Francesca Rudkin

New Zealand

Writer at Newstalk ZB

Featured in: Favicon

nzherald.co.nz Favicon

newstalkzb.co.nz

Articles

Francesca Rudkin: We have control of our notifications

2 days ago | newstalkzb.co.nz | Francesca Rudkin

There has been a clever marketing campaign from 2 Degrees this week. The telco has released the results of a study it commissioned into the impact mobile phones are having on our mental health. It’s not good. While most telco’s like to concentrate on keeping us connected, 2 Degrees has taken a slightly different approach with this one, acknowledging the elephant in the room by talking honestly and openly about the damage phones can do. It’s almost like they care. Which is quite refreshing.
Francesca Rudkin: Let's respect our teachers

3 days ago | newstalkzb.co.nz | Francesca Rudkin

According to an article in the NZ Herald this morning, fewer people want to be teachers. Teacher education is still a popular field of study, but both Canterbury and Otago Universities have seen a decline in teaching student enrolments over the past four years. Provisional data shows Canterbury has 964 students enrolled in a course in 2025, down from 1281 four years ago. Otago has followed a similar trend, with student numbers dropping from 620 to 495 in the same period.
Francesca Rudkin: We need to simplify Easter trading hours

5 days ago | newstalkzb.co.nz | Francesca Rudkin

If you live in a city, there is something quite special about waking up on Good Friday - to the sound of silence. There are no cars on the road, no hum of traffic in the distance, no sound of people going about their day-to-day routines. My first thought on Friday was - it’s like Christmas Day. My second thought wasn’t as pleasant - it’s like lockdown. But the feeling was the same - how nice the world is when it pauses for a moment.
Francesca Rudkin: I've got an idea for the next Netflix hit

1 week ago | newstalkzb.co.nz | Francesca Rudkin

Have I got an idea for Netflix - although I’m unlikely the first to have it. The shock announcement late this week that Peter Burling was leaving Team New Zealand made me wish Netflix would take us inside the world of match racing and the America’s Cup. It’s got everything that’s made F1 such a TV hit - big money, big personalities, big egos, big competition - with a solid dose of life-threatening risk thrown in. Who wouldn’t watch it? You would, right?
Francesca Rudkin: Wegovy could change our health system if we let it

2 weeks ago | newstalkzb.co.nz | Francesca Rudkin

This week has been a brutal reminder of how politics and politicians like to work and be seen. How important it is to be the centre of attention, to be seen to be ‘doing’ - even if it’s just for appearances and there’s little evidence of a real productive outcome. Whether it’s destabilizing global economic and trade order, championing legislation that’s dead on arrival, or feeling the need to speak for 25 hours straight, it has definitely been a fascinating week in politics.
Francesca Rudkin: Simeon Brown showed his patronising true colours

1 month ago | newstalkzb.co.nz | Francesca Rudkin

So this week we saw Health Minister Simeon Brown’s true colours, and they were a little patronising. Brown said he wanted medical officers of health to stop writing about issues like fast food and “leading advocacy campaigns” on public health issues. Instead, he said their focus should be on “technical advice” and immunisation campaigns.
Francesca Rudkin: What we can learn from the World Happiness Report

1 month ago | newstalkzb.co.nz | Francesca Rudkin

Did the news yesterday that the economy had grown more than expected, by a whopping 0.7%, put you in a good mood for the week? Maybe the news that Fonterra has reported an 8% lift in first-half net profit to $729 million put a spring in your step. Or the opportunity to grab a bargain in the Afterpay Sales this weekend is putting a smile on your face. Or maybe none of these things had an impact on your happiness.
Francesca Rudkin: A new Western Springs stadium is an exciting opportunity

1 month ago | newstalkzb.co.nz | Francesca Rudkin

Gee, we’ve gone stadium mad here in Auckland. We already have seven pretty substantial stadiums ranging from 4000-person capacity to 50,000, spread across the city from the North Shore to Mt Eden, Penrose to Manukau, not including other sporting and event spaces. But we can’t stop suggesting we build more.
Francesca Rudkin: The pressure's on for Chris Luxon

1 month ago | newstalkzb.co.nz | Francesca Rudkin

It’s been a very busy and important week for the Prime Minister. There was a reason he championed the Investment Summit and made himself available to attendees to a degree unusual for a Prime Minister at events like this. Plain and simple, he desperately needs it to be successful. He has staked his leadership on growing our economy, which includes creating an infrastructure pipeline and attracting the overseas finance to help get things done.
Francesca Rudkin: It's been a big week for the health sector

1 month ago | newstalkzb.co.nz | Francesca Rudkin

It has been another big week for Health Minister Simeon Brown as he outlined his plan to deliver a better health system for New Zealanders. At the announcement on Friday, Brown outlined his 5 key health priorities, a shift back to local decision making by July this year - and that NZ Health would return to board governance. What was most interesting was that the Minister already has the cash and plans lined up to achieve the 5 priorities. Take note, Ministers.