For Aucklanders, sitting in traffic can feel like an unavoidable part of life.

But, what if you had to pay to do it?

Auckland Council is considering congestion charging, with three options on the table that could see drivers charged between $2 and $7.

Supporters say it could get traffic moving and raise money for improvements – but critics are asking whether we have enough alternatives to make it work.

Today on The Front Page, University of Auckland senior lecturer in urban planning Dr Timothy Welch joins us to explain how it could work and what we can learn from cities overseas.

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
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The diplomatic chess board is getting complicated in the Pacific.

At least five Pacific leaders have pulled out of the annual Pacific Island Forum in Palau this week.

Meanwhile, China's Pacific envoy says there will be consequences for Taiwan being allowed to send representatives to the forum.

It's while the US and New Zealand team up to co-fund a Cook Islands port upgrade – a potential blow for China, who has a controversial "strategic partnership" with the island nation.

Today on The Front Page, University of Waikato international law professor Alexander Gillespie is with us to break down why leaders are skipping the forum and how China's leverage in the Pacific is changing.

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
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s debt burden has nearly doubled in 10 years.

But, there are signs the country’s borrowing habits are becoming more sustainable.

New Zealand businesses have boosted their borrowings by more than $6 billion in the last year to $143b, which is a potential sign of rising confidence in the economy.

So, is debt really as bad as we think – or are the numbers telling a more nuanced story about households, businesses, and the government?

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald business editor-at-large Liam Dann is with us to examine the numbers behind the nation’s march towards $1 trillion in debt.

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
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.