John Campbell Investigates

When Uber exploded onto the New Zealand market it was celebrated as a disrupter, and hailed as a win for consumers. Every company wanted to be 'the Uber of X.' But is Uber really a model businesses should follow? John Campbell talks tax, fair pay and drivers' rights as he investigates the Uber economy.

John Campbell goes to Te Au Rere a te Tonga, an Oranga Tamariki 'youth justice residence' on the outskirts of Palmerston North to talk to two teen ram-raiders. He investigates how we can respond to the wave of ram-raids done by some of our lost children; and asks how we can do better to protect everyone, including the young people.

The waste wood left behind by the forestry industry after pine trees have been harvested is called slash. After Cyclone Gabrielle the North Island's East Coast was covered in it. In rivers, on farms, coastlines, piled up outside homes. People are exhausted by it, so what can be done? John Campbell looks into this big, complex issue.

John Campbell takes a road trip up the lower North Island with one thing on his mind: water. Whether you want to drink, drain or flush water, our infrastructure is ageing and inadequate. The cost of fixing it is mind blowing. And the price of ignoring it, even greater.

Northland is one of New Zealand's most beautiful regions, but it is also one of our poorest and is consistently ranked the worst or second worst for access to services, income, housing and education. Ahead of Budget Day 2024, John Campbell goes to see the challenges locals are facing.