The UK Government has announced £4.7 billion will be used to fund transport projects outside big cities in the Midlands and northern England. It’s a redirection of funds from the scrapped northern legs of the HS2 rail line. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says this announcement has been met with mixed reactions from the Opposition and prospective voters. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Child Fund Chief Executive Josie Pagani and Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Hundreds of people, including fellow politicians Chloe Swarbrick, Carmel Sepuloni and Chris Hipkins, came to Auckland to pay tribute to deceased MP Efeso Collins. What will people remember about Efeso's legacy- or political promise? New legislation will soon ban gang insignia in public places. Courts will also be able to issue orders to stop members consorting with each other. Will these proposed changes get past the Bill of Rights? Ginny Andersen has apologised publicly for her controversial comments about Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Was the apology honest enough? Should she face more consequences?  Former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett has confirmed she's considering taking a run at Auckland's mayoralty next year. Will she appeal to voters? Will this split right-leaning voters. After 27 years, Hamilton is now the fastest-growing city in New Zealand. Is this surprising? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several trade ministers from the World Trade Organisation are expected to gather over the next few days. The MC13 gathering, held in Abu Dhabi, will be co-chaired by New Zealand's own Trade Minister- Todd McClay. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says New Zealand has a lot to gain over this timeframe, if McClay does well. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of school building project plans may need changing. The Government is launching a Ministerial Inquiry into cost overruns, with up to 350 projects possibly in peril. Already, the Education Ministry has frozen major projects at 20 schools. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the Government's message about 'wasteful spending' sets the tone for the upcoming budget. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Hill is boosting its presence in Australia as New Zealand sales drop amid ongoing thefts. Overall half-year earnings were down by 55 percent on last year, with New Zealand being marked as a 'laggard' for the company. CEO Daniel Bracken says Australian consumers are feeling more positive about the state of their economy than New Zealanders. "There's been a number of things at play in the New Zealand market. Not just the economy, but political turbulence, Government taking time to get formed, new polices taking time to get issued." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister is committed to ensuring the fees-free policy is shifted to the final year of tertiary education, rather than the first. Questions have been raised about the effectiveness of the scheme, after data revealed there was no discernible evidence it helped low decile school students into university. Minister Nicola Willis says fees-free for first year students has failed in its stated objective to boost university attendance. "Our approach is about rewarding students who actually achieve what they go to their tertiary institution to achieve- that is, they complete their classes and they do a good job." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington Water has again failed to meet fluoridation targets. The water provider says there's been a drop in fluoride levels across the region over the past four months, so it has been unable to meet targets 95 percent of the time. It's blaming equipment issues, treatment plant outages and workplace health and safety improvements. Chief Executive Tonia Haskell says there's been maintenance issues at a couple of plants. "We put the new kit in Gear Island treatment plant- it was over Covid and it wasn't up to the level that we wanted, but we needed something in there in a hurry. We're now going to have to go back and buy something good, that's coming from Germany." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 27 years, a new rival has overtaken Tauranga as New Zealand's fastest growing city. New data shows that in the year to June 2023, Hamilton grew by 3.4 percent while Tauranga only grew by 2.5 percent. Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate says a new uptick in migration and high birth rates have contributed to this population boom. "We're a very young city, our median age is 33. So families are choosing to put down roots and stay here." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Australian crime expert says a ban on gang patches across the ditch has had benefits. In New Zealand, legislation will soon be introduced to Parliament banning gang insignia in public places, letting police issue dispersal notices, and courts issue non-consorting orders. It'll be in force later this year. Queensland University of Technology's Mark Lauchs says a similar law in Queensland had a clear impact. "When the patches disappeared, when you didn't have 100 Harley-Davidsons riding down the road together, the level of perception of safety went way up." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister has blamed her predecessor over school project cost overruns. The Government promised to launch a Ministerial Inquiry to investigate the problems with the school property system. Minister Erica Stanford says the previous Government has created a 'pipeline' of projects they were unable to deliver on. "Here I am, as a new Minister trying to get on with curriculum, and pedagogy and assessments and making sure our kids are achieving at school and turning up- and I have a pipeline of 350 schools that the Ministry are not able to deliver on." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, NSW police have laid out a timeline relating to the disappearance of Sydney couple, Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. Police have accused 28-year-old constable, Beau Lamarre-Condon, of murdering them in Baird's home, then making multiple trips to a rural property. It's now being scoured for the missing pair. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says police have had to widen their search over the past few days. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Rugby insist they've set the correct threshold in the men's game for a head acceleration event that requires an off-field assessment. Triggers set off via newly sanctioned smart mouthguards saw Chiefs midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown and Crusaders lock Quinten Strange undergo an HIA in the opening Super Rugby match of the season. Both players appeared to question the need for them to leave the field. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains the extent of the confusion. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Student accommodation costs have never been higher, as first year students struggle to make ends meet. Auckland University Student Association president, Alan Shaker, says he knows many students who need to work full-time, on top of studying full-time. He says their most expensive room is $510, up from $470 last year- a significant increase in their accommodation fees. The weekly student allowance gives eligible students $360 dollars and a living cost loan of just over $302. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm finding it quite amusing listening to the critics line up to tell us all the reasons why the Government's ban on gang patches won’t work. Clearly, they don't remember what happened in Whanganui. Ultimately, the Whanganui gang patch ban hit the same trouble that this Government's gang patch ban might also hit, which is the Bill of Rights Act. But before it hit that trouble, it actually worked. There was a 15 percent drop in the number of serious patched gang members living in Whanganui in the first 9 months of the bylaw The reason for that is because they were either locked up, or they left town to get away from it. And that’s exactly what's happened in Australia as well. Queensland was the first to ban the gang patches in around 2016. As a result, a bunch of gang members left the state. The number of patched gang members ended up, at one stage, as low as 139. After that, a bunch of other states followed. So in the end, it seems the gangs have ended up in Canberra because they know the bleeding hearts there will never do something as harsh as banning gang patches And as a result, they have a huge number of shootings in Canberra now. Now, our trouble is that we can't drive the gang members into another state.  If we have a nationwide gang patch ban, it applies everywhere. But I reckon what might happen is that gangs will move from areas that are well policed, where they get grief for their patches- to areas that are not well policed where they can march around freely with their patches on. And that’s not ideal, because actually you want to get rid of them altogether. But it’s an improvement on the current situation, where they are everywhere with their patches on. So I think this is a case of ignoring the critics. If this plan gets across the line, it’ll work. It already has in the past. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Tauranga commissioner says they've been given a mandate to make Long Term Plan decisions. The city's commissioner's have been criticised for doing that, before a council election in July. Proposals include rent increases of 240 percent for charities and not-for-profit organisations. This has come under fire. Commissioner Anne Tolley told Heather du Plessis Allan making Long Term Plan decisions wasn't their call. She says it was the decision of the Minister who extended their time and gave them instructions to put the plan in place.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All three IVF providers in the US state of Alabama have now suspended their services after the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that an embryo is a child with all the rights of a child. IVF providers who are now worried they're going to be in legal trouble for discarding these embryos. Andrew Murray is group medical director of Fertility Associates. He told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that this is the beginning of a worrying trend in the US   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taylor Swift fans all over Australia and New Zealand are getting ready to enjoy the Sydney leg of the Eras tour, including those hard of hearing. Marni Van Vliet is a sign language interrupter for concerts all over Australia. She says Told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that there are so many reasons to go to concerts, even when you are hard of hearing. Saying deaf people want to experience a historical moment just like everyone else.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Union for the Public Service worker says that our border security is at risk of customs, goes ahead with staff cuts. Customs are seeking voluntary redundancies and early retirements in an effort to save money. National Secretary for the Public Service Association Duane Leo told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that ironic because this government has talked about being tough on crime in terms of organised crime and now our borders might be at threat again.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A real estate agent who's refused to take a compulsory Māori culture training believes she has support from the public. Janet Dickson is facing a five-year ban for not completing a short course on te ao Māori and tikanga -- and she's now seeking a judicial review. Dickson told Heather du Plessis-Allan the course has nothing to do with her real estate work, and contradicts her religion. She says she's been told by her employer Harcourts to go.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chief Operating officer for Air Chatams is concerned by the potential for rising costs for airfares. This comes as the cost of Auckland Airport’s $8 billion 10-year redevelopment plan is being passed on in airport fees and passenger levies. COO of Air Chathams told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that the they had already seen a 20% drop in domestic flights and that number is likely to rise if things get more expensive.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The case of the real estate agent being forced to do a Māori culture and tikanga course or lose her job is a case of bad judgment by the Real Estate Authority. Estate agents have to do courses to retain their licenses.  10 hours of training a year... mostly they can pick which topics they do   But a couple are compulsory for everyone.   And one of them – there's only two compulsory - and one of them was the Māori culture and tikanga course.  Now an estate agent called Janet Dickson who works for Harcourt's objected to doing it because she says it's a “subject that is only peripherally connected” to her job.  And she's right isn’t she?  I mean a compulsory course on money laundering? Fair enough.  Compulsory course on how to appropriately deal with issues and complaints? Fair enough.  Sale and purchase agreements? Fair enough. But Māori tikanga and culture? Hmmm... not convinced.  Now look... I think your life is enriched by learning about different cultures and different ways of thinking about things... personally... I find this one of the most fascinating things in the world. But that’s a personal choice.  it’s shouldn't’ be a job requirement for an estate agent  And certainly not one that might leave Janet Dickson banned for five years from the job  The Real Estate Authority probably has its heart in the right place but has made a massive error in judgment.  For all the good they might’ve done in introducing some estate agents to diverse ways of thinking... they’ll have done as much harm in creating resentment amongst others by forcing them to do something largely irrelevant to their work. Secondly.. By being heavy handed and threatening her with her job, they look like bullies. This is the kind of red tape nonsense this country doesn’t need if we want to make doing business easier . If it’s not related to the job, leave it out, no matter how worthy you think it is. And for the record... It says a lot that that course was compulsory last year... this year... when it’s getting attention... It's now only voluntary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, research shows more drug-drivers have been arrested than drunk drivers by some forces. Data shows over 48 percent of roadside arrests were for drug-diving, with drink-driving figures reduced. UK correspondent Enda Brady says younger generations were more likely to consume cocaine and cannabis than drink before getting behind the wheel. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Nick Mills from ZB's Wellington Mornings and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! It's been revealed that fees-free uni isn't getting more low-decile students into tertiary education. Should we scrap it if it doesn't make a difference? Health NZ has removed the person that leaked the documents that led to Casey Costello's tobacco excise tax controversy. Will this be the last leak? Was removing them the right course of action? More rats were found in a Dunedin Countdown again- should the building just be burned down? LISTEN ABOVE        See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers have today welcomed a clarification by the Environmental Protection Authority that allows them to enhance their research. The EPA has ruled organisms known as null segregants are not considered GMOs- meaning they aren't subject to the same restrictions. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains the impact of this announcement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ Herald's Liam Dann has been won over by a new set of AI developments. Spark has rolled out some new technology designed to improve the world of construction and identify areas that need fixing- speeding up the process. The Herald's business editor at large was impressed by the practical applications of this technology. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's Ginny Andersen has so far avoided a formal reprimand over her comments about Police Minister Mark Mitchell.  The Labour MP accused him of of being paid to kill people in his role as a military contractor overseas in the 2000s. ZB senior political correspondent says Andersen needs to issue an in-person apology for her 'defamatory' remarks.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google maps have led a pair of German tourists stuck Queensland bush for a week. The pair rented a four-wheel drive vehicle to drive through wilderness in Cape-York - but the map app sent them into a bog. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Google Maps work differently in such isolated places. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Controversial cricket player David Warner was booed by a Wellington crowd ahead of his T20 match. The Australian opener's no stranger to a hostile New Zealand crowd given his brash on-field chatter and 2018 cheating scandal against South Africa in the test format. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sky TV has made a strong start to the financial year, with a 10 percent rise in net profit for the half-year to December. The broadcaster experienced a 3 percent dip in customers to 1.02 million- but a 4 percent rise in revenue to $393 million. Chief executive Sophie Moloney says she's excited about these results, despite the 2023 entertainment strikes impacting content. "We haven't had those key titles, but they are coming back. White Lotus, Handmaid's Tale will be coming out next financial year, we've still got good content." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand's half-year earnings have taken a dive, according to today's report. The airline has announced earnings before taxation of $185 million for the first half of the 2024 financial year- down 39 percent on the same period last year. CEO Greg Foran says these earnings reflect a 'normalisation' following a huge surge in demand. "Last year, we made, based on the amount of kilometres we flew, more money than we've ever made. So what you're seeing now is more of a normalisation, it's heavier going."  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some Auckland parents have been left outraged after a visit to the New Lynn community centre. A 36-page booklet detailing graphic sex acts featuring male dolls caught the attention of several children- and Auckland Council has since apologised and pulled it. Body Positive Executive Director Mark Fisher has labelled the removal an 'overreaction'. "I know they have a lot of rainbow groups at the community centre, and for teenagers, I think it's an important resource that's been taken away from them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Caps will look to make a mindset shift in the field after a messy display contributed to going down 1-nil in their T20 series against Australia. Several dropped catches and uncharacteristic mis-fields in Wellington helped the Aussie batters reel in New Zealand's large total with the bat. Top-scoring batsman Rachin Ravindra says he's been doing what he can for the team. "You take it, you do what you can for the team, and I've been lucky enough to have a good few situations to be in." Game two takes place tomorrow night at Eden Park LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT's Tertiary Education and Skills spokesperson says the last Government's first-year fees-free university policy failed by every measure. The Tertiary Education Commission has acknowledged there's no discernible evidence it changed the distribution of low-decile school students going to university. It was one of the policy's key goals. But Parmjeet Parmar says it didn't improve other issues. "It has failed to increase enrolment overall as well, and it has also not changed the completion rate- which sits at 67 percent. Which, in my view, is quite embarrassing."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A political commentator says it's telling only one person's been held accountable after multiple leaks from the public service. Casey Costello had to apologise in the House this week, after claiming she hadn't sought advice on freezing tobacco excise tax, despite notes leaked to RNZ showing she did. The Health Ministry's confirmed the person responsible for the leak is no longer employed. Former MP Peter Dunne says this isn't the only leak there's since the Government's formed. "It just makes me wonder whether they found someone who's being a bit of a scapegoat for all of the leaks, even if they're not responsible for them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation and the rising cost of living are contributing to worsening child poverty. Stats NZ data shows more than 140,000 children were living in material hardship for the year to June 2023. Save the Children Advocacy Director Jacqui Southey says the cost of living is significantly challenging families on the lowest incomes. She says measures - like free school lunches and period products - need to continue being funded. "The other things we want to see is- commit to income adequacy. Make sure children on the lowest incomes are not losing any of their income during this term of Government." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If National is looking for an excuse to get out of paying for Labour’s dumb free year of university, they may have just got it. The Tertiary Education Commission has admitted that the first year free of tertiary study has led to no discernible evidence that it increased the number of students from low socio-economic backgrounds. Which basically means it hasn’t worked, because that was the point of doing it. That was why Jacinda said- "next year’s on us!". Because she wanted to help poorer and disadvantaged kids get into uni. Obviously, it wasn't going to work, because it wasn’t needed. Because cost is not a barrier. It is easy to go to uni and pay for it. You take a loan, there is no interest on that loan- and what you're borrowing is only a fraction of the actual cost, the rest is subsidised. Kids who don’t go to uni have other - valid, in my opinion- reasons, maybe they want to work or they want to travel or they want to start a business or whatever. All up, Labour’s vanity spend or student bribe - you decide - cost us $350 million in the year to June last year. Now, Christopher Luxon said before the election that he was keeping it and instead switching it to the last year. But he also said on Sunday this week that the economy is in a fragile state and there are tough decisions that we need to make together. Let this be one of those tough decisions. Cut the spend. It's a lot of money, which could be spent elsewhere to help people that actually need it- and it actually doesn’t help the people it's supposed to. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prince William has called for an end to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war. In a statement, he spoke of the 'terrible human cost' of the conflict in the Middle East. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says these comments will spark discussion on whether the royals can comment on crises of this scale. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, Ben Thomas from Capital PR and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Green Party MP Efeso Collins unexpectedly died this morning at a charity event, surprising the nation. How will he be remembered, both politically and personally? Labour's Ginny Andersen and Police Minister Mark Mitchell had it out this morning when Andersen accused him of being paid to kill people as a security contractor. Was Andersen out of line? Auckland Airport vs Air New Zealand- the airline is convinced redevelopments for the airport will push airfares up. Auckland Airport has disputed this claim- what do we think? ASB has launched a multi-layered scam awareness campaign to remind people to be more vigilant. Is this an excuse for the bank to avoid creating more protections?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More operations could be done by robotic surgeons in the not-so-distant future. California-based company Intuitive Surgical has been leading the charge in robot-assisted surgery, beginning in the late 2000s. Milford Asset Management explains the surge in popularity- and shares - surrounding this technology. LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shock across the country, as Green MP Efeso Collins unexpectedly died days after delivering his maiden speech in Parliament. Collins collapsed at an Auckland charity event and was pronounced dead. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says it shows a great deal of respect for Parliament to adjourn until Tuesday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Transport Agency is warning some proposed transport projects could cost more than the Government bargained for. NZTA has estimated the roads and public transport schemes National campaigned on could leave a fiscal hole of $24 billion. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says the transport agency recognises several factors will drive up the cost of these projects. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russia will soon face a new wave of sanctions from the US after the death of Opposition politician Alexei Navalny. The security council announced today its decision to take a stronger stand to deter any further aggressive action. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says these sanctions could target various revenue sources, potentially including grain and fuel supplies. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stacey Jones is the new Kiwis head coach, beating Wayne Bennett to the job. The Warriors halfback replaces Michael Maguire, who stood down to take on opportunities in New South Wales. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Media giant NZME has reported a drop in net after-tax profit of $12.2 million dollars. The company behind the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB has blamed declining business confidence, inflation, and increased interest rates on their reduced earnings. CEO Michael Boggs says they're hoping for a better financial year in 2024. "We're seeing really good green shoots so far in January and February, we're seeing our revenue up year on year- in fact, the property market's obviously significantly high right at the moment." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Airport is disputing Air New Zealand's concerns the redevelopment will push fares up. Air New Zealand has requested Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly look into concerns about the Airport spending up to $8 million on redevelopment. The airline says the airport's regulated charges are expected to add $46 to a ticket price by 2032, a five-fold increase. Auckland Airport CEO Carrie Hurihunganui says Air New Zealand's estimates aren't accurate. "Unfortunately, before issuing their release today, they didn't share those numbers or the workings behind them- so we're not sure where those have come from." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, ASB launched the first steps of a multi-layered campaign designed to protect consumers from scammers. The bank hopes to raise awareness around the issue to prevent their customers from being targeted by fraudulent schemes. ASB CEO Vittoria Shortt says they aim to highlight the most popular scams consumers have to be vigilant for. "Most scams don't start with the bank, they start with people clicking on links, they start with phone calls and they start with being duped on marketplaces." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smart mouthguard tech is expected to be rolled out this Super Rugby season- but there's safety concerns. Players are required to wear them to be eligible for the H1A1 protocol, meaning players will be taken off the field if there's a suspected concussion. However, Australian rugby players have voiced unease regarding the technology, and some have claimed they've had trouble breathing. Former NZ Rugby CEO David Moffett says it's concerning the players didn't get the chance to try them out in the off-season to identify potential issues. "I still would like to see World Rugby doing a lot more in the area of collisions." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A council colleague described Efeso Collins as a strong advocate and a family man.  The former Auckland councillor and mayoral candidate died this morning after collapsing at a charity event. He entered Parliament at last year's election and delivered his maiden speech last week. Alf Filipaina says Collins was a supporter for South Auckland and wanted a better future for his daughters. "I know that he wanted to make a humongous difference in Parliament for our community, and for our people...and he passes this morning." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turbulence in Air New Zealand's relationship with Auckland Airport. The airline is asking Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly to look into the Airport's development spending, concerned it will drive up airfares. CEO Greg Foran says its plan doesn't deliver a new runway, or improve capacity. He says Air New Zealand wants investment going into the airport, but they also want costs kept down. "There hasn't bee a lot of capital invested at the airport, we can all see that we've sweated the asset for a long time. But that doesn't mean you want to go from the lowest prices to one of the highest prices." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Mitchell has mounted a defence against attacks levelled by a political rival. On Mike Hosking's show this morning, Labour's Ginny Andersen accused the Police Minister of being paid to kill people, when he was a defence contractor in East Africa and the Middle East. Mitchell later claimed he doesn't know if he was personally responsible for any casualties, as his team defended a compound in Nasiriyah in the early 2000s. Asked outright later in the interview, Mitchell denied knowingly killing anyone. "I have been very clear- no, I have not killed anyone. Yes, I was involved in a siege in Nasiriyah, yes there were casualties on both sides- that's as much as I know." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Outrage in the UK as a London-based cleaner was fired for eating a leftover tuna sandwich. Gabriela Rodriguez regularly cleaned the offices of law firm Devonshires Solicitors, and she was let go following an investigation. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the UK is still struggling with a food insecurity problem, hence the backlash. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute and Toby Manhire from The Spinoff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Grant Robertson is stepping away from politics for a new role at Otago University- how will he be remembered? Was he among the best Finance Ministers the country's ever had, or the worst? Pseudoephedrine will soon be available to purchase from pharmacies again. What did we think of the initial ban- was it an overreaction? According to new research, one in three Kiwis have a BMI of 30 or over. Is this a sign of long-standing health problems in this country? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several leading economists are at odds over next week's OCR call from the Reserve Bank. ANZ has claimed the Bank will hike rates up twice before April, BNZ thinks an increase is unlikely, and ASB today predicted the OCR will hold until November before rates are cut. HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham says the economy has slowed down- but high rates still linger. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Country's Jamie Mackay doesn't think history will remember Grant Robertson well as a Finance Minister. Robertson announced today that he would retire from politics- and take over as Otago University's new Vice Chancellor in July. Mackay says Grant Robertson deserves a pass for his role in the Covid-19 response, but the 2023 Ardern-Hipkins Government was a 'failure'. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Infant formula maker A2 Milk has lifted its first-half net profit by 15.6 percent. That's despite a double-digit decline in China’s infant formula market. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie explains this 'surprising' turnaround for the company. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grant Robertson's newly announced departure has sparked plenty of debate about his political legacy. The former Finance Minister has retired from Parliament- and will become Otago University's new Vice Chancellor in July. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Robertson left the Government books in an 'appalling' state. "You only have to look at the figures to know just how badly this economy has been managed. Too much money has been scattered around." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's fresh concerns about our alcohol consumption. Health New Zealand's released a report on the population's health, the first of its kind since the agency was established. It highlights continued alcohol-related harm as one of our key challenges, noting consumption contributes to road traffic injuries, drownings, suicide and relationship disruptions. Report author Gary Jackson says we saturate our society with alcohol- and there's some worries there. "About 7 percent of the cancers that we have are due to alcohol, so breast cancer, bowel cancer... it has consequences."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite ongoing staffing struggles, the Defence Force has continued to discharge personnel for failing to get the Covid vaccine. The case of Bonnie, a medic at Burnham Army Camp who was dismissed for not getting vaccinated, has caught media attention. This comes after the Court of Appeal ruled that the Defence Force's 'mandatory retention reviews' were unlawful. Lawyer Matthew Hague says these 'rigid' mandates are costing people their careers and jobs. "To impose a blanket requirement across the entire Defence Force of 10,000 people and rigidly subject people to mandatory retention reviews is completely unjustified."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are growing calls for tougher regulations against explicit deepfake content. Netsafe wants changes to be made to the Harmful Digital Communications Act, namely harsher penalties for AI-generated pornography. Netsafe's Chief Online Safety Officer Sean Lyons says deepfake content can be weaponised in the same way as traditional revenge porn. "The technology is improving to such an extent that it is going to get harder and harder... for everyone else who may come across that image, I think it is already difficult, and is only going to get more difficult." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man who's advocated for bringing back pseudoephedrine wants official recognition it was a bad idea. John Key's Government removed the cold and flu medication, hoping to stall meth manufacture. Associate Health Minister David Seymour is introducing a bill this  to reclassify the drug, so it's available in pharmacies without a prescription. Blackland PR director, Mark Blackham says a moral panic about meth forced the rushed ban, despite evidence showing it wouldn't work. "I think the only way of stopping bad decisions in the future is to get Governments to apologise for the role they had." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins says he's excited for Grant Robertson about his opportunity to change tack. The former Deputy Prime Minister today announced he's retiring from politics, and will become Otago University's Vice-Chancellor from July. He says he's most proud of getting New Zealand economically through Covid. The Labour leader says it's all only come together for Robertson in recent weeks. "He's kept me informed- the appointment itself was only finalised first thing this morning, so it's been announced as soon as it was finalised." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, a taskforce are planning a crackdown on alcohol in Parliament. This comes days after Senator Perin Davey was filmed slurring her way through a budget hearing. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says he can't see this legislation getting through- but politicians need to be held to a higher standard. "If it's good enough for everyone else in the community not to be on the turns when you're at work, why is it okay for politicians?" LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Caps are set to square off against Australia in a three-game series starting tomorrow. This will be the last T20 series for both teams before the upcoming T20 World Cup in June. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

St John says it anticipates pulling some ambulances off the road when staff are sick or on leave will continue until the start of winter. It's limiting calling in extra staff to save money. Ambulance Services Deputy Chief Executive Dan Ohs says they expect the workload to rise from late May. "Doing this now enables us to make sure we've got the financial depth in order to ensure we can stand additional resources up for winter." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the small Italian town of Monfalcone, mayor Anna Maria Cisint has enacted strict measures targeting Muslims. The far-right leader has banned prayers at Muslim cultural centres- the latest in a string of contentious measures UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the mayor has been working to clamp down the town's expanding Muslim population, after a recent influx in migrants. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former NZ First press secretary Georgina Stylianou joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! New Zealand's birth rate has dropped to the lowest level since World War II. What's behind this decline? Is there a solution to this issue? Chris Luxon has unveiled some tougher measures to get more people off the benefit. What do we think of this? Will this appeal to National's base? Chris Hipkins' popularity is declining, according to the latest 1News-Verian poll. Does Labour need a new strategy? Is Chippy on his way out? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Contact Energy has reported an increase in net profit and says it expects to finalise a more generous electricity deal with Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. It's recorded a net profit of $153 million for the six months to December. CEO Mike Fuge says he's optimistic about a better long-term agreement with Rio Tinto. "We've been really clear, there are three things- and like any negotiation, it's a two-way street." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert has noticed a subset of voters hasn't reacted positively to the Government's plan to reduce the number of beneficiaries. Prime Minister Chris Luxon today revealed a planned return to a more strict regime of sanctions for those on the unemployment benefit. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan observed the younger members of the press gallery seemed shocked by these changes. She says it's been a while since conservative ideas held power- it's been decades since sanctions were in place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has promised the 'free ride' is over for beneficiaries, as the Government plans to implement sanctions. Luxon and Social Development Minister Upston confirmed that from June, MSD will hold work check-ins for people who have been on the benefit for over 6 months. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the number of people relying on the Jobseeker benefit has gotten 'ridiculous'. "I know we've got a welfare economy in this country- but really, something has to be done about this." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has give up alcohol for Lent. Joyce says he's also quit talking about other people in regards to the issue- days after he was filmed intoxicated on a street in Canberra. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says this comes after Nationals deputy leader Perin Davey admitted to drinking before a budget hearing.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Swimmer Lewis Clareburt has claimed a maiden world championship title, winning the 400-metre individual medley in Doha. His time of 4 minutes and 9.72 seconds was 1.02 seconds off his personal best. Before the meet, New Zealand had never had a world champion - now they have two after Erika Fairweather's triumph in the 400 metres freestyle. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most political parties have held their support in the latest political poll. A new 1News-Verian poll shows National the Greens, and NZ First are all holding steady. Labour's support has increased one percent and Te Pati Maori by 0.7 percent, while ACT has dropped by 1 percent. Prime Minister Chris Luxon is the preferred PM on 25 percent support, while Labour's Chris Hipkins has dropped 10 points to 15 percent support. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says they're more focused on their plans than the poll. "I think what that poll really just reflects is that people are supporting the party that they supported in the election, and that means that we are continuing to do well."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows the nation saw the lowest number of births in over 80 years. Stats NZ revealed there were 19,071 more births than deaths in 2023 in the lowest annual natural increase since World War II. Massey University Sociologist Paul Spoonley says New Zealand's not alone- fertility and birth rates are declining across high-earning countries. "When you look at countries like Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Poland... they're all down at about 1, 1.2. What's interesting is- has anyone been able to reverse it? The answer's no." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Traffic cameras could become more common as NZTA takes over the responsibility from police. It will increase the number of cameras from 150 to 800 operating within the next 10 years, manned by as many as 400 staff. It estimates they could process three million speeding infringements a year. Road safety campaigner Clive Matthew-Wilson says extra traffic cameras are unlikely to make much of a difference. "I don't think it's going to solve the problem. There's international studies that make it quite clear- a high police presence has a profound effect on the way that we drive." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cost-saving changes at St John Ambulance are sparking concern among staff and paramedics. The service has limited recalls of backup staff when employees are sick or taking leave, meaning some ambulances are left parked up. Ambulance Association National Secretary Mark Quin says this is proof the company is putting their budget over people's lives. "We're restricting the number of ambulances being available anywhere in the country on a daily basis due to the fact that we're not recalling staff." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Social Development Minister says check-ins with beneficiaries are about accountability, but also giving them support in finding work. A welfare reset announced by the Government involves sanctions for job-seekers not meeting their obligations to find work. Louise Upston also says from June, MSD will regularly check in with those on the benefit for six months. "What we want to make sure is that people are going into Work and Income providing evidence of the fact that they've been doing their bit to look for work- some of them may need assistance." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An education training provider is offering school principals a taxpayer-funded course in Fiji. The course is among the latest to hit the market since principals were offered a $6000 salary boost to pay for professional development. Education training company Growth Culture is offering the Fiji conference, for $5700. Secondary Principals' Association President Vaughan Couillault says there's been a noticeable increase in courses and programmes costing under $6000 since this pay bump. "There certainly has been a bit of the private sector looking at ways to generate themselves some income." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand, Australia and New Zealand have released a joint statement urging Israel not to continue its assault there. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is adamant he will launch the attack. Winston Peters told Heather du Plessis-Allan that people in Rafah are already vulnerable.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eden Park's chief executive is pinning Taylor Swift's New Zealand snub on the consent process to hold concerts at the stadium. The Australian leg of the world-renowned pop singer's Eras Tour is kicking off, with many New Zealanders heading across the ditch for the shows. Swiftie fans raised questioned about why the star wasn't performing in Auckland and the CEO of the city's biggest venue is now weighing in. Nick Sautner told Heather du Plessis-Allan they're limited on how many shows they can hold in any 12-month period. He says we've missed out on concert content, because the stadium was unable to provide multiple dates for shows - which needs to change.