The Long Read from Stuff
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The Long Read from Stuff
The very best of Stuff's longform feature journalism, in audio form. One story, beautifully told, every week.
Recent Episodes
199 episodes
How not to walk Te Araroa
After receiving some unfortunate health news, Senior reporter Martin van Beynen planned an adventure that would test his superb tramping skills. What...
How a horse hoof solved a murder
Every murder case has an “aha” moment. It can be anything from a smoking gun to a confession, and sometimes even a hoof print can provide a breakthrou...
Introducing: TFN - The F#$%ing News with Paddy Gower
The F#$%ing News flips the script on the news - short, upbeat, inspirational and f%$#ing good fun journalism with the nation’s favourite everyman repo...
The scars and secrets of forced adoptions
A stolen baby, a student, and the cracking of a 70-year secret. A forced adoption led to scars and secrets. But, thanks to a DNA detective, Di Hill no...
‘I wish he had hit me’
The 1980 Hague Convention was meant to protect against children being abducted by a parent. Today, it is frequently used by abusive parents to force t...
Why you should care about Lucy Blakiston
You definitely won’t recognise her. You probably won’t even know her name. But from her bedroom in Blenheim, Lucy Blakiston has become a big deal on t...
Seditious women and other troublemakers
New Zealand has had so many high-profile female firsts ‒ then there are the everyday women who also made a difference. Hear the stories of the unapolo...
Mums shine at the Olympics
Mothers can do anything, and sports organizations are finally catching up. This was highlighted by Kiwi rowers Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis, who won...
A completed life
Aubrey Welsh is 69, and will not see his 70th birthday. In September, he will voluntarily stop eating and drinking with the goal of ending his life. H...
Breathing room
Cameron Leslie is one of our most successful athletes, dominating the pool for almost 20 years. Ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Leslie explains w...
The solar farms and the bird factory
Solar farms are about to spread across New Zealand amid surging demand for renewable energy. Where some see opportunity, others see a threat; no more...
Inside big biscuit
Ever wondered how Big Biscuit comes up with new product flavours? Or why the dough mixture gets X-rayed? Senior Reporter Steve Kilgallon takes you ins...
A murder in toy town
There have been other attempts to get the Parker-Hulme story on screen besides Heavenly Creatures. Why does this story still fascinate so many of us?<...
Slippery Sam, the highwayman and other strange NZ criminals
Criminals can be high-profile, tragic or horrifying. And then once in a while, they are bizarre, hilarious or amazing. This episode of The Long Read l...
'Lord of the Manor' Noel Edmonds
What happens when a mega-wealthy celebrity buys large chunks of a small community and starts throwing his weight around? In 2022, British TV star Noel...
Frankton: The future Ponsonby of Hamilton
Apartments are going up, new residents are arriving and Hamilton’s inner-city suburb Frankton is having a moment. Some even go as far as to say Frankt...
NZ's dreamlike international fair
For six months in the early 20th century, a magnificent palace was built in Hagley Park for the largest event held in the city, Christchurch's interna...
The Cyclone and the Wedding
On February 13, Hawke’s Bay couple Michaela Tait and Mackenzie Wiig were gearing up for the biggest day of their lives. Then Cyclone Gabrielle destroy...
A wife's pain
Joanne* was convicted of inciting her husband's suicide after she encouraged him to harm himself in text messages. This story reveals how a government...
I thought I was going to die
A spate of gay-bashings in Christchurch has resurfaced old fears that the city isn’t safe for rainbow people, and the mayor admits urgent action is ne...
Nicola Willis on power, sacrifice and her mischievous streak
We think we know our country's leaders. But do we really? Ahead of her first budget day as finance minister, Tova O'Brien met up with Nicola Willis to...
Making coffins isn’t a childhood
The New Tribes Mission wanted to ‘plant’ churches in far flung communities. But missionary kids, including Kiwis, were subject to abuse. Colin Mee was...
A chosen end to a wonderful life
Tracy Hickman has lived her life “pedal to the floor” - just existing has never been an option. That's why she's decided she’ll have an assisted death...
Being a funny guy is a serious business
Guy Montgomery landed on being a comedian as being funny is something he seemed to be the best at, but being a funny guy is a serious business.
...
The kiwi music act going global
Combining dance bangers with a full orchestra, Synthony promises Gen X nostalgics their best night out in years.
Need more great podcasts? Check...
Cancer care's postcode lottery
A postcode lottery means some people are more likely to survive cancer than others. People in the likes of Invercargill or Rotorua are given less acce...
The power of equine therapy
Caroline Szembrener, a Massey University researcher, believes current approaches to treating eating disorders are simply not working for some people....
Our crumbling cemeteries
Cemeteries across Christchurch have faced neglect, vandalism, and damage over time. But whose job is it to look after cemeteries? Is it worth the time...
The Mysterious Murder of David Robinson
In 1998, David Robinson, a drifter and petty criminal, was found dead on a West Coast beach. With few clues about how he died, or why, the investigati...
NZ's baby scoop era
NZ's baby scoop era marks a dark time in our country's history, where children were stolen from their mothers under a state-know-best policy.
WA...
Meet the Monarchists
From Northland to the Catlins, thousands of Kiwis give up their homes, gardens, and time to help the Danaus plexippus butterfly, more commonly known a...
The Kings Arms
The Kings Arms became a hub of metal, punk, indie, and reggae scenes throughout its 198 years in Newton, Auckland. There hasn't been a venue to fill i...
Alleged Abuse in the Sacristy Room
Father Damian Carlile was sent to Aotearoa after he was accused of sexual abuse in Gabon, Africa. But then allegations about altar boys in Whanganui a...
Odin and Lorazepam
Charmaine Wolmarans is a self-described animal rescue vigilante whose carefully crafted public image suggests she does it for the love of the pets she...
New Zealand's screen identity
Since the Lord of the Rings trilogy, New Zealand's screen industry has flourished, spotlighting its breathtaking landscapes and talented workforce. Ch...
Les Mills: The McDonald’s of Fitness
One trainer calls it the McDonald’s of fitness. He’s not being insulting. What he means is wherever you go in the world, the quarter pounder with chee...
The reality of NZ’s nicotine addiction
A surge in the popularity of vaping nicotine, especially among young Kiwis, has left a cloud over Aotearoa's smokefree ambitions.
Need more grea...
The hidden struggles of homeless women in Aotearoa
Women make up over 50% of Aotearoa’s homeless population. And yet they are often overlooked - because they aren’t seen. Advocates say unless gendered...
A lonely death at Horseshoe Lake
Frances Rawling lived in the ruins of an abandoned suburb in east Christchurch. When she passed, her body remained undiscovered in the red zone for we...
Death of a highway
SH25A connects one side of the Coromandel peninsula to the other and was closed after extensive cyclone damage. For 10 months communities were isolate...