle if they didn't have the right gear. They saved hundreds of people, but ruined their… Audio
Firefighters warn Auckland Council over low water pressure
Firefighters have warned Auckland Council the city's rapid growth means they sometimes run out of water to put out fires. They also can't get their trucks close to burning houses in high-density… Audio