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank is expected to keep holding New Zealand's lofty interest rates on high. Governor Adrian Orr has warned against expectations, inflation might drop below three percent anytime soon, during a speech at Waikato University. The central bank's been keeping the Official Cash Rate - a factor which determines interest rates, at 5.5 percent, as it fights inflation - at 4.7 percent. Independent economist Cameron Bagrie told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it seems OCR rates aren't going to come down in the near future. He says the Reserve Bank's patience appears to be wearing thin, as inflation is coming down, but it's taking an awful long time.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report from the Child Action Poverty Group says 15,000 teenagers are working to put food on the table and attending school at the same time. The report suggests that minimum wage should  be raised to $26 an hour to equal the living wage in order to stop this from happening. Alan Johnson from the child action poverty group told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that the work comes "potentially at the expense of what they could achieve at school."   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Woolworths has apologised for the pest problems revealed at some of its supermarkets. Four Woolworths supermarkets have been in the news for rodent and bird problems. Woolworth's commercial director of fresh and own brand Peter De Wit told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that "it's not a standard that we want to have in our stores."   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK is experiencing an uptick in antisemitic abuse following the October 7 attacks. According to new data released by the Community Security Trust, 2023 has been the worst year for antisemitic abuse in over 40 years. UK correspondent Enda Brady says 4,103 incidents have been reported, and a majority of the abuse occurred in London. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Neale Jones from Capital and David Farrar from Kiwiblog and Curia joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Wellington Council is working on developing their draft budget. A congestion charge and new rates for accommodation providers are on the cards and libraries and public pools have been spared. Do they have their priorities in order? David Seymour has unveiled a new strategy to reduce truancy figures and boost school attendance. Will extra fines be enough to keep kids in school? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The key interest rate market in the US is pricing several rates cuts later this year. Meanwhile, economic growth is getting stronger and equity markets are at an all-time high. Can these concepts co-exist? Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One business expert says a change in leadership isn't enough to save Fletcher Building. Yesterday, Chief Executive Ross Taylor and Chair Bruce Hassall both announced their resignation following some lower-than-anticipated half-year results. Auckland University economics professor Robert MacCulloch says the entire company should be broken up altogether. "The company should be nationalised, the Government should buy the company and break it up into little bits and sell those bits beck to private operators." LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's agricultural sector could be impacted by escalating tensions in the Red Sea. Experts warn the ongoing attacks could cause further shipping bottlenecks around the world. The Country's Jamie Mackay says freight prices have climbed to a level not seen since the days of the Covid-19 pandemic. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's population has continued to expand in 2023- but the influx has slowed somewhat. New data from Stats NZ shows annual net migration reached just under 126,000 in the year to December. The net migration gain is still one of the largest recorded, it's equivalent to the population of Taranaki. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains what this means for economic forecasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has been on the receiving end of backlash over her proposal for the public sector. There's growing speculation the coalition Government will cut jobs in order to meet targets. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the number of public service workers has gone up by tens of thousands under Labour- and industry leaders will be looking to create savings. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his engagement to his long-time partner. The Prime Minister proposed to Jodie Haydon on Valentine's Day, at his Canberra residence. The pair have been together since 2020, where they met at a Melbourne business dinner. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says people from all corners of the country have congratulated Albanese on the engagement. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Noeline Taurua's role is up for grabs, as Netball NZ has launched an open recruitment call. The Silver Ferns coach will have to fight to keep her job, as Netball NZ is determined to choose the best coach to guide the team for the next four years. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Proposals to cut Wellington's swimming pool and library hours have been scrapped. The City Council finalised its draft 10-year budget today, in a meeting lasting almost seven hours. The Council voted on spending cuts, including unpopular proposals to trim community services. Councillor Nicola Young disapproves of this verdict, saying one local pool's had its time.  "They are spending a lot of money, and they can never stop." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report by the Education Review Office reveals primary teachers feel less equipped to teach maths than ever. The ERO report claims almost a quarter of new teachers are not confident about their own teaching abilities in mathematics. Otago University Associate Professor Naomi Ingram says maths is a trickier subject than reading or writing for educators. "Their perceptions are that it is unique, because it is perceived to be more difficult, there's more proportions of time that kids have to think compared to other subjects- to learn mathematics, you need to be confused."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Noeline Taurua will have to fight hard to return as the head coach of the Silver Ferns. Netball New Zealand said the organisation and Dame Taurua had agreed to go to the open market for the role, in the best interests of the Ferns and the 'integrity' of the sport. Netball New Zealand Chief Executive Jennie Wyllie says it's important that they don't take the Silver Ferns' success for granted. "We certainly want to be able to grow and improve on our performance at the Nations Cup in January. I think what we do know is- Noels has got a great legacy and we want to see what her plans are for the future."  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's mayor wants better communication from agencies responsible for the rail network. Wayne Brown had talks with Auckland One Rail, Auckland Transport and KiwiRail yesterday and promised an aggressive plan to reduce disruption. He says communications need to be clear and aimed at the passengers, not other agencies.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Emergency Management Minister says smoke is dissipating from the fire still raging on Christchurch's Port Hills. The blaze has burned through at least 650 hectares since it broke out yesterday, triggering evacuations. The fire is yet to be contained, but people are being allowed back into homes on Hoon Hay Valley and Early Valley Roads. Others will have to stay another night away. Minister Mark Mitchell says firefighters are working incredibly hard. "Today, they had an additional two fixed-wings in there, putting fire retardant in ridge lines and things like that. Their response was so quick." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over 100 firefighters, 12 helicopters and two fixed-wing planes are working to fight the raging fire in Christchurch's Port Hills. The fire was reported at 2.45pm yesterday on Worsleys Rd and had spread over an area of 100 hectares by the evening. Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger says rubberneckers seem to have heeded the message to stay away. "We've had FENZ-led meetings at the community centre, which is our evacuation hall. And they're commending the public of Christchurch and Selwyn for being so good and listening, which is music to my ears."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let me tell you something that happened today. This morning, David Seymour was on the radio with Mike Hosking, outlining his plans to tackle truancy in this country by enforcing the rules so that parents cop fines if they don’t send their kids to school. Only about 2.5 hours later, over on ZM, a mum entered a competition to get herself and her daughter to the Taylor Swift show in Melbourne tomorrow. And even though it was 10 to 10 in the morning and school had started at least 50 minutes earlier, her daughter was at home with her and talking on the radio Her daughter was home with a sniffle, which became a bit of a running joke because it was clearly a ‘sniffle’ bad enough to keep her home from school but not bad enough to keep her home from a Taylor Swift concert in Melbourne. Now look, I don't want to be a Grinch to her. Taylor Swift is huge, the tickets are hard to come by, it’d be a wonderful experience for any school kid to go to Taylor Swift, especially overseas. But it kind of made the point, didn’t it? The truancy was a joke on the radio. That’s how chill we are about kids missing class. The 3rd term of last year, 54 percent of kids skipped at least one day every two weeks. Now we can debate whether David Seymour's plan will change that. Maybe it’ll work, maybe it won’t.  There’s a case to say it won’t, because the law already exists. Parents can already cop a fine of $300 if they get busted and they just ignore it. And if you don’t care about your child enough to send them to school, I hardly think someone else caring and fining you is gonna change your mind. But at least it signals a change of attitude in Government. I would rather have the Government try everything to get kids back to school, even if some of it doesn’t work, than try nothing. And I hope it actually works. After love and safety, education is the most important thing you can give your child. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, a second parliamentary candidate has been suspended over his comments about Israel. Graham Jones, a former Hyndburn MP has been suspended and faces potential investigation. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the party's focused on cleaning up its act ahead of the general election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Childfund NZ CEO Josie Pagani and Ben Thomas from Capital joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! There's been an uptick in rats and mice invading Countdowns across the country- what do we think of this? Will this harm the company's reputation? The Government plans to index benefits to inflation rather than wage growth- a move the opposition doesn't approve of. Is this better or worse for beneficiaries? New data reveals the Treaty is the third most important issue to voters. Is this surprising news? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fletcher Building has had an eventful few days, culminating in the loss of chief executive Ross Taylor and chair Bruce Hassall. The company has also reported a $120 million half-year loss after tax. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton warns Fletcher may need more than a change in leadership to win back investors. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASB has warned mortgage holders to be prepared for 'any eventuality' when it comes to interest rates. Chief executive Vittoria Shortt says borrowers shouldn't bank on one particular scenario when it comes to future rate hikes. This follows ANZ economists issuing a 'hawkish' prediction that the OCR could go up two more times in the near future. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains further. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's Three Waters policy has been flushed for good today. A bill to repeal the Water Services Act has passed its third reading in the House, and the Government aims to implement its replacement through two further bills by mid-next year. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says it's incredible how much change the original bill went through before the Government scrapped it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing concerns about Joe Biden's capabilities ahead of the 2024 election. A couple of unfortunate weeks have led to Democrats reconsidering a second term for the President, and Vice Presidents Harris has expressed interest in taking over. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says it's unlikely Harris will be ready to step in as the next nominee. "California Governor Gavin Newsom is in the wings- but he has to tread carefully. He's got his eye on four years down the road." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists are predicting a boost in consumer spending this February 14th. As demand for flowers and chocolates and fancy dinners skyrockets, people are expected to spend more to contribute to this economic bump. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says this Valentine's Day is expected to be the first in several years to match pre-pandemic spending demand. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASB's CEO isn't surprised by today's reduced half-year profit. The bank has reported a 11 percent fall, due to slower lending, reduced margins and higher costs. CEO Vittoria Short says their profitability is linked to New Zealand's economy. "We've seen a slowing in growth as headwinds impact everything from inflation that's feeding through to businesses and homes- and also the rising interest rate environment. That's really contributed to the decline."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's Auditor-General has spoken out against Government agencies, claiming their reporting produces 'a lot of rubbish'. John Ryan told the Finance Select Committee that agencies like to tick off 'project milestones', but their actual accomplishments are 'questionable'. He says the general public doesn't get to see or experience the outcomes of these reported milestones. "The public really wants to know what outcomes they're getting from these projects, not whether they're managing it on a day-to-day basis. That's much more than management activity." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's clear rodents caught in two Woolworths stores could pose a food safety risk. The Dunedin South store has been closed since Friday, and 23 rats have been trapped, in the second infestation since late last year. Meanwhile, Christchurch's Eastgate store is being investigated after video posted online showed a mouse on a salad. Massey University Professor, Steve Flint, says mice and rats could contaminate food with salmonella or E. coli bacteria. "There is some risk, whether it's a big risk or not depends on how many rats or mice are involved, how long they've been there for- and a whole range of other things." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Resignations by Fletcher Construction's two top players can be traced back to a single project. The company has reported a $120 million half-year loss after tax. Chief Executive Ross Taylor and Chair Bruce Hassall have announced they'll both leave this year. Taylor says remediation for the SkyCity fire in 2019 was the most complicated thing he's seen in 40 years in the industry. "We basically progressively only understood what we were up against- and then we had to re-forecast. In the end, I think the team's done a great job to keep it on track, program wise, and we really couldn't forecast until we worked out how to do this stuff." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews are battling a significant vegetation fire in Christchurch's Port Hills. Early Valley, Worsley Spur, Worsleys Road and Princess Margaret Hospital have been evacuated, with multiple evacuation centres in place. Summit Road is closed between Dyers Pass and Gebbies Pass Roads, and residents in that area need to be ready to evacuate at short notice. Newstalk ZB's Emily Ansell is at the base of the Port Hills, and she says helicopters are on the scene trying to control the blaze. "The fire looks like it's burning up that pine forest just up on the Port Hills, to the right of the park."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's social development spokeswoman is flaming the Government for suggesting tweaking benefits will get more people in jobs. The Coalition is working under urgency to pass a Bill through the House to link benefit rises with inflation - not wage growth. Social Development Minister Louise Upston says it will ensure people can meet basic needs, and make employment the best way to get ahead. MP Carmel Sepuloni says the evidence doesn't support it making a difference. "Keep in mind, there's a whole lot of people that are on benefits because of health conditions, a disability, perhaps they are sole parents." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is amazing, isn't it? How the story of one rat in a Dunedin supermarket has just blown up for Countdown. First, it was a photo of a couple of rats in the supermarket in Dunedin. Then there were more rats caught, then the supermarket closed for two days, then it closed for another day and now it's closed indefinitely- until they finish catching the rats. At last count, it was 19 just since Friday. Then there was the video of the mouse on the salad in the Christchurch store, then the news that the salad was thrown away, but pretty much every thing else in the deli wasn't. And a couple of people bought stuff out of the deli after the mouse was found, and now the MPI is investigating and people are talking about boycotting those supermarkets, and my colleagues tell me they’re never buying anything uncovered from a supermarket again. Fair enough, rats and mice are gross- but if you're realistic about it, rats and mice are part of the supermarket business. If you’ve got food sitting around, and supermarkets have lots of that, it will attract pests. This is a battle they're constantly fighting. The problem for Countdown is not actually that the rats and the mice were there, it's that Countdown didn’t take it seriously. The mouse on the salad is gross, 100 percent, but what’s way more gross is that the staff kept selling out of that deli and didn't throw the stuff away. The rats in Dunedin are pretty gross, but what’s worse is that we found out they've been there causing trouble since November and Countdown was trying to get on top of it but hadn't escalated the problem like they should have, prompting an investigation in late January. It's awkward for Countdown, because they are in the middle of a rebrand to Woolworths in part to get the brand away from all the negative associations customers make between the Countdown brand and the allegations that supermarkets over-charge us. Well, it's a tough start for Woolworths because it’s got the rats and mice attached to it. Once again, this is a lesson that the most important thing is not what happens, but how to respond to it. Unfortunate things happen to all of us in a personal or business capacity- and it’s often not the unfortunate thing that gets you in the most trouble but the failure to fess up about it and handle it properly. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two key by-elections are taking place in the UK this week. Voters will head to the polls in Wellingborough and Kingswood on Thursday February 15- and the Tories are projected to lose these seats. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Rishi Sunak is continuing to lag in the polls and some are calling for Boris Johnson to step in ahead of the upcoming general election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Auckland trains have been cancelled again today due to heat, and there's a warning this could continue until March. AT is blaming KiwiRail and KiwiRail is blaming the weather- can this be fixed? The Retirement Commissioner says it would be better to means test the New Zealand Superannuation Fund instead of raising the retirement age for everyone. Is this a good idea? A video of Travis Kelce shouting at his coach during the Super Bowl raised a few eyebrows- is this a sign of potential anger management issues? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra has lifted their 2023-24 season forecast farmgate milk price to $7.80 per kilogram of milk solids. Chief executive Miles Hurrell claims the 30 cent increase was inspired by a  streak of 5 strong GDT auctions. The Country's Jamie Mackay says this is a good start, but some dairy experts believe it should be higher. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are growing calls for Fletcher Building to make some leadership changes ahead of tomorrow's half-year result. The company has been placed in a trading halt, and it's been revealed Chief Executive Ross Taylor is 'considering his position'. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie says it's a complex situation- and it's unclear if removing Taylor will solve everything. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand has gotten one step closer to getting a third medical school to counteract shortages. Waikato University and the Ministry of Health have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a business case for the program. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says it's unclear how the Government plans to keep this new set of trained doctors where they need to be. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former leaders from both sides of the nation's political factions have come together to push back against New Zealand joining AUKUS. Ex-Prime Minister Helen Clark and her 2005 election rival Don Brash have co-written an editorial warning, claiming New Zealand needs to safeguard its independent foreign policy. Former National leader Don Brash says New Zealand has developed good working relationships with the US and China, and joining AUKUS would complicate that. "What's changed in the last 10 years is that the United States has suddenly recognised China as a 'peer competitor', and they don't like it. They're pushing very hard to get countries to jump on one bandwagon or the other." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A third medical school in New Zealand is one step closer to becoming a reality. The Ministry of Health has signed a memorandum of understanding with Waikato University to progress a business case, one of the tasks on the Government's 100-day plan. University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Neil Quigley says they're hoping to take in the first set of students by 2027. "We've worked with our partners in Australia, looking at the curriculum development and accreditation work we need to do. We're sort of set to go as soon as we get the green light from Cabinet."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concerns some enrolment requirements could be preventing children from accessing their local school. Last month, the Ministry of Education had to intervene after an Auckland school told a woman who lived within zone that she couldn't enrol her child without a 12-month tenancy agreement. Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O'Connor says a short-term tenancy agreement is worth monitoring- to ensure nobody cheats the system. "The problem is- we have so many people making choices about the school that they want to go to that's not their local school. In our instance for example, we had 752 out-of-school enrolments in form 3 this year." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A storied 16-year professional basketball career will soon come to an end for Breakers forward Tom Abercrombie. The club's all-time leader in games and points will retire at the conclusion of the NBL season, after winning four championships with the side. Abercrombie made his debut in 2008, and has racked up a record 425 appearances during his long-running athletic career. He says he's 'extremely grateful' for the time he's spent on the team, but he's ready for his next adventure. "It's time for me to experience new challenges and adventures, and pass that baton over to someone else." Abercrombie's final home game for the Breakers will likely be this Friday against Brisbane at Spark Arena. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is facing pressure from more than 9,000 doctors to urgently re-consider repeals to the Smokefree Amendment Act. Some of New Zealand's leading health organisations have banded together to issue a formal request. It asks that, rather than being scrapped in the first 100 days as planned, a new bill is sent to the health select committee. Council of Medical Colleges chair Samantha Murton says there are parts of the law that should remain. "There's a lot of evidence around the measures that are really helpful for reducing cigarette smoking and getting hooked on it, and we need to make sure we're focused on those." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a push for a shake up of the Fletcher Building board. The construction company is in a trading halt ahead of the release of its half-year results tomorrow. CEO Ross Taylor is also 'considering his position'. Shareholders Association Chief Executive Oliver Mander says whatever woes the company has, they're down to more than just Taylor. "We do think this is a wider conversation than the CEO, and certainly we've been critical of the board in the past in terms of how it has approached certain issues."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asbestos has been detected in at least three parks in Sydney's city centre, and an investigation is under way. Authorities confirmed traces of asbestos were discovered in Harmony Park, Victoria Park, and Belmore Park- three popular public parks. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the friable asbestos identified is particularly dangerous, and the city council is 'apoplectic'.  "It's very easily crushed, it can form dust and that releases little fibres that can get into your lungs and ultimately kill you." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spinner Rachin Ravindra continues to dominate with the ball for New Zealand against South Africa in the final session on the opening day of the second cricket test at Hamilton. Moments ago the Proteas were 161 for six - the left-arm orthodox has figures of three for 24 from an unbroken 16-over spell at the southern end. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern Auckland's rail issues are a 'bit muddy' with a lack of clarity around the sudden drove of cancellations. Auckland Transport has limited services yesterday and today due to 'heat' affecting track steel. The Public Transport Users Association's Jon Reeves says he's heard claims some work KiwiRail was meant to do over Christmas to prepare trains for heat wasn't done. He says coincidentally, the issues have emerged after the holiday closures. "I don't think everyone's been clear to the media or the public what the issue is, but the end result is- Auckland train users are really having a bad summer." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It looks almost certain that the CEO of Fletcher Building is gone. The company put the shares in a trading halt yesterday, and announced that Ross Taylor would be reconsidering his position. Which says to me- he’s resigning tomorrow. I can’t see a way for him to come out and say he’s not resigning after that statement’s been made. And if he does go, which seems more likely than not, I doubt very much he’ll be alone. I suspect there will be other members of the executive - and maybe even the board - walking out that door with him. And I don’t think anyone's gonna cry any tears over this. Fletcher Building is not a business that you can argue is doing right by its shareholders. There have been calls for the board and the CEO to resign for at least two years, because the company just keeps lurching from one problem to the other. There was the high rise disaster, then the convention centre disaster, then the GIB board disaster, then the pipes problem over in Australia, and then just last week- the $180 million cost blow out on the Convention Centre and the Wellington parking building. As Sam Stubbs from Simplicity pointed out when he was on our show calling for the resignations last week- in the last two years, the NZX has gone up 7.5 percent and Fletcher Building’s shares have gone down 16.5 percent. That’s not average performance, that’s a very bad performance. Meanwhile, the directors asked for a 25 percent pay increase last year, until they got told that was a bad idea and withdrew it. And Taylor, if you listen to the analysts, gets paid about three times what other CEOs of similar sized listed companies get paid. There are significant shareholders who are pretty cross, and I don’t reckon they’ll settle for just Ross Taylor’s scalp tomorrow. I would expect not just one resignation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles says it's heartening to hear how his cancer diagnosis has helped promote public understanding of the disease. He's released his first statement following the announcement, thanking everyone for messages of support. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Charles could be moving to a Sandringham farmhouse for the time being- the same one Prince Philip spent his final days in. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and broadcaster Paddy Gower joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!  Auckland Transport has voiced disapproval with KiwiRail for shutting the trains down over today's heat level. Is this fair? Is this the sign of a bigger problem. ACT and David Seymour have shot up in the latest Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll to 13.7 percent. What does this mean- do voters want the Treaty debate after all? Some lobbyists have been given back swipe-card access to Parliament, and a draft of a voluntary code of conduct for lobbyists has been leaked. Should we demand more transparency from lobbyists? Do we need a cooldown period? Heather recently took her two-year-old to the hairdresser for a haircut that cost $40. Is that unreasonable? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis are planning to make some changes to public sector agencies. Speculation indicates they could shoulder-tap people with a certain level of business experience to take on leadership roles.  NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwis out to buy their first home may soon find that process a lot harder. Under the Reserve Bank's proposed new debt-to-income lending rules, it has been estimated an Auckland family would need $172,000 a year to buy an average-priced home. These rules could come into effect by June 2024, in order to stop first home buyers and owner occupiers borrowing more than six times their annual income. CoreLogic economist Kelvin Davidson says these changes could have a positive impact in the long run and tie house prices closer to incomes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwis out to buy their first home may soon find that process a lot harder. Under the Reserve Bank's proposed new debt-to-income lending rules, it has been estimated an Auckland family would need $172,000 a year to buy an average-priced home. These rules could come into effect by June 2024, in order to stop first home buyers and owner occupiers borrowing more than six times their annual income. CoreLogic economist Kelvin Davidson says these changes could have a positive impact in the long run and tie house prices closer to incomes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwis out to buy their first home may soon find that process a lot harder. Under the Reserve Bank's proposed new debt-to-income lending rules, it has been estimated an Auckland family would need $172,000 a year to buy an average-priced home. These rules could come into effect by June 2024, in order to stop first home buyers and owner occupiers borrowing more than six times their annual income. CoreLogic economist Kelvin Davidson says these changes could have a positive impact in the long run and tie house prices closer to incomes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SkyCity could be forced to cough up millions for alleged breaches of legislation on money laundering. The Department of Internal Affairs is accusing SkyCity of violating the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act, after a company review. NZ Herald property editor Anne Gibson says SkyCity will be more concerned about the hits to their reputation, over a prospective fine. "This is quite damaging to them, it's not so much about the fine- if there is one." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister plans to implement a 39 percent trustee tax rate by April 1. This increase follows on from Labour's proposed plan for trustee tax rates from Budget 2023. Nicola Willis says the Government is looking to fix up Labour's legislation to ensure rates are properly aligned. "We're concerned that when Labour lifted the top tax rate, that misaligning it with the trust rate would lead to some avoidance activity. The evidence suggests that is what's happened, so we want those rates to stay in alignment."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has unveiled their own legislation designed to replace Three Waters. Prime Minster Chris Luxon confirmed Three Waters will be scrapped by February 23, as part of the Government's 100-day plan. It will be replaced by two new bills by mid-2025 in order to phase in the alternative: Local Water Done Well. Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says the new legislation will allow local council-controlled organisations to have more input. "We'll be enabling that through legislation throughout this year, and that will ensure that councils are able to have their long-term investment in water infrastructure over the long term to get the infrastructure New Zealanders need." LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a surprising turnaround, the Kansas City Chiefs emerged victorious at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. The Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22, capturing their third title in five years. Grammy-winning R&B icon Usher also performed at half-time- with surprise collaborators Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Lil Jon and H.E.R. SiriusXM Ben Harlum said plenty of celebrities turned up to watch the game, including Taylor Swift, who flew halfway around the world to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. "The Chiefs fans were loving it, she seemed to have a great time in the suite and on the field as part of a victory celebration for her boyfriend, Travis." LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Transport's not impressed by heat causing train cancellations. Some services were canned on the Eastern, Western and Southern line today, after track steel reached 48 degrees in parts. AT's Stacey van der Putten says people deserve better than a network that can't run at capacity on a mildly warm summer day. "What we're seeing over recent weeks is what I'd call a reliability failure- that's been pretty consistent. Of course it's when everybody's coming back to work, coming back to school, it does have a huge impact on trust and confidence in our network." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Commissioner says demand for police to respond to social harm is displacing their ability to attend other jobs.The briefing to the new minister included proposing going less to family harm callouts, which have risen 80 percent in the past 10 years. Commissioner Andrew Coster says officers would like to be doing more work only police can do. He says a managed withdrawal from harm callouts is the only way to free them up. "The ideal situation here would be that others step up to deal with this demand, because arguably- help should be available in some of these situations." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has revealed their replacement for Three Waters. Prime Minister Chris Luxon says the existing legislation will be scrapped by the end of next week, as part of the 100-day plan. It will be replaced by two new bills within the next 18 months, with guidance from a Technical Advisory Group to help shape water plans. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says dismantling this system and setting up a new one will put extra strain on taxpayers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barnaby Joyce has admitted to making 'a mistake', after a compromising video of him on a Canberra street surfaced. In the video, Joyce had fallen on the ground off a planter box and was swearing into his phone after  a long parliamentary sitting day. The former deputy prime minister has blamed the mix of alcohol and prescription medication for his actions last Friday. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says several people have spoken up to defend Joyce after the incident. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Kansas City Chiefs have beaten the San Francisco 49ers 25 to 22 to win Super Bowl LVIII in an overtime thriller in Las Vegas. The Chiefs are the ninth team to go back to back and defend their title. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tauranga residents were asked to work from home today to avoid traffic congestion. A failed stormwater drain caused a cavity underneath State Highway 29A, forcing the road to close near Oropi. NTZA acting Bay of Plenty maintenance and operations manager, Roger Brady, says he's hoping the road will open tomorrow morning. "We're hugely fortunate in that that piece of road wasn't constrained by services, there were no water pipes running down the side of it, there were no gas pipelines, there were no streets in the way." A lane of Totara St was also closed, and should reopen tomorrow. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dunedin South's Countdown has now closed for 48 hours - after more rats have been found. The supermarket made headlines last month when staff told the Otago Daily Times about a rat infestation. Employees said they feared the public could have bought contaminated food. Woolworth's stores director Jason Stockill told Heather du Plessis-Allan they've pro-actively closed - to let pest-control workers thoroughly check the store. He says MPI and Rentokil have confirmed they're not nesting in the store and it's not a food safety issue. Stockill says the rats are coming from outside - and Rentokil will be figuring out how they're getting in.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown says he's keen to help Auckland Council bring in tolls and time of use charging, what many of us would consider congestion charging. Councillor Richard Hills is the chair of the Planning Committee and he told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that the they hope a congestion charge is not a revenue tool it is a 'behaviour change tool'.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists at our biggest bank expect the Reserve Bank will increase the Official Cash Rate. ANZ's changed its forecast, now predicting 25 basis point hikes in February and in April. That would take the OCR to six percent -- from its current 5.5. ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner told Heather du Plessis Allan that the Reserve Bank said it was very close to hiking it again in November. She says since then, a series of small but consistent surprises suggest inflation will take long to get back to target.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Top end charity executives are taking home on average half a million dollars a year. The Herald business investigations reporter Matt Nippert has been crunching the numbers. Waipareira's John Tamihere is up there - followed by the Vice Chancellors from Auckland and Victoria Universities. Childfund chief executive, Josie Pagani, didn't make the list. She told Heather du-Plessis Allan that a bit of a double standard applies.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Look, I don't want to be that guy that comes out and declares that Biden's re-election chances are stuffed. Just in case there’s a tiny chance I get proven wrong,  But I think Biden's re-election chances are stuffed. Not only because of the report that landed today, but then because of the press conference he called where he tried to defend himself and made it worse  Let me get you across this. The report landed about 7 hours ago and it’s written by a neutral official who was tasked with getting to the bottom of whether Biden did anything wrong by keeping those classified documents in his garage.  He found that Biden did do something wrong.  He "wilfully retained and disclosed classified materials"    But then decided against prosecuting Biden because no jury would find him guilty  Because they would feel sorry for a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."  And the reason he thought that was because in his conversations with Biden  Biden couldn't’ even remember what years he was vice president under Obama  And couldn't’ remember when his son had died  That report alone was probably enough to kill off his re election chances given the level of worry among voters in the US over his senility ... about ¾ told an NBC poll this week that they're worried. But then Biden calls a surprise press conference to defend himself. And makes it worse. By answering a question about the war in Gaza and then confusing the president of Egypt with the president of Mexico  There is completely separate report today about a fundraising dinner in New York on Wednesday at which he recounted talking about the 2020 election with the German chancellor Helmut Kohl but Kohl died in 2017. Truth is these concerns about Biden's marbles aren’t new.. .and they were already significant enough to make it very hard for him to be re-elected anyway  But if you want to, in future, look back and find the moment that it became a certainty... i think this is it This is the death knell See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Harry Potter cast member has made an unfortunate parking blunder after a night out. Actress Emma Watson accidentally left her Audi A3 in an illegal parking spot, blocking a pizza restaurant manager in for over 3 hours. UK correspondent Enda Brady explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Beveridge from ZB's Weekend Collective and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The Auckland Regional Fuel Tax will be no more after July 1. Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has since released a long list of projects that he'll have to cancel as a result. Will this be better or worse for Aucklanders? How do we feel about facial recognition software in supermarkets? Will this reduce retail crime? The Law Society has come out against the Government's plan to scrap funding for cultural reports, claiming it will lead to limited access to justice. Is this fair? What do we think? The average recipient of the main Jobseeker payment is expected to spend 13 years on the benefit. What do we do about this? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US quarterly results season is well underway, with 60 percent of companies reporting their results. The marker has been bullish overall- but there are some clear winners and losers. Fisher Funds senior portfolio manager Sam Dickie says big tech is still dominating, but Tesla has been struggling. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's speculation higher farmgate milk prices are on the way following a strong GDT auction result. All of Fonterra’s main reference products rallied strongly at this week's auction, driven by demand from the Middle East and improved interest from China. The Country's Jamie Mackay says customers should get their dairy products quickly, before the change kicks in. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could the incoming Year of the Dragon bring more luck for China's struggling economy? Ahead of Chinese New Year, the nation's economy is still feeling the negative impact left over from the Covid-19 pandemic. Chinese GDP grew by 5.2 percent last year, according to official statistics- a reflection that confidence hasn't yet returned. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains what this downturn means for New Zealand's economy.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auckland Regional Fuel Tax will end on June 30, as part of the Government's 100-day action plan. Prime Minister Chris Luxon says Aucklanders have been paying an extra $11.5 cents per litre since mid-2018- and this will save drivers money. Mayor Wayne Brown has criticised this decision, saying this will leave a billion-dollar funding hole for transport projects over the next four years. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the Government will either have to contribute more to Auckland- or ratepayers will have to cover the difference. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Workers in Australia could be given the legal right to refuse unreasonable contact from their employers outside of work hours. The Greens' push for a legislated right to disconnect is gaining support with the Australian federal Government. The law would give employees legal backup in handling conversations with employers who they feel are asking too much of them. South Australia Greens Senator Barbara Pocock says they're simply looking at giving workers a chance to say no. "If you're not paid to be available and it's a big intrusion, not an emergency or essential, you should have the chance to turn off when you clock off." