The Detail

The wreck of the Manawanui is leaving an oily sheen on the water, and taking the shine off the job of hosting world leaders including the KingSamoa is pulling out the hospitality stops as Commonwealth Heads of Government arrive, but it's the New Zealand shipwreck that's disrupting daily life…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The OCR goes up to bring inflation down. So now that the OCR is falling, what does it mean for inflation - and what does that mean for New Zealanders? OCR Cut: Cheaper loans, slimmer savings returns for Kiwis. What the cut means for you.Business pages and headlines are constantly littered with three simple letters, abbreviations for financial terms - O.C.R, C.P.I, G.S.T, L.V.R and G.D.P, to name just a few.But what do they stand for, and what do they mean?Do they leave readers and listeners with another three-letter abbreviation - W.T.F?"I think it is quite common that people think they are meant to know what these things mean, and they have an idea, but if they were asked to explain it, they might have a bit of a blank," says RNZ Money Correspondent Susan Edmunds.On today's episode of The Detail, Edmunds helps fill in those blanks, with a beginner's guide to understanding the economy - what changes mean, why numbers go up and down and who makes the decisions. The focus: the OCR.First, she defines those common three-letter terms: OCR - official cash rate; CPI - consumer price index; GST - goods and services tax; LVR - loan to value ratio; and GDP - gross domestic product.This month, the OCR was cut by 50 basis points to 4.75 percent, which will translate to much-needed cash for many indebted businesses and struggling homeowners. But it's not such good news for savers and retirees.The Reserve Bank uses the six-weekly OCR decision to dial up or down the cost of money, which affects our spending, saving, and investing decisions.The September quarter CPI release showed annual inflation running at 2.2 percent - its lowest level since March 2021 - and a smidgen weaker than the market consensus.Falling inflation will help household budgets, and business operating expenses.Economists believe the cost-of-living crisis is ending slowly. And inflation will ease even further.Susan Edmunds also believes there is light at the end of the tunnel."It's got to get better from here, it can't get any worse," she says."Interest rates are coming down, the sun is shining... I think things are generally improving."Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Is the government's new directive that public services should be prioritised on the basis of need, not race, a championing of equity - or has it just removed a vital tool from decision-makers? Public services must now be determined on need, not race. But in the health sector, experts say the biggest determination of need is ethnicity.…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

It's superhero saturation at the box office with Batman's offsiders claiming screen time without Batman. Are movie goers Marvelled-out, done with DC? Film and TV producers are betting we're not completely over superheroes, with the release of offerings featuring Batman villains, but not the caped crusader himself.…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In the space of a decade the Wairarapa town of Featherston has reinvented itself, from a broken down P-plagued problem place, to a vibrant reading centre The once-ailing town of Featherston has not only turned its fortunes around, it's done it on the back of something else once thought to be heading for extinction - books…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Coaches, gels, health supplements, and even pyjamas. Menopause has become a marketing opportunityMenopause has become a marketing opportunity, but a startling range of products and services available has left women more confused and disempowered than ever before.…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New Zealand's booming video game industry reaches for $1 billion exports in the next few yearsThe New Zealand gaming industry grew by 24 percent last year, and has aspirations to export $1 billion within a few years…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New Zealand is making Australia look good when it comes to new efforts to save the world's biodiversity and protect its oceansThe government's direction of travel on conservation issues has confused and dismayed campaigners who want to prioritise the health of our oceans…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This article contains sensitive material including the discussion of sexual violence Extended supervision orders should keep tabs on serious offenders, but sometimes they're not granted - and sometimes they don't work…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Developers of AI that could detect brain injuries and disease say it's just a tool, not a replacement for health expertsArtificial intelligence software is being developed that could detect and diagnose brain injuries or disease onset, but we're being assured it won't take the place of medical professionals…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details