Best Axe And The City Podcasts (2025)

1
Kerre Woodham: Schools need to be teaching civics 6:32

Play Pause

2h ago6:32

6:32

There are a lot of things parents can teach children without schools needing to get involved. Basic hygiene, reading, physical education, even driving – parents should and could teach their children these skills. And I know schools already have a lot to be dealing with as regards to the needs of our children in their classroom, they've got a lot of…

1
Game Scoop! : Donkey Kong Bananza: Killer App or Filler Snack? 1:12:02

13h ago1:12:02

1:12:02

Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, the ONLY video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops -- Samuel Claiborn, Justin Davis, Nick Limon, and Mitchell Saltzman -- are talking about hands-on time with Donkey Kong Bananza, Death Stranding 2, and Capcom haps. And of course, there's Video Game 20 Questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone…

1
Moana Theodore: Dunedin Study Director on the new tool that can estimate how fast someone's aging 10:18

24h ago10:18

10:18

A new tool can now estimate how fast a person is aging. University of Otago scientists have found a way to use an MRI scan of the brain to quantify the rate of biological aging of middle-aged people to forecast risks of dementia, chronic disease, and death in older adulthood. The technology was developed using data from the Dunedin Study, a decades…

1
Kerre Woodham: Let's put an end to the fun and start verifying political promises 6:03

1d ago6:03

6:03

I don't know about you, but I want to know how big our Finance Ministers' holes are. I think it's really important to know what political parties’ promises are going to cost us. A nine-year battle to get a publicly funded body to cost political parties election promises, starting with the 2026 election, ended at cabinet on Monday after ACT and NZ F…

1
Caryn Zinn: Dietician and co-author of What The Fat? on losing weight, weight loss drugs 14:48

2d ago14:48

14:48

Weight loss drugs are becoming increasingly sought after, with Wegovy hitting New Zealand pharmacies this month. It’s currently not funded, and people will need a prescription to get it. However, people are warning that weight loss drugs aren’t a silver bullet, and lifestyle changes are needed for long term success. ‘What The Fat?’, co-authored by …

1
Kerre Woodham: Have we not learned from slash damage and flooding? 5:40

2d ago5:40

5:40

In the wake of the Motueka valley flooding with warnings that Australia's bomb cyclone is set to bring severe weather conditions to New Zealand, we're on weather watch. Not just the media, although looking at the television screens in my studio —one on BBC talking about the heat waves in Europe and another on Sky News from Australia talking about s…

1
Mark Bloomberg: University of Canterbury School of Forestry Adjunct Senior Fellow on slash 9:05

2d ago9:05

9:05

Forestry is a major industry in New Zealand, but the practices involved contribute to the damage left in the wake of cyclones and major weather events. After 2023’s Cyclone Gabrielle, the Government revised slash management rules, ruling that forestry owners will have to remove slash if it’s over a certain size. They’re now consulting on a proposal…

1
Kerre Woodham: Why do we struggle to run the Cook Strait ferry crossing? 6:14

3d ago6:14

6:14

I don't know who these people or these organisations would be and what on Earth their motivation might be, but it would appear that Treasury has identified several private operators who have expressed an interest in establishing a commercial competitor to Bluebridge with government help. Which basically means the opportunity to privatise the KiwiRa…

1
The Taxman (and Woman) Cometh! 44:29

3d ago44:29

44:29

This week, we're talking taxes—specifically, the new business and occupation (B&O) tax proposal that City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Mayor Bruce Harrell dropped, seemingly out of the blue, last week. The tax includes a big exemption that the business community has been seeking for a long time; however, above that threshold—$2 million i…

1
Kerre Woodham: Tougher sentences are the way to go 6:46

4d ago6:46

6:46

The Government's harshest sentencing rules begin today. Rules like capping the maximum discount that a judge can apply at 40 percent, with some exceptions. There will be no repeat discounts for youth offenders, those aged 18 to 25. No discounts for remorse, if you're sorry again and again and again, you only get to be sorry once, because Justice Mi…

1
Game Scoop! Gaiden: Death Stranding 2, DK Bananza, & More 53:00

6d ago53:00

53:00

Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, the ONLY video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Sam Claiborn, and Mark Medina -- are talking Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (we've played it!) and Donkey Kong Bananza. And of course, there's Video Game 20 Questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
Greg Murphy: Kiwi motorsport legend on the Govt's proposal to axe practical tests for full drivers licenses 6:13