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is reassuring Auckland motorists they will soon reap the benefits without a regional fuel tax. Mayor Wayne Brown says the end of the fuel tax on June 30th will leave a shortfall in transport funding of $1.2 billion over the next four years. But Transport Minister Simeon Brown is intent on making that back through other projects they've agreed to help fund like congestion charging. He says it's about ensuring a benefit from what they're paying for. "There's a lot of other things there, which I think are of low priority to me and the mayor- such as speed bumps, reducing speed limits, cycleways, more bus lanes. Those are what he has been against, what I have been campaigning against, they won't receive funding." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's Opposition party is backing Anthony Albanese's proposed changes to stage three tax cuts. This follows on from weeks of leader Peter Dutton criticising the new policy. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the party eventually had no choice but to vote for the changes. "If they hadn't backed the changes, it would have been a drawn out fight with the Opposition standing in the way of cost of living support for those on the bottom end." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's mayor is hitting back at the Government over the scrapping of the Auckland fuel tax. It will be gone on June 30. Wayne Brown says the decision will leave a $1.2 billion dollar shortfall in transport funding over the next four years. He says it could lead to the pausing of bus upgrades, cycleways, the freight network and ferry charging infrastructure. He says he wants to be making decisions about what projects go ahead. "We've got to decide, and we want to decide what goes in Auckland. This is my city, not theirs." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good news for Kiwi rugby and league fans, as Sky promises a new dose of free-to-air sport. Friday Night Footy will see 25 NRL games shown for free- plus 19 Super Rugby Pacific matches, all available through Sky Open. Hurricanes CEO Avan Lee is 'surprised' by this decision, considering how much Sky pays for rugby. "To put a decent amount of content on free-to-air is quite a change, quite a shift. It's fantastic, great for Super Rugby fans." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A human element will be key factor during Foodstuffs North Island's facial recognition technology trial. Up to 25 New World and Pak'nSave stores will have the technology trialled over the next six months, to potentially reduce retail crime. The technology analyses facial features and matches them against the store's record of offenders and accomplices. Foodstuffs North Island general counsel, Julian Benefield, says they have a minimum accuracy threshold of 90 percent before staff intervene. "Two highly trained store team members then need to look at the image and confirm that for themselves that it is the repeat offender before they take any action." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi sports fans are set to benefit from Sky's latest free-to-air lineup. Friday Night Footy for NRL and Super Saturday rugby matches will launch on Sky Open from February 24. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scrapping of funding by the Government for pre-sentencing cultural reports has been criticised. The reports consider how an offender's personal, family or cultural background may have contributed to their crime. Convenor of the Criminal Law Committee Chris Macklin says the process has evolved from Judges asking for more information. "These reports are not just full of excuses, they often have within them a whole ambit of things- running from very poor decision-making, through to some very tortured -and difficult to hear - background stories." Those before the court who wish to provide a cultural report will have to fund it themselves. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's official, the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax is gone-burger from 1 July. Aucklanders will not have to pay $11.5 cents a litre more everyone else in the country every time they fill up their cars. Toyota Hilux drivers will save $9.20 a fill and Toyota Corolla drivers will save $5.75 a fill. Good riddance to bad rubbish. That was a rort, wasn’t it? Remember what Auckland was supposed to get for that? We were supposed to get upgrades to Mill Road, the road I'm obsessed with because of how desperately the city needs it- running from Manukau down to Drury as an alternative to the jam-packed Southern Motorway. Did we get it? We paid for it for six years. Did we get it? No, of course we didn't. Did we get the Lake Road upgrade we’ve been talking about since at least 2017? No, we didn't get that. Did we get the Glenvar Road upgrade we’ve been talking about since at 2016? No, we didn't get that. And the list goes on. Instead, the money got used for cycle lanes and speed humps. And do I need to remind you about those speed humps? How about the one got laid in Three Kings, then got ripped up two years later and laid again because AT stuffed up- and it cost us $600k? How about that one? Mayor Wayne Brown is not happy about the loss of funding. He's released a list of projects at the end of a press release, with no explanation for the list. The inference, I'm thinking, is that these are the projects that are going to get cut, because they haven't got the funding. Let me list some: Mangere West cycleway. Road safety programme, including high-risk intersections. The safe speeds programme, aimed at reducing vehicle speeds near schools. Small scale projects to improve local cycling connections. New low cost cycle ways to improve safety and travel options. Upgrades to multi-modes roads, paths, and intersections to support Kainga Ora. I doubt very much that many Aucklanders are going to cry tears over this because of one reason. We have paid this under the mistaken belief that we were paying for better roads. What we got instead was AT squandering money on their own inability to just construct a basic pedestrian crossing. But more importantly, what we got was a city that is now more congested and harder to drive around. So as far as I can see, very little has improved for what we've paid, and much of what we're seeing is worse. I'm happy to defund Auckland Transport. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prince Harry returned to the UK shortly after his father's diagnosis was revealed. King Charles is being treated for cancer, which was discovered during a separate procedure for benign prostate enlargement. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says reports claim Harry spent a half-hour with the King- and has no plans to meet with William or other family members. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! How do we feel this week's Waitangi event went for the Government? Was it better than predicted- or worse? King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer- what will this mean for the royal family? Who else can step in to fill in for the King? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Increased unemployment figures are a sign of a stronger overall economy, claims one expert. Stats NZ figures show unemployment has crept up to 4 percent- the highest level since June 2021. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says the number of employed people in the country has also increased over this quarter. "When we looked through the numbers, we saw that the labour force in December was about 15,000 people larger than it had been back in September. Of those 15,000 who were looking for work, 12,000 got it and 3,000 didn't." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fletcher Building can expect a significant financial hit, after revealing they put another $180 million aside for repairs. Costs have blown out on two big projects- Auckland's International Convention Centre and the Wellington International Airport Car Park. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton says this cost blowout is putting a strain on Fletcher's balance. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has requested more money from the Government to cover the cost of their vault refurbishments. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains that these underground vaults are quite old and need 'significant' repair. "The Reserve Bank has warned the new Finance Minister, Nicola Willis, that it's going to need quite a bit of money to upgrade the vaults." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simplicity are calling for Fletcher Building's board and management to be scrutinised further. Fletcher's stock has dropped following a multi-million dollar cost blowout on two big projects in Auckland and Wellington. Managing director Sam Stubbs says they called for the chair's resignation two years ago- and action hasn't been taken. "In those two years, the directors paid themselves $4 million in fees- and then they had the absolute cheek last year to ask for a 25 percent pay increase, which they were ultimately talked down from." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has unveiled their promised law and order crackdown. Section 27 reports and Labour's prison reduction targets have been thrown on the scrap heap, and sentencing discounts have been capped at 40 percent. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper approves of taxpayer-funded 'cultural reports' being brought down. "Doing away with the reports doesn't stop friends and family writing to the court or turning up at the courts- they can still do that. The offender can still have some sort of representation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the US, a Michigan woman has become the first parent convicted of manslaughter over their child's shooting. Ethan Crumbley is serving life in prison for killing four classmates in 2021. Today his mother, Jennifer Crumbley, has been found guilty of negligence in letting her son have a gun, and ignoring warnings signs of his mental health. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says this case was the first to address who bears responsibility in a school shooting. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Activist and iwi leader Mike Smith has won the right to sue the likes of Fonterra for their role in causing climate change, in a Supreme Court ruling delivered this morning. He wants them to either stop polluting, or start bringing emissions down quickly. Greenpeace Executive Director Russel Norman says it means Fonterra may have to pay for some of the harm they're causing. "Climate pollution means more cyclones and more extreme weather events, that harms a lot of people. Currently they don't pay for that, but if this court case was successful- when it goes to court, then they'd have to pay." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles' cancer diagnosis is casting doubt on his future role. The Palace reports he will continue official duties until further notice. Sydney University Constitutional Law expert Anne Twomey says what duties he performs, remain within his control at this stage. But she says if he becomes incapacitated, decisions will move to his spouse Queen Camilla, two Parliamentary officials and two people from the court. "Amidst those five, if three of them decide that he's incapable of fulfilling his activities, he can have a regent. And then the regent can take over his powers." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm pleasantly surprised - aren’t you? - by how things went at Waitangi this year. There were no dildos, no mud, no manhandling, there were no ugly scenes and none of the stuff that many of us were probably expecting. Given what’s happened in the past, and how much more tense it was predicted to be this year, because of the Government's Māori related policies. Instead, things were handled exactly how they should always be handled, with conversation. The people responsible for the policies fronted up like grown ups to explain themselves and listen, and the people who weren’t happy about those policies let it be known. There were a couple of people who kinda let their teams down- Winston getting all het up wasn't that flash, Peeni Henare chose a bad turn of phrase, and Hone Harawira swearing like a school boy did him no favours. But otherwise, it was mostly fine. And I tell you what, it gives me some heart that we can actually get through this debate over the Treaty Principles Bill like adults. That has been the thing that has worried a lot of people the most. That yes, we absolutely need to talk about this, and we almost certainly need to change some things here. But getting to that point was what really worried me, because I thought things were going to be very ugly. Well, we’ve just had a demonstration that we can do it. That we can debate and challenge ideas without resorting to the violence that we have been warned will inevitably come. It doesn’t have to. If it didn’t happen at Waitangi, which is one of the most combustible political venues, then it doesn't have to happen And hopefully, based on what we saw this week, it won't. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concerns the unemployment rate will rise more. Stats NZ released its labour market update for the December quarter today, with unemployment up to four percent. 3000 more people were unemployed than in the previous quarter, hitting 122,000. Employers and Manufacturers Association Advocacy head, Alan McDonald, says many members called them about restructuring and redundancies in late 2023. "That hasn't probably worked its way into those numbers yet, and that's what I think we'll see when the next quarter numbers come out for the start of this year." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has released a slew of law and order changes, in line with its 100-day plan. Cultural reports have been scrapped, alongside Labour's targets to reduce prison populations by 30 percent. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says their target is to reduce the number of people victimised by violent crime. "We're making it crystal clear to the whole system- we're on about public safety, not some arbitrary reduction in prison numbers. Which is important, the targets we set, the whole system- do matter." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Criticism of crowded Auckland school buses from worried North Shore parents. Video footage has shown a bus meant to carry about 40, appearing packed with about 100 kids. Some were standing on seat backs, grabbing a handrail. One mum, Evelyn Araujo, says just braking could be disastrous. "Students can stand on the bus, that's normal. What is not normal is having over 60 kids standing on the bus, tat's beyond ridiculous."  Auckland Transport Operations Manager, Rachel Cara, says it's unacceptable - and they are fixing things right now. "At the moment, we're in conversations with operators around extra-large buses, if available, and looking to put on some extra services, if possible."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parking charges for some SUVs are set to triple, following a recent landmark vote. This is the latest move by Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo to make the city greener and friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists ahead of the Paris Olympics. The election had a low turnout - 5.7 percent - but over 54 percent of voters supported the change. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says these increased fees apply to cars weighing over 1.6 tonnes from outside the city. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! It's been a fiery start to the Waitangi Day event, with protestors heckling Winston Peters and David Seymour and the new Government being called 'spiders' and 'a den of lions' by Kelvin Davis. Will this sway anybody in Government from their agenda? It's come to light that taxpayers paid $340 million to subsidise EV purchases, because the subsidy was so popular and the ute tax didn't bring in enough to pay for it all. Was that a waste of money or reason for celebration? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fletcher Building has delivered grim news of a $180 million dollar hit to accounts on two big projects. Costs for Auckland's International Convention Centre are up another $165 million, and a Wellington car park's tally has risen $15 million. The company's half-year results are due out next Wednesday. Jarden's Grant Swanepoel says this is the fourth concerning financial 'surprise' from Fletcher in the last 13 months. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's speech seems to have done little to soothe anxieties at Waitangi. Chris Luxon and his delegation of National, ACT and New Zealand First MPs gave addresses at the Treaty Grounds today. Tensions are high over ACT's Treaty Principles Bill, which has coalition support to select committee stage. ZB senior political reporter Sophie Trigger says interestingly - Luxon's speech totally shied away from addressing the legislation. "I spoke to some attendees afterwards who didn't really feel like their concerns - in terms of threats to Te Tiriti and Te Reo - had been lessened in any way by what was said LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KiwiSaver providers are turning away from controversial companies, instead gravitating towards ethical ones. Data from Mindful Money shows several of the largest KiwiSaver providers have reduced their investment in companies with a harmful output. In the six months to September last year, there's been a 72 percent drop in investment in tobacco companies, a 35 percent reduction in weapons, and a 29 percent reduction in gambling. Mindful Money founder and CEO Barry Coates says most consumers want to make ethical choices. "Investments in tobacco companies, weapons, gambling, human rights violations, fossil fuels, etc- for most people, they don't want their money to go into those things." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis is stressing the importance of open discussion on the evening before Waitangi Day. The Government is facing anger and concern over the proposed Treaty Principles Bill, with David Seymour and Winston Peters being heckled during today's speeches. Nicola Willis says the gathering in Waitangi left room for a range of approaches- but most people have been peaceful. "There has been an attempt to understand each other, to listen, and to find those areas where we can make good progress. Over the past few days, I and other ministers have had hui with iwi, with a number of Māori entities."  LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Grammy's Song of the Year award has gone to Billie Eilish and Finneas - for the Barbie track 'What Was I Made For?'. Eilish has thanked director Greta Gerwig for making the best movie of the year. It's the pair's second songwriting award, after winning with 'Bad Guy' in 2020. KTLA entertainment correspondent Sam Rubin says it was a big night for the entertainment industry. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hawke's Bay leaders say they're in the dark on when money from a special Lotto appeal will be dished out. More than $10 million raised by the draw set up in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle has sat unspent with the Department of Internal Affairs for nearly a year. It expects there'll be action this month. Chair of the Hawkes Bay Fruitgrowers' Charitable Trust, Brydon Nisbet, says he didn't even know there was money available until early this morning. "There's still a huge amount of need out there, we're nearly a year since the cyclone and there's still a massive amount of work to do, there's still people who are displaced, that are homeless." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plug-in hybrid owners look to be trying to swerve new Government Road User Charges. The exemption for electric vehicles ends from April, and light EV owners will pay $76 for every 1000 kilometres travelled. Owners of plug-in hybrids will pay $53, because they also pay tax on fuel. One plug-in owner, Peter Garlick, says he wants to remove its electric plug to avoid paying double taxes. "So, an about 120 kilometre round trip into Nelson- I get 15 of those Ks off the mains power, and the other 105 kilometres I'm using petrol. And I'm paying more road user taxes on that petrol already." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT leader David Seymour says the overwhelming majority of people at Waitangi were respectful during his address. The National Trust chair has apologised to Seymour, MP Nicole McKee and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters. All three were drowned out by jeers - and Pita Tipene says more effort should have been made to ensure they could express their views. Seymour says many were listening politely. "Unfortunately, it's one of those things where a small number of people ruined it for everyone. And it's really important to recognise this isn't all Māori who were doing this, this was a very small minority of people who don't represent much." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 15-year-old has been arrested and three other teenagers are on the run following the brutal stabbing of a 70-year-old woman. The woman, identified as Vyleen White, was attacked in a Queensland car park- and died shortly after the encounter. She had been shopping at the Town Square Redbank Plains shopping centre in Ipswich with her grandchild, who was unharmed. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says this has sparked discussion about the rise in youth crime, with people calling for harsher penalties. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand have been dismissed on the second day of the first cricket test against South Africa at Mount Maunganui. Rachin Ravindra top-scored with 240, but the last five wickets fell for 38 runs. Sportstalk host Jason Pine recaps the day's events. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing concerns younger teens are being targeted by vape marketing. An Auckland University study shows people aged 14-to-17 are more likely to see vaping ads than 18-to-20-year olds. Half of the 3500 in the study had been exposed through social media. Marketing professor, Bodo Lang, says more needs to be done to control messaging around vape products. "It's really been shown to be a very powerful entry drug for young people, particularly non-smokers to get them into vaping- and then potentially get into something else." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hotels in Queenstown are building their own staff accommodation to combat the housing shortage in the area. They say it is a gamechanger for recruiting staff in the industry. Board Member for Tourism Industry Aotearoa James Doolan told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that although it is a good idea, it is not sustainable across the whole industry.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has announced the new National Concussion Guidelines for community sport. These include when a player suffers a concussion, they must have a minimum period of 21 days away from full competition. Sports Injury Research Expert Dr Doug King has said that people need to understand the severity of some head knocks that take place.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Aiken is one of the relationship experts on Married At First Sight, one of the people pairing up the brides and grooms and trying to help them build up a partnership.  The desire to find a match and be in a romantic relationship is common, spawning a variety of reality shows based entirely on the premise, MAFS being one of many.  The reason behind this, Aiken told Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan, is that humans are wired to be with someone else.  “The companionship, and the support, and the communication you can get from it.”  “When you’re in an intimate relationship and you can have that, it’s very reassuring and grounding.”  Reality TV known more for its drama than its forming of lasting relationships and Married At First Sight is no different, with only five relationships still intact after over 11 seasons.  “You don’t really know whether they’re going to find the fairy tale or just blow up.” Aiken’s role as an expert is to hold a mirror up to people’s behaviour and give them the hard truths and feedback they need for the partnership to be a success.  “When I look at them I’m not thinking about their personalities as in good or bad people, what I’m thinking about is their behaviours.”   “What is gonna sabotage this, and what’s going to be better moving forward?”  In the interview, Heather posed the question of how to know if when she’s quarrelling with her husband, if she’s the problem, he is, or if its both of them.  “I guess you’ve got to look at the context.”  Aiken said that you have to look at it over a period of time and ask who’s doing what.  “You start to realize, well, this person's actually doing a lot more damage in the relationship than the other person who's not engaging in those behaviours.”  Watching Married At First Sight is a bit of a commitment, taking about eight hours a week to watch all of the episodes.  Aiken likes to think that viewers commit to it for educational purposes.  “Singles watch it and they go, ‘I’ve got to avoid that person or that type’, and couples watch and they go, ‘we absolutely cannot talk like those two or behave like that.’”  “You can learn what not to do by watching Married At First Sight.”  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greens co-leader hopeful Chloe Swarbrick is vowing to grow the party's caucus until it's big enough to lead the Government. The Auckland Central MP has announced her candidacy to replace James Shaw - who resigned this week - and will step back in March. Swarbrick told Heather du Plessis-Allan she sees herself contributing to a movement which turns the Greens into the major left party.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's asking for input as it looks to expand the Covid-19 Inquiry. It wants the panel to look into the use of lockdowns, socio-economic impacts and how much disruption was caused for business, education and healthcare. Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden told Heather du Plessis-Allan that they want to hear from people about the terms of reference. Engagement will begin in February, with details soon to be announced by the Royal Commission.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve been surprised by the number of people who still underestimate her  I've had texts and in person conversations with people who don’t think she's got what it takes    Yes she does  Her winning Auckland central back in 2020 was a big deal. Even Jacinda Ardern, the darling of the left internationally, couldn't do it. She Tried twice and eventually pulled the pin.  Not only Chloe win it, But she held the seat which is the something the greens have never managed to do before  And she did it in the face of the red covid wave of 2020... and then the blue backlash wave of last year  She regularly appeared in preferred prime minister polls, Which basically never happens for an MP in a minor party who isn’t the leader of that party  A couple years back David Farrar the guy behind the curia polls pointed out how popular Chloe is. He said a poll he’d done "showed Swarbrick had three times the favourability of James Shaw with all voters – she was at 23 per cent and Shaw at 8 per cent".  And that says a lot given James Shaw was commonly referred to as the acceptable Green  Well... she’s a lot more acceptable    So Chloe's got the chops, She can do the job and she’s made no secret today of the fact that she wants the greens to be bigger than Labour   It's not crazy  The greens in Germany have at times polled much higher than their Labour party equivalents.   Can she do it here?  I refer you back to David Farra who said this week “Chloe could well lift support for the Greens at the expense of Labour.”  So strap yourself in because if Chloe gets the co leadership, and there is no reason why she shouldn't   We are going to watch a fierce battle on the left of politics for top dog status   Labour vs green  Chippy vs Chloe   And come on... if you’re a centre left voter... which of those two has more charisma?  Which of those two parties look more energised?  Don't underestimate Chloe SwarbrickSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former First Minister of Scotland broke down in tears during the UK Covid-19 inquiry. Nicola Sturgeon told the Inquiry that she wished she wasn't in the role as the pandemic struck, amid the ongoing investigation into the Covid response. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the response to Sturgeon's statement has been mixed, with several labelling her address as 'crocodile tears'. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog editor and Curia pollster David Farrar and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Foreign Minister Winston Peters has expressed interest in joining up with AUKUS, and sharing defence technology with Australia, US and UK. Will this be good for New Zealand- or jeopardise relations with China?  Some former police officers have recently claimed the fitness requirements to join the force are too tough- and they should be reduced to boost recruitment numbers? Is this a good idea? Woolworths has scrapped their Onecard program and replaced it with their Everyday Rewards scheme. Are these deals good value for money? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The streaming wars have kicked up a notch, as sports have become the newest area for companies to stake their claims. Disney has struck an exclusive deal with the NFL, and Netflix has formed a partnership with the WWE. Sam Dickie with Fisher Funds says this is just the beginning, as more companies will look towards streaming their sport-based output. "It's going to be primarily on these streaming giants or on apps that are owned by the sports themselves, much like the NZR+ app in New Zealand." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's two biggest farming-focused groups appear to be teaming up. Federated Farmers and noted protest group Groundswell are making conciliatory statements- and speculation indicates they could join together to be 'one voice' for rural New Zealand.  The Country's Jamie Mackay explains this partnership. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The minimum wage is set to go up by 45 cents to $23.15, starting April 1. This two percent increase will affect between 80,000 and 140,000 Kiwi workers. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says a reduced increase is the best circuit-breaker for the economy, as the fight to bring down inflation drags on. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A first combined Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministerial summit for New Zealand, across the Tasman. Winston Peters and Judith Collins have top-level meetings with their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, in Government buildings in Melbourne. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Winston Peters has a history of building international relationships and connections. "New Zealand has to be involved internationally at the moment, because we are in a very strategic part of the world at the moment."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing hope across the ditch that the RBA will cut interest rates soon. Australia's Official Cash Rate is currently at 4.35 percent, with reduced inflation data holding it in place. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Australia's Reserve Bank meets next week- and there's a high chance they'll reel the OCR back. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister-in-charge says the Government is striking the right balance on lifting the minimum wage. It's rising two percent from April to $23.15 an hour from $22.70- affecting up to 145,000 workers. Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden says it's about protecting the incomes of the lowest paid New Zealanders. "We're striking a balance between protecting the incomes of our lowest-paid workers in the economy- and also maintaining the labour market settings that encourage employment." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Woolworths have recently launched their Everyday Rewards scheme set to replace Onecards. This development comes as consumer advocates have voiced concerns about the returns on loyalty programs, encouraging consumers to shop around for deals. Woolworths Director of Digital and Loyalty, Mark Wolfenden, disagrees, claiming Everyday Rewards is 'very generous'. "It's part of our commitment to offering Kiwis more value and better ways to shop, and we've got a multi-million dollar increase in rewards as part of the new program." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's an exploratory Government mission across the ditch to find out more about AUKUS. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins have met with their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, in Melbourne. ZB political editor Jason Walls says they're specifically looking at pillar two of the Australia-UK-US security pact. "Pillar two is a sort of military, technology sharing agreement, which has been on the table for quite some time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks’ 2024 schedule has been revealed, with 14 tests set for the upcoming season under new coach Scott Robertson. It opens with matches against England in Auckland and Dunedin, followed by a highly-anticipated clash clash against Fiji in San Diego. NZ Rugby boss Mark Robinson says the newly released schedule is part of a long-term plan to increase global interest in the sport. "We need to get cracking to build awareness as a global game in that market, and we need to make sure that the All Blacks, and Fiji for that matter, are seen as the most loved teams." LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are expected to cover a wide array of venues in the coming months. Five home All Blacks tests in 2024 will be played at three venues - Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin - with a test against Fiji to be played in San Diego. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ex-cop says the police need to be more flexible about mandatory fitness if they're to attract more people. The Government is committed to training 500 new officers within two years. Former policeman Gavin Benney says the Physical Competency Test isn't fit for purpose. He says some people who'd make great cops may not be able to do some aspects - such as the wall climb. "Police are struggling to recruit suitable people. So they've limited themselves with people who can run, who can do that fitness test." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you listen to what Winston Peters is saying today, it sounds a hell of a lot like he’s keen to get us involved in AUKUS- the alliance between Australia, the UK and the US, which involves the Aussies buying those nuclear subs. Clearly, AUKUS is coming up in the discussions that he and Judith Collins are having with their counterparts over in Australia today. Now he was on Sky News this morning, and the host pointed out that Jacinda Ardern didn’t seem to love the idea of AUKUS, given that she reaffirmed NZ's ban on nuclear powered vessels and that that would definitely apply to the Aussie subs. And then the host asked Winston if he had a problem with them as well. And Winston said- "Well I don't know why you’re quoting the previous Prime Minister who gave up after all... but on these issues, the then-Prime Minister displayed an enormous lack of understanding or lack of clarity." Shots fired! But listen to what he’s saying, he disagrees with Jacinda and he sounds keen on AUKUS. And actually the more I read about it, the more I think I agree with him. Anyone who believes there is no reason for us to join an alliance like AUKUS needs to stop being naïve about what's happening in the world. If the risk of war was a temperature setting on an oven, the dial has been moved up quite a lot in just the last few weeks. Governments across Europe are warning of war. The Germans, the Swedes- the UK head of army spoke about maybe needing conscription, for goodness sake. Maybe they’re being alarmist for their own ends, but maybe they’re right. There are after all two significant wars going on at the moment in the Ukraine and the Middle East that could spiral with one ill-considered action. Never mind the considerable build up of Chinese warships and planes near Taiwan just in the last few days. There's a debate about whether AUKUS even wants us- maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves asking to be included. But if they do want us, I think we should want them too. We need to get real about how worried Governments are about the world’s temperature right now. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Post-Brexit controls on food, plant and animal imports to Britain from the EU have recently come into force. Health certificates will now be required on goods ranging from produce, to meat, to even cut flowers. Industry experts warn these changes could create delays and push up costs- but some hope it will encourage UK farmers to be more competitive. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains what these changes mean for the UK going forward. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former NZ First Press Secretary Georgina Stylianou and Capital director Ben Thomas joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Mark Mitchell was forced to stand up and pretend he made a mistake by telling everyone it's going to take longer than promised to get the 500 new police officers. Did he make a good point? Who will be proven right in two years? An unfortunate recording of an exchange between an ex-prisoner and his Work and Income case manager has surfaced- is this an isolated incident or evidence of a concerning issue? The new recycling rules kick in on Thursday, February 1- how prepared are we? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ANZ has released their latest Business Confidence survey, creating a complicated picture for the economy. Business confidence rose 4 points to +37 in January, while expected own activity fell 3 points to +26. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says businesses are forecasting a clearer economic pathway following a tough couple of years- but we're not out of the woods yet. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has decided against scrapping a new regime aimed at preventing banks, insurers and non-bank deposit takers from mistreating customers. This Code of Conduct was established following a 2018 Royal Commission exposing questionable behaviour by Australian banks. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains why institutions were surprised by this 'inevitable' announcement. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The holidays have wound down and central banks are back in action- what can people expect for the new year? 2023 was dominated by rate hikes to curb rampant inflation generated by the Covid-19 pandemic, and now the focus has turned to the prospect of cuts. Milford Asset Management's Katlyn Parker says there's a risk the market is expecting too much too soon, as inflation is still sticky. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government are denying there's confusion around the proposed target to get 500 more police officers within two years. Police Minister Mark Mitchell has had to correct the record in the House, after saying the Government had extended its deadline to deliver 500 more cops. National and New Zealand First agreed to meet the goal in two years - but Mitchell previously stated they needed three, due to significant challenges. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Mark Mitchell was 'hung out to dry', as recruiting that many new officers remains an unrealistic goal. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand has recently released a report designed to prove the company's economic significance to Aotearoa. The company claims it directly contributed $2.7 billion to New Zealand's economy- including $1.4 billion in wages. The report also states Air New Zealand facilitated as much as $26 billion in economic activity across tourism, exports and imports. Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Mat Bolland says this report was designed to remind employees and customers of the value Air New Zealand provides. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new documentary series explores an infamous set of disappearances around one of New Zealand's most dangerous beaches. As well as the six missing people who vanished in Piha, Black Coast Vanishings reveals others have had 'near misses'- fuelling speculation there's a serial killer in the area. Co-director Candida Beveridge says the series was designed to give a voice to concerns about the safety of the community. "What surprised us is what came out during the investigation- women being stalked, women being terrified in the bush. That, we felt, needs investigation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A push to host more women's sport and big music artists has seen Eden Park have a record breaking year. In the 12 months to the end of October, the Auckland stadium recorded a net operating profit of $8.2 million- a $4.6 million increase on the previous year. Large-scale events like the FIFA Women's World Cup and Ed Sheeran concerts were big draw cards for patrons. CEO Nick Sautner says it's been an incredible turnaround over the past five years. "Women's sport was seen as a curtain-raiser and concerts weren't permitted. It's a credit to the trustees and our staff, who have worked with the community with various stakeholders to deliver this outstanding outcome." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister says Covid-19 tests still play a big role. The Government's buying another five million RATs, to keep them free for the public through to the end of June. It'll cost more than $5 million, funded from the existing Covid budget. Shane Reti says hundreds of people are still using them. "It's for those who might be at an increased risk, where the option of further treatment would make a difference. Part of that pathway to treatment is having a positive RAT test." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warnings the Government's police recruitment goal will mean splashing some cash. The Police Minister has confirmed in the House 500 new officers will be delivered over two years, as promised in the coalition deal with New Zealand First. Mark Mitchell had to U-turn on saying recruiting and attrition issues mean it'll take three years. Police Association President Chris Cahill says they haven't had a pay rise since July 2022. "Those people can't afford to join if they can't pay their mortgages, can't sort their cost of living state. That's what they need to look at, if they want to recruit and retain, they've got to sort the pay out." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Joe Biden has announced he's decided on his next steps after a drone attack killed three soldiers in Jordan over the weekend. But Biden is not saying what these steps will be. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Republicans have criticised the administration for not acting strongly enough against the attacks. "He's going to have to be careful, because you want to have a show of force- but then again, you don't want to have an attack that's going to lead to a lot more retaliation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Athletes’ Cooperative have scored a significant victory over High Performance Sport in a landmark employment case. The Employment Relations Authority on Tuesday released their verdict, determining that the Government agency is obligated to engage in collective bargaining with the athletes involved. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what happens next. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Items that once were recycled are no longer welcome in your household collection bins. Rules are changing from February 1 in a bid to standardise across the country. Paper, glass, and plastic types One, Two and Five can be put out at the gate for recycling. Auckland Council's Waste Solutions General Manager, Parul Sood, says people should no longer put out lids. "So unless the lid is attached - like your aluminium cans - if it's attached you can just push them in. It shouldn't be detached, because what then happens is that it falls within the machinery." