New Zealand Listener

New Zealand Listener is the country’s most respected general interest magazine, bringing you a wide variety of news, stories, columns, reviews, plus TV listings, every week.

Masthead

The chain of command • To prevent another McSkimming scandal, the police leadership model needs to change, says Shona Munro.

Letters

10 Quick Questions

Quips & Quotes

Three in a messy bed • The coalition in 2025 continued to wrestle with reforms but struggled to entice voters thanks to overreach, infighting and a stagnant economy.

The old and the destitute

Musk’s wiki hallucinations

The dog’s tally

Law flip-flops bad for all

My Christmas wish

Missing teeth • That dental care is not publicly funded for most adults makes no sense to MAX HARRIS, who joined a nationwide roadshow examining the consequences of an oral health system in decay.

A bitter pill • Frontline providers want the axing of the Māori Health Authority declared unlawful. Colleen Brown looks at how Māori healthcare agencies are faring under the government’s ‘colour-blind’ health system and, on page 26, Ruth Brown hears from former Te Whatu Ora chairman Rob Campbell and those spearheading a High Court challenge.

Cut off in infancy • A new way of delivering health services would have benefited Pākehā as well as Māori.

No turkeys • The Kiwi Christmas dinner has morphed into lighter meals over the years, many preferring barbecues and salads to suit the summer weather. But there’s still plenty of room for nutritious, delicious and do-ahead festive fare.

Fine fizz • As Christmas approaches, we recommend a selection of beverages that pop.

Taste of success • Nadia Lim is No 1 with homestead recipes but other Kiwis are tickling tastebuds.

Gagging for it • The search for the worst recipe of all times is over. The people have spoken.

Shelf life • In the teeth of a cost-of-living crisis, Kiwi consumers are back to buying Kiwi books, writes Mark Broatch.

Brilliant brawler • In a riveting account, a Renaissance expert paints a vivid portrait of Christopher Marlowe as a risk-taking genius.

Animal instincts • A bold collection of stories where satire plays out in the worst of human traits and the bad guys get their comeuppance.

Let it blow • Startlingly original tale of a wind in Cumbria and its power over the people.

Fashion victim • Darkly comic debut skewers privileged world of style mags.

Respired inspired • Te Papa’s big summer show is an exhibition of large-scale digital works that explores the living, breathing world in forensic detail.

Comparing notes • Split Enz is marking the 50th anniversary of its debut LP with reunion dates, but does a new reissue do the groundbreaking album justice?

Goering’s last stand • Crowe steals the show in war crimes drama

Back in the game • Amazon Prime’s hit sci-fi series Fallout returns with a Kiwi running the show.

TV Picks of the week

TV Films • The big movies on TV this week

Saturday/Rāhoroi December 13

Sunday/Rātapu December 14

Monday/Rāhina December 15

Tuesday/Rātū December 16

Wednesday/Rāapa December 17

Thursday/Rāpare December 18

Friday/Rāmere December 19

Radio

Getting into the groove • Morag Atchison swings from choral work to a tango-based mass that might get her dancing.

A Trojan horse to cancer • Auckland scientists are trialling molecules that will carry the fight to cancer cells and trigger a tiny nuclear reaction.

Take a dive • The ethics of the mosh pit allow for a safe place to get down and physical.

The impacts of impact • An Auckland scientist’s experience...