7d ago6:13

6:13

A Hawke’s Bay-based motorsport legend says a plan by the Ministry of Transport to remove the full-licence practical test is nothing short of “ludicrous”. In April, Minister for Transport Chris Bishop announced a range of suggested changes to the licensing system, including removing the full-licence practical test and introducing safety mitigations …

1
Kerre Woodham: Driving is the most dangerous thing we do everyday 5:03

7d ago5:03

5:03

Two stories today, one from Hawke’s Bay, one from Nelson, and they have a horrible, horrible intersection. Motorsport legend Greg Murphy has slammed plans by the Ministry of Transport to remove the full license practical test. Back in April, the Minister for Transport Chris Bishop announced a range of suggested changes to the licencing system, incl…

1
Hamish Firth: Mt Hobson Group Director on the housing intensification around City Rail Link stations 11:16

8d ago11:16

11:16

The Government's instructed Auckland Council to allow apartments at least 15 storeys high near key City Rail Link train stations. Density requirements around the Mt Albert and Baldwin Ave stations require at least 10-storey apartments, while buildings around the Maungawhau, Kingsland, and Morningside rail terminals will be allowed to reach at least…

1
Kerre Woodham: I'm a fan of building around the train stations - with caveats 7:02

8d ago7:02

7:02

The Government has instructed Auckland Council to allow apartment buildings of at least 15 storeys near key train stations as the City Rail Link nears completion. Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown said the Government would require Auckland to allow even greater housing and development around the CRL stations than had …

1
Kerre Woodham: Is there a way we can regulate weapons in schools? 6:35

9d ago6:35

6:35

This morning we thought we'd start with the fact that more and more kids, it seems, are bringing weapons to school, And we're not talking about the States, we're talking about New Zealand. Figures released under the Official Information Act show that 526 students were stood down, suspended or excluded for using or having a weapon at school last yea…

1
The Carlee Russell Case and The Wu family Possession 1:05:37

10d ago1:05:37

1:05:37

Skip to 18min08 in to get straight to the stories. Hey and welcome back, this week Becky takes us to Hoover Alabama for the Carlee Russell case, where a 911 call about a child on the side of the road ended in a very bizarre way. Emma continues with the The Wu family possessions, a case of shared delusion, demonic possession and tragic death. We rea…

1
Is It Time to Admit the King County Regional Homelessness Authority Is a Bust? 32:26

10d ago32:26

32:26

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) launched in 2020 with great fanfare. But now, with up to to a fifth of its staff facing layoffs due to budget shortfalls, it may be facing a slow death by a thousand cuts. In this week’s episode, with David still gallivanting in parts unknown, Erica and Sandeep take a hard look at the current …

1
Kerre Woodham: US strikes on Iran - where do we go from here? 7:06

11d ago7:06

7:06

The world is on fire, World War III imminent, what can New Zealand do? Well, very little. Those were the headlines over the weekend. After telling the world he'd decide within two weeks whether or not to unleash the power of the United States on Iran in support of Israel, Donald Trump and his administration sent B2 stealth bombers into Iran on Frid…

1
Game Scoop! 815: Let's Check In With the Listeners 1:15:56

14d ago1:15:56

1:15:56

Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, the ONLY video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Sam Claiborn, Nick Limon, and Justin Davis -- are discussing the next Xbox, E3, Death Stranding, pre-2010 games, GTA 4, Ballerina, and more. And, of course, they play Video Game 20 Questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.…

1
Sonia Gray: Broadcaster on being in psychedelic drug trials to treat anxiety 8:10

15d ago8:10

8:10

Changes to allow over the counter sales of Melatonin in New Zealand alongside relaxing rules on magic mushrooms as medicine. MedSafe's approved Melatonin for sale to adults without a prescription. Psilocybin remains unapproved, but one specifically qualified psychiatrist is now permitted to prescribe it for treatment-resistant depression. Broadcast…

1
Liam Dann: NZ Herald Business Editor on the GDP rising by 0.8% 8:43

15d ago8:43

8:43

GDP figures just out are stronger than economists had forecast. Stats NZ says New Zealand's gross domestic product grew 0.8% in the March quarter – overtaking predictions of 0.7%. It follows a 0.5% increase the quarter before. Herald Business Editor-at-Large Liam Dann told Kerre Woodham it could mean the OCR won't get another cut next month. He say…

1
Jonny Bannister: Coastguard Regional Manager on the deaths of Gemma and Ryder Ferregel and the need for compulsory lifejackets 5:38

16d ago5:38

5:38

There's a call for compulsory nationwide lifejacket use following the death of a 10-year-old boy in the Manukau Harbour. Ryder Ferregel and his mother, Gemma, died in November 2022 after a boat carrying five people capsized near Clarks Beach. They both drowned after hours of clinging to the overturned hull and even after reaching the relative safet…