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I feel sorry for Mark Mitchell. He's been thrown under the bus and made to look silly today. But I think he was just telling the truth, and I suspect we’re all going to find that out in about two years time. So what’s happened is that the coalition agreement between National and NZ First promised that we would get another 500 police officers in the first two years of this Government. Recently, Police Minister Mark Mitchell has admitted it is probably actually going to take three years, because it’s very hard to recruit new police officers and the Aussies are nicking the officers we already have. But Labour got him admitting that in the house yesterday. It hit the news as a story about a broken promise - which technically it is - and then NZ First's Chief of Staff chatted to National's Chief of Staff last night. Lo and behold, Mark Mitchell got told off by Chris Luxon today for not being careful enough with his words. And he had to walk all his comments back today, he had to correct the house, and go back to pretending he’s going to be able to get us 500 extra officers in the next two years. I bet you- he will not be able to do that, and this will come back in two years as a broken promise story again. The bummer here is Mark Mitchell was just being honest. He was just doing exactly what a decent politician should do. If a politician makes a promise they can’t keep - and that happens all the time - at the first opportunity, they should clear up that they cannot keep that promise. It's a smart political management thing to do, it resets expectations. And it limits the damage. A broken promise will always cop blowback, but admitting it early makes that blowback much smaller. I feel sorry for him, he was doing the right thing. Now the only way out of this is to get 500 extra officers in the next two years- or go through this whole story again in two years time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles has been discharged from hospital after undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate. The 75-year-old monarch was seen smiling and waving to the public, as he left the London Clinic with Queen Camilla. Daughter-in-law Princess Catherine has also been discharged following abdominal surgery, and is recovering at home in Windsor. UK correspondent Enda Brady says people are still clamouring to learn the nature of Kate's surgery, as details haven't been revealed.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Neale Jones from Capital and Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! James Shaw stepped down as co-leader of the Green Party. Was this expected? What will Shaw's legacy be? The Government changes their minds on the status of the country's UNRWA funding, with contributions pausing until Foreign Minister Winston Peters approves. What inspired this rethink? Is this the right decision? Chris Luxon and David Seymour are at odds over the Treaty, with Luxon now saying the Treaty is akin to a partnership - exactly what Seymour doesn't think. Was it a good move for Luxon to take a stand? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank has poured cold water over growing speculation for an early rates cut this year. In a webinar delivered to the public, RBNZ chief economist Paul Conway said non-tradeable inflation came in higher than predicted, at 5.9 percent. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says it's likely the RBNZ won't cut the OCR until the fourth quarter of 2024. "The economy has slowed a lot and inflation is coming down, but as Conway pointed out, inflation is still too high- it's well above target." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One leading accountant and agri-business advisor fears the current downturn in the rural sector may be the worst recorded in recent memory. Pita Alexander says there's been 11 financial downcycles impacting the sector since 1948, but this one is the worst. The Country's Jamie Mackay says the dairy sector may have bottomed out- and the worst is yet to come for sheep farmers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert is predicting James Shaw's next career move following his departure from the Greens. Shaw announced he'll step back as party co-leader- but stay on in Parliament for the first reading of his Right to a Sustainable Environment Bill. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie suspects James Shaw could eventually replace Rod Carr as Climate Change Commission chair. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The House roared back to life this week, as MPs settled in their seats for this year's first Question Time. Smokefree legislation, the Treaty Principles Bill and the Red Sea New Zealand Defence Force deployment were all key issues discussed in the first session of 2024. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Luxon led a very restrained session in the debating chambers. "We had people in the past years who have been fantastic- clever, intellectual debaters, cutting... we don't have that anymore. Luxon would like to be, but he's a politician in chief executive's clothing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The NZSAS are reportedly offering experienced personnel significant retention payments to prevent them from quitting. Military leaders have been told the unit is 'near collapse', with at least one third of the uniformed workforce leaving since 2021, most citing poor pay. NZ Herald investigative reporter David Fisher says NZSAS needs a significant funding boost before mid-2025. "The capabilities that it's lost, the stressors that it has are deep, and they're widespread. There's no quick fix to it, it needs the Government to lean in to boosting the military." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's accusations the Midwifery Council is ignoring midwives, over proposed changes to its 'Scope of Practice'. Almost 3000 people have signed a petition against the revision - and replacing the words 'women and baby' with 'whanau'. Petition organiser Deb Hayes says the council hasn't listened to feedback. "I think midwives might not have even bothered replying, because the Midwifery Council doesn't listen to the feedback we give anyway." The council agreed to adopt the revised scope late last year, and including an explanatory paragraph. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's believed more Gloriavale leavers will join a bid for compensation after a lifetime of lost opportunities. Nine leavers found to be employees, not volunteers, in landmark Employment Court cases are jointly seeking $5.2 million. It's for lost wages, entitlement breaches, penalties and compensation. Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust general manager Liz Gregory says she's met with other leavers who want to get on board. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were 50 or 60 people that might actually also file with the Employment Relations Authority."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Green MP says it's no surprise James Shaw has stepped aside as co-leader. He's announced he'll stand down in March, but remain an MP to back his Sustainable Environment Bill's first reading. Gareth Hughes says Shaw got the Party into Government for six years, so he can say mission accomplished. "It makes sense, I think, for him- and also for the Party to refresh itself and look to the future." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Foreign Minister is standing by refusing to commit further funding for the UN's aid agency in Gaza. A number of countries have hit pause after Israel alleged a dozen staff took part in the October 7 Hamas attack. Prime Minister Chris Luxon says New Zealand won't contribute until Winston Peters has okayed it. Peters says our next payment tranche isn't until the middle of the year. "We've got time to consider this and plenty of time to come to a resolution- having heard what the United Nations investigation has to say." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's proposed tax reforms have inspired some backlash from the Opposition. Members of the Liberal Party and minor party The Nationals have come out against these tax cuts and voiced their disapproval. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Opposition leader Peter Dutton is accusing Albanese of changing course ahead of the upcoming by-election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No long-term guarantees around the Melbourne Rebels' future, despite confirmation the franchise's men's and women's teams will feature in their respective 2024 Super Rugby competitions. Reported debt of almost $10 million has seen the Rebels placed into voluntary administration. Rugby Australia is committing to getting both teams through their 2024 campaigns - with the franchises future beyond that set to involve talks with the Victorian Government. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington mayor Tory Whanau wants Government help to fund the city's water do-over. The Council is doing a finances workshop this week. Wellington Water is asking it for $2.5 billion over 10 years to fix its leaky pipes - which spill about 40 percent of the city's treated water. Whanau says they're proposing meters to see where water's going - and they'll also need to spend more. "Not in the billions, because we're not in the financial position to do that. We require some collaboration with the Government and our stakeholders to be able to look in the longer term." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not altogether a surprise that James Shaw has quit as co-leader of the Green Party. It's pretty well known that there are factions in the Green Party that have wanted him to move on for a while now. There was a public attempt to remove him about a year and a half ago, and it while he won that- it always felt like it was only a temporary reprieve to get them through the election and safely out of Government. And then he would have to make way, probably for Chlöe Swarbrick. The good news for the Greens is that Chlöe isn't a bad heir to the throne, she is very popular and very capable- she could take them to even greater numbers. But he is still a loss to that party, because he was unique in the Greens in that he got on really well with business people. I often heard stories about various business groups having had some MPs from various parties come talk to them and everyone was impressed with James Shaw. It was not rare to hear that. And he should be proud of the shape of the party he's leaving behind. It's probably one of his most significant achievements as co-leader that the Green Party caucus is the biggest it's ever been. That was no small feat, given the unique tension between the climate warriors and the social justice warriors in the party. On top of that, they've faced some significant challenges- and they didn't end up doing as much damage as you'd think. Metiria Turei's benefit fraud admission, Shaw's own green school funding snafu. Even just being in Government, which has hurt every minor party that’s ever done it- except the Greens, because they came out with a bigger caucus. I worry a little bit that without him, the Greens will become less of an environment party and more of a social justice, anti-capitalism party and that they drag a future Labour-led Government further down that track. So maybe in the end he’s not just a loss for the Greens, but actually a loss for all of us. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, disposable vapes are set to be banned in order to curb a nation-wide uptick in younger users. Data shows at least 7.6 percent of 11 to 17-year olds vape regularly or occasionally, up from 4.1 percent in 2020. The UK Government also plans to restrict sweeter flavours, introduce plain packaging and ensure store displays are hidden by 2025. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says this is the next phase in a nation-wide measure to reduce smoking and vaping stats withing young people. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Nick Leggett from Infrastructure NZ and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Wellington mayor Tory Whanau met with Minister Simeon Brown over the region's ongoing water issues. She says they had a good discussion but it will take a long time to fix these problems- who is to blame here? Can Wellington's water woes be addressed? Staff at a UN aid agency have been linked to Hamas- and allegedly took part in the infamous October 7th attack. Why haven't MFAT pulled funding from UNRWA, like many other nations did? David Seymour's State of the Nation address criticised the previous three Governments, claiming they changed New Zealand for the worst over the last few years. Is this a valid accusation?  Why does Auckland Anniversary need to be on January 29th?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert is claiming David Seymour's State of the Nation speech covered issues that needed to be addressed. The ACT leader discussed Government failings from the past two decades and laid out his infamous Treaty Principles Bill. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says Seymour has the capacity to excite and challenge voters and attack the status quo. "He's looking at the philosophy of whether the Government should just keep repeating the policies of prior Governments- or change and bring in a bit of transformation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour hopes everyone will be able to express their opinions on the Treaty amid debate over a controversial bill. During yesterday's State of the Nation speech, he warned opponents against automatically labelling the bill racist, and criticised any hints of violence. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Seymour will likely use his new role as Associate Justice Minister to sell voters on the Treaty Principles Bill. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has had its deadliest roll toll these past six months, since 2010. Deaths rose seven percent from 2022 to 2023. Australian correspondent Oliver Petersen says the problem is infrastructure, and funding is heavily politicised. He says states are only voluntarily required to report the details of a crash to federal authorities, and not all play ball. "It needs to be data-driven, because the argument being waged here in regard to where a lot of these deaths are- on really poor quality roads." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Woolworths is slashing the value of its New Zealand supermarkets by $2.3 billion to $700 million in a 70 percent decrease. The company blames a 'weaker medium-term outlook' and higher interest rates for this decision. MonopolyWatch spokesperson Tex Edwards says this announcement is a PR stunt to push back against a wave of inquiries. "You publish bad news before the Commerce Commission and the board members and the lobbyists start to come down." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister plans to reassess New Zealand's contribution to the UN Relief and Works Agency, following recent allegations. Several nations have paused financial air to a significant UN agency in Gaza after it was alleged staff members were involved in the October 7th attack against Israel. Nicola Willis expects the investigations to be carried out quickly- and the results will determine the next course of action. "We have made a contribution to UNRWA of $1 million, we have a planned contribution next year- and we'll assess the situation prior to that payment being made." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Upper Hutt's mayor wants answers from Wellington Water - on productivity - and how funding turns into fixed pipes. Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has spoken with the mayors of Wellington and Upper Hutt today over the region's dire water situation. Recent modelling shows the region's likely to shift from level two restrictions - banning residential sprinklers - to level three. Wayne Guppy says his council doesn't feel it needs to make many changes in its approach. "We're going to be spending some more, but we want some guarantees from Wellington Water that they can actually produce and actually do the work." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A push for the Government to continue funding the UN's aid agency in Gaza, because of its work feeding people. Many countries have paused funding after allegations some agency staff were involved in the October 7 attacks on Israel. MFAT says we will be assessing the situation before further payments. Alternative Jewish Voices co-founder Marilyn Garson says the UN has reacted responsibly. "There are unspecified allegations against fewer than 0.1 percent of their staff. They've been removed, and the United Nations' highest investigative body is looking at what happened." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Minister says plans to bolster the force by 500 officers will be enough to get more cops out on the beat. In the past week, a security guard was stabbed at an Auckland supermarket, two Michael Hill jewellery stores were robbed and a gang fight broke out at Christchurch Hospital. Resident's in Auckland's Point Chevalier say they're being terrorised by criminals in the town's square. Minister Mark Mitchell says police will aim to have a higher profile. "With resources being pushed back into the front line, I think that can be achieved. In fact, it's not a matter of can- it has to be achieved." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's thought law changes are needed to protect everyday Kiwis from the harm of deepfake images. Artificial AI-generated pornographic images of Taylor Swift have gone viral online. There are concerns similar fakes could victimise everybody using artificial intelligence. Digital Harm Expert, Mandy Henk says it's not clear whether people spreading such fakes, could face legal repercussions. "The Harmful Digital Communications Act does not explicitly call out deepfake images as something you're not allowed to do. the courts haven't yet had an opportunity to test this."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newly crowned Australian Men's Open winner Jannik Sinner has got the taste for Grand Slams. Sinner outlasted Daniil Medvedev in five sets to become Italy's first men's grand slam winner since the 1970s. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tax expert says the priority should be looking at lower tax brackets, as ACT calls for a flatter tax system. The Party's approach would remove the the highest and lowest income brackets. Leader David Seymour mentioned the idea in his State of the Nation speech yesterday, saying it would be fairer. But expert Robin Oliver says changing the upper bracket shouldn't be a focus. "I think the issue that would have merit looking at would be removing the ability of people to pretend that they're actually poor, when they're not."  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bill in Florida is being put forward to crack down on teenage use of social media. It would restrict anyone under 16 from using social medias that use addictive design features. Dr Anna Martin is a family therapist and told Heather Du-Plessis Allan that social media addiction is a "parenting problem not a regulation problem".   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has scrapped a bill to lower the voting age in local body elections to 16. The bill was introduced last year after the Supreme Court ruled that the current voting age of 18 is discriminatory and breaches the human rights of young people. Jim Palmer who chaired the recommendation for lowering the voting age told Heather Du-Plessis Allan that the he is not disappointed by the outcome.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protests have started in the Far North against tomorrow's annual Doubtless Bay fishing competition. Ngāti Kahu members, leading the protest, say it's to stop overfishing - and they're blocking Tāipa boat ramp. They aren't being supported by all from the iwi - and police are keeping a watching brief. Competition organiser, Nick Ryan told Heather du-Plessis Allan that he doesn't want anyone getting arrested or hurt. He says they're trying to find a way through and are having conversations with the local marae - who support the competition.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Housing Minister says he's not happy to hear housing consents have been granted on flood plans. More than 1400 consents granted in Auckland in the year since devastating flooding last Anniversary weekend, were in areas at risk of flooding. Chris Bishop told Heather du Plessis Allan that the Government will be advancing a national directive through the Resource Management Act. He says it'll provide clarity for councils around consents on flood plains.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two cancer research scientists in Australia have called for people to stop glamourising tanning in their acceptance speech for Australian of the year. They said that the bronzed Aussie culture is actually killing us and called on influencers and advertisers to stop promoting it. Trustee of Melanoma New Zealand Doctor Sonya Bodley told Heather Du-Plesis Allan that "young people are being influenced by celebrities"   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A small group of several Tory MPs are determined to oust Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of the UK election. Sunak's approval rating puts him 21 percentage points behind his main opponent, Labour Leader Keir Starmer. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Sunak's odds of winning the election are slim- and it's not a good look that members of his own party are turning on him. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Business Mentors NZ CEO Sarah Trotman and Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!  Wellington is experiencing a water shortage, and councils are being blamed for underfunding Wellington Water to the point where water is running down the streets from the leaks. Given the urgency of the situation, is it time someone stepped in? A new report says Associate Health Minister Casey Costello is looking into freezing the excise tax on cigarettes. Is it unfair the public service is leaking this stuff- and does the idea of not making cigarettes more expensive have merit? Insurance costs have gone up as high as 20 percent in the past year. Do people need to bite the bullet and pay up?  Salt in tea- would we dare try this? LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today marks 50 years since Dick Tayler made history at the 1974 Commonwealth Games. Tayler brought home the gold for winning the 10,000 metres, an impressive feat for the former South Canterbury potato grower. The Country's Jamie Mackay recapped the event here today. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Equity markets are enjoying a significant spike in the new year. International markets are soaring at an all-time high not seen since 2021- while the New Zealand markets are slowly working their way up. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains what this means for investors. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ Cricket has confirmed the Basin Reserve has sold out a month ahead of the inaugural Test clash between Black Caps and Australia. The second Test, scheduled at Christchurch's Hagley Oval on March 8, is also set to sell out, with limited tickets remaining. ZB's D'Arcy Waldegrave explains the unprecedented demand here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lower-income Australians are in for some financial relief following Prime Minister Albanese's latest announcement. People earning less than $150,000 stand to benefit from the revamped stage-three tax cuts package, especially those who make between $50,000 and $130,000. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says this modified version of a scheme created by the Morrison Government will ensure people who earn less will get a hand with the increased cost of living. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health Coalition Aotearoa have called for the current Associate Minister for Health to be replaced over her proposed plan for tobacco taxes. Official documents show Minister Casey Costello is looking into a three-year tobacco tax freeze. Co-chair Boyd Swinburn says this proposal is the latest in a string of 'anti-health' measures. "Wanting to repeal the smokefree legislation that was brought into place in 2022, bringing in smokeless tobacco, taking the excise tax off heated tobacco, and now looking into taking the CTI adjustment off- this is all out of the tobacco industry playbook." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cost of insurance is still stubbornly high, according to the latest data. Figures released by Stats NZ show that inflation is going down, but insurance prices have skyrocketed between 12 and 20 percent in the past year. Insurance Council chief executive Tim Grafton says construction inflation and 2023's significant natural disasters are to blame for these increased costs. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A growing number of employers are trying to lure in new staff with work-from-home arrangements. Seek's latest data reveals around 10 percent of job ads indicate the role can be done remotely.  This compares to pre-COVID times, when the percentage was at 1.3. Economist Matt Cowgill says this shows that the labour market has changed drastically since 2019. "We had that experience through Covid where businesses learned that, for some workers, it can work. People can get their jobs done when they're home, at least some of the time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oranga Tamariki looks to have fallen short of its responsibility for children's health checkups. The National Care Standards require Oranga Tamariki to annually check medical and dental needs, when a child comes into care. But a new report has found Oranga Tamariki has failed to properly keep track - and not all children had regular checkups. Independent Children’s Monitor Chief Executive Arran Jones says they are vital for improving long-term health outcomes. "It's of utmost importance that the state, acting as the parent, does everything that they can to look after them. And that includes making sure that they're healthy, that they're connected up to the health services that they need." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A gang clash at Christchurch Hospital's Emergency Department is being investigated.  Police were called just after 8pm yesterday, with reports of an altercation between four Mongrel Mob members or associates. One person was assaulted, and another taken into custody. City Councillor Aaron Keown says it speaks to a wider community issue. "With our growing gang situation that needs to be knocked on the head, I look forward to the Government enforcing the no-patches issue. Certainly in hospitals, you shouldn't be allowed to colour up or patch up when you come in." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's looking likely Wellington's residents will avoid facing harsher restrictions on their water use- for the moment. The region is currently under level two restrictions, with a ban on all sprinklers and irrigation systems for residential homes in Wellington, Porirua, Hutt, and Upper Hutt. Greater Wellington Regional Council Chair Daran Ponter warns that the city isn't out of the woods just yet. "We're being told that level three is likely to be a more realistic possibility in early February. Of course, that's the hottest period of the year, so that makes sense." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First's Casey Costello believes a potential plan for cigarette taxes will help people quit smoking. A leaked document shows the Associate Health Minister is getting advice on a potential three-year tax freeze for tobacco. Costello is also looking at harsher penalties for selling vape products to minors, and freezing tax on smokeless tobacco products. She says further financial penalties would be too much for them. "I have some sympathy- let's not continually financially penalise whilst we're managing through getting them off smoking, let's look at some relief." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bit of rare good news for Wellingtonians, they've escaped having the water restrictions ratcheted up on them this week. That decision was taken today, it’s taken every week at the moment, and at the moment they’re staying in level 2- for now. But the case against Wellington City Council as the bad guys is building fast. I would argue it’s becoming more and more obvious that they have neglected to fix the pipes when they knew they should've. Remember how I told you the guys who fix the pipes asked for $10 million but only got $2.3 million from the council? Turns out the reason Wellington City Council said no to giving all the money was because they told Wellington Water they didn’t think they could use all the money to do the job and fix the pipes. Except they could. Because the budget for fixing the pipes the previous year was $10 million, and they used it all. So Wellington City Council reduced the maintenance budget by 75 percent when they knew the pipes would leak- and there were water restrictions in the city every summer. On top of that, there’s a guy on the Wellington Regional Council called Daran Ponter who's just thrown them to the wolves as well. Daran is a Labour man, so you would expect him to be friendly to a left leaning council. Nope, he’s called them out for spending the money they should be spending on pipes on other things- “new town halls, or refurbished town halls, or bike lanes". Now, I reckon the case that’s building here is that this council needs Government intervention. It needs a Crown Observer called in. Because if you don’t know that you should spend money on making sure people get water to their houses before you spend money on cycleways, you shouldn't be running a council. Incidentally, the Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has gently threatened that in a letter to Wellington City Council- and I think he should follow through. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Head of the British Army has warned that UK civilians could be required to fight in a possible war with Russia. General Sir Patrick Sanders has stressed the need for ministers to 'mobilise the nation' if the ongoing conflict between Russia and the Ukraine intensifies. UK correspondent Kay Oliver says General Sanders has warned that the UK was facing a '1937 moment' when the Russia-Ukraine war began. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, David Farrar from Kiwiblog and Curia and former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!  The opposition parties have fired back at the Government, saying it's a bad idea to send NZDF personnel to provide maritime security in the Red Sea. Do we think this is the right move? The big discussion point to come out of Rātana- is the Treaty Principles Bill dead in the water? Are National and NZ First wrong to support ACT's bill if they plan to strike it down? There's outrage over today's Oscar nominees, as Barbie director Greta Gerwig and main actor Margot Robbie didn't receive any nominations. Critics say this illustrates the issues around the patriarchy that the movie wanted to illustrate- is this fair? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Annual inflation has slowed down in recent months, in line with predictions from economists. The Consumer Price Index rose 4.7 percent in the year to December, down from 5.6 percent annually to September. It's a big fall from the 7.3 percent peak for the year to June 2022. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen says it's a positive step forward, but increased rental inflation means it's not safe yet. LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions are being raised over what incoming restrictions from the Reserve Bank mean for first home buyers. The banking regulator proposed debt-to-income restrictions for owner-occupiers, to be introduced mid-2024. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says this is unlikely to set off alarms for prospective buyers, as interest rates are a bigger issue. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch City Council has agreed to look into the viability of hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games- but not everyone is on board. Mayor Phil Mauger is keen on bringing the Games to the region, with events spread out to the wider South Island. Councillor Andrei Moore says without a major overhaul, the cost of hosting the event is unsustainable. "Yesterday, councillors were briefed on a potential 15.8 percent rates rise- for us to turn around today and explore a Commonwealth Games bid is just not responsible." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says he's up for the challenge of defending his Government's policies, even in the absence of a coalition partner. Chris Luxon addressed the annual Rātana celebrations, as did Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters. But the architect of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill - ACT's David Seymour - did not front to face questions from Māori. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Seymour's absence was disappointing. "You should have the courage of your convictions. Seymour usually does, he should have got up there and said what he really meant." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's official- Auckland's pedestrian crossings come at a far higher price than those in the capital. Figures from the 2021/2022 financial year show Auckland Transport chewed through $6 million on 12 signalised crossings, at an average cost of half a million dollars. Meanwhile, Wellington City Council built four cheaper, non-signalised raised crossings for just under $120,000. Auckland Transport Chief Executive Dean Kimpton says defended the cost of crossings, saying they're fundamentally different from those in Wellington. "From Auckland to Wellington, the prices are similar. What you're seeing in the $6 million or the 12 pedestrian crossings referred to in 21/22 were a whole range of other things that needed to also be done." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Awards season is in full swing, with Hollywood blockbusters taking centre stage at the 2024 Oscars. 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' made the shortlist for Best Picture, and both films have 8 and 13 nominations respectively. However, 'Barbie' director Greta Gerwig, and lead actress Margot Robbie, have missed out on nods.  LA correspondent Sean Mandell says it's strange that Ryan Gosling got nominated for his role as Ken while Gerwig and Robbie got snubbed. "They are getting awards love, and the film itself is getting love- but it's strange that Ken is getting a nomination in a movie called 'Barbie'." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Labour Party has hit out at the Government sending Defence Force troops to the Middle East, saying it has shades of the Iraq invasion. Six personnel will assist in targeting coalition strikes on Houthi rebels, who have been attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Foreign Affairs spokesperson David Parker says they don't believe the country should be embroiled there. "I think history shows that they've got some very deep-seated conflicts there, they've got warring factions of different religions, they've got long-term civil wars. We don't think New Zealand should be participating in those conflicts." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Politicians of almost every stripe have descended on Rātana Pā today for the annual celebrations. ACT's David Seymour was a notable absence. Over the day, Māori leaders labelled the Government the enemy and warned the Prime Minister not to meddle with te Tiriti o Waitangi. Chris Luxon assured the crowd his Government is committed to progress for Māori. NZ First MP Shane Jones was heckled during his speech - but he says he took it in his stride. "They thought that with loud angry voices, Winston Peters and I would back down. And they met their match in Shane Jones." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand has had its smallest annual inflation increase in two years. CPI rose 4.7 percent in the year to December- in line with the expectations from economists. That's down from the 5.6 percent recorded for the year to September, and down from the 7.3 percent rise recorded in the year to June 2022. Kiwibank economist Jarrod Kerr says this means the Reserve Bank will start cutting interest rates to provide relief to households. "We've had inflation running at over 7 percent, and people had that in the back of their mind. Now inflation's running at over 4 percent, that's quite a drop. By this time next year, inflation will run closer to 2 percent." LISTEN ABOVE      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former President Donald Trump emerged victorious in the New Hampshire Primary. His opponent, Nikki Haley, conceded she'd lost to Donald Trump in New Hampshire, but says the race is far from over. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says it's likely Nikki Haley will pull out of the race by March's Super Tuesday. "I think she's going to hang in there, see how much she can do in February- but at this point in time, I don't see how she could play catch-up with Donald Trump." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wellington Phoenix are set to ban a group of spectators from their A-League football games. A small cohort have been identified for antagonising Melbourne Victory fans and causing multiple fights during the 1-all draw at Sky Stadium last week. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave outlines this plan further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hope the Commonwealth Games could return to Christchurch fifty years on from the 1974 event. Mayor Phil Mauger has recommended the city host the 2030 Games, and Christchurch city councillors voted to run a viability report. Mauger hopes an event of this scale will help turn Christchurch into the sporting and events capital of New Zealand. "We have all these fantastic new facilities, and I want to showcase our facilities to the world. We will, however, have to share the load across the country." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The British House of Lords today voted to delay the Government’s plan to send refugees to Rwanda. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to 'stop the boats,' referring to migrant ships illegally crossing the English Channel. 214 out of 385 Lords agreed to delay ratification of the Rwanda treaty. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this scheme has cost a substantial amount- and experts believe it's dead in the water. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, current affairs commentator Josie Pagani and Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!  Prime Minister Chris Luxon revealed that a six-member Defence Force team will be deployed to the Middle East region to uphold maritime security. Is this the right move? Does New Zealand need to keep funding the Christchurch Call role? Prime Minister Chris Luxon spoke with Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern before Christmas to discuss her special envoy role. It costs $500,000 per year- is it useful? Several people were the victims of a parking scam at the Foo Fighters concert and had to pay hundreds of dollars to get their care back after they were towed. Do we think the towing company should reimburse them? Do we trust anyone in a hi-vis vest? Surf Lifesaving is largely funded by donations and corporate sponsoring- does the Government need to step in and change this? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian-owned company Santana Minerals has informed investors swathes of gold may be hidden under farmland in Central Otago. The 'Rise and Shine' site had been marked in a recent report as  “the most significant single gold discovery in New Zealand in four decades”. The site has an estimated value of $325 million a year and could yield between 100,000 to 150,000 ounces of gold per year. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson is stepping down from New Zealand's biggest kiwifruit exporter to pursue overseas opportunities. Mathieson has led Zespri for over seven years, and will stay on until the end of the 2024 harvest, before joining up with American-based berry company Driscoll’s. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A potential silver lining for first home buyers in possible changes to lending rules. The Reserve Bank is proposing introducing debt to income ratios from the middle of the year. Owner occupiers could borrow six times their income, while for investors it would be seven times. Independent economist Tony Alexander says the central bank plans to ease up on loan-to-value ratios at the same time. He says that will allow more lending where deposits are less than 20 percent. "So actually, given that getting a deposit together is pretty hard for first home buyers, it could be a small net positive for them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big spends on the Mt Messenger bypass roading project, despite no road actually being built. The Transport Agency has already spent 60 percent of the $280 million dollar budget of the Taranaki project. New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom says there's no way the project will get done within the projected budget. He blames frivolous court cases for the hold up, and says it is time to get on with the job. "Yep, it's going to be expensive, but I can assure you that if we didn't build it and the mountain slipped down, it would be a hell of a lot more expensive for NZ inc." NZTA have confirmed they will be conducting a cost review, which is set to be completed in the first half of 2024. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some Ngāti Kahu iwi members in the Far North are threatening to block boat ramps in protest at the annual Doubtless Bay fishing contest this weekend. A post to social media says fish numbers have decreased dramatically due to over-fishing in the area. But other iwi leaders have responded saying discussions on the matter have not yet taken place. Competition organiser Nick Ryan says the event is a community fundraiser and will still go ahead. "They have no right to block boat ramps, they have no powers to do so, it would appear that people might be speaking just above their positions. But it's not to say that they cannot protest." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amateur golfer Nick Dunlap stunned the sports world with his unexpected victory. The 20-year-old university student has become the first amateur to win on Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991, taking out the American Express tournament in California. However, as an amateur, he can't collect his $2.46 million first-place prize. NZ Open tournament director Michael Glading says golfers with amateur status cannot accept prize money exceeding a certain amount. "If a player of that class wants to turn professional, they can turn professional, but they have to turn professional before they enter the tournament- not at the end of it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether Jacinda Ardern will continue as New Zealand's special envoy for the Christchurch Call - is still up in the air. The multilateral body brings together tech companies and countries to fight online extremism. Ardern's already met up with Prime Minister Chris Luxon in Auckland, and he says they'll discuss the matter in coming months. Tech commentator Paul Spain says it's likely tech companies would filter out extremist content on their own accord, regardless of the Call. "That's open to some debate- what we've seen is some improvement in the algorithms from the social media platforms over this time, but that's hard to measure." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Defence Minister Judith Collins says our personnel will support coalition forces with targeting for precision attacks on identified targets. Foreign Minister Winston Peters is giving little away on what that will look like. "Well, it's finding people who are threatening lives with piracy, mayhem and murder- and stopping them." Asked if it was drone operation, Peters says he can't answer that question. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon recently announced a Defence Force team will be sent to the Red Sea to help protect maritime security. ZB senior political reporter Barry Soper says Luxon denies this has anything to do with Israel and Gaza. "According to Christopher Luxon, it'll contribute to the collective defence of the Middle East- and ships are certainly being hindered in their progress through there." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Morrison is drawing his 16 year political career to a close. The former Australian Prime Minister will leave federal parliament at the end of next month for a new career opportunity in the US. It will trigger a by-election in the typically liberal Sydney seat of Cook. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says between Covid and AUKUS, Morrison's left a mixed legacy. "He's joining a number of strategic advisory firms around the world, and he will be very busy and gainfully employed- and also have more time for his family."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alexander Zverev has denied Kiwi-raised Brit Cam Norrie a spot in the quarter-finals at the Australian tennis Open, winning a tense five-set battle. The German sixth seed won 10-3 in the fifth set tie-break to end Norrie's run. The fourth-round encounter was briefly halted during the third set on Monday afternoon after a woman threw a raft of leaflets saying 'Free Palestine' onto the court. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Foreign Affairs Minister is reiterating New Zealand's support for a two-state solution to the decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict. Winston Peters says recent comments made by members of the Israeli Government fuel tensions and put chances of a solution at risk. Waikato University law professor Al Gillespie says it's unlikely Israel will accept the proposed provisional measures being discussed. "It's unlikely that Israel will respect that if it goes against them. The only way you could get some kind of action is if it was forced through the security council, and it's unlikely the Americans would let that happen." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the other side of the world, there's very rough weather in the UK- with gales and downpours as Storm Isha blows in. UK correspondent Kay Oliver says there's major disruption, including 170,000 homes and businesses waking up to no power. "We've got train services suspended, we've got trees falling down on cars, and flights being cancelled." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Muriwai community advocates and locals are calling for cars to be banned from the beach after a teenager was killed over the weekend. Is this the best course of action? The Government is under pressure over Māori issues following last weekend's hui. National also says it won't support ACT's Treaty Principles Bill past the first reading- what do we think? How will Luxon and the Government handle the extra pressure ahead of Ratana and Waitangi Day? Ron DeSantis has dropped out of the Republican presidential race- does this mean Donald Trump is headed for the White House again? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first Cabinet meeting of 2024 is set to take place tomorrow, as the Government reaches the halfway point of its first 100 days. This meeting takes place days after the National Unity Hui in Turangawaewae- and event which has cast a shadow over the Government. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan outlines her predictions here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand exports could profit from the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea. Freight continues to be redirected around Africa's Cape of Good Hope while violence continues to escalate. The new route means the products this country sends to the Asian market won't take as long as those from Europe or Eastern USA. Rabobank researcher Stefan Vogel says exporters may want to keep an eye on container availability. "If we're struggling to find the containers, we may actually have an issue on that side that costs us as much as it may cost the Europeans and the Americans that have to go along the route over to Asia." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cricket Australia has raised a few eyebrows over their decision to sidestep Australia Day celebrations at an upcoming test match. The holiday coincides with Friday's Gabba Test match against the West Indies in Brisbane. Prime Minister Albanese has urged people to stop 'looking for outrage', as this announcement has prompted some backlash. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson explains the divided reactions to the news. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ZB's Barry Soper predicts the Government is in for a difficult year following last weekend's events. The Māori King organised a National Unity Hui attended by thousands, and commentators are divided on the Prime Minister's decision to skip the event. Senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the 'Māori issue' will dominate the headlines over the next few weeks, and the Government may need to draw attention to the economy. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has put the blame on inadequate funding for Wellington's water issues. Since 2022, 40 percent of the region's drinking water has been lost to leaks. Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has written a letter requesting information from local councils on how they're addressing the problem. Willis says Wellington City Council only gave Wellington Water a fraction of the $10 million they needed for maintenance. "They always seemed to find the money for a new cycleway, they always seemed to find the money for the things they like, like buying back Reading Cinema- why can't they find the money for the pipes?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belief vehicles need to be totally banned on Auckland's Muriwai Beach. A teen died yesterday after a ute rolled on the beach, and two others have serious injuries. Vehicles are now banned at the beach until Thursday - with people allowed on foot. Muriwai Community Association co-chair, Clare Bradley, says how vehicle access is currently managed isn't working. "There is a growing sense that the only way to really manage the safety of the beach, both for pedestrians and for the wildlife that make that part of the beach their home, is to close it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Outrage from Wellington parents as a school changes uniform requirements. Year Nine pupils at Wellington College must now wear blazers and ties, which come with a price tag of almost $300. Some parents aren't happy about the change during a cost of living crisis. Vaughan Couillault of the Secondary Principals' Association says uniform changes usually aren't cheap. "You can't put a cheap blazer onto a student these days, it's usually $250 to start with." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's belief stricter penalties will help against a surge in people fleeing police. Police data from the Bay Of Plenty shows 883 drivers in the region didn't stop when signalled, from January to October last year. That figure was 902 for all of 2022 - and 521 for 2021. Police Association President Chris Cahill says countrywide in the first nine months of last year, drivers kept going 8900 times. "If you're drunk driving, currently to go to court- you'll get penalised for that, but you won't get anything extra for failing to stop. We say there has to be a mandatory aggravating factor put on top." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A war of words over ACT's plans to re-define the principles of the Treaty. Prime Minister Chris Luxon has said National would support the Bill to the select committee stage. But ACT Party Leader David Seymour says National hasn't ruled out supporting it further. "We've got no commitment any further either way, and I suspect that first of all- this is a debate we need to have, and I suspect they'll recognise that. Second of all, it's a lot more popular than people are giving it credit for." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi golfing superstar Lydia Ko is embracing that winning feeling again on the LPGA Tour. After a winless 2023 on the Tour, the 26 year old has won the opening event of 2024 in Florida by two shots. Sportstalk host Jason Pine recaps today's victory. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has abandoned his bid to be a Republican presidential candidate. He's thrown his support behind Donald Trump. Former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh says DeSantis lost by 30 points to Trump in Iowa - so pulling out is the right move. "It made no sense for him to stay in, he was going to get killed in New Hampshire. And as he said, he really had no pathway. Get out, endorse Trump, and fight another day." Nikki Haley is Trump's only remaining contender. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Looks to me like it’s a tough old start to the year for the new Government. This is basically day one of the news year, the TV news shows were back this morning, most of the big radio shows are back today- and what are we all talking about? The big hui at Turangawaewae at the weekend, and the unexpectedly big Māori opposition to the Government's Māori related policies. And it's not a one-off, there is more to come. We've got Ratana on Wednesday, Waitangi Day in a couple of weeks, that's a run of stories about how grumpy the coalition Government is making some Māori. And that is not how the Government will be wanting to kick off this year. Generally, Governments like to start the year giving the impression they’re winning, they're doing things for you, they're announcing some stuff they're gonna get stuck into this year, gloating over a good bounce in the polls over summer and capitalising on us still feeling good. Basically, they want to be able to set the tone and have it be a positive one, rather than have it set for them on day one with a negative tone. I suspect - I could be wrong - but I suspect this is not a blip. I suspect this is how it’s going to be for the next few months on and off. David Seymour is planning to introduce that Treaty Principles bill by May this year, that's gonna get hairy. The media are quite hostile to the new Government, and apparently so is the Wellington Public Service, judging by yet another leak of a justice paper about the Treaty Principles bill. Perfect timing- the day before the big hui. The question is- how much do you and I, the voters, care about it? If National can show they’re cracking the cost of living crisis, well that’s more important to most voters. But getting that message out when everyone’s talking about grumpy huis? Well, that’s gonna be tough Tough old start to the year, I'd say. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ZB host Tim Beveridge and Ali Jones from Red PR joined the Huddle back in June for a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Michael Wood remains on stand-down as Transport Minister, after it was revealed he was asked to sell his Auckland Airport shares 12 times. Can he keep his job- and should he? The PGA Tour and LIV Golf surprised the sports world by announcing an unexpected merger- what do we think of this? Should players have been warned?  Heather wants to buy a toddler leash for Iggy- is this a good idea?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Caps have pulled off one of the all-time great test cricket victories, beating England by one run on the final day of the second match at the Basin Reserve. Neil Wagner finished with four wickets for the innings and took the final scalp of James Anderson, caught behind by Tom Blundell. New Zealand have become only the fourth team to win a test after following on. Neil Wagner says today's victory will stay with him for a very long time after the fact, especially with the challenging conditions in the lead up to the match.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Job ads continue to plummet in New Zealand of the back of a slowing economy. The latest data from Seek show that jobs ads in November are down 28% compared to this time last year. Infometrics Principle Economist Brad Olsen told Heather Du Plessis Allan that "there are fewer businesses that are looking for the same numbers of staff as before."   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are now serious concerns for the future of the professional netball in New Zealand. Sky TV's bid for broadcasting rights beyond 2024, covering the ANZ Premiership and Silver Ferns tests, is reportedly less than half the current agreement. Players' wages could also take a hit, with broadcasting revenue accounting for the majority of their pay. Auckland University sports marketing lecturer Marilyn Giroux told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's possible TVNZ could come in, albeit for less money.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The NZTA is set to Quadruple the amount of speed cameras across New Zealand. There are currently 200 speed cameras on the road which they want to be pushed up to 800. However, road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen told Heather Du Plessis Allan that he is not sure "that number is actually going to end up being being correct or accurate."   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US national security advisor Jake Sullivan has gone to Israel this week to talk about the war with the Israeli war cabinet. He's passed on a message essentially asking the Israelis to begin pulling back from the relentless bombardment of Gaza. US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Heather Du Plessis Allan that "the language from US officials would indicate they are growing tired of how long this war is going on".   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ardie Savea has been named the Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial player of the year at this evening’s ASB Rugby Awards. This comes a month after being named world rugby player of the year. Newstalk ZB's Sports Contributor Jason Pine told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that he just "couldn't see who else could have won."   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The annual New Zealand health survey has found that less than half of adults exercise the recommended two and a half hours a week. South Auckland Community advocate Dave Letele runs the Brown Butterbean Fitness Group. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that many have other things on their mind.Letele says families struggling to put food on the table don't have the time to eat healthily and exercise.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rishi Sunak's approval rating continues to take a hit in the polls ahead of the election. His approval rating has reached -49, according to new data from YouGov- a lower rating than Boris Johnson scored after his resignation. Only 21 percent of British voters hold a favourable view of Sunak, and 70 percent of voters disapprove. UK correspondent Enda Brady says it's looking likely that the Tories will oust him before next year's election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Infrastructure NZ Chief Executive Nick Leggett joined in on discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Finance Minister Nicola Willis remains firm in her decision to scrap cost increases to the Cook Strait mega-ferries project. Does this serve as a warning to the public service around budgets for big projects? What happens next? GDP fell 0.3 percent in the three months to September - a much worse result than forecast by most economists. Does this mean New Zealand is in recession?  Buller District Council has placed a limit on how many cats residents can own- only two cats are permitted per household. What do we think of this? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More local councils are turning to asset sales in order to balance their books. The Bay of Plenty Regional Council aims to sell off several majority shares in the Port of Tauranga, and Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington are also investigating potential asset sales. Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explains what these sales might mean for investors. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'The Big Feed', a famed rural telethon set to support farmer-driven charity Meat the Need, is heading into its final moments. The telethon kicked off at 6am today and will wrap up at 8pm- giving hosts 14 hours to raise as many meat and milk meals as possible for over 110 food banks. The Country's Jamie Mackay says this year's telethon aims to break last year's record of 1.2 million meals. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's Q3 GDP report caught several economists by surprise. GDP fell 0.3 per cent in the September quarter, lower than the predicted 0.2 or 0.3 percent growth forecasts had predicted. Across the whole year, GDP fell 0.6 percent overall, sparking more grim predictions. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says Luxon's inherited a long-running recession to address. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's former Finance Minister has stepped up to justify today's disappointing GDP results. GDP fell 0.3 percent in the three months to September- with political voices blaming the previous Government's decisions for the decline. Grant Robertson says it doesn't tarnish Labour's economic credibility, as other economies are in the same boat. ZB political editor Jason Walls says there's a silver lining here, because interest rates could come down sooner than predicted. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, Kathleen Folbigg's convictions have been officially quashed, after spending 20 years in prison. The 56-year-old was released after new medical evidence revealed she didn't murder her four children. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says it's likely Folbigg will be awarded compensation after her release. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Usman Khawaja feels unfairly targeted by the International Cricket Council following their demand he refrain from writing statements in support of Palestine on his shoes. The ICC have ruled the opening batter will be fined or banned if he uses the test against Pakistan as a platform to make what they've deemed a political statement. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Picton is concerned about what's ahead - with the Government refusing to fund cost increases to the Cook Strait mega-ferries project. KiwiRail says the plan to have two new ferries and bigger, better ports can't go ahead without Government funding. Marlborough Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive, Pete Coldwell, says a number of people moved to the region for ferry-related jobs. "There are obviously just questions over what the situation is, jobs-wise, for the next week, next month and the next year." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Almost 200 countries have agreed to begin reducing the consumption of fossil fuels at COP28. The Dubai conference came close to being a failure, because some nations wanted to phase them out. The deal specifically calls for transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems. Australian National University climate change professor Mark Howden says that's weak and undefined language. "What does that mean? There's lots of wriggle room here and it's probably not clear enough in terms of its goals." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buller District Council is on paw patrol for the number of cats allowed in homes. From next Wednesday, only two feline friends are allowed in homes from Carters Beach, Reefton and Westport. It was initially proposed to increase the maximum to four, but the council U-turned after public feedback. Buller mayor Jamie Cleine says they're not anticipating a lot of complainants over how it'll be policed for other animals. "And when you think about an urban area, under this bylaw, people could have 2 cats, 12 chickens and 2 pigs and still be within constricts of the bylaws, so there'll be plenty of livestock in the urban area." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weak economic growth is expected to continue a while. GDP fell 0.3 percent in the three months to September - a much worse result than forecast by most economists. BNZ Economist Stephen Toplis says it will take time to get a sunnier situation. "Market conditions ease, and that gives the economy a bit of a boost. But I think, realistically speaking, we're talking until the middle of next year." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police could be apologising to some Parliament protesters following a report from the police watchdog. The Independent Police Conduct Authority found excessive force was six times during the weeks-long occupation. That included knocking a woman's phone from her hand and pushing her to the ground - or spraying people with fire extinguishers. Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming says they'll work through whether they'll need say sorry. "And in probably a couple of those cases, an apology would be appropriate." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington Water believes a Council top-up could help with a feared water shortage this summer. The City Council is giving the water entity up to $2 million dollars. The Wellington region loses about 45 percent of its supply in leaks. Wellington Water Chief Executive Tonia Haskell says they are asking the regional council to let it also take more water from rivers. "We're going to try as hard as we can so we never have to put our rest homes and our hospitals at risk this summer." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's fair to say that the GDP figures out this morning came as a shock- it's a lot weaker than economists were expecting. Economists were tending to forecast a bit of growth, around 0.2 percent to 3 percent, and instead what they saw was the economy slumped 0.3 percent for the third quarter, which is July through to September. And if you calculate it per capita to account for all the extra people who arrived here during that time, it's even worse- the slump is 0.9 percent, which is actually quite material.  Now even more than that, the statisticians have revised what happened earlier this year and they're now saying that Q1 was also negative, which means we had a technical recession over last summer. The fact is, if you look at today's number, you look at the fact that this economy's not flash right now, you could probably say we're in another technical recession right now this summer. That's probably not news to you, these numbers are probably only telling you what you're already feeling. If you're in retail, you've noticed sales are slowing- it's tough graft at the moment. If you're in hospitality, you know people aren't eating and drinking out like they used to. If you're in construction, the jobs may be fewer. It's tough, the numbers are just backing it up. Now politically - there is always a political element to this - this is good for National and the new Government because as weird as it sounds, they now have data to prove the mess they say Labour left for us all. As for Grant Robertson in particular, this really sucks because this is the third piece of bad money news that he has had in two days. There is a slumping economy that he's left us with, he just had a slap-down from the Auditor-General about how fast and loose he was being with the infrastructure spending, and then the mega-ferries deal got cancelled because it was blowing out. Now Grant is apparently sticking around this term for the time being, to try and defend Labour's track record on spending. He's got one hell of a job, given what's going on right now. But let's be honest right now, frankly this is probably not what you care about. You care about what this means for you. The good news is, this makes it way less likely that the Reserve Bank will lift our mortgage rates again. Adrian Orr can talk as big as he likes about how he's going to do that and how that's a possibility. But at the moment, it looks like the economy is suffering enough. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has faced a battle within his own party over his controversial flagship Rwanda bill. The legislation comfortably passed its first Commons hurdle with a majority of 44- but the bill is expected to face further opposition in the new year. No Tory MPs voted against the bill, but some critics on the right of the party rebelled by abstaining. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and David Farrar from Kiwiblog joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The UN General Assembly has called for a ceasefire in Gaza – the US voted against amongst a tiny minority, is the public opinion really turning against Israel? Air New Zealand is laying out some new gimmicks- new snack menu, new uniforms and Starlink wi-fi on domestic flights. Shouldn’t they focus on getting their planes and schedules running correctly? The Grocery Commissioner has encouraged supermarkets to lower their prices for the Christmas season. Is this a effective idea? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Technology continues to evolve and spill over into the world of work, allowing more robots to fit into modern workplaces. More companies have turned to robot workers to fill jobs that are difficult to recruit for, primarily the manufacturing sector. Milford Asset Management's Deborah Lambie explains what this means for the years ahead. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s current account deficit remains stubbornly high, according to the latest data. A new report shows the country spent $30.6 billion more on imports than it earned from exports in the year to September, the equivalent to 7.6 percent of GDP. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains what this data means for Kiwi spending habits. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand, and more than three-quarters of the General Assembly, have called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza - despite the US not being in favour. 153 UN members voted in favour on humanitarian grounds, 10 voted against. Earlier today, Prime Minister Chris Luxon joined the leaders of Australia and Canada in calling for a pause. ZB political editor Jason Walls says these leaders know a ceasefire needs unity to be effective, and wonders how effective this statement actually is.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The deal's off - with two new mega-ferries for the Cook Strait no longer going ahead. KiwiRail has confirmed it will terminate a contract signed in 2021 to build the new ships in South Korea. The Government has turned down KiwiRail's funding request to cover the escalating cost for the new ships and port infrastructure. Chief Executive Peter Reidy says this is 'disappointing news for him and the KiwiRail team. "We'll focus today on our people and our customers, which we've been doing. And on Monday, we'll turn around and work with the Government on options." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auditor-General has left a 'scathing' review of the previous Government's $15 billion infrastructure spend-up during Covid-19. This report addressed the $12 billion New Zealand Upgrade Programme and $3 billion Shovel-Ready Programme designed to boost the economy and long-term infrastructure in 2020. John Ryan says neither of these projects had any real business cases backing them.  "A lot of those projects, Ministers were advised, were not ready to be announced. Business cases were mainly out of date or only partially complete." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Nelson charity giveaway for Christmas ended in pushing, shoving and fighting over gifts. Helping Families hosted the event, which saw hundreds pouring through the door and stepping over each other to clear out the room in half an hour. Helping Families founder Kristy Rowe the aggression was overwhelming for volunteers, who were subject to verbal abuse. "We had positive comments, and we want to thank people for those. But as usual, it's the negative comments that stick a bit harder, especially for our volunteers."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says the Government's looking at other ferry options after turning down KiwiRail's request for more Interislander funding. The cost of two mega-ferries and upgrading port infrastructure had ballooned to about $3 billion- and KiwiRail says it can't proceed without help. Nicola Willis says that project is over, and they'll explore other options. "The option that had been on the table for KiwiRail was the equivalent of the Ferrari, and now we as a Government are saying- look, can we have a look around, are there some very good, safe, reliable Toyota Corollas we could be using instead?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Napier's mayor accepts a report finding the city was hugely unprepared for Cyclone Gabrielle. RNZ reports the City Council commissioned an independent review of its response. The Resilient Organisations report shows the Council wasn't set up to cope with such an event, and only a few staff had emergency management training. Kirsten Wise says it's good to get the feedback - to plan for future events. "We certainly acknowledge that we weren't as prepared as we could have been, and that is what we're now focused on- ensuring that we have actually taken on board the recommendations of this report." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

International public opinion is turning against Israel bombing Gaza. 153 members of the UN General Assembly, including New Zealand, voted today to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Former UN Development Programme head and former Prime Minister, Helen Clark, says even the US President - a staunch advocate - has acknowledged Israel is losing support. She says the situation in Gaza is dire and getting worse. "Two-thirds of people have no home, 80 percent of them have been displaced. People are given a choice between flee or die." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Joe Biden has slammed Republican lawmakers, as he reiterates his support for Ukraine. His Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visited Washington DC to ask lawmakers to continue supporting their war efforts. A support deal's been held up by an impasse in the US Congress on tightening immigration and border policies. US correspondent Mitch McCann says it's unlikely the Republicans will be able to negotiate their way into a solution within a clear timeframe. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relief from the New Zealand Sail GP team their home regatta has been rescued by Christchurch. Lyttleton will shoulder hosting responsibilities for the event in March after Auckland was ruled out as a viable location due to spectator facility issues. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave breaks these events down. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Grocery Commissioner is shining a spotlight on grocery prices this festive season. Pierre van Heerden is challenging supermarkets to implement Everyday Low Pricing on staple items before Christmas. Demand typically rises at this time of year - and van Heerden says prices often do, too. He says groceries have been this year's biggest driver of cost of living pressures. "Supermarkets can actually bring a bit of Christmas cheer and provide something back to consumers." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Look, I feel like we are now at a global tipping point with Israel and I think tolerance is running very short- and probably about to run out completely for their bombardment of Gaza. A lot has happened in just the last few days, even just today, to indicate that this is on the cards now. We've had New Zealand, Australia and Canada putting out a joint statement this morning calling for a sustainable ceasefire, saying that they are alarmed at what's happening to the civilians in Gaza. A few hours ago, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. And in probably the biggest sign that the time is up, Joe Biden, who has of course been Israel's biggest backer globally, has started to pull his support away from Benjamin Netanyahu and warned Israel it risks alienating its allies if it continues. He said that they cannot say no to a Palestinian state, and then he went as far as quite pointedly saying to Netanyahu that he had to change this Government- which I think a lot of people will agree with. A lot of people will blame this Government and the past Governments of Netanyahu for the situation that Israel is currently in. The fact is, these world leaders are basically doing this because they are losing domestic support for continuing to support Israel. You've seen the pressure mount here in New Zealand on the Government. Labour and Te Pati Māori and the Greens have all put pressure on the Government to call for a ceasefire, there have been protests up and down the country as a result. In the states, a poll has found that only 20 percent of Americans think that Biden's approach is going to lead to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. It is not surprising that Israel's running out of runway at all- on this show we said pretty much immediately after the October 7 massacres by Hamas that Israel would only have so long to do what they always do, which is disproportionately punish the Palestinian people before sentiment would change. Sentiment is now changing, the only thing that is surprising is how long the tolerance lasted, how long the runway was for this bombardment. Especially given that the bombardment was never going to work. We all knew that, right? We'd never fully root out Hamas, we'd never be able to get all of those people out of the tunnels, all it ever was going to do was punish the civilians - which it has - and foment anger and probably create another generation of terrorists. And only time will tell whether that's going to happen- but I say it probably will. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak raised a few eyebrows with his refusal to share his WhatsApp messages during the Covid response inquiry. Sunak claimed he had changed phones many times in recent years and never backed up his messages- leaving no evidence from the pandemic period. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Boris Johnson also lost 5,000 WhatsApp messages during that period, and reached for a similar excuse. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Ali Jones from Red PR and projects director at Still, Sam Johnson, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!  FIFA's latest report into online abuse reveals players at the football Women's World Cup were 29 percent more likely to be subject to online harassment. Can anything be done to address this? Is abuse just a drawback that comes from being a public figure? Sir Colin Tukuitonga has resigned from his public positions - should he have made this move? Or would have he been better staying on to advocate for his cause? COP28 talks could be in jeopardy following an outcry from several nations regarding a 'weak' draft deal. What happens now? Experts are calling for 'best before' labels to be scrapped, claiming they contribute to the widespread problem of food waste. Is this a good idea? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2023 is drawing to a close, and economists are predicting what lies ahead for the new year. New Zealand is still fighting a long, drawn-out battle with inflation, which is set to impact jobs and house prices. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says the uptick in migration is set to boost demand for goods and services- meaning inflation will be stickier for longer. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's biggest rural telethon is set to kick off this Thursday from 6am. The Big Feed will be hosted by TV personality Matt Chisholm, former boxer Dave Letele, and Meat the Need co-founder and Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford. The Country's Jamie Mackay says the telethon aims to raise enough for 1.2 million meat and milk meals for food banks nationwide. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More local councils appear to be drawn towards attempting asset sales. The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has begun the process of selling a chunk of its majority share in the Port of Tauranga.  Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington are also investigating potential asset sales. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie explains the benefits and drawbacks of this process. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against two construction companies and their directors for alleged cartel conduct. The pair were accused of colluding to rig bids for their publicly-funded infrastructure projects in Auckland. Commerce Commission Chair, John Small, says their cartels team investigated this historic case right away. "It's obviously, with a criminal standard, the standard of proof and the standards of evidence, got to be pretty high. Because the consequences are very serious- potential imprisonment- we've got good evidence." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new FIFA report has published some eye-opening stats into social media abuse. Players at the football Women's World Cup were 29 percent more likely to receive online abuse than those at the men's tournament in 2022, according to new data. One in five Women's World Cup players, a total of 152, received "targeted discriminatory, abusive or threatening messaging". Former Football Fern Katie Duncan says it's 'saddening' that online abuse has gotten this extreme. "It's good for it to be actually recorded from the players, it just gives them data so hopefully more can be done for the statistics- for the data to be lower."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Tauranga iwi hopes its Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal claim is accepted and heard sooner rather than later. The Ngāi Te Rangi Settlement Trust is accusing the Government of bending Treaty rules with its policies. Ngāi Te Rangi chief executive Paora Stanley claims the Government has launched an attack on culture and language. He says they are attempting to extinguish the language within multiple areas of Government. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders under clear skies tonight could glimpse a meteor shower. The rare display will be visible between 8pm and midnight, as the debris field intercepts Earth's orbit. Auckland University physics professor Richard Easther says it's the first appearance from this particular shower. "There are some meteor showers that happen every year, but this one is new- and it's associated with a comet. So we're getting some insight into how these little icy snowballs work." Easther says Kiwis will be able to see the shower if they look to the north west sky. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's Climate Change Minister says more ambition's needed to transition the world away from fossil fuels. Simon Watts is attending the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, which is reportedly on the verge of failure, because of a lack of agreement. Its draft climate deal doesn't include plans to phase out fossil fuels and several countries are threatening to walk out. Watts says words in the agreement such as 'could' take action simply won't cut it. "Our Pacific Island neighbours and brothers and sisters, in effect, are at the front lines- and we're standing right with them, calling for a consensus."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a fiery afternoon in Parliament, with Winston Peters filling the hot seat. Prime Minister Chris Luxon is out of the country to attend his daughter's graduation in Australia. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Winston stuck to his usual habits of insulting political rivals and referencing himself in the third person. "You can imagine the smile on his face when he was saying all this in the House, he was really back in his element in Question Time today." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The judge in Bruce Lehrmann's defamation case ordered Sky News to release an alleged secret recording of a conversation between Brittany Higgins's lawyer and fiancé. The conversation reportedly showed the pair discussing Higgins's cross-examination while she was still testifying. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says this is the latest development in a long and costly investigation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White Ferns are well and truly pegging Pakistan back after the visitors made a strong start to their chase of a mammoth target in the opening one-day cricket international in Queenstown. The visitors are 145 for 2 after 30 overs - pursuing a target of 366. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts are urging New Zealand to ditch the 'best before' labels on food packaging to reduce food waste issues. Food waste costs the nation $3.2 billion per year, with an estimated 100,000 tonnes of product tossed out. Love Food Hate Waste's Kate Fenwick says many people are confused between the 'best before' and 'use by' dates. "I've seen people throw away perfectly good packets of dry pasta, which literally can't go off, because it's got a 'best before' date on it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK Government has earmarked at least £700 million to manage the arrival of migrants on small boats until 2030, according to previously unnoticed commercial plans. Officials published the projections online last week, with predictions the Channel crossings could continue up to 2034. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains the two-pronged partnership to accommodate this scheme. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! National's Chris Luxon has confirmed Fair Pay Agreements will be scrapped by Christmas and 90-day trials will be implemented. Is this terrible news for workers? More PISA results show Kiwi kids are among the worst behaved in the OECD. Is this surprising news? Are there any solutions? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former politician and Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash has issued a warning about the second pillar of AUKUS. US lawmakers have struck a deal on the AUKUS military pact - with legislation approving the sale of three Virginia-Class vessels expected to soon be made public NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan noted that his concerns reflected previous sentiments that the US held too much influence over the new Government. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emerging AI company Being AI is set to become the first artificial intelligence-based business to appear on the NZX. Listed investors Ascension Capital have today entered into a conditional agreement to acquire several businesses, with a vote set for March. Co-founder David McDonald says the venture aims to help other companies make sense of the AI space. "We've got three branches, if you will. There's AI consulting, the AI ventures arm for the investments and then Being labs, which is the incubator." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says scrapping Fair Pay Agreements and bringing in 90 day trials means more workers can be hired. FPAs - which triggers collective bargaining if it's called for by 10 percent of a workforce - will be scrapped by Christmas. Meanwhile, a new bill will mean every business will be allowed to dismiss a worker in their first 90 days. ZB political editor Jason Walls says this update isn't particularly surprising. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new visa that would take one week to approve is being introduced to lure skilled workers over to Australia. Applicants from pre-approved fields will be fast-tracked over as part of an initiative to return overseas migration to a sustainable level. Australia's net migration level is believed to have peaked last financial year at 510,000 and forecast to fall to more normal levels, down to 375,000 next year and 250,000 in 2025. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says the Government plans to revise their migration strategy to let less people in overall. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says she has faith leaks of sensitive Government information will dry up. The new Government has faced two in the past five days. The latest shows the Government has suspended Regulatory Impact Analyses for some proposals within the first 100 days. It means legislation will undergo less scrutiny. Nicola Willis says she believes the public service will want to keep its reputation intact. "Those who release information in this way are letting down the vast majority of them who just want to get on and do their work in a politically neutral way." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greenpeace have labelled the Government 'climate extremists' over their plan to repeal the oil and gas exploration ban. The organisation erected a billboard near Parliament in Wellington featuring Chris Luxon, Winston Peters and David Seymour. Executive director Russel Norman says New Zealand is transitioning away from fossil fuels- and the Government should help that transition along. "You can see the electrification of transport starting, and that's where we need to go. Turning the clock back to the 1950s- as if we're going to do that- is ridiculous."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Major worry about pedestrian safety as 'over-powered' e-scooters hit the streets. RNZ reports scooters under 300 watts with a top speed of 35 kilometres an hour qualify as low-powered vehicles, and don’t have to be registered or licensed. Higher-wattage versions that go nearly 100km an hour require registration, but it isn't happening. Living Streets Aotearoa President Tim Jones says better rules are needed. "It's bad enough that a pedestrian is hit by an existing e-scooter. If a pedestrian is hit by one of these things, we're talking death or serious injury." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wairoa District Council is looking for answers to explain the unusual flooding during Cyclone Gabrielle. It's launched an independent investigation to understand whether the flooding was linked to heavy amounts of slash. Mayor Craig Little has suggested there was a theory Genesis opened the Waikaremoana Dam floodgates - which Genesis denies. He says the river was uncharacteristically different from its normal flooding. "Bridges were blocked up like beaver dams, rivers went different ways out in different places. One part of the town was flooding, another part hadn't quite started flooding, which was very unusual." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT's leader says the Government isn't prepared to return all Crown-owned land in Northland to its iwi. Over the weekend, the Waitangi Tribunal provided a report on extensive Te Tiriti breaches against Ngapuhi. It recommends the Crown apologise, return land, offer compensation and enter talks to rework our constitutional framework. David Seymour says there've been claims on land in almost every part of the country. "But I'm not aware of any region in New Zealand where all Crown-owned land has been returned." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bold new transport plan pitched as a cheaper, faster replacement for Let's Get Wellington Moving has attracted the interest of city leaders. It features a mega-tunnel, demolition of heritage buildings, ditching Light Rail and a host of other changes. Greg Pollock, the capital’s former public transport boss, will pitch his plan this week. He says it's clear Wellington needs a better transport system that suits the needs of the people. "I think for a billion dollars, we could do a huge amount improving bus lanes, electrifying the bus fleet and just doing the basics really well to work for the people in Wellington." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's talk about the public service leaks against the new Government. There's been a couple of leaks of Cabinet papers in just the first two weeks of the Government. Obviously, they're designed to hurt the new Government- and they're probably coming from within the public service. Bless- that's got to be your first thought about this. Because obviously, whoever's doing the leaking is going out of their way to snaffle these Cabinet documents and get them leaked to the media cause they think they're on to dynamite here. They're obviously not, these Cabinet papers are a snorefest. The first one from Monday last week shows that the people most negatively impacted by the rollback of the fair pay agreements are women, Māori, Pasifika and young people. Which maybe I would care about if those people were helped by the fair pay agreement. But they haven't, because there are no fair pay agreements actually in place. And the second is that the Government has suspended the regulatory impact statements on all of the polices in the 100-day plan. Which again, I don't really care about because many of the things in the 100-play are repeals. You don't need any paperwork to tell you the pros and cons of going back to the way it was only a few months and years ago, do you? It's not really dynamite, either of these things. I'm going to tell you who comes out of this badly- it's backfiring on the public service. Not the Government, the public service.  Because these are the people who will go to great lengths to tell you that they are politically neutral and they can work for any Government. The boss of the public servants once took me to task in a column, arguing they could be very politically neutral all the time- they're that amazing at working in the service of the country. And yet here we are, leaking against the new Government that hasn't even had a chance yet because they've only been in for a couple of weeks. If you don't want to take my word for it, take the word of Catherine Delore, Head of Communications at Health NZ. She wrote on her LinkedIn page that she was 'deeply disappointed and frustrated' to read about leaks of Cabinet papers- and the suggestion that this is happening within the public service. She also claimed leaking by public servants is a gross betrayal of trust, because they're here to serve the Government of the day and people who cannot do that should 'opt out or be cut out'. She's bang on. Of course, public servants have got a problem with this Government because this Government wants to cut a bunch of them out. And of course, people in the public service are going to have their own opinions, we all do. They're entitled to hold them. And of course, importantly, there is a place for whistle-blowers. But the stuff whistle-blowers leak is momentous. The things that they expose are serious. The impact of rolling back FPAs and not doing RIS? Bless.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reports suggest Eddie Jones is set for a second stint as Japan's rugby coach, six weeks after his resignation as Wallabies mentor. Jones previously led Japan between 2012 and 2015. Any final sign-off must come from the Japanese board, who meet on Wednesday. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a warning that most pay rises next year are not going to keep up with the cost of living. Global consultancy Robert Walters salary survey shows that while most bosses are planning to give pay rises, the vast majority of them will only give between one and 5% despite inflation reaching 7.5%. Robert Walters Commercial Director Stuart Nash told Heather du Plessis Allan that businesses "simply can't afford" to pay their staff more.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wellington City Councillor is bemused to have been under investigation for breaching council code. Five City Councillors have been ordered to take lessons on the code of conduct - over leaks of a closed-door briefing on the future of the closed CBD Reading Cinemas. They're accused of failing to keep things confidential when responding to media. Councillor Ray Chung told Heather du Plessis Allan that he doesn't understand how he's done that. He says all he said was Council shouldn't be going into negotiations when it has no money .. and he never mentioned the name of the cinema or where it was.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Transport has given itself the ambitious target of fixing 550 kilometres of road this summer to try to get to the potholes before they become much worse. Auckland Transport CEO Dean Kimpton told Heather du Plessis Allan that they are 1400 kilometres behind due to "lack of investment and wet weather but we're determined to get the roads to where they need to be".   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has raised concerns over the escalating cost of KiwiRail's Cook Straight ferry project. She revealed yesterday that  the potential cost to the taxpayer is now many times what the Government initially signed up to and said the situation was “deeply troubling”. Willis told Heather du Plessis Allan that she doesn't think "the proper work was done to thoroughly understand the options and the costs".   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two people have been found guilty of murdering Christchurch mother Angela Blackmoore 28 years ago. Former debt collector David Hawken, 50, and ex-stripper Rebecca Wright-Meldrum, 51, were on trial in the High Court at Christchurch after denying murdering Angela Blackmoore on August 17, 1995. In 2019, police issued a $100,000 reward for information regarding the death of Angela Blackmore which led to the confession of Jeremy Powell who was sentenced for at least 10 years in 2020 for Blackmoore's murder. Crime Reporter Sam Sherwood told Heather Du Plessis Allan that the confession was "crucial to the crown case". LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has said he won't re-appoint Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt. Goldsmith told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he wants to see a Human Rights Commissioner "who's really focused on fundamental human rights such as free speech, freedom of expression and equal voting. All these sorts of issues that I haven't heard quite as much as I would have liked to over the past five years." Paul Hunt's warrant for the role currently ends in January 2024   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boris Johnson attempted to apologise for his Covid-19 response- an apology that quickly got hijacked. Protesters swarmed the former Prime Minister and interrupted him as he began his apology for his handling of the deadly pandemic. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Johnson's apology seemed 'rehearsed', as it was more serious than expected. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Ali Jones from Red PR and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Police Minister Mark Mitchell has released a letter of expectations for Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. The pair seem to be unified about these expectations- can Coster meet these standards?  Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today put forward a motion calling for those involved in the conflict to take urgent steps towards a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. What did we think of Luxon's response? Treasury has criticised Labour's 'underfunded' plan for transport. Does this cement the previous Government's legacy of non-delivery? Taylor Swift has been named Time magazine's Person of the Year- did she deserve it? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra has upgraded its milk price forecast and raised their full-year earnings forecast following an 85 percent lift in their first-quarter profit. The forecast farmgate milk price midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25 cents to $7.50 per kgMS, and the forecast range has moved to $7.00-$8.00 per kgMS. The Country's Jamie Mackay says these predictions were boosted by a strong GDT result. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A big gap has opened up between the market and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s views of where interest rates are heading. The two-year swap rate - which can have a bearing on home mortgage rates - is now sitting on 5.21 percent, down from 5.78 percent earlier this year. This goes against last week's hawkish vision regarding higher rates. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains why this is happening. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Council has teamed up with NZ Police in a new initiative to enhance safety in the city centre. The 'Together for Tamaki Makaurau' partnership is designed to establish a more visible safety presence on Auckland streets from Karangahape Road to the waterfront. Auckland Council CityWatch and Compliance teams, police, Māori Wardens and Community Patrols NZ (CPNZ) will run co-ordinated efforts to address anti-social behaviour and crime in the CBD. Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck says these efforts will address the social issues and deterioration that's impacted the area over the last three years. "It's about the crime, the social issues and also some of the anti-social types of behaviour. One of the things we have said is that it doesn't replace the need for more police." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi households will had to find an extra $70 per week to cover their living costs, according to ASB economists. It's a smaller increase than the $115 a week lift in 2023- and and is expected to be below the increase in incomes. ASB senior economist Mark Smith says these estimates are influenced by several key factors. "Living costs really reflect what's happening with inflation, that's probably the key factor there. Also things like debt servicing have gone up significantly." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disappointment the Government hasn't gone further in its call for arms to be laid to rest in war-torn Gaza. Foreign minister Winston Peters put forward a motion calling on all parties involved in the conflict to take urgent steps towards establishing a ceasefire. It was supported by all parties. But Labour's immigration spokesman Phil Twyford says they urged the Government to agree to an immediate and permanent ceasefire. "I mean for God's sake, 16,000 people have died, the incredible human suffering that's going on right now in Gaza- we got weasel words from the Prime Minster." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year truly belongs to Taylor Swift. The 33-year-old's been named Time magazine's person of the year, a week after becoming Spotify's most most-played artist. Swift beat finalists including Barbie, King Charles and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman. KTLA entertainment correspondent Sam Rubin says she's had an 'extraordinary' 2023- full of accomplishments. "The criteria is who has influenced the world for better or worse the most, and in what many described as a very dark year, Taylor Swift has been a source of light for many." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Queenstown is waiting on a final signoff before lifting the town's boil water notice. Businesses and residents have been required to boil tap water for almost three months, after a breakout of cryptosporidium. UV treatment equipment has been installed at the Two Mile water supply. Mayor Glyn Lewers says all they need now is water regulator Taumata Arowai to give the green light. "We've done our bit by putting in the UV disinfection area, we've flushed the system, we've cleaned the tanks- so yeah, we're just waiting." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Commissioner says he's aligned with the new Police Minister on the changes needed for law and order. Minister Mark Mitchell has publicly released a letter, outlining his expectations for Commissioner Andrew Coster. That includes refocusing efforts on strengthening policing in communities, removing gang patches and cracking down on youth crime. Coster says officers essentially need to spend less time doing the business of others. "Which we do substantially in the social arena, particularly family harm where there's no violence, mental health- we need to be able to increase our visibility." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unanimous support for a Government motion calling on all parties involved in the Israel and Palestine conflict to take urgent steps towards a ceasefire. It came after the adoption of an amendment from Labour's Phil Twyford that a two-state solution must be maintained. Foreign Minister Winston Peters defended his motion, and hit out at fellow MPs. ZB political editor Jason Walls recapped the standout moments from this first session. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former controversial radio personality and Wallabies coach Alan Jones has been accused of inappropriate behaviour. Jones is being accused of preying on multiple young men, engaging in indecent assaults and inappropriate behaviour without their consent while working at the radio station. The 82-year-old broadcaster firmly denies the allegations. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says there'll likely be more stories about Jones' actions coming to light. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch's largest food bank is set to close just days before Christmas. Foodbank Canterbury has been forced to introduce a service fee to meet rising costs, meaning it's become ineligible for council funding. It says they'd be putting their ability to pay staff at risk if they operated past December 22. The foodbank supports 160 charities across Christchurch. Potters Kitchen manager Robbie Drew says they're now going to lose most of their food. "The funds have run out and it's right on Christmas, so there's going to be hundreds of families that are going to miss out." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Caps know they've got a battle on their hands heading into day two of the second cricket test against Bangladesh. New Zealand will resume under pressure at 55 for 5 in Dhaka, but only trail by 117 runs after skittling the hosts for 172 on day one. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former UK PM Boris Johnson will have a chance to defend his handling of the pandemic in two days of questioning at the Covid inquiry. He is expected to apologise to the inquiry and admit his Government made mistakes during the pandemic.  UK correspondent Gavin Grey says sources close to Mr Johnson say he will argue he got big calls right that saved lives. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, current affairs commentator Josie Pagani and former National staffer Ben Thomas joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! This year's PISA results left a lot to be desired. National's Erica Stanford has since laid out plans to change these results for the better. Are they something we need to be worried about? Kiingi Tuheitia is inviting iwi to meet at Turangawaewae Marae on January 20 to form a unified voice in holding the Crown to account. National MPs have pushed back- will this achieve anything? Sky Television is putting up the price of its Neon streaming platform next year- and include advertising. Is this a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good news for Kiwi motorists, with a pre-Christmas fall in petrol prices. Brent Crude has fallen from $81 US dollars on Friday to $77 this morning. The average price for unleaded 91 petrol has already fallen about five percent since the start of the month. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen explains this sudden shift. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fourth consecutive carbon auction of 2023 failed to clear, leaving millions of units unsold. This means the Government missed out on anther $900 million worth of revenue. Milford Asset Management's Frances Sweetman says all the units built up from this year will be cancelled- but predicts an improved balance for 2024. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank is downplaying the impact of new mortgage lending rules they might impose on banks. It's given the banks until April 2024 to prepare for debt-to-income ratio restrictions to be imposed- but has indicated new changes will be too restrictive. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says DTI restrictions are unlikely to have too much of an impact on prospective borrowers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Government has set out its expectations for how the Commissioner of Police should do his job. The publicly-released letter calls for frontline officers to be considered the priority when investment decisions are made. It also reminds Coster of his responsibility to deliver on the Government's law and order commitments. That includes plans to ban gang patches, give police greater powers to search gang members and begin cracking down on youth offending. Police Minister Mark Mitchell says he thinks it's the first time a letter like this has been made public.  "There's been a loss of confidence around the Labour Government and their failure to take public safety seriously or put public safety at the heart of what they're doing, I thought it was important to have a reset." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Council of Trade Unions has fired back against Brooke van Velden, claiming she shared false information. This dispute is centred around the Government's proposed repeal of Fair Pay Agreements, a promise they campaigned on during the election. CTU President Richard Wagstaff says van Velden never had a proper consultation on repealing Fair Pay Agreements. "We had no idea she had a Cabinet paper, she'd had official advice, there was a hold of issues- she never raised anything." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand's new battery-powered plane won't carry any passengers. The airline's bought an electric Alia aircraft, which is expected to join the fleet from 2026. The aircraft weighs three tonnes and its battery takes about an hour to charge. Chief sustainability officer Kiri Hannifin says they'll fly Alia on routes of about 150km and it'll be cargo only. "We just want to do smaller routes- this is all a big learning exercise for us, so we're going to keep it small to start with." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows Kiwi households aren't drawn to their food scrap bins. A food waste survey of 3,000 New Zealanders revealed that two thirds of respondents found them unappealing- citing cost and smell as the key reasons. The professional engineer behind the survey, John Mackie, says he's shared this data with the new Government to find a solution.  "Putting the food waste down the insinkerator, like I do, is equally as good a solution- in fact, it was argued that it was more carbon-efficient." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Māori King has called for a national hui between iwi to unify their voices in holding the new Government to account. Kiingi Tuheitia has announced he will host the meeting at Turangawaewae Marae in Waikato's Ngāruawāhia, on January 20. His chief of staff, Ngira Simmonds, says the Māori community has had grievances with every Government and unity is essential. "Some of the plans the Government have released are of significant concern. I think it's fair to say I don't want to pre-determine any outcomes from the hui, but what I'm hearing is the primary concern." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belief our poor PISA results stem from our high child poverty. Scores from 2022 in the international OECD test of student achievement show a big fall in Kiwi maths ability since 2018 - a continuing trend. Average reading and science scores aren't significantly different, but have also declined over time. NZEI President Mark Potter says what goes on at home has a huge impact on children's learning. "We've got a higher than OECD average number of children who don't eat on a regular basis at home, and there's a direct correlation with maths achievement. And that's found around the globe." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly two months on from polling day, Chris Luxon and Chris Hipkins went head-to-head in their first Parliament debate. Hipkins had strong words for the Prime Minister, and labelled the new Government  'pathetic' and a 'disgrace' that lacked a vision for the country. He also accused Luxon of being beholden to Winston Peters and criticised National's decision to roll back Labour's smokefree policy. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Luxon and Hipkins both got some licks in, but Rangitata MP James Meager's speech won the day. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ex-Republican congresswoman and vocal Trump critic Liz Cheney is contemplating a third-party presidential run. She's said she plans to do 'whatever it takes' to thwart Trump from taking office for another term. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Cheney runs the risk of dividing her party's loyalties ahead of the 2024 election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand have lost the toss and will bowl first in the second cricket test against Bangladesh. Coming in the wake of the Black Caps 150-run loss in test number one - the second game is getting set to start in Dhaka. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what can be expected. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sky Television is putting up the price of its Neon streaming platform next year. From January 11, a standard monthly plan will go up $2 - to $20 - and ads will now show during pauses. Sky Sport Now prices will also rise for the second time this year. Gorilla Technology commentator Paul Spain says it's not a sweet deal. "Any time you mount these sorts of changes, there will be some people that will exit, particularly when you've got so many streaming options now- is it worth paying multiple subscriptions?" LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rishi Sunak's popularity amongst his party has sunk to an all time low, according to new data. The Prime Minister's approval rating from his fellow Tories has dropped to -25.4, according to Conservative Home.  UK correspondent Enda Brady says this score is among the lowest on record, and he's faring worse than Liz Truss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Neale Jones from Capital and Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!  The National Māori Action Day Protest happened today- did it achieve anything of note? Will Luxon and National feel the pressure? What comes next? The MBIE has begun an investigation into how a confidential Cabinet paper made it into the public domain- is this a bad look for the Government? A number of councils are staring down the barrel of potential double-digit rate rises as part of their long-term plan discussions. Does the system need an overhaul? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi lamb prices are expected to remain under pressure, as Australia's output floods through overseas markets. Over the past few years, Australian farmers have been able to build up their flocks and take advantage of favourable conditions. Sheep numbers across the Tasman are at the highest they've been since 2007. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains the additional factors impacting the current market.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent real estate survey has revealed fewer agents have observed a notable increase in house prices. Of the 324 respondents, a net 28 percent of agents said prices were rising in their locations in November- down from 34 percent in October. Independent economist Tony Alexander says this indicates a lack of 'frenzy' in the current housing market. "I get the feeling for over summer, a lot of people have had enough- they're just going to turn the brain off for maybe one or two months and come back in February." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eyebrow were raised as the Te Pati Māori MPs stuck to the political swearing-in requirements on the same day organised protests and marches kicked off. MPs are legally required to swear an oath or affirmation of allegiance to King Charles, to sit and vote in the House. Te Pati's MPs first pledged allegiance to their mokopuna and Te Tiriti, then the King. ZB political editor Jason Walls says the MPs avoided putting their pride and egos ahead of the people who elected them into Parliament. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Passenger train services in Wellington are at risk of being scaled back if more funding isn't found for maintenance.   The Greater Wellington Regional Council revealed there was a multi-million dollar shortfall in funding for the capital's rail network. Council chair Daran Ponter says services could be cut in under a year's time if this shortfall isn't addressed. "We're talking about the wholesale closure of particular lines until the work is done. That means some services could be decreased by as much as 50 or 75 percent." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing evidence Kiwi supermarkets may not be drawing in as much profit as expected. Woolworths New Zealand’s profits have dropped 52 percent in the last full year- down to $76 million from over $158 million. First Retail managing director Chris Wilkinson says this is proof customers aren't being fleeced at the checkout. "There is a limit to what consumers will pay. Retailers have to try and get that balance right, and this is a really good example of what's happening across the sector." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi company Goodair has developed a drug-free solution to fighting nasal congestion. Nosebuds promise to enhance diaphragmatic nasal breathing in order to reduce the impact of pressure and drainage while providing pain relief. Inventor and designer Dr David White says the buds emit a humming sound that applies mechanical stress to the affected area. "A third of the population suffers from nasal congestion, either through allergy or infection. That's commonly treated through pharmaceuticals- which all have negative side effects." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Workplace Relations Minister says she's disappointed unions are mis-characterising plans on Fair Pay Agreements. Elements of the Government's moves to repeal the policy were leaked to media last night. CTU President Richard Wagstaff subsequently told press he was upset unions had not been consulted about the plans. But Brooke Van Velden says his comments are not true. "Look, I was sworn into Government on Monday, and on Wednesday I sat down with both Business NZ and the Council of Trade Unions." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protesters in Whanganui are celebrating shutting down the courthouse during a national day of Māori action. Te Pati Māori led a march on Parliament this morning and car convoys disrupted traffic across the North Island. It's calling the Government's approach to Te Tiriti - and other initiatives affecting Māori - an assault. Whanganui iwi leader Ken Mair says they'll act again on December 20, and ask all Crown agencies in the region close for the day. He says closing the court today was a challenge to a corrupt system. "And we'll continue to do this, as uncomfortable as it may be, towards those that want to continue to uphold that system." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Māori Development Minister says today's protests were lawful - but he believes his Government will deliver for Māori. As many as 800 people marched on Parliament this morning to protest policies they consider racist, and other marches and action were held around the country. Tama Potaka says the Government isn't planning to change its policy agenda. He says they're following commitments made in their 100-day plan. "What we're really focused on is delivering outcomes and working with communities- Iwi communities, Māori communities and others- to make the changes to the inequalities we see on a daily basis." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has opted to keep the OCR on hold for the time being. The cash rate is set to stay at 4.35 percent, with economists citing moderating inflation as the main factor behind the decision. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says inflation is reducing at a positive pace- but time will tell what the market looks like in January. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing claims local Government needs reform. A number of councils are proposing double-digit rate rises for the next financial year, or face cuts to essential services. They're grappling with high interest rates, inflation and looming infrastructure costs. Future of Local Government Review Chair Jim Palmer says a new operating model is badly needed. "That includes some form of re-organisation, but there needs to be investment in the leadership competency of local Government, both at a political and executive level." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So we had the National Māori Action Day protest today. The protests took place across the North Island this morning and they were big, impressively so. There were an estimated 300 cars at the Auckland protest, there were about 50 on the Southern Motorway- which created a 3km backlog- and there were over 100 people at each of the Hamilton, Whakatane, Rotorua, Tokoroa, Taupo and Palmerston North gatherings. That is impressive, those numbers. Because from what I can see, those people were activated by the Māori Party in about 24 hours. If I'm not mistaken, they put up their social media posts yesterday, it got into the news yesterday- and all of those hundreds of people turned up to protest today at 7am. Regardless of whether you agree with the Māori Party and what they advocate for or not, it is pretty impressive that they managed to get that many people together in such a short space of time. That tells you two things, I reckon. One is that there's a lot of emotion out there about what the Government is planning to do in the race relations area. Those protests, when you think about it, were actually about nothing- but also about everything. There wasn't just one thing that those people got out to protest about. Nothing has actually happened. If you listen to the number of things people were protesting over, it was a smorgasbord of reasons why they were out there. The promise of the Government doing anything in the race relations area got those people emotional enough to go out. Secondly, if the Māori Party can activate that many people when nothing has happened in only 24 hours, imagine what they can do when something actually does happen. For example, when ACT's Treaty principles bill goes to Parliament. That bill has the potential to trigger a referendum- if it actually gets passed through Parliament. There's no evidence that suggests this will happen, but imagine how big the protests could be based on what we saw today. I know that not everybody takes the Māori Party seriously, because they're all about the spectacle. A lot of the stunts that they pull are clearly meaningless and make themselves look foolish to a lot of people. But do not underestimate them. Because they are dominating the conversation on the first day of Parliament. We aren't talking about the new Government sitting in Parliament for the first time, we're talking about the Māori Party today. And I suspect this will be the first of many days where they will dominate over the next three years. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White Ferns have lost their first ever twenty20 series to Pakistan at home, after conceding game two by ten runs in Dunedin. Chasing 138 for victory, New Zealand were 29 for four in the sixth over with Suzie Bates the only top four batter to make double digits. Georgia Plimmer and Hannah Rowe rallied late with 28 and 33 runs respectively but both were dismissed at the death. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what this means for the state of womne's cricket. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More information has come to light about the slip that brought Omid Scobie's book into the public eye. It was revealed that his agent sent a draft manuscript of Endgame to be translated into Dutch- a version that named the royals who expressed concern about Archie's skin colour. Omid Scobie himself has remained adamant that he never put the names of the royals involved into print. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says it's looking likely that the royals will take legal action. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Te Pati Māori has called for people to come together to protest the Government’s “assault on tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi”. Is this setting up another bad week for the new Government? How big will the turnout be? Auckland's City Rail Link is set to cost ratepayers $220 million per year, once it opens up. It's also looking likely the CRL will miss the November 2025 deadline- is this better or worse for Aucklanders? What did we think of this year's Cop28? Is it a bad look to have people coming together in the United Arab Emirates to reduce emissions and fuel use? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has expressed concern with the scale of financial challenges left behind by the former Government, which she is still uncovering. She's accused her predecessors of leaving the books in a much worse state than they appeared in the pre-election unveil. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says a lot of Government projects were funded on a short-term basis- and Willis shouldn't have been too surprised. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police and Waka Kotahi are working together to prepare for possible disruptions from protests planned by Te Pāti Māori. The party has proposed a nationwide day of action tomorrow against the Government's Māori policy and are rallying people to protest across the North Island. ZB political editor Jason Walls says it would be difficult for Te Pāti Māori to bring people together on a national scale, so it'll be interesting to see how the day goes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts claim New Zealand's ongoing failure to deal with bad debt is costing the country over $2 billion per year. Debt management firm DebtManagers says a human-centred and customer-led approach to debt will reduce the issue- as the current one-size-fits all approach isn't helpful. Executive director Charles Whiting says adding interest and collection fees is counter-intuitive to getting debt repaid faster.  "We talk about people going into arrears- often debt is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to issues they're experiencing."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing accusations the previous Government was disingenuous on finances. The Government books were opened in September in the pre-election reveal - but Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she is now surprised how many projects' funding is about to expire. Willis says the true scale and urgency of the situation wasn't made clear to her before she started. "The effect of the Government not having funded these projects is that it made their books look better than they might otherwise have looked." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'll tell you what's going to be really telling tomorrow with those Te Pāti Māori protests- it's how big they are. It's basically going to be an indication of how much pushback and resistance the new Government's going to get on its plan to roll back the Treaty out of law like they plan to do. I reckon for tomorrow, every single party in Parliament is going to be interested in that crowd size. Te Pāti Māori will obviously want it to be big, because it shows that they're onto something- that they have support for their resistance.   ACT, on completely the opposite side, is also going to want it to be big, because the bigger those protests are tomorrow, the more it's going to annoy motorists and people trying to get on with their jobs.  This will drive more support to ACT, for what they're planning to do. Plus, it's also going to draw more attention to the things ACT are arguing for- which they won't be unhappy about. National, out of all of the parties in Parliament, is going to be packing itself if those protests are big. Because that is the very thing National has been trying to avoid when they said no to ACT's Treaty principles referendum.  National does not want to have a race relations debate while they're in Government, it would reflect really badly for them. Remember the 2005 election, which they lost, with Don Brash's infamous billboards. They are still haunted by that stuff, they are still haunted by the fact that they are labelled racists over that- they hate it. But it seems to me that regardless of what they do, simply because ACT is around- they're going to get it anyway because of all the other stuff. To be fair, along with ACT and New Zealand First, they're repealing co-governance, they're taking the Māori wards on the councils back to referenda, they're removing the Treaty principles legislation, they're removing the Iwi clause from Oranga Tamariki, they're switching Government names- and that's just a taste. And that seems to be enough to give Te Pāti Māori reason to start campaigning already and going hard already. If tomorrow's crowds are small, maybe this won't be a thing, and it'll be an indication people don't care as much as Te Pāti Māori thinks they do. But if those crowds are big- strap yourself in. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand has won the first Fossil of the Day award at COP-28 in Dubai. It's been awarded for the National-led Government’s campaign promise it'll revoke the last Government’s ban on offshore oil exploration. Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says Labour got the same award last year. He says it's just a distraction from the summit's real business. "We're focused on the things that really matter, and that's engaging with our national partners when we get over there on the ground. It's something that happens, but it's in the background." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Huge support for a Te Whatu Ora employee accused of taking bulk Covid vaccination data. Barry Young appeared in Wellington District Court today, after data was posted on a conspiracy website. The 56-year-old appeared this morning, then returned to the dock this afternoon, and was granted bail so long as he's released by 1pm tomorrow. Herald Open Justice reporter Ethan Griffiths says Young was cheered inside and outside the the court. "The public gallery was absolutely packed to the brim with supporters who gave Young a standing ovation when he emerged from the cells. Outside court, there were a handful of supporters with signs as well." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protesters vowing to cause gridlock on highways tomorrow say they aren't fearful it'll alienate people. Te Pāti Māori are asking supporters to take to the streets in a nationwide day of action. It says the Government's policy programmes are an assault on tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Te Runanga o Ngai Te Rangi Iwi Trust's Paora Stanley says regardless what Maori do, people will be annoyed at them. "There's a lot of hate going around as it is. People were going against Three Waters not because of what it stood for, but because it was pro-Māori in their view." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The allure of the All Blacks jersey remains strong. That's the view out of New Zealand Rugby after Beauden Barrett's call to re-sign through to the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup. He'll be available for test matches next year and the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific from 2025 after his sabbatical in Japan. NZR's General Manger of Professional Rugby, Chris Lendrum is 'stoked' to have Barrett re-joining them for the foreseeable future. "He's played 123 tests for New Zealand, he's been World Player of the Year on a couple of occasions, he's one of our greatest All Blacks."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's biggest supermarkets are set to be scrutinised in a Senate inquiry investigating their prices. Coles and Woolworths have been accused of profiteering during an inflationary period marked by increased food costs. Australia correspondent Oliver Peterson says the supermarket duopoly dominate the market- and people are feeling ripped off. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Rugby have welcomed the coveted signature of Beauden Barrett for another four years. The hybrid playmaker's resisted the temptation of further lucrative overseas deals and will remain available to the All Blacks and the Blues until the end of the 2027 World Cup. He'll be available for test matches next year after a season with the Toyota Verblitz in Japan. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with a bill of roughly $220 million each year to run the City Rail Link - once it opens. Chief executive Sean Sweeney says the project is 80 percent complete, but there's no guarantee the November 2025 deadline will be met. Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges says there's no excuse for these extended cost blowouts and delays. "It's created a huge amount of problems. Just by the cost blowouts, the fact that this has taken too long and there doesn't seem to be a particularly good end in sight." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Taxpayers Union has offered themselves up to re-brand Government departments on the cheap. The organisation wants to redesign logos at no cost, for departments required to be renamed under the new Government. Campaigns Manager Connor Molloy told Heather du Plessis-Allan that they don't want tax payers money spent unnecessarily, when agencies use the change as an excuse to do a full brand refresh - even though they have no competition. Molloy says the union will also create better brand guidelines and consistency across the public service.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark doesn't understand why the coalition government is yet to accept amendments to the World Health Organisation's regulations. The W-H-O is reassessing its guidelines for how countries should act in public health events, such as during a pandemic. Chris Luxon says he wants to make sure the amendments align with New Zealand's interests. Clark told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that she believes New Zealand First may be influencing the Prime Minister.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's new Minister for Auckland, Simeon Brown, and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown met today for the first time since National took office. The pair talked congestion charges, abandoning Auckland's light rail and ditching the regional fuel tax. Simeon Brown told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the meeting "went well", despite having previously clashed on issues like the Regional Fuel Tax.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Labour MP and minister Steve Maharey has resigned from the boards of Pharmac and ACC. He got in trouble earlier this year after penning opinion columns flouting the political neutrality expected of public service board members. There were also calls for his resignation after inappropriate emails were sent within Pharmac about journalist Rachel Smalley. Patient Voice Aotearoa's Malcolm Mulholland told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's pleased to see Maharey go. Mulholland says he's hoping Chief Executive Sarah Fitt is the next to exit.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington Phoenix midfielder Chloe Knott Has spoken out following her sudden departure from the club this evening saying on X that her “values no longer align with the club or current management”. The club released an official statement earlier today claiming that the decision to step back from Football was due to the challenges of balancing a fulltime job and part-time A-League commitments. Newstalk ZB's Sports Contributor Jason Pine told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that her comments where a "Parting Shot" at the club   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Royal expert says it would be highly unlikely for the Royal Family to sue Piers Morgan. The TV host named two senior royals accused of voicing concerns over the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son Archie's skin colour, reportedly causing the royal family to consider legal action. Royal Correspondent Victoria Arbiter told Heather du Plessis Allan that historically the institution prefers not to give claims like this more publicity. But she says the claims are very damaging, and have the potential to cause long-term issues.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talk show host Piers Morgan has named the royals who allegedly raised 'concerns' over Prince Archie’s skin colour. Shortly after Omid Scobie’s new book Endgame was pulled from shelves in the Netherlands after accidentally revealing these senior members, Morgan took things into his own hands. UK correspondent Enda Brady won't name these individuals, but says it's easy to discover these identities online. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute and Nick Mills from ZB's Wellington Mornings joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! More Wellington Councillors are calling on Tory Whanau to resign after she admitted to having an alcohol problem. Is there any way back for her now? Consumer NZ has launched legal action against Z Energy amid accusations of greenwashing. Is this a valid action? Will this be good for consumers? More New Zealand schools have banned Crocs because they're starting fights among students- is this a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Munger, investment guru and sidekick in Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway project, passed this week. Munger served as Buffett’s sounding board on investments and business decisions and led Berkshire as vice-chairman for decades. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds says Munger was an instrumental part of Berkshire's success alongside Buffett. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surprising news out of the opposition, as Hipkins reveals his shadow Cabinet picks.  Many of the roles are a continuation of the portfolios MPs served while ministers in government- but some have been changed. The Country's Rowena Duncum was surprised to see Jo Luxton take over the Agriculture role, and wonders what that means for Labour's future. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's renewed optimism from New Zealand's business leaders about the state of the economy. In the latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, confidence increased by 8 points to +31 in the results for November. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains this boost in optimism. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins says there could be Labour MPs within his caucus uncertain about their political future. The Labour leader has outlined his shadow cabinet, revealing which MPs have what portfolios. He says none of his MPs have confirmed they plan to leave politics - but wouldn't rule out if he's had conversations colleagues about bowing out. ZB political editor Jason Walls says he wouldn't be surprised to see Damien O'Connor bow out of Hipkins' cabinet.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Genesis Energy is making moves to meet its promise of producing 95 percent renewable energy by 2030. The company plans to use profits from Kupe gas field to support a $1.1 billion programme to build solar and wind generation and grid-scale battery storage. Chief executive Malcolm Johns says it's likely Genesis will meet their target within the coming years. "We're not starting from a cold start, we have a number of things under way, particularly in the area of solar and wind development. Battery will take us about 18 months to put in place, we're pretty confident." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 24 seasons, the Wellington Lions are set to ditch Sky Stadium and downsize their venue for NPC rugby matches. It was revealed today that discussions have taken place- and the Lions will hold future matches at the Jerry Collins Stadium amid low attendance and challenging finances. Rugby commentator Ken Laban disagrees with this decision- and doesn't think it's the right way forward. "I don't think the answer is to give up on the community and give up on the people supporting Wellington by going to a much smaller stadium- and in comparison, a very underwhelming venue."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Labour Party leader says National's throwing away years of work for ideological reasons. Chris Hipkins has unveiled his shadow cabinet, and vows they're ready to hold the Government to account. Prime Minister Chris Luxon's revealed his 100-day plan, which includes reinstating the Resource Management Act- which Labour repealed. Hipkins says it won't take the country forward. "They were banging on for years about how flawed the RMA was and how it needed to be overhauled. And now they're wanting to go back to the RMA, so it's not like they're going to drive something forward- they just seem to want to throw everything into reverse." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown's public transport plan is being praised. The Public Transport Users Association says his idea to cap total transport costs at $50 a week will mean big savings for people who live further away from the CBD. National Coordinator Jon Reeves says allowing people to use pay-wave instead of HOP cards is great too. "That makes it a lot easier, because I know a lot of people around the city who say- I can't use public transport, don't know where to get a HOP card from, all that jazz." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former mayor is coming to the defence of Wellington's under-fire leader Tory Whanau. Mayor Whanau has admitted she has a problem with alcohol- and is getting help. Councillor Nicola Young is calling on her to resign, citing concerns about the City Council's reputation. It comes after another incident in which Whanau is alleged to have been publicly intoxicated. Former mayor Justin Lester says Whanau has done a great job. "She's been a great ambassador, she's been out leading the charge and getting Wellington's name out there." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brittany Higgins today admitted to getting some key details wrong while being cross-examined in court. Lehrmann has brought a defamation case against media figures over an interview with Higgins in which she alleged she was raped in Parliament House. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Higgins admitted to not having the best memory- but her evidence is as true as she could get it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington Rugby is planning a shift away from Sky Stadium for home matches after a 24 season association. Discussions between the union and the Porirua council are advanced to hold all Lions and Pride games at Jerry Collins Stadium from next year. The move comes as provincial unions battle low crowds and challenging finances to connect the provincial game with stakeholders and fans. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what this means for the next season. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumer NZ is accusing Z Energy of profiting from misleading sustainability messaging.  The organisation teamed up with the Environmental Law Initiative and Lawyers for Climate Action New Zealand Inc to seek a High Court declaration for Z's breaches of the Fair Trading Act. Chief executive Jon Duffy says the evidence contradicts Z Energy's climate-focused public messaging.  "We don't think that stacks up, and consumers shouldn't be misled into thinking that their purchase of an inherently damaging product is somehow better at this company over other companies." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, courts could be handing out rehabilitative community sentences over short-term jail sentences. The Sentencing Council for England and Wales says judges and magistrates should focus on reforming offenders, amid an overcrowding crisis in prisons. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says courts are also being encouraged to rethink jailing women because of the long-term impact on children. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Ali Jones from Red PR and Kiwiblog contributor and pollster David Farrar joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has admitted to having an alcohol problem, after another incident of public drunkenness got recorded. Is this acceptable behaviour for an elected official? How sympathetic should we be? Prime Minister Chris Luxon revealed his 100-day plan today. The plan is comprised of 49 actions, including repealing Three Waters, Auckland's Fuel Tax and the ute tax- and establishing major targets for the health system. Will these plans help New Zealanders in the long run? Winston Peters has been accusing reporters of taking bribes, and Luxon came to Winston's defence. What do we think of Luxon's management- is he being too soft on Winston? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The incoming Government has agreed to disestablish the Productivity Commission, as ACT requested. Staff are disappointed, yet unsurprised, as many were concerned the agency had become too politicised. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says there were already tensions between chair Ganesh Nana and former staffers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has come to the defence of his deputy's scathing attacks on the media. Winston Peters has been accusing reporters this week of taking bribes, in reference to the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. Applicants to the fund were asked, when appropriate, to produce funded content to support NZ identity, culture and public interest requirements, including support for the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. But, overriding this in NZME's funding agreements - a clause specifically requested by the company - is an acknowledgement of the absolute editorial independence. Chris Luxon says he wouldn't describe the fund as a bribe - but he doesn't support it either - similar to many New Zealanders. ZB political editor Jason Walls says it's clear Luxon isn't interested in intervening- and he's going to let Winston be Winston. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retirement village operator Ryman Healthcare has posted a lower-than-expected half-year profit. The company had earned $186 million after tax for the six months to September, a 4 percent decrease from 2022. Chief executive Richard Umbers says this loss is driven by a more subdued housing market.  "The housing market is under pressure. That impacts our ability to sell, which inevitably has a flow-through effect on the business."  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank left the OCR at 5.5 percent during today's review, in line with predictions. The Bank also issued a hawkish statement about future hikes, claiming further hikes would be needed if inflationary pressures got to be stronger than anticipated. Infometrics chief economist Gareth Kiernan says there's a good chance the OCR will need to go up between now and 2025. "Economic activity is running a percentage point higher than the Reserve Bank had been anticipating when it did its' last statement back in August- that didn't sound like a lot, but we knew the economy was highly stretched." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has admitted to having an alcohol problem. This statement follows another incident of drunken behaviour- which was recorded at a popular Cuba St establishment two weeks ago. Wellington City Councillor Diane Calvert hopes she's getting the necessary support, but acknowledges the risk this poses. "We need to make sure we've got people with the right skills and the right capabilities to make decisions in the best interests of the city going forward." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A cable car company is pitching gondolas as public transport solutions for a number of cities. A case has been presented to multiple councils by Austrian company Doppelmayr Urban Transport Solutions. Aerial cable cars are being touted as options for Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown. Doppelmayr CEO Garreth Hayman says it would be good for getting people to and from airports. "There is a cabin coming very frequently every few seconds, and there is completely level boarding there. It would be quite easy to use- like going on an escalator with your luggage." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite some setbacks, Luxon has unveiled his Government's 100-day plan. The plan features 49 action points, including repealing the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax, the Clean Car Discount scheme, and Fair Pay Agreement legislation- and setting new targets for the health system. Political commentator Grant Duncan says the Government's next phase will need to do more to fix the issues they planned to address. "They need to get serious about their actual plans, particularly with rebuilding the economy. Just repealing stuff isn't rebuilding the economy." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank says there may be a need for more interest rates hikes. It has held the Official Cash Rate at 5.5 percent, and their forecast track suggests no rate cuts are on the horizon until mid-2025. Independent economist Tony Alexander says he doesn't think the Reserve Bank will actually do that- or really believes it will have to. "I think today's statement was all about a signal to the market. To say- don't get too optimistic out there, inflation's falling, but maybe you're getting a bit optimistic about the pace which things are going to ease off." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter was honoured today at a memorial service. Her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, led other political figures in tribute- including Joe and Jill Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, and Laura Bush. Melania Trump also attended, and caused a bit of a stir. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson said American media zeroed in on her unique choice of outfit, as she was the only former First Lady to wear grey. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Blacks captain Sam Cane believes New Zealand Rugby needs to have a conversation about allowing international players to play their club rugby abroad. The flanker's fronted media with new Japan League One club Suntory Sungoliath - where he was alongside South Africa's Cheslin Koble. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains the wider implications of this idea. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Cane is the latest to suggest opening up the All Blacks’ eligibility to New Zealanders playing for overseas clubs. The current All Blacks captain has asked NZ Rugby to consider allowing players overseas to be eligible for national selection. Former Springbok and rugby commentator Kevin Putt approves of this idea, claiming it's been successful for South Africa. "What we've got to look at is- why are we 7th in the world in the under-20s? We've got France and Ireland one and two, we've got years of pain ahead of us at the moment." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greece's Prime Minister has criticised Rishi Sunak's last-minute cancellation of an anticipated meeting. Kyriakos Mitsotakis had hoped to raise the issue of returning the Elgin Marbles amid heated disagreements. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the Greek Government have been trying for years to get the collection back after the British stole them. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!  Winston Peters is under fire for attacking the media and making inaccurate statements about public funding on the new Government's first-ever Cabinet meeting session. Does Winston have a point? How does this reflect on the Government? An NZ On Air board member has resigned after making a social media post calling out new Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters’ attack on media independence. Is this the right call? LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As part of the coalition agreement, the Government revealed some new changes for the Reserve Bank. Its dual mandate will be ditched- and focus will return to keeping inflation between one and three percent. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says reduced priorities means the Reserve Bank will only have one clear goal to meet. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's newly appointed Agriculture Minister has promised to review several on-farm regulations before the end of the year. Todd McClay plans to implement new changes to freshwater rules by Christmas- to the approval of the region's farming community. Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford welcomes the arrival of McClay and says he and his associate ministers Nicola Grigg, Andrew Hoggard and Mark Patterson will make a great team. The Country host Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A date has been set for disgraced businessman Eric Watson's bankruptcy case to be called. The liquidators of Watson’s company, Cullen Investments, have chased him for roughly $57.4 million, plus interest. Auckland's High Court confirmed that the bankruptcy proceeding will be called on February 1, 2024. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie says Watson's been staving off problems for over a decade. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters has doubled down on conspiratorial comments about the media, and gone further. Yesterday, he called a $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund a Government 'bribe'. Today, ahead of the Government's first Cabinet meeting, Peters asked media to tell the public what criteria had to be signed up to- to get the money. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Luxon will likely be annoyed with Winston's remarks. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's plan to slash the public sector is having an adverse impact on Wellington's property market. According to ANZ's latest property report, Wellington's housing market is lagging behind the rest of the country as people brace for job losses. ANZ economist Andre Castaing says housing markets all over the nation are expected to go sideways within the next year. "The housing market in Wellington- we would characterise that as having the potential to be a touch slower. However across the country, there's a range of things impacting house prices." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pharmac is about to run out of a crucial pain relief drug. The drug-buying agency was warned two years ago the Pfizer factory producing one-milligram liquid morphine is closing. But it hasn't found a replacement before New Zealand's supplies run out next month. Analgesic Advisory Committee member Catherine D'Souza says Pfizer promised to help find alternatives, but didn't. "Which is really disappointing. So then Pharmac looks at opening a competitive process asking for companies to apply to provide New Zealand with this product, but there were no bids at all." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warehouse employees have expressed outrage over a new promotion led by the retail giant. The 'ring the bell' giveaway scheme involved staff offering lucky customers $100 off their purchase on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. First Union acting secretary Bill Bradford says workers are frustrated that the company could find money for this promo- but not pay rises. "They see the owner of the store throwing money around like confetti, as far as they can see it. There's no money for them, and they're the ones who do the work and make the profits." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A panel of judges are reconsidering the David Tamihere double murder conviction 33 years on. His case is being heard in the Court of Appeal. Tamihere was convicted of killing two Swedish tourists in 1989, and released on parole in 2010. Open Justice reporter Ethan Griffiths says it's being claimed the convictions were predominantly based on circumstantial evidence. "Tamihere's lawyer essentially told the court developments since the trial raised doubt over the convictions."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT Leader David Seymour says the Public Interest Journalism Fund was silly policy. Deputy Prime Minister Winton Peters yesterday accused media of being bribed by the previous Government's $55 million fund. Today he asked reporters to tell the public what they had to sign up to, to get the money. Seymour says he doesn't believe the media was distorted by the money. "The idea that all the journalists in New Zealand were corrupted by 2 percent of revenue- for me, it doesn't pass the sniff test, but it certainly has created a widespread perception."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of prominent Australians have come together to condemn anti-Semitism in an open letter. State premiers, industry leaders, athletes and media personalities have signed the double-page letter, which appeared in newspapers across the country. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says anti-Semitic incidents have been on the rise in Australia since the October attack by Hamas. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Caps are bowling first in the opening cricket test against hosts Bangladesh in Sylhet. Moments ago, Bangladesh were 20 without loss, with New Zealand having a couple of early LBW shouts turned down and burning a review on one of them. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Tauranga gallery's property manager has asked it to remove posters of Palestinian art from its window. A member of the public complained about the exhibition at Kūwao Space. Co-owner Tawahinga Butt says they moved the posters - but now want to change sites. He says he shouldn't have had to move the signs. "It's a bit of an over-reach, it's not included in our tenancy agreement at all that we can't express our political opinion." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Royal biographer Omid Scobie is set to reveal the secret scandals within the British royal family. 'Endgame' is due on shelves come November 28th, and some newly-released excerpts have got the public talking. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the book is meant to examine the fraught relationships within the royal family. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The new Government has copped some backlash over their new changes to smoking laws in order to fund their anticipated tax cuts? Is this criticism justified? Now that the coalition agreements have wrapped up- did National get a good deal? Are Winston and NZ First dragging proceedings down? Is AT's Dean Kimpton right about Auckland's cycleways? Are cyclists not making the most of them?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of America's most successful business figures are set to arrive in Auckland for the upcoming US Business Summit. Experts from major companies like PepsiCo and Amazon will gather in this half of the world to discuss New Zealand's evolving direction. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan explains the topics that will be covered within these discussions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Prime Minister says he intends to hit the ground running. Chris Luxon was officially sworn in at Government House this morning, alongside his ministerial colleagues. He says Cabinet will meet tomorrow and Wednesday in order to prepare the first 100 day action plan. ZB political editor Jason Walls says the next week will be focused on laying out their long-term and short-term political goals. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retirement village operators claim that a proposed change in regulations governing the sector will put smaller facilities out of business. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development aims to make it mandatory for retirement villages to buy back units from the residents within a year after they vacate them. Retirement Village Residents Association president Brian Peat says a clearly defined timeframe will be beneficial to residents- or their estates. "We want to see a defined period, whether it's 28 days or 3 months or 6 months- we want a defined period so that residents or their estates know that they will get their money back." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Nicola Willis is ready to get stuck in after receiving her ministerial warrant. The newly sworn in Finance Minister plans to spend her first few days working on fiscal and economic updates in order to address the current economic climate. She says the outgoing Labour Government left her with several fiscal cliffs and risks to mitigate. "There's programs that they had ongoing that they just hadn't put money into for the future that realistically, we're going to have to find the money to fund." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A push from Auckland Transport to get more people on bikes, as the Council discusses cutting cycle lane spending. Wayne Brown's proposed cutting some funding, including only delivering cycleways when AT can make them 'cheaper'. AT Chief Executive Dean Kimpton says he understands why some people aren't yet using two wheels. He says they need to find ways to make it more attractive. "To be fair, for a lot of families with young children- it doesn't feel safe. So we've got a deep commitment to get that right."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A member of the Defence Strategic Review  is offering his resignation to the new minister, and thinks all political appointees should do the same. Judith Collins became Defence Minister this morning, and Sir Don McKinnon has already written to her. He says he was appointed by a Labour Minister, and every minister should be entitled to appoint someone different if they choose. "One, it's the right thig to do, secondly, it's a courtesy to do it. And thirdly, if you think you're brilliant in the job- convince the Minister who's now in charge of you and the person you report to." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Egypt, Qatar and the US are calling for Gaza's ceasefire to be extended. The four-day pause in fighting is due to end tomorrow night, our time. Hamas has so far released three groups of hostages and a number of Palestinians have been freed from Israeli prisons. Israeli Defence Force spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus says Hamas is signalling it's willing to hand over 10 more civilians. "Of course, we have to take everything that Hamas says with a very big grain of salt, but that is the indication." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health experts are raising the alarm over the potential cost of repealing smoke-free laws. The new Government is dumping legislation that aims to have five percent of people smoking - or less - by 2025. That includes laws to lower nicotine in cigarettes, reduce retailers and ban the next generation taking up smoking. Health Coalition co-chair Lisa Te Morenga says modelling shows it'll be a huge mistake. "These measures were predicted to save us $1.3 billion between now and 2040- for the healthcare system." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Terminally ill people located in New South Wales will be able to be legally permitted to end their own lives from tomorrow. This new legislation makes NSW the last Australian state to introduce voluntary assisted dying (VAD) to eligible patients.  Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says there is a pre-existing list of conditions that determines one's eligibility for VAD. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Rugby's provincial unions are preparing to give the governing body's executive leadership a corporate rucking at a meeting on December 8. They've signed a document acknowledging the results of an independent review which found the sport's governance structure unfit for purpose. Sportstalk host Jason Pine reveals what NZ Rugby plans to address in this review. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Secondary school teachers warn that the ongoing teacher shortage is set to worsen as recruitment declines. A recent survey revealed 16 percent of principals had to cancel classes due to dwindling staff, and the sector is relying on foreign-trained teachers and teachers over the age of 65. Reports also show the number of secondary teaching students has halved since 2010. Secondary Principals' Association President Vaughan Couillault says recruitment has gotten harder for specialised educational fields, such as maths and physics. "The unfortunate thing is, the nature of our local supply is such that we're basically stealing off each other. Some teachers move over here, this one's moving over there, they're travelling, they're moving out of Auckland." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters has got his wish when it comes to a broader Covid inquiry. National's coalition deal with the party has agreed to look into the use of lockdowns, vaccine efficacy and whether decisions were justified. Peters told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he wants to have it finished by the end of next year.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police are confirming threatening emails sent to numerous organisations were bomb threats. Police say the emails went to more than 70 schools, hospitals and worship sites, but they appear to be the same emails, from the same source, and don't pose any actual threat. They were sent from overseas but the Cybercrime unit is yet to determine an exact location. Assistant Police Commissioner Naila Hassan told Heather du Plessis-Allan the threats were not targeted at individuals within organisations.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon is adamant his tax cuts will be delivered as promised, when promised. A coalition deal's now been signed and Luxon becomes the Prime Minister on Monday. National's promised plan for tax cuts now has a hole of 740-million-dollars a year, after New Zealand First vetoed a foreign buyers' tax. Luxon told Heather du Plessis Allan that 100-million dollars will be raised by changing fees free to the final year of university. He says a series of other things will add up, like repealing the app tax and not progressing the 2026 changes to Working for Families. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Promised tax cuts proposed by National are to go ahead following the coalition deal signed earlier today.  Newstalk ZB’s Political Editor Jason Walls spoke to Heather du-Plessis Allan as questions arise on how it will be funded following the scrapping of the foreign home buyers tax.  He said "It seems at this stage we don’t have an answer” on how the government will find the money to fund the initiative but plans are in place to release more details soon.    LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Veteran anti-Islam populist leader Geert Wilders has won a dramatic victory in the Dutch general election. Wilders has proven to be a controversial presence, having called for mosques and the Koran to be banned and speaking out against migration  UK correspondent Enda Brady says Wilders had previously been considered a joke candidate- but he manged to bring down his polarising views ahead of the election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Neale Jones from Government relations firm Capital and Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! After 40 days, we're finally on the verge of reaching a coalition deal. ACT, National and NZ First have agreed on policies, ministerial positions, processes and the new Deputy PM. Will it all be worth the wait? Our chief censor's given an unrestricted rating to a controversial sex education book for teens that was pulled in Australia. Parents have expressed their alarm with this decision- does this seem to0 extreme? Wellington Council has put up a Christmas tree of road cones. Some people are terribly upset about this- isn't it just funny? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OpenAI recently reached an agreement for Sam Altman to return as CEO days after his ousting. It caps frenzied discussions about the future of the start-up at the centre of the artificial intelligence boom. As well as Altman's return, the ChatGPT maker has agreed in principle to partly reconstitute the board of directors that had dismissed him. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains what this means for the wider world of AI. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good news for Kiwi bakers out there- egg prices are on their way down. Eggs have been in short supply - and expensive - since the start of the year when a ban on battery-caged hens came into effect, sparking shortages across the country. The Country's Rowena Duncum says thing brings a positive conclusion to a turbulent year. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Westpac is cutting some of its longer-term fixed special home loan rates- making it the first major bank to do so. The bank's two- and three-year fixed home loan rates will drop 10 basis points to 6.99 percent and 6.75 percent, and the four-year and five-year rates will drop to 6.69 percent and 6.49 percent. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains what this means for the wider market. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wildfires ravaging through Perth are expected to continue for several days, as firefighters work to contain the blaze.  At least 10 homes have been lost, while over 500 people are without electricity and 100 transmission lines have been impacted by the extreme conditions. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says over 125 firefighters are out on the ground, with several injuries reported. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A stop clock will be introduced on a trial basis in men’s white-ball games from December to April to regulate the amount of time taken between overs. If the bowling team is not ready within 60 seconds of the previous over being completed, a five-run penalty will be imposed the third time this occurs in an innings. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains the practical applications of this rule change. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders can soon expect to see a clear picture of what the new Government will do. Prime Minister-elect Chris Luxon has confirmed coalition negotiations between National, ACT and New Zealand First have wrapped up. Luxon says the agreements are before the respective parties for sign off- and he'll reveal his Cabinet and their policies tomorrow. ZB political editor Jason Walls says all eyes will be on tomorrow's signing ceremony, where we'll find out the identity of the new Deputy Prime Minister. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meal kit delivery service My Food Bag's latest profits have more than halved as customers seek to cut costs. The company's half year profit shows a significant decline, and a planned dividend has been axed.  Devon Funds Head of Retail Greg Smith says customers have been forced to cut back amid increased interest rates and inflation. "Their average value has gone down- meanwhile, obviously costs have gone up for them, so that's pressurising their profitability." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One Auckland man is stepping up his Movember activism beyond growing facial hair. Robbie Wearing has run a marathon every day of this month - rain or shine - to raise awareness for the cause. He says he's only completed a handful of marathons in his lifetime before November of this year- making this the biggest challenge he's taken on. "I get up and just think- yeah, I'm really lucky to be able to do what I'm doing. I'm trying to keep a positive mindset." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Gisborne woman's died in a police cell overnight- a day after being convicted of her father's murder. 63-year-old Lynne Maree Martin was yesterday found guilty of killing 88-year-old Ronald Allison by burning down his house. After what was thought to be forever a cold case, his daughter was arrested and charged with murder just last year. ZB reporter Chelsea Daniels says it was revealed a police officer went undercover to gain Martin's trust during the investigation. "The officer, who called herself Millie, slowly befriended Martin and her husband Graham in about 2020. She was wearing a wire and the jury heard a raft of conversations between the pair." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All three parties in the incoming Government have agreed on a coalition deal- which will be signed tomorrow. A joint statement from Chris Luxon, David Seymour and Winston Peters has announced negotiations to form a government that will deliver for all New Zealanders have concluded. ACT party leader David Seymour says the new Government will be ready to tackle the 'substantial' challenges impacting New Zealanders.  "I think ACT has got a very strong policy agenda as part of what will be our shared Government policy- together with New Zealand First and National, I think we'll be able to start tackling those problems." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A controversial sex education book for teenagers that was pulled from shelves in Australia has been given an unrestricted rating by our chief censor. The classification means parents can decide for themselves if the book is right for their teenagers. Family First spokesperson Sue Reid says they've got concerns around the age appropriateness. She says the book is pitched at 14 year olds, but looks like a handbook and has juvenile animations. "We don't think it is clearly targeted at the 14-year-old market- it's definitely aimed at a younger market and that's what we're concerned about." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gang members from around the country are expected to descend upon Auckland for a tangi. William 'Bird' Hines' farewell is expected to be the largest gang funeral in New Zealand history. He had years of poor health from type two diabetes and was released from prison on compassionate grounds. The Herald's Jared Savage says he had a ferocious reputation and younger gang members looked up to him. "He did a lot of very bad things, he had a very staunch obsession with violence and kidnapping- those sort of violent stand overs. He was pretty much the first meth trial in New Zealand's history back in 2000." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think David Seymour has reason to be pretty salty if he isn't given the Deputy Prime Minister’s job. This is not really about whether the job is really a job or whether it's just ceremonial. The fact is- it is a title. And that title implies seniority, it means whoever gets the Deputy Prime Minister role is the second most senior person in the Government. And it would be pretty bizarre if National gave that to Winston Peters over David Seymour, given how many times National told us before the election they really didn’t want to have to work with Winston. Chris Luxon said it, Chris Bishop said it, Nicola Willis said it- and they weren't subtle. Nicola Willis said: “I don’t want to go into Government with NZ First" Now we understand they didn’t have a choice about going into Government in the end, but that is very different to making Winston the second most senior person in Government when he doesn't even have the second biggest party in the Government. It would be pretty insulting to David Seymour, especially given how close Seymour and Luxon worked together in the lead up to the election. The best argument for Winston to get the job is experience, but I'm not super convinced by that argument. There is a long list of people who’ve gone straight into the Deputy Prime Minister's job without having done a single day in Cabinet before. Don McKinnon under Jim Bolger, Geoffrey Palmer under David Lange- you can go back through history and find more. Probably the thing that counts most against David for the job is that he’s plugged so hard for it when he’s previously made is sound like he's not interested in the baubles of office. But then again, that’s something he and Winston now have in common isn’t it? Probably the easiest solution to this problem is to not pick between the two of them, but split the job instead. Whether with a time share- one does 18 months then hands it over to the other to do 18 months, or we just have two Deputy Prime Ministers. But it still doesn't solve that awkward problem, does it? The guy who the Nats really did want to work with is now sharing the job of equal seniority with the guy they really didn't want to work with. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made it clear that the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is not up for discussion. Argentina's new Prime Minister Javier Milei recently claimed it was time to 'get them back' and his Government would work to get sovereignty. In a 2013 referendum, the people of the Falkland Islands voted 99.8 percent in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory. UK Prime Minister Gavin Grey says several other ministers have chimed in and claimed the Falkland Islands are UK territory. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!  Nicola Willis has confirmed she won't be the Deputy Prime Minister, and Luxon said she was never in the running. Is this true? Who are our picks for the role? The incoming Government will have to find a quarter of a billion dollar to give ECE educators pay parity- because their predecessors didn't budget for it properly. What other harmful surprises are waiting in the wings? SailGP has made the decision to not stage the event in Auckland in March 2024. Is this a loss for the region? Are we excited for Black Friday this year? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's early signs that mortgage rates could be on the downswing again. New Zealand's wholesale interest rates have fallen sharply over the last month- and both the two-year and ten-year swap rates have dropped. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says banks still have yet to move their rates down, despite these early signs. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nvidia's latest quarterly results have surpassed expectations amid increased demand for AI. Demand for Nvidia’s graphics processing units has been exceeding supply, and the company has tripled its year on year revenue.  Milford Asset Management's Felix Fok explains why the company is thriving amongst the AI wave.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon says he didn't lobby for his party deputy, Nicola Willis, to be Deputy Prime Minister. The role remains one of the last sticking points of Coalition negotiations, with policies and other ministerial positions largely agreed. Willis today said she wasn't in the race and Winston Peters or David Seymour are likely to get the job. ZB political editor Jason Walls says it's looking likely that Winston's the new favourite to take up the role as Deputy Prime Minister. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk has confirmed that advertising revenue from X, formerly Twitter, will be donated to war-torn Gaza and the hospitals in Israel.  The move comes amid increased backlash against Musk, after he posted support for anti-Semitic content on the site.  US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Apple, Disney and IBM have already paused advertising on X. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fruitful season's in the wind for Kiwifruit growers this year. Zespri's seasonal November forecast projects record returns for all its fruit crops. The fruit company is putting it down to growers' efforts to improve quality, despite harsh conditions in recent years. Zespri Head of Global Public Affairs Michael Fox says strong market demand, respect for the brand and strong supply chain partnerships will boost Zespri's returns. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Used car distributor Turners Automotive has gone from strength to strength in recent months. The company saw revenue increase 16 percent to $213.9 million, while its after-tax profit rose by 8 percent. Chief Executive Todd Hunter says the combination of a shifting market and a successful ad campaign is helping the company sell more cars. "It's the Tina effect, it's been very good for our lead generation. We're buying a lot more cars off people, we've opened more branches so we're in more places, it's a combination." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts are firing back at the assertion that the perfect steak can be cooked in the microwave. One scientist recently made the bold claim that the best way to prepare a steak is to skip traditional cooking methods- and heat it with a microwave. Beef + Lamb Chef MacLean Fraser says it's unlikely that microwaving a defrosted steak will produce the best result. "There's a few things you should never do- never swim in a calm spot at a surf beach, don't drink and drive, don't count on Winston Peters and don't microwave your steak." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Government needs to find a quarter of a billion dollars to settle a pay parity deal with early childhood teachers. A previous cost estimate for the settlement was found to be vastly too low. NZEI says the outgoing Government committed to paying teachers. National Secretary Stephanie Mills says problems in the sector must be sorted - or things will only get worse. "If we want to stop the real churn in the sector, people going to Australia and the loss of morale, the Government really does need to address this." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited today confirmed that SailGP has chosen not to stage their March 2024 event in Auckland. The unavailability of Wynyard Point land as a spectator facility proved to be a barrier, as the land had been contaminated by oil tanks from the old tank farm. Chief Executive Nick Hill says it was always going to be a long complicated process to get that land back. "You need to get to a point where the land could be handed back, and they had no obligations back to the council. If you start using that land- they'll turn around and say you caused the problem." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel has agreed to a hostage swap with Hamas, but it's unclear where all the people kidnapped from Israel are. The assault on Gaza will be paused four days, in exchange for 50 women and children kept by the Palestinian military group. Israel says it will return three Palestinians for every hostage - and each 10 hostages released will extend the pause on hostilities another day. Times of Israel US Bureau Chief Jacob Magid says some hostages are being kept in underground tunnels. "And not all of them are even with Hamas, there are roughly 30 hostages that are also being held alive in post-Islamic Jihad." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's hosting of a SailGP event next March on Waitemata Harbour has come off the foils. The unavailability of Wynyard Point land as a spectator facility proved an insurmountable barrier for the event owners. No alternative option has been offered yet after Lyttleton hosted this year. