Stories by Katie Kenny
News
Is it 10,000 or 40,000? How to count a big crowd
Explainer - Estimates of hīkoi attendees ranged from more than 100,000 to fewer than 30,000. We look at the challenges and controversies of crowd counting.
The Covid inquiry: What you need to know as it lands
Explainer - The first phase of the Covid inquiry concludes today. We don't know when it will be made public. But here's what we do know.
The Gangs Act 2024: What you need to know
Explainer - How will new gang laws, inspired by Australia's, likely play out in New Zealand?
Inquiry into abuse in care: What you need to know
The public inquiry into abuse in care was a long time coming. RNZ charts its timeline, and asks what happens next.
What does a 'community work' sentence mean?
Philip Polkinghorne must do 150 hours of community work for drug possession. But what does that mean? Audio
NZ Post's Christmas rush: What you need to know
Explainer - Santa can deliver presents to the entire world in one night, but when do you have to get your gifts to NZ Post?
Productivity: What you need to know
We've heard a lot about productivity recently. But what is it, and why does it matter?
Job cuts barely make a dent in public service bill
Explainer - Thousands of jobs have been cut but it's a drop in the bucket of the overall expenses.
The rise of remote work: What you need to know
The number of people working mostly from home is up 60 percent on 2018 according to the latest census.
The long and complicated history of the Dunedin Hospital rebuild
Dunedin Hospital has been a political football - arguably a hospital pass - for years. RNZ charts its history.
End of Life Choice Act review: What you need to know
Explainer - The Health Ministry is reviewing New Zealand's assisted dying system. What do we know about how it's working so far?
What changes to homes' rateable values mean
Explainer - Many councils are in the process of updating rateable values. How is this done and what does it mean?
Covid vaccines and new variants: What you need to know
Different countries are using slightly different Covid vaccine - some newer than the ones available in NZ. Does that matter? Audio
The power of school boards: What you need to know
Explainer - New Zealand has one of the most devolved education systems in the world. So what's the role of school boards?
How Meta is using social media content to train AI
Explainer - Meta has been using New Zealanders' social media content to train its AI models since last year, at least. Is there any way to opt out?
Mpox isn't the 'new Covid': What you need to know
Explainer - How would New Zealand respond to an mpox outbreak, and how dangerous is the virus? Here are all the details.
A conversation with an Olympic judge
Sport climbing was a hit at the Tokyo Games, and returned to Paris. Along with two athletes, New Zealand also had a judge at the Games.
Breaking, climbing and more: The unfamiliar sports of the Olympics
Explainer - Breaking is the one new sport at the Paris Games. Sport climbing, surfing, and skateboarding made their debuts at the Tokyo Games, and remain on the programme. What can we expect to see?
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care: A timeline
Explainer - The final report from the long-running inquiry has been made public on 24 July. RNZ reflects on key points.
What's gone wrong with local government?
Mayors are missing, rates are rising at record levels - RNZ asks what's going on with our councils. Audio
All you need to know about time of use charging
Explainer - The schemes aim to get traffic off roads at peak times while raising money for transport infrastructure. Here's how they could work in Auckland.
What are Mayoral Relief Funds and do they actually help?
We often see mayoral relief funds set up after a natural disaster. But the amount of financial assistance they provide pales in comparison to clean-up costs. What is the role of these funds, and are…