1
Sean Broughton: Stats NZ Population and Housing spokesperson on the changes to the Census 8:27

16d ago8:27

8:27

It's goodbye to the five-yearly Census from 2030, and hello to a smaller annual survey. They're changing things up, instead assessing a smaller chunk of the population yearly. Information people have already provided to Government departments will be used to inform the data, and Stats NZ says the changes will help provide more accurate and timely i…

1
Kerre Woodham: Outsourcing surgeries has to be a win for patients 8:29

17d ago8:29

8:29

Simeon Brown took the words right out of my mouth. I was just saying this very morning, that people living with bone-on-bone pain don't really care where their hip replacement is done or whether their knee is replaced in a private hospital or a public one. And there in the statement released from the Health Minister's Office is Simeon saying patien…

1
Assessing the Assessor, Urbanism v. Incivility, and Seattle Hates Nightlife 47:30

17d ago47:30

47:30

With David away for a second consecutive week, Erica and Sandeep seek out the inimitable Josh Feit, news editor of the Stranger back in the olden (golden) days, to buffer their conversation with convoluted references to 50-year-old Joni Mitchell records. We start with the increasingly off-putting saga of King County Assessor John Arthur Wilson, who…

1
Game Scoop! 814: So Is Mario Kart World Worth $80? 1:21:37

20d ago1:21:37

1:21:37

Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, the ONLY video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Sam Claiborn, Logan Plant, and Justin Davis -- are discussing Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World, Resident Evil 9, the ROG Xbox Ally, and more. And, of course, they play Video Game 20 Questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph…

1
Kerre Woodham: Prisons are evidence of failure, but what's the alternative? 6:38

21d ago6:38

6:38

Prisons to me are tangible evidence of failure. Failure of a person to do the right thing, failure of family, of community, of society. Before they've even been used, they smell like failure. I’ve emceed a fundraiser for the Shine domestic violence prevention charity at Mount Eden's remand prison before the first prisoner had stepped foot inside it…

1
Kerre Woodham: The wool directive has to be a win for everyone 4:38

22d ago4:38

4:38

Good news for the wool industry. Wasn't such good news in December of last year when Kainga Ora, the country's largest landlord, put out tenders for new carpet and underlay, and specifically said wool suppliers need not apply. So that was in December of 2024 then in January 2025, the agency opened its tender process to wool carpet suppliers, allowi…

1
Kerre Woodham: Are farmers in the position to invest in new technology? 5:45

23d ago5:45

5:45

The largest agricultural expo in the Southern Hemisphere, one of the largest business expos in the Southern Hemisphere, has opened its gates this morning, and exhibitors are ready to do business. That hasn't always been the case in Fieldays’ 57 year history – the rural economy has had its ebbs and flows over the years, and Fieldays in Hamilton has …

1
Katrina King: Franchise Association CEO on franchising in New Zealand 8:11

23d ago8:11

8:11

As more people take the leap to owning their own businesses, many seem to be buying into already established brands. Data suggests the business of franchising and owning established brands is booming, with around 30,000 franchise unites currently existing nationwide. Association CEO Katrina King told Kerre Woodham they see franchising as being in b…

1
Justin Flitter: NewZealand.AI founder on the applications and benefits of AI in business 33:26

23d ago33:26

33:26

There’s been plenty of buzz around AI in the last few years. The most recent headlines have been highlighting its evils, such as the creation and lack of regulation around deepfake technology and fake pornography. However, there are many positive applications for AI technology, particularly in business. Justin Flitter, founder of NewZealand.AI, joi…

1
The Edinburgh Vaults and The Alton Towers "Smiler" accident 1:14:49

24d ago1:14:49

1:14:49

Skip to 19 mins 50 to get straight to the stories. Emma starts off the stories this week with a good old fashioned Scottish haunting, join us as we go underground into the dark, most haunted vaults in the world. Becky follows up with a tragic accident on the "Smiler" roller coaster at Alton Towers, when thrill seeking turned into absolute carnage. …

1
Kerre Woodham: Is it feasible to leave your job and buy a business? 6:25

24d ago6:25

6:25

If you turned up to work yesterday, first day of a new week, with a bad case of Mondayitis, feeling like you're getting nowhere working for the man, thinking now is the time in your life when you should be the master of your own destiny, making your own decisions, getting the true reward for your labours, well join the queue. Buyer demand for New Z…

