{"podcast":{"title":"Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!","slug":"auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371","podcast_index_feed_id":7853371,"rss_url":"https://feeds.fastcast.ai/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now.xml","website_url":null,"image_url":"https://image.fastcast.ai/cover/0c68619e-caff-4b32-b0e4-3fe6ef0c4e17.png","author":"The Daily News Now!","episode_count":666,"summary":"Hosted by Corey with the Story. Auckland News Today delivers fast, focused updates on the stories shaping New Zealand’s largest city—covering local government, business, housing, transport, culture, and more. Stay informed with quick, reliable daily briefings designed for listeners on the go. From breaking headlines to the developments that matter most, this is your daily snapshot of Auckland. Produced by AI as part of The Daily News Now network. Advertise with us: advertise@thednn.ai","last_synced_at":"2026-09-18T06:19:36.974852+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371"},"episode":{"title":"Councillor Ong Faces New Student Allegations | Auckland News","slug":"councillor-ong-faces-new-student-allegations-auckland-news","published_at":"2026-09-07T17:10:21+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371/councillor-ong-faces-new-student-allegations-auckland-news","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371","url":"https://sources.thednn.ai/3d99484dff5c6d3e","audio_url":"https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/dd6f1ae5-492d-47b7-981d-710de069b47e.mp3","summary":"Dunedin’s controversial councillor Benedict Ong is under fresh fire after students allege inappropriate physical contact, sparking outrage and safety concerns on campus. Despite denying the claims and calling them politically motivated attacks, Ong already faces a nine-month suspension for prior misconduct — including retaliating against staff — and has been barred from university premises by student leaders. With investigations costing taxpayers over $17,000 and legal fees mounting, the council can’t remove him unless he resigns or meets strict statutory grounds — which he’s vowed not to do. His bizarre public appearances, like showing up with tape over his mouth, only add fuel to the fire as local government grapples with how to hold elected officials accountable when the rules don’t force their exit. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to feedback@thednn.ai. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/3d99484dff5c6d3e","meta_description":"Dunedin’s controversial councillor Benedict Ong is under fresh fire after students allege inappropriate physical contact, sparking outrage and safety conc…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":112,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371/episodes/councillor-ong-faces-new-student-allegations-auckland-news/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/auckland-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7853371/councillor-ong-faces-new-student-allegations-auckland-news.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}