How did John Campbell’s first Morning Report on RNZ go? Tara Ward listened to find out.
Monday mornings are usually filled with dread, unless you’re the prime minister of New Zealand. Just two Mondays ago, an upbeat Christopher Luxon began an interview on Breakfast by asking the show’s new presenter Tova O’Brien how her first day at school was going. Such an impressive opening line should be used at every opportunity, which is why at 7.52am this Monday morning, Luxon dropped it again.
This time, Luxon was speaking to award-winning broadcaster John Campbell, who was enjoying his first day as co-host of RNZ’s Morning Report. It was Luxon’s regular Monday phone interview slot with RNZ, and before he answered a series of important questions about the severe destruction caused by Cyclone Vaianu, the prime minister wanted to know one important thing.
“Good morning, John,’ he began cheerily. “How’s the first day at the new school going?”
It may have been Campbell’s first day on Morning Report, but he’s no stranger to RNZ. Campbell’s broadcasting career began there in 1989 as a cadet reporter, and after leaving in 1991 for a long and accomplished stint at TV3, he returned in 2016 to present drivetime news show Checkpoint. He departed again two years later, this time for TVNZ, where his roles included Breakfast presenter and chief correspondent. In late 2025, RNZ announced that Campbell was the new co-host of Morning Report, following the move of Corin Dann to RNZ business editor.
“I must have failed numerous exams because this is the fourth time back here,’ Campbell laughed in response to the prime minister’s question. There was no doubt Campbell was thrilled to be back. “Thank you for having me on your show,” he told co-host Ingrid Hipkiss. “I was hardly going to do it by myself,” Hipkiss replied, the banter strong even at 5.58am. Campbell revealed that Morning Report had been the soundtrack of his life, and even though he had to ask if his microphone was on, it was a warm and self-deprecating start.
His first interview was with Whakatāne farmer Brent Mountford, who spoke about the aftermath of Cyclone Vaianu. Mountford had climbed a hill to get cellphone coverage and 8,000 homes in his community were without power. The wind had been fierce, Mountford said, wryly describing how he’d had to chase after the lid of his spa pool. “It’s such a privilege to talk to you for your first interview,” he told Campbell. “We’ve got something special, you and I,” Campbell agreed, and promised he’d be down soon for a spa.
Hold the phone, John Campbell. That sort of carry-on might be OK on Breakfast, but this is Morning Report. “We don’t take spas with our interviewees,” Hipkiss reminded him. “Just remember that when you interview the prime minister later.”
Cyclone Vaianu’s impact was the news focus of the morning. From Northland, Tairāwhiti and Ōhope, the voices of ordinary New Zealanders shared personal accounts of setting up evacuation centres at local marae, of surviving the brutal weather, and the impact of repeated weather disasters on local industry and infrastructure. “New Zealand is getting a cyclone season,” one person said. “Anxiety levels are starting to rise,” said another.
Dann popped by for his first business update (no word on how his first day at school was going) and revealed that 10,000 Fonterra shareholders will receive a tax-free payment of $400,000 after the sale of the Mainland brand. There were bigger bubbles to pop, though. “Someone’s already complained about the mental image of me and the prime minister in a spa pool,” Campbell said. “I agree. Don’t go there.”
The prime minister called just before eight o’clock, and Campbell asked a series of questions about the wider impact of the cyclone. What was the government doing for Tairāwhiti kiwifruit farmers who are suffering from repeat weather disasters? Luxon replied that they were embedding resilience into everything they do. “How?” Campbell asked, searching for specifics. Luxon mentioned roads and stopbanks and the national flood plan, and explained the national adaptation framework “for listeners trying to follow along”.
Campbell tried again, interrupting Luxon to say that state highways two and 35 were closed once more. “What have you got other than tidying up? What have you got for every community?” The seven-minute interview was always friendly, and ended with almost insistent pleasantries about how nice it was to talk to each other, but it was also a reminder that this was anything but Campbell’s first day at school. He’s had a long career of interrupting prime ministers (including the infamous Corngate interview) to hold them to account, and he wasn’t afraid to interrupt Luxon this morning when the prime minister got rolling on a pre-cooked answer. It’s also a sign that Monday morning current affairs is ramping up, and between O’Brien at Breakfast, Ryan Bridge at HeraldNow, Mike Hosking at Newstalk ZB, and Campbell and Hipkiss at RNZ, politicians should expect their media mornings to be anything but relaxed this election year.
An hour later, the show closed with two heartwarming stories about Wellington Zoo’s 120th birthday and a young Ōtara barber. When Campbell revealed that he gets his hair cut every second Saturday, Hipkiss couldn’t believe her ears. “I’m super uptight and I like to look like this,” he explained. It was nine o’clock, and Hipkiss asked if he’d be back tomorrow. “I’ve loved it, I’ve loved working with you,” he told her.
“Ah, well,” Hipkiss replied. “It’s early days.”
Morning Report streams on RNZ from 6am every weekday.
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