1
Aidan Gent: ASB General Manager for Rural on the loans for farmers to install solar and battery systems on their properties 7:36

24d ago7:36

7:36

ASB is offering loans to help farmers balance their energy costs. They’re offering five-year, interest-free loans of up to $150,000 for the installation of solar and battery systems on their properties. The bank said farm electricity costs are rising, with the average 2025/26 season power bill expected to be around $28,000 for owner-operated dairy …

1
Kerre Woodham: The new 'Parent Boost' visa makes perfect sense 5:37

24d ago5:37

5:37

When I was doing the rounds of the open homes, travelling all over the Auckland isthmus a couple of years ago, I was looking for something quite specific. A house where I could have my own space and where the kids could live separately as a family, because we were buying together. And there were quite a few just like that. One house I visited was o…

1
Game Scoop!: Game of the Year Watch 2025 Continues 47:05

25d ago47:05

47:05

Welcome to a special IGN Live edition of Game Scoop! Daemon Hatfield is joined by Justin Davis, Sam Claiborn, and Mark Medina in front of a lively audience to talk through the biggest announcements of the week, and to check in on Game of the Year Watch. From breakout hits like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Doom: The Dark Ages to Split Fiction and…

1
National Blood Donor Week: NZ Blood Service CEO Sam Cliffe calls for more donations 11:14

25d ago11:14

11:14

Kerre Woodham talks to NZ Blood Service CEO Sam Cliffe at the start of National Blood Donor week. NZ Blood is asking Kiwi's to find their superpower and start saving lives by becoming a blood or plasma donor. COVID's impact on the methods of recruiting young blood donors has led to a decrease in the number of young people donating blood. Since 2020…

1
Matt Crockett: Kāinga Ora CEO on increased warnings and evictions, vacant properties 34:04

28d ago34:04

34:04

Clearer boundaries around Kāinga Ora tenant behaviour could explain a 600% surge in formal warnings. In the past 10 months, 63 tenancies were terminated because of abusive, threatening, or persistently disruptive behaviour. Nearly 1,500 warnings have been issued in the financial year to date. Chief executive Matt Crockett told Kerre Woodham behavio…

1
Kerre Woodham: Who should be paying more for home insurance? 8:05

29d ago8:05

8:05

It's not really a huge shock, is it? The news that homeowners will have to pay even more for home insurance to help the Natural Hazards Commission (formerly known as the EQC), is to be expected. Insurers have been warning for years that premiums will rise and will continue to rise, that they may have to put some of the cost of risky properties back…

1
Kerre Woodham: How can we take polls seriously? 6:55

1M ago6:55

6:55

Honestly, I don't know why we report on polls. Seriously, I don't know why I'm even talking about them myself, but it's really ripped my nightie overnight. They're so frustrating, and because media companies commission them, it makes the media look like master manipulators. This is from 1News last night (I didn't watch 1News, obvs) but this is from…

1
Ben Speedy: ASB's General Manager of Commercial Banking on businesses' uncertainty regarding the impact of Trump's tariffs 6:38

1M ago6:38

6:38

Kiwi business leaders fear the impact of Donald Trump's tariffs will be more severe than the impact of the Global Financial Crisis and the Covid pandemic. ASB and Talbot Mills have been surveying more than 300 business leaders, including CEOs and founders. Two-thirds of businesses are concerned about the impacts, including almost 80% of exporters. …

1
David Farrar: Curia Market Research Owner on how political polls work 13:13

1M ago13:13

13:13

How is it that two recent polls had such starkly different outcomes? The latest RNZ Reid Research poll —out this morning— has the right bloc on 46.4, behind the left bloc on 50.3. But the latest 1 News Verian poll —released last night— has the right bloc on 50-percent, well ahead of the left bloc on 45. Curia Market Research Owner David Farrar told…

1
Special Emergency Seattle Nice: The Seattle City Council Is Un-Cathy Moored! 33:35

1M ago33:35

33:35

After less than 18 months in office, Councilmember Cathy Moore, representing District 5 (North Seattle), announced she will be resigning her position effective July 7. Swinging into immediate action, Erica and Sandeep (David is away, gamboling and gallivanting in distant parts) weigh in on this emergency episode of the podcast with their red hot ta…

1
Kerre Woodham: Our workplace fatality rate is appalling 6:00

1M ago6:00

6:00

On average, there are 73 work-related deaths in New Zealand every single year. Relative to the number of people in employment, the New Zealand workplace fatality rate is double that of Australia, and it hasn't shifted in many, many years. More road cones have not made a difference. The New Zealand rate is similar to the rate the UK experienced back…