Home Podcasts Zombie Towns: Everything I Missed

Zombie Towns: Everything I Missed

RNZ 3 Episodes Oct 4, 2026

Economist Shamubeel Eaqub, nicknamed 'zombie towns' Eaqub, travels to the New Zealand towns of Balclutha and Tokoroa to investigate what is really happening in heartland communities. The series examines how struggling towns cope with economic decline and what it takes to regain their financial mojo. Through interviews with locals, it explores the realities, resilience and possible futures of small-town New Zealand.

Episodes

Balclutha (Part 2) Oct 4, 2026 00:23:53 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 die - created a unique model to build new houses. But more than that, they set about trying to make sure their towns got 'younger.'In this episode, Shamubeel tal

Tokoroa (Part 1) Sep 27, 2026 00:23:37 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 one of the poorest as globalisation forced the loss of jobs. Just as Balclutha struggled 40 years ago, Tokoroa is struggling now.In this episode, Shamubeel talks t

Balclutha (Part 1) Sep 27, 2026 00:19:37 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 economic statistics started to change - albeit slowly? What's going on in New Zealand's economic heartland? He chooses to focus on two towns: Balclutha and Tokoroa. He

Introducing: Zombie Towns: Everything I Missed Sep 23, 2026 00:00:45 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 more details

Zombie Towns: Everything I Missed

Episodes

Recommended