Zombie Towns: Everything I Missed

Latest episodes

• Balclutha (Part 2)

  October 4, 2026 · 24 min

  Shamubeel is back in Balclutha, trying to understand why some of the financial statistics seem to be tracking in the right direction, finally. And what he discovers is that 10 years ago, some locals - determined their town wasn't going to…

• Tokoroa (Part 1)

  September 27, 2026 · 24 min

  Tokoroa is a new town which sprung up because South Waikato is able to produce some of the fastest growing pine trees in the world. Forestry meant that South Waikato was once one of the wealthiest regions of New Zealand. But today it is…

• Balclutha (Part 1)

  September 27, 2026 · 20 min

  Economist Shamubeel Eaqub recounts how the term 'zombie towns' created an outcry in rural New Zealand. Now, a decade on, he wants to understand if anything has changed in the provinces. Did he miss something back then? Why have the…

• Introducing: Zombie Towns: Everything I Missed

  September 23, 2026 · 1 min

  Economist Shamubeel ‘zombie towns’ Eaqub travels to Balclutha and Tokoroa to find out what’s really going on in heartland New Zealand, analysing how struggling communities regain their financial mojo. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for…

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