Tipene Funerals, of television show The Casketeers fame, is under fire because one of its funeral directors allegedly swindled her grieving clients and put their dead relatives in plastic rubbish bags instead of the coffins they had paid for. 

It was only revealed when bodies in a public mausoleum were disinterred, and grieving families discovered what had happened.  

Funerals and the loss of a loved ones are already an emotional time for families, and this case has highlighted not only the high level of trust involved, but also the growing cost of funerals - with recent information highlighting the rising cost of burials and cremations across the country. 

Today on The Front Page, we’re joined by NZ Herald journalist Raphael Franks, who started the investigation into Tipene Funerals, before hearing from Funeral Directors Association of NZ Chief Executive, Gillian Boyes, about the costs and trust involved in dealing with our loved ones. 

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

Tipene Funerals, of television show The Casketeers fame, is under fire because one of its funeral directors allegedly swindled her grieving clients and put their dead relatives in plastic rubbish bags instead of the coffins they had paid for. 
It was only revealed when bodies in a public mausoleum were disinterred, and grieving families discovered what had happened.  
Funerals and the loss of a loved ones are already an emotional time for families, and this case has highlighted not only the high level of trust involved, but also the growing cost of funerals - with recent information highlighting the rising cost of burials and cremations across the country. 
Today on The Front Page, we’re joined by NZ Herald journalist Raphael Franks, who started the investigation into Tipene Funerals, before hearing from Funeral Directors Association of NZ Chief Executive, Gillian Boyes, about the costs and trust involved in dealing with our loved ones. 
Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.
Host: Chelsea Daniels Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox Producer: Ethan Sills

Keeping up to date with the news just became a little easier. Available every weekday at 5am, tune in as Chelsea Daniels chats with the journalists and newsmakers, going behind the headlines to break down what you need to know on the biggest stories of the day. 

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<li>Keeping up to date with the news just became a little easier. Available every weekday at 5am, tune in as Chelsea Daniels chats with the journalists and newsmakers, going behind the headlines to break down what you need to know on the biggest stories of the day. </li>
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Every day, The Front Page takes you behind the scenes of the biggest story from the New Zealand Herald. Hosted by Damien Venuto

The Front Page

Keeping up to date with the news just became a little easier. Available every weekday at 5am, tune in as Chelsea Daniels chats with the journalists and newsmakers, going behind the headlines to break down what you need to know on the biggest stories of the day.

'Cost of dying' in the spotlight as Tipene Funerals faces allegations

Pauline Hanna’s voice echoed throughout the courtroom on Day 9 of the trial of her husband, Philip Polkinghorne, who is accused of murdering her.  

It came in the form of a covert recording of a family dinner – providing Hanna a chance to explain their relationship in her own words to the jury, who’ll decide whether she died of foul play, or, whether she took her own life.  

That was before a bombshell was dropped by the defence, as they revealed new information about the state of her mental health in the decades before her death. 

You can listen to episodes of Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial through The Front Page podcast feed, or find it on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

This series is presented and produced by, Chelsea Daniels, with producer Ethan Sills and sound engineer Paddy Fox. Additional reporting by Craig Kapitan and George Block. 

Pauline Hanna’s voice echoed throughout the courtroom on Day 9 of the trial of her husband, Philip Polkinghorne, who is accused of murdering her.  
It came in the form of a covert recording of a family dinner – providing Hanna a chance to explain their relationship in her own words to the jury, who’ll decide whether she died of foul play, or, whether she took her own life.  
That was before a bombshell was dropped by the defence, as they revealed new information about the state of her mental health in the decades before her death. 
You can listen to episodes of Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial through The Front Page podcast feed, or find it on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. This series is presented and produced by, Chelsea Daniels, with producer Ethan Sills and sound engineer Paddy Fox. Additional reporting by Craig Kapitan and George Block.

Day 9: Pauline labels her husband a 'sex fiend' as defence reveals more about her mental health

The 2024 Olympics has seen plenty of sporting highs as well as heartbreak for competitors around the world. 

But no competition has sparked more debate and controversy than the woman’s boxing.  