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explores some possible solutions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tech commentator is warning people to apply due diligence to Black Friday shopping. Price comparison service PriceSpy found last year, about 15 percent of goods were on 'fake sale'. It found some retailers increased product prices in the weeks before the sale, then discounted them back to normal levels. Commentator Tim Provise says the tech sector is the main culprit. "Especially more niche stuff like camera lenses- and little things, like toothbrushes and stuff like that. I think the technology sector is the one where you've got to be really careful." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was quoted as saying the Government should have 'let people die' rather than impose a second lockdown, the Covid national inquiry heard. Former chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance noted on October 25, 2020 that Sunak, who was finance minister at the time, was against further lockdowns and dismissed the impact Covid had on the elderly. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Boris Johnson agreed the UK's elderly population had had 'a few good innings' anyway. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, former National staffer Ben Thomas and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Waka Kotahi is under fire for spending thousands on pies for construction workers working on the Mt Messenger bypass project in Taranaki. Is this worth the outrage? The post-election talks have turned to delegating ministerial roles, and Nicola Willis, David Seymour and Winston Peters are all vying for the role of Deputy Prime Minister. Who would we pick? Does Luxon have to pick one candidate? National MP Cameron Brewer has copped backlash for his joke about the return of 'pale, stale males'. Is this a rookie error- or grave mistake? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federated Farmers are calling on the incoming Government to repeal David Parker's controversial freshwater reforms. The advocacy group believes repealing the current freshwater regulations will be the quickest way to restore farmer confidence- which is at a historic low. The Country's Jamie Mackay says farmers are waiting with bated breath for these reforms to be scrapped. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Online auction site TradeMe posted a $4.7 million net profit after tax for the year to June, turning around earlier losses. Experts believe the return to profit came from the site raising their prices- especially in its property arm. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie explains how this increased net profit impacts TradeMe's overall earnings. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's trade deficit appears to be getting smaller, according to the latest data. A new report from Stats NZ says imports were down, falling $1.2b to $7.1b compared to October last year. Kiwibank economist Sabrina Delgado says increased interest rates are restraining demand and causing imports to fall. "We actually saw that our imports surged during the post-Covid period when we had quite a lot of loose monetary policy and expanded fiscal policy- we saw imports rose off the back of that, now we've got really high interest rates." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belief opposing views could be behind the ousting of former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. At least 700 of 770 staff at the company famous for creating Chat GPT have penned an open letter calling for the board's resignation after it fired Altman. Tech commentator Paul Stenhouse says no one knows for sure why Altman was shown the door in the first place. "This comes from CNN tech contributor Kara Swisher- he wanted to move super fast, he wanted to monetise everything, he wanted to go to market more quickly and the board wanted to be a lot more cautious."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's top court has turned down appeals from two water bottling companies in Canterbury. Cloud Ocean Water and Rapaki Natural Resources had extracted billions of litres from Christchurch's aquifers each year under a decades-old consent granted for industrial use. The Supreme Court sat in Christchurch for the first time earlier this year, and yesterday released its decision dismissing their appeal. Aotearoa Water Action chair Peter Richardson says he's thrilled with the decision - but it might not be over just yet. "It's perhaps not the end of the matter, it depends on what Cloud Ocean decides to do. They may surrender their existing consent and apply pressure for a new consent. But it would have problems." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Plymouth's mayor is hitting out at those opposing the Mount Messenger bypass project. A decision by Waka Kotahi to give construction workers pies has been under the spotlight and deemed wasteful by the Taxpayers Union. Waka Kotahi prices the pies at $400 a month. But mayor Neil Holdom says the pie criticism is a storm in a teacup. "And it's a reflection of the desperation, because most New Zealanders have moved on and realised- actually it's happening, it's a good thing and we should look after the workers that are on site." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electronics have been found to be the most likely product to come from modern slavery. World Vision has found New Zealand households spend $77 per week on average on products implicated in modern slavery. This includes clothing, toys, coffee, bananas, furniture, phones and laptops. Head of Advocacy and Justice Rebekah Armstrong says EVs, e-bikes and solar panels are also impacted. "It's really interesting that in the transition to cleaner energy, we're actually potentially using products that harm children and people in forced labour." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Deputy Prime Minister disagrees the role's largely ceremonial. Prime Minister-elect Chris Luxon has confirmed policies have been settled in Coalition talks - and negotiations have turned to ministerial roles. ACT's David Seymour made a public pitch for Deputy, but Luxon has downplayed the role's importance. Sir Don McKinnon was the deputy to Jim Bolger in his National Government, under the single-party system. He says under MMP it can be someone from a different party, but the duties are real. "You're there to do things that your leader, your Prime Minister, doesn't want to do, meet the people he doesn't want to meet, go to the places he doesn't get time to go to." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A prominent Auckland businessman has threatened legal action against Auckland Council if it votes to sell the Downtown Carpark building. Precinct Property was selected as the preferred buyer in September last year- and it plans to use the space to build apartments and office towers. Andrew Krukziener says the Downtown Carpark is a crucial asset to the city centre. "To take it away will diminish business in the city, it'll be terrible for Aucklanders and people who live on Waiheke who use that carpark as a connection point." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Punted Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan has spoken of deep-rooted issues in the sport across the Tasman. It comes less than 48 hours after he was given his marching orders from the organisation's board, as the World Cup failure, appointment of Eddie Jones and a centralisation push came to a head. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Again, it's looking pretty positive on the formation of Government today. Here's the update for the day- The policy work is now actually done, all three parties have now reached agreement on the policy agenda for the next three years. This seems like a minor step forward from yesterday, because yesterday ACT and NZ First had reached agreement with National. Today, ACT and NZ First have signed off on each others’ agreements. So minor- but significant. Because that is the hardest and most complex part of the negotiations. The next bit is basically doling out the fancy jobs, and Deputy PM is fast becoming the one we’re all going to watch. Because this is also obviously a battle of the egos. David Seymour is making a big play publicly of wanting it, he said to the waiting media today that he deserves the job because the job should go to the second biggest party - and the second biggest party is ACT. It's kind of weird that he's putting up such a big fight publicly, given that he’s previously indicated he’s not so worried about portfolios and more interested in policy wins, but here we are. But David, as he said, thinks he deserves it because his party is the biggest of the minor parties. Winston Peters will likely think he deserves it because of seniority and because he’s done the job twice already. Nicola Willis reportedly wants it too, and you can make an argument for her getting it given National is miles bigger than both the little parties and she will be Finance Minister - Deputy PM will signal her seniority in Government. What none of them will say out loud but all of them will surely be thinking is that the Deputy is the one who gets to be acting PM when the actual PM is out of the country, which is why they all want it. I don’t envy Luxon having to pick between them- but maybe he doesn’t have to. He could break with convention and have not one but two deputies. One job for David, one for Winston and none for Nicola because she will probably have a more manageable ego than the other two. It's not an unprecedented idea, Fiji has three. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reports British police have interviewed comedian Russell Brand about alleged sexual offences. The Sunday Times and BBC claim the 48 year old was grilled at a London police station last week. Metropolitan Police say a man in his 40s attended a south London police station, under caution, in relation to three non-recent sexual offences. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says it's likely authorities will press further with investigations into Brand's alleged offences. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and current affairs commentator Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! National's Chris Luxon says his coalition partners have made a breakthrough in post-election negotiations, but Winston Peters isn't on the same page. Who is trying to strongarm who in these discussions? Labour leader Chris Hipkins called for a ceasefire in Gaza yesterday- what do we think of this? How does this reflect on National? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

APEC leaders agreed on a reform of the World Trade Organisation- but many were divided on several other key issues. The ongoing conflict in Gaza and the Russia-Ukraine war divided leaders across the Pacific Rim during the two-day summit. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan recapped the highlights of the event. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon says he and his soon-to-be coalition partners have achieved a milestone in Government-forming negotiations. The incoming Prime Minister says the policy element of talks with ACT and New Zealand First concluded last night. Luxon says the last remaining step is formalising Cabinet positions - but the end is in sight. ZB political editor Jason Walls says NZ First and ACT still need to approve the final arrangements with National- and Winston Peters won't budge. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwisaver advisors are urging New Zealanders to care about where they put their retirement funds. National Capital's latest Value for Money report finds the difference between top and bottom-performing funds can be as much as 2.55 percent, or $88,000 by the time of retirement. Director and KiwiSaver advisor Clive Fernandes says it's import for Kiwis to consider several key factors before they determine where their retirement funds go. "You've got to take into consideration past performance- but also look at things like fees, capability, the stability of these companies, the processes they undertake to make a decision." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National is celebrating a breakthrough in negotiations, claiming they've agreed to policy deals with NZ First and ACT. Despite what he called significant progress, Luxon wouldn’t say whether it was likely a Government could be formed by the end of the week. Finance Minister-elect Nicola Willis says all three parties still need to sign off on a final deal before the new Government is formed. "We're pleased that we've reached that significant milestone, because our focus has been on getting policy aligned this year. That's ultimately what the Government's going to be judged on." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A $1.5 million project is underway to revert Rangiora High School's modern open learning space to single cell classrooms. Its giant classroom fitting 500 students opened in 2017 but was found difficult to work in, due to noise, visual distractions, and fluctuating temperatures. Principal Bruce Kearney says they're determined the open structure doesn't suit their vision for the school. "A lot of people talked about modern learning environments as being open barns- and they're not. What they're supposed to be is providing the ability for teachers, for students, classes, schools to be flexible." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iwi groups are proposing renaming the Hutt Valley suburb Petone as Pito-one. The bid to change the spelling and pronunciation is going before the City Council tomorrow, before eventually being seen by the Geographic Board. Pito-one is the original name, which was switched by colonial settlers. Palmerston North Maori Reserve Trust Chair Liz Mellish says many places in the area already use the old spelling. "There seems to be a real feeling in the community, we've got an apartment called Pito-one, we've got a café, we've got a football club." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says Labour leader Chris Hipkins' call for a ceasefire in Gaza was a surprise. Hipkins yesterday said he believes Israel's Defence Force's response has been disproportionate and indiscriminate. National's Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Gerry Brownlee, says calling for a ceasefire has no point if both sides aren't willing to cooperate. Brownlee says National backs negotiating efforts from parties closer to the conflict- and that Qatari negotiators are doing a good job. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT's David Seymour says he's no longer gambling on when coalition negotiations will wrap up. Prime Minister-elect Chris Luxon today announced the three parties have reached an agreement on policy. But the leaders of ACT and New Zealand First say they're not all the way there just yet. Seymour says he's closed his account at the TAB - given last week he wrongly predicted a deal was just days away. "So I'm not betting on this anymore, but I think we're a day or two away if I had to put a bet on it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia have won the Cricket World Cup for a sixth time, chasing 241 to beat India by six wickets with seven overs to spare in Ahmedabad. Man-of-the-match Travis Head made 137 off 120 balls. ZB sports commentator Elliott Smith recaps this victory. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boss of Australian telecommunications company Optus has resigned after a nationwide outage affected millions. CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin quit after a senate grilling last week. She'll be replaced by the Chief Financial Officer. A major cyber attack last year - also under her tenure - compromised personal documents of two million customers. Australia correspondent Oliver Peterson says her handling of the outage was criticised. "She was very reluctant to get onto the front foot, didn't say much- finally came in kicking and screaming to actually reveal what had happened." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warnings malls will only get busier, after shoppers at Westfield Newmarket were trapped inside the carpark for hours on Saturday afternoon. The Auckland shopping centre is apologising to customers left sitting in queues to get out for at least three hours. Newmarket Business Association's Mark Knoff-Thomas says demand will only rise the closer we get to Christmas, with Black Friday likely to be the busiest yet. "We want to be ready for that. There are lots of options- buses ae available, trains are available, people can car-share and if you do take your car, you've got to really plan your time." Knoff-Thomas says Saturday's bad weather, combined with Black Friday pre-sales, to cause road congestion. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A survey of our 200 largest and fastest growing tech exporters shows the sector is booming. Revenue for the so-called TIN 200 increased 11.8 percent to $17 billion in the past year. Current Managing Director at TIN, Greg Shanahan, told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that “the sector is reaching maturity, and the number of large companies is growing dramatically”.    LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auditor General has slammed the public service after looking at how tax payer money is spent. He's found a lot of them don't measure whether the money they're spending is making a difference. Performance measures for the Education Ministry include how many times the website is visited. Former Work and Income boss Christine Rankin told Heather du-Plessis Allan the timing of this is evident.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Auckland Doctor has been found to have committed professional misconduct after writing thousands of prescriptions for ADHD medication without specialist approval.  Dr Tony Hanne argued that he saw a need to prescribe the medication to help people with the diagnosis.  Heather Du Plessis-Allan spoke to Clinical Psychologist Dougal Southerland who said although he agrees there are negative consequences for people with ADHD if not treated, he did not agree with what the doctor did to get the patients medication. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Act Party Leader says we are still days, not hours, away from a government arrangement. Today marks two weeks since the official vote count, and party leaders say they're getting close to a final deal but negotiations are expected to remain in Auckland over the coming days. Winston Peters earlier said the finish line was closer than people thought, but David Seymour told Heather du Plessis Allan there are still a number of steps ahead.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Signs Winston Peters is pleased with today's progress in government-forming talks. Party leaders say they're getting close to a final deal but negotiations are expected to continue in Auckland over the weekend. Peters earlier emerged from a two-and-a-half hour meeting with Luxon. Political Editor Jason Walls told Heather du Plessis Allan he was chipper.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rishi Sunak is determined to push through emergency legislation to resurrect his plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. The UK's Supreme Court had previously ruled this proposal was unlawful in a unanimous rejection. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Rishi Sunak outlined his next steps to push the legislation through before Christmas. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Nick Mills from ZB's Wellington Mornings and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The three main parties have stayed quiet about the details of their coalition negations, but some National MPs have said they're close to forming a Government. What do we think of this? Are we over the waiting period?  Auckland Council is making progress on proposed congestion charges, with Wayne Brown being particularly eager to get these charges going. Is this a money-raising exercise? MFAT staff have reduced their use of Te Reo in official documents released to the incoming Government- is this a bad look? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's been a significant upswing in global equity markets in the past couple of weeks. The Nasdaq is up by 12 percent, the US Equities Market is up by 10 percent, Europe's markets are up by 6 percent, and even China is reporting an increase. Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explains this current burst of optimism, and what to expect from 2024. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alliance Group this week announced a significant loss for the 2023 financial year. The co-operative lost over $70 million, as geo-political tensions, inflationary pressures and weakening global markets continued to affect the red meat sector. The Country's Jamie Mackay says the current volatile market has created extra pressure for the struggling sector. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data from REINZ showed the New Zealand housing market cooled in October. Prices declined 2 percent nationally on a seasonally adjusted basis, in the first monthly reduction in house prices since April. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says prospective buyers are feeling less optimistic as interest rates continue to soar. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Post-election coalition talks are still under way, with leaders from all three parties meeting at Auckland's Cordis Hotel. National's Nicola Willis and Christopher Luxon have claimed that negotiations are heading into the final stages. ZB political editor Jason Walls says leaders from all three parties seem to agree talks are progressing well- but it's too soon to know for sure? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Catholic school in NSW's Southern Highlands is the latest to allow students to take a four-day week. Chevalier College will permit students from years 10 to 12 to learn from home on Mondays from 2024, as part of a new set of educational measures. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says these privileges will only be granted to a select few students, who have proven they can learn without supervision.  LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India have beaten New Zealand by 70 runs at Mumbai to advance to the Cricket World Cup final. The key wicket in the chase for 398 was a cramp-riddled Daryl Mitchell, who reached 134. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains the mass reaction to the team's loss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daryl Mitchell has addressed the debilitating cramps which crept into his heroic innings against India as the Black Caps fell in the Cricket World Cup semifinals in Mumbai. The 32-year-old's 134 wasn't enough to help New Zealand into their third straight final, coming up 70 runs short after the hosts posted 397. He says the team tries to prepare for environmental factors that might impact them, but the humidity was surprising. "We're pretty detailed with how we prepare before the games, we weigh ourselves, but sometimes the humidity we're playing in- it's hot work." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart discussed climate change, in a first bilateral meeting in seven years. The pair sat down together ahead of the APEC Summit in San Francisco. Biden says Xi Jinping agreed to help disrupt fentanyl drug production, resume military communications and assess AI risk. Herald business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says they also talked about a combined approach to the climate crisis. "Between them, they're 40 percent of emissions for the world. These are major issues, they've got the big meeting up in Dubai coming soon- COP28." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters is expected to emerge from a meeting with National soon, as Government-forming talks continue. NZ Herald political reporter Adam Pearse is outside the Cordis Hotel in Auckland, and says Peters has been with National's leader Chris Luxon for more than two hours. He says the meetings are getting longer, which could mean they are getting into the detail. "The latest we've heard is that there are still policy differences that they have yet to iron out. And I would imagine if you were spending over two hours discussing in a hotel room, ministerial positions  are not the only things you're talking about." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Māori academic says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reducing Te Reo usage is deeply disappointing. Stuff reports the Ministry has removed Māori from some official documents, anticipating an incoming National-led Government. A leaked email from its chief executive discusses the decision to remove Te Reo headings from submission templates. Rapata Wiri says the agency is trying to appease voters. "They're trying to undo all the good work that's been put in place over the last 50 years." An MFAT spokesperson confirms it has adjusted one template, and will consult with the incoming Minister for their preferences on receiving advice. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Council's Transport and Infrastructure Committee has endorsed having a team work on timed congestion charges. Mayor Wayne Brown wants to have the charges in place as soon as possible, potentially with discounts for Gold Card holders and people on low incomes. Public Transport Users Association Chair Niall Robertson says it can't be done until public transport options are in place. "If you haven't got all these other alternatives, it's a kind of double jeopardy for the commuter, who might not have any other options but to take the car on the motorway." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The implementation of a controversial new science curriculum has come to a halt- both delighting and frustrating educators. A leaked early version of the curriculum upset some for its lack of any mention of physics, chemistry or biology. Consultation has been put on hold for a second time, with the Ministry of Education waiting to engage with the new Government before it's sent out. St Cuthbert's College principal Justine Mahon says school staff are relieved with this delay. "New Zealand education is in dire straits at the moment, and we need the incoming Government to make it a priority to lift the standard. Scrutinising the draft science curriculum is an imperative." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Probably the most interesting development of the day kind of related to the coalition negations is the fact that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been busted deliberately ramping down its use of Te Reo Māori to make the incoming Government happy. At MFAT, if staff want to write a formal message to a Minister, they use a template. Until about a couple of weeks ago, that template told staff to use Māori words instead of some English words. For example; summary, report, recommendations and conclusions. But since around the time the special votes started coming in- and it was obvious Winston Peters would be a possibility for Foreign Minister, MFAT's chief executive has made the call to dump some of those Māori words and go back to the English words in the template. It's pretty obvious that MFAT is doing this because because of the incoming Government. MFAT brought the Māori words in apparently because the previous Labour Foreign Affairs Minister, Nanaia Mahuta, had told MFAT to use more Te Reo. But not all the parties in the incoming Government love the political use of Te Reo. Personally, I've got no objection to the use of Te Reo. I learnt for years, I use it myself probably every day in some way. But no one likes a greaser. And MFAT’s been busted greasing. Happy to use Te Reo to make Nanaia happy, happy to dump it the minute it looks like Winston Peters, who loves the Queen’s English is back in the chair. And this is probably a perfect example of the exactly the reason so many people get frustrated by the use of Te Reo Māori in the media and in Government. Because it feels forced and hollow. It feels like the guy on the news and the weather person and the public servant signing off with ngā mihi don’t actually really care about Te Reo, or use it that much themselves. It feels like they're just saying it to signal that they're virtuous and acceptable- and MFAT has just been busted doing exactly that. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former British Home Secretary Suella Braverman has hit back with a 'scathing' open letter to Rishi Sunak. Braverman was recently sacked after she accused the Metropolitan Police of bias in the policing of protests. UK correspondent Enda Brady says people believe Braverman's setting herself up for future leadership in the Conservative party, with many voicing support for her views. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Business Mentors Chief Executive Sarah Trotman and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Luxon, Seymour and Peters finally got in a room today to sort out a new coalition Government. The three leaders met for half an hour- and then Winston and Luxon and ACT and National went on to have longer meetings. What happens next? Is there hope of progress on coalition negotiations?  Newly-retired referee Wayne Barnes has taken aim at Sir Graham Henry and New Zealand in general in his new biography. Are his comments out of line? A record net 44,800 Kiwis have left the country to live elsewhere, according to new data. Is this brain drain concerning- or will this be offset by an uptick in migrants? How can we work to keep young talent around? LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electronic card spending data recorded the first significant drop since mid-2022 this October. Spending in retail industries fell 0.7 per cent compared to September, down by $44 million, Stats NZ said in a press release. Demand for larger items has declined by 7.8 percent, and spending on apparel has fallen 8 percent. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen says retailers are staring down the barrel of a difficult period, as spending is projected to decline for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Latest data shows market confidence has returned to New Zealand. Stats NZ's monthly price report showed airfares, petrol and food prices were down across the board, and the NZX has shot up by 5 points in November. Milford Asset Management Jeremy Hutton explains what this means for the coming months. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The incoming Government is expected to contend with a billion-dollar hole in its books created by the upcoming ETS auction.  The final auction of units under the Emissions Trading Scheme for 2023 isn't expected to clear on December 6. Most participants in the carbon market expect this auction to fail, on the grounds that a full year's worth of units will need to be sold. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains why this predicted failure will be good for the market. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All sides of the soon-to-be Government want talks completed as soon as possible. David Seymour, Winston Peters and Chris Luxon sat down together this morning for the first time, in Auckland. This meeting will be the first of several collaborative meetings in the city centre this week. ZB political editor Jason Walls says nothing significant has been divulged- but all three parties are keen to get a Government formed quickly. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Joe Biden hopes to put the shaky US-China relationship in a better place at APEC. The summit for Pacific Rim leaders will include a highly anticipated meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping- the first on American soil in over 7 years. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says security has been tightened in the Bay Area ahead of the meeting. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weeks on from a controversial Rugby World Cup final, just-retired referee Wayne Barnes has released a new autobiography. ‘Throwing the Book’ examines the highs and lows of officiating rugby at the top level- and takes shots at New Zealand and former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains the mass reaction to this book. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has pulled a controversial video campaign accused of mocking fraud victims. As part of Fraud Awareness Week, the FMA partnered with comedian Tom Sainsbury to depict a 'Boomer Dad' getting scammed out of his planned trip to France. New data released from banks showed that New Zealanders lost almost $200 million in scams in the year to September. Financial adviser Rachelle Bland says this video campaign shamed the people the FMA was designed to protect. "I think it's a case of inappropriate targeting. Maybe it's catchy, but it's really not appropriate to laugh at people who've been scammed." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's hard road to the Cricket World Cup final will become impossible if they don't hold their chances. The Black Caps will face off against hosts India in tonight's semi-final in Mumbai at 9:30pm. There's controversy brewing ahead of the match, with reports claiming India have switched the pitch to favour their spinners. Former Black Cap Peter McGlashan says this is a sign India feels threatened by the Black Caps' chances. "It's one of those things where it's difficult to do late, so I would be surprised if the New Zealand team probably knew about this a day or two ago. Generally when you arrive at a ground to practice, you're shown where the match will be played." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doctors Without Borders is outraged patients and medical staff are being put in harm's way, as Israeli military forces raid a hospital in Gaza. Israel says it's carrying out an operation against Hamas at Al-Shifa Hospital - the largest medical complex in the Gaza strip. Doctors Without Borders' Simon Eccleshall says staff were given just minutes warning before the raid. "And the indiscriminate bombing of the hospital over the last few days has been in blatant disregard for the safety of patients. This is clearly a contravention of international humanitarian law."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's migration has hit record levels, as Kiwis flock overseas. The year to September had a historic net loss of 44,700 citizens. Overall annual net migration was at a record near 119,000 for the same period. Demographer Paul Spoonley says they're extraordinary figures, unlike anything seen before. "Last year, the Productivity Commission did a fantastic report, which looked at migration. One of the things they said is- we've got an infrastructure deficit. I thought we might have a bit of a pause, but no." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A political commentator says leaks from post-election talks are rife this year. The leaders of National, ACT and New Zealand First have now all sat around a table together, a first in their negotiations. Prime Minister elect Chris Luxon has wanted talks to stay private. But Ben Thomas says that hasn't been the case. He says it may reflect the parties playing off against each other. "There's the question of how Winston Peters is going to kind of conduct himself as part of this trio, and maybe part of that is distancing himself from the other two." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh from hanging up the whistle after last month's Rugby World Cup final, referee Wayne Barnes detailed the trials and tribulations of officiating at a professional level. In his new autobiography 'Throwing the Book', Barnes took aim at former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry and his response to the All Blacks' upset loss to France in 2007. Former All Black Sir John Kirwan says it's likely Barnes is exaggerating his points to generate interest in the book. "I know Wayne, I know his wife- he's a family man. That's a bit of an exaggeration, he's probably got to sell books. " LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time that we stop making excuses for why we can’t make it a crime to stonewall the cops. And instead just do the right thing and make it a crime for every adult in the house to stonewall the cops if someone has bashed a baby to death. This is becoming a pattern with child deaths in New Zealand. Just off the top of my head, I can give you four cases where babies have been bashed and the adults didn’t want to tell on each other: The Kahui twins Nia Glassie A case in South Auckland with an unnamed 4 moth old baby who survived months of bashing in 2019/2020 And now- baby Ru There were three adults in the house when baby Ru was bashed, and last we heard none of them are properly assisting police. It is not novel to raise the idea that we should write a law that criminalises those three adults, and any others like them for keeping silent. But every time we have this debate, out come the naysayers and they warn us we can’t do that. Because it overturns a fundamental principle in our law where you are not compelled to help the prosecution, where you do not have to speak under threat of being charged. So every time, nothing gets done. Today, I called a retired law professor to ask what he thought. And he said that as long as a law was written that was very specific, that only criminalised people in a very specific example of bashing a dependent - like a baby or an elderly person -and as long as pressing charges required a sign off form very senior people - like the Attorney General or the Solicitor-General - it could be acceptable. And it could work. To give you an example- that case of the 4 month old that I mentioned earlier. The parents weren’t talking, so the cops charged both the mum and the dad. And that forced her dad to confess it was him. He went to jail for four years, and the baby survived. It's time that we start doing this. Sure, it overrides principles but there’s another accepted principle- you don’t bash a baby to death and get away with it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Cameron has been named the UK's new Foreign Minister. It comes seven years after he quit as PM over the outcome of his Brexit referendum. Cameron's appointment is part of a major Cabinet re-shuffle by current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, sparked by the removal of Home Secretary Suella Braverman. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this is a risky decision, as this will alienate many prospective voters. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, current affairs commentator Josie Pagani and Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! In coalition updates: Luxon's trip to APEC is officially off, Winston has been AWOL from Parliament- but the parties are set to meet later this week. Who knows what's going on? What can we expect in the coming days? NZ First's Shane Jones told Radio Waatea his party supports a 'reset' on the Treaty of Waitangi. Will Luxon approve? Is this too divisive? Former Prime Minister David Cameron is back in Parliament following Suella Braverman's departure? Is this a good move for the current UK Government? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alarm bells are being raised over in Australia, as economists warn the risk of inflation lingering is increasing. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised the OCR to 4.35 percent last week- the highest official cash rate seen in 12 years. HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham says the RBA will likely have to do more to raise the OCR and bring down inflation in the coming months. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists fear the primary sector is likely to struggle from lower export prices during the economic downturn. Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan also warns increased interest rates are likely to add to the stressful climate for new Zealand's rural community. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains how Kiwi farmers are expected to struggle in the coming months.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert has issued words of caution for anyone expecting the incoming Government will be easier on businesses. BusinessDesk's Pattrick Smellie says it shouldn't be a given that the National-ACT-NZ First coalition will take all the pressure of the business sector- and cited their history of policies and statements. Smellie explained that the banks, supermarkets, fuel companies will likely experience discomfort as the incoming Government addresses the cost of living crisis. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First's caucus met today in Wellington- but the Party's leader was noticeably absent. None of the newly elected MPs explained where Winston Peters was, but they said work was progressing in his absence. ZB political editor Jason Walls says senior NZ First MP Shane Jones claimed progress was under way, and Peters would turn up- eventually. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yet more new developments in the case of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips, who vanished in 2021 with his 3 children. A Newshub report revealed a former partner of Phillips, who is helping with the investigation, gave birth to a boy 2 years ago- a boy Phillips is believed to have fathered. Karen Rutherford, who broke the initial story, says police have been in contact with this woman throughout the investigation.  "We've not known about this former girlfriend before, but we understand from a police source that they believe that this woman who had a baby 2 years ago- Tom Phillips is believed to be the father." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An investigation into alleged confidentiality breaches at Wellington City Council hasn't been able to find the leaker. Lawyer Linda Clark has been looking into the conduct of five independent city councillors after a complaint from Deputy Mayor Laurie Foon. The code of conduct complaints alleged councillors had leaked information about a publicly-excluded meeting about the fate of the Reading Cinema site. Wellington City Councillor Nicola Young is among the five councillors accused of breaching confidentiality rules- but denies violating the code. "The code of conduct is very vague- I don't accept that I broke the code of conduct, none of us did. It's extraordinary to take this action against a third of the councillors." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's mayor says he wants congestion charging in place as soon as possible. The council's transport and infrastructure committee is due to consider an Auckland Transport report on the scheme this Thursday. It means motorists idling on busy roads during peak hours will have to pay up to reduce traffic jams and make council revenue. Wayne Brown says if the incoming Government doesn't support it, there will be a squabble. "They expected to do this - Simeon Brown, who expects to be the Minister of Transport, has agreed it's a sensible thing to do." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suggestions the shock appointment of a controversial former UK PM as Foreign Secretary aims to save the Conservatives' sinking ship. David Cameron will replace Suella Braverman, who was fired after accusing police of double standards in handling protests. Cameron resigned as PM in 2016, with one of the lowest popularity ratings in recent history. Former Kiwi High Commissioner to the UK, Sir Lockwood Smith, says he has a wealth of experience. "And right at this stage, I think what the Conservatives need is to just settle things down a bit, because their polling numbers aren't good- and they've got an election coming up next year." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fruit, vegetables and similar household staples were the largest contributor to a monthly fall in food prices. Stats NZ says prices were 6.3 percent higher in October than a year ago- but cheaper than in September, down 0.9 percent month on month. LeaderBrand CEO Richard Burke says supply had been restricted and demand strong, but now they're working to recalibrate. "We've got a whole lot of crop out there that's excellent quality, and the only thing we can do is promote it like heck to get it through the market. So that's a win for consumers- and we just hope they get out there and bank that win." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour says a referendum on Treaty principles is still on the negotiating table. ACT signalled the policy would be a priority in post-election talks. Prime Minister-elect Chris Luxon has said a referendum would be divisive, but New Zealand First's Shane Jones today told Radio Waatea he understands Seymour's concerns. Seymour says it's an idea whose time has come. "I think the more people understand what we're proposing to do, the more people hear about that- I think more people see it as a positive." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Separate events were held across Australia over the weekend, as tens of thousands called for a solution to the Israel-Gaza conflict. These events called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages, and several politicians have voiced their support. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged Israel to act in accordance with international law- but has stopped short of calling for a ceasefire. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says tensions are high in Australia, with the region's Jewish and Muslim communities reporting an uptick in harassment and abuse.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.