The inclusion of Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting has sparked a firestorm, after they were both banned from International Boxing Association competitions last year, citing negative gender tests. 

The issue has blown up during the Olympics after Italy’s Angela Carini called off her match against Khelif after only a few seconds, prompting outrage from a diverse list of politicians and celebrities, including Donald Trump, JK Rowling, Elon Musk, Logan Paul, and our own Winston Peters and Israel Adesanya. 

But as new information has shone light on the complexities of the case, it’s once again ignited a debate around women in sport. 

With both boxers now guaranteed medals at the Olympics, today on The Front Page, we’re joined by University of Waikato professor of sociology in sport and gender, Holly Thorpe, to discuss the facts behind the outrage.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

The 2024 Olympics has seen plenty of sporting highs as well as heartbreak for competitors around the world. 
But no competition has sparked more debate and controversy than the woman’s boxing.  
The inclusion of Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting has sparked a firestorm, after they were both banned from International Boxing Association competitions last year, citing negative gender tests. 
The issue has blown up during the Olympics after Italy’s Angela Carini called off her match against Khelif after only a few seconds, prompting outrage from a diverse list of politicians and celebrities, including Donald Trump, JK Rowling, Elon Musk, Logan Paul, and our own Winston Peters and Israel Adesanya. 
But as new information has shone light on the complexities of the case, it’s once again ignited a debate around women in sport. 
With both boxers now guaranteed medals at the Olympics, today on The Front Page, we’re joined by University of Waikato professor of sociology in sport and gender, Holly Thorpe, to discuss the facts behind the outrage.
Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.
Host: Chelsea Daniels Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox Producer: Ethan Sills

The reality behind the Olympic women's boxing controversy

The court has gotten its first glimpse of evidence from those closest to Philip Polkinghorne and Paulina Hanna – and some insight into his infidelity. And we have heard directly from Polkinghorne, with the court hearing his interview with Police for the first time.  

The former Auckland eye surgeon is accused of murdering his DHB boss wife in April 2021 - but he says, she took her own life.  

Day 7 heard from a friend of the couple who owned the bach next to them, before the court heard from a power expert to analyse Polkinghorne's version of events from the morning Hanna died.

On Day 8, more people who had come into contact with the couple, including a personal trainer due to see Hanna the morning she died. Police also detailed a raid on a chalet where Polkinghorne was staying with a sex worker in the weeks after his wife's death, before his Police interview was played. 

For the transcripts from Polkinghorne's interview, go here:https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/philip-polkinghorne-murder-trial-jurors-hear-defendant-in-his-own-words-as-police-interview-played/U7YXHIMVBRBO3NDL2BJRGO5NZI/ 

You can listen to episodes of Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial through The Front Page podcast feed, or find it on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

This series is presented and produced by, Chelsea Daniels, with producer Ethan Sills and sound engineer Paddy Fox.

The court has gotten its first glimpse of evidence from those closest to Philip Polkinghorne and Paulina Hanna – and some insight into his infidelity. And we have heard directly from Polkinghorne, with the court hearing his interview with Police for the first time.  
The former Auckland eye surgeon is accused of murdering his DHB boss wife in April 2021 - but he says, she took her own life.  
Day 7 heard from a friend of the couple who owned the bach next to them, before the court heard from a power expert to analyse Polkinghorne's version of events from the morning Hanna died.
On Day 8, more people who had come into contact with the couple, including a personal trainer due to see Hanna the morning she died. Police also detailed a raid on a chalet where Polkinghorne was staying with a sex worker in the weeks after his wife's death, before his Police interview was played. 
For the transcripts from Polkinghorne's interview, go here:https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/philip-polkinghorne-murder-trial-jurors-hear-defendant-in-his-own-words-as-police-interview-played/U7YXHIMVBRBO3NDL2BJRGO5NZI/ 
You can listen to episodes of Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial through The Front Page podcast feed, or find it on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. This series is presented and produced by, Chelsea Daniels, with producer Ethan Sills and sound engineer Paddy Fox.

'Cost of dying' in the spotlight as Tipene Funerals faces allegations

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