Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

The primary teachers union says the Government's new school tests won't make a difference. The Government's introducing phonics checks done after 20 weeks of schooling and repeated at 40 weeks. Progression monitoring on reading, writing, and maths will also be introduced for children in Years 3 through 8, and done twice a year. NZEI president Mark Potter told Mike Hosking teachers already assess, analyse, and use that to inform their teaching. He says there's not that many that don't use these tests, but if they don't, they'll have other assessments that give similar information. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former UK nurse Lucy Letby has been found guilty of trying to murder another newborn baby. It adds to convictions last year that made her the United Kingdom's most prolific serial killer of modern times. The 34-year-old was found guilty last August of murdering seven babies and trying to kill six more while working at a Chester Hospital. She went on trial last month for a second time for the attempted murder of a baby girl after the original jury failed to reach a verdict. UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that when the verdict was read the parents gasped while Letby showed no emotion in the dock. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A principal says the number of students going on holidays during the school term has dropped. Flight Centre data shows a 30% reduction in family bookings during the school term compared to last year. But the bookings during winter school holidays are up 10%. General Manager Heidi Walker says it's likely due to the Government's focus on truancy. Avonside Girls High principal Catherine Law told Mike Hosking that they've seen some significant pattern changes. She says they're seeing an upward trend in improved overall attendance. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A media commentator says a Bill to make tech platforms pay for news has a decent shot at bringing change. The Government's progressing an amended version of the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill to make digital platforms like Facebook pay for using news content. National and NZ First are supporting it, while ACT's invoking its right to 'agree to disagree' and will oppose the Bill. The Spinoff founder Duncan Greive told Mike Hosking Australia was the poster boy for such a scheme, but Meta has signalled that it won't renew. He says there's a change from the consumer side, but from a revenue perspective there's money flowing that wasn't before. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federated Farmers is urging the Government to pick up the pace with replacing the RMA system. The percentage of applications processed within statutory time frames is falling, from 89% in 2020-2021, to a record low of 76% the next year. Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper told Mike Hosking that the Government is taking it seriously, but the window is narrowing. He says the data highlights the urgency and replacing the RMA is the most meaningful long term economic reform the government could deliver for them. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s big four banks have been hit with a raft of cyber-attacks. The systems of NAB, CommBank, ANZ, and Westpac were being hit every minute of every day, leaving customers increasingly vulnerable to scams. The attackers were trying to gain access to the banks’ computer systems, deny services to customers, use malicious code, or breach security logins. Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that the banks say that they’ve spent a fortune trying to protect themselves from this, to a sum of about $3 billion a year. A few hours after, she said, quotes were released from Chris Sheehan calling it a type of warfare, saying that every person who uses one of the big four banks is at risk. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of liquidations is starting to rise as small and medium-sized businesses are suffering from a lack of sales. Businesses are seeing a lack of overall sales, with some people putting off big purchases. More people are paying their phone bills and mortgages on time in the month, but late payments are up year-on-year. Centrix Managing Director Keith McLaughlin told Mike Hosking that the level of liquidations in the month of May have been at a 10 year record. He says the trend is increasing, which is of more concern. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Minister says he's starting to see change when it comes to crime, but there's a long way to go. The Government's committed to passing four pieces of law and order legislation in the next quarter. It includes allowing police to ban gang patches, confiscate firearms, more efficiency in the courts, and more rehabilitation for on-remand prisoners. Minister Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking that their plans are a combination of new law and changes to how police are policing. He says his letter of expectation to them asked for change in how police deal with gang convoys, and getting on top of the boy racer issue. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's committed to passing four pieces of law and order legislation in the next quarter. It includes enabling police to ban gang patches and confiscate firearms. They'll also improve efficiency in the courts system and increase access to rehabilitation for on-remand prisoners. Police Association president Chris Cahill told Mike Hosking that they're liking what they see He says there's a lot of action and the public would generally say it's what they want to see, which police officers would support. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has announced a goal of between 80 and 90% of people seeking specialist and primary services getting that help faster. Shaun Robinson, Mental Health Foundation Chief Executive, says more is needed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

France is going to the polls today, with early voting hinting at a change of Presidency. UK politicians are doing their final push for votes ahead of Thursday's election. UK and Europe correspondent Gavin Grey has all the latest. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Lando Norris and McLaren to the T20 Cup, Andrew Alderson brings you all the sporting updates from over the weekend. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump went head to head in Atlanta last week in the first Presidential debate of this campaign cycle. The debate was not a good look for the Democrat side, with calls for Biden to stand down as their nominee. The Spectator's Washington Editor Amber Athey told Mike Hosking it was a result many were expecting. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden and Donald Trump go live in Atlanta tomorrow afternoon, New Zealand time. The televised US election debate is the earliest in the campaign since 1960, with Americans going to the polls in just over four months. It's the third time the US President and the former President will go head to head after two heated encounters in 2020. The Spectator's Washington Editor Amber Athey says the debates don't have as much sway on voters as most pundits would like to believe they do. She told Mike Hosking that this one will mostly be about showing who's physically and mentally fit to be President. Athey says so long as you can get through it relatively successfully, not much will change where voters stand on the candidates. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two astronauts are likely to remain stuck in space into July. Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams were supposed to return on the Boeing Starliner about two weeks ago after an eight day stint in space. US Correspondent Katherine Firkin told Mike Hosking that there have been several issues including malfunctioning thrusters and helium leaks. She says we're being told they have plenty of supplies, and worst case they can hitch a ride on Space X's Dragon Space Craft which is also attached to the International Space Station. Firkin says it's not great news for Boeing, when it comes to their PR. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s uncertainty over whether Corrections has capacity, with more prisoners on the way. The Government's sentencing law reforms will mean longer sentences and up to 1700 more inmates every year. Corrections Association's Floyd du Plessis says the prisons are currently full, and while there are more beds in theory, they aren't adequately staffed for them yet. He told Mike Hosking that more applications are coming through for corrections roles, but the number of viable candidates isn't where it needs to be. du Plessis says there needs to be more focus on getting real people through the door and into employment. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Gisborne Civil Defence manager says they're now dealing with the clean up from this week's severe weather. States of emergency in the Wairoa District and Hastings Heretaunga Ward remain in place. Roads were closed and people evacuated after heavy rain lashed the Hawke's Bay and Gisborne regions yesterday. Wairoa District Council says 400 properties have been impacted, more than 100 significantly. Gisborne Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group Manager Ben Green told Mike Hosking that wind was the major issue. He says the challenge with that was power lines and a significant number of trees down across roads. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First has invoked the Agree-to-Disagree Coalition clause. Winston Peters says his Party doesn't support the Government continuing the Covid Commission of Inquiry in its current form. The clause is nestled within New Zealand First's Governance agreement with National, allowing Peters and his MPs to speak publicly about a Cabinet decision. He's used it voice opposition to the Government splitting the inquiry into two phases, saying the first phase was nothing more than a Labour Party political tool. Peters agrees with Phase Two, focusing on vaccine efficacy and safety, and the extended lockdowns in Auckland and Northland. Political Editor Jason Walls told Mike Hosking that as Christopher Luxon said, this is a mature way to go about it. He said that this is exactly how it’s supposed to work between the two parties, which is why the clause was written into the coalition agreement in the first place. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A gambling scandal is causing a rocky run up to next week's UK election. Six police officers, including a member of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's protection team, are in hot water after allegedly placing bets on the election date. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that it's an extraordinary saga, with two Conservative MPs now suspended after also facing accusations. But he says because they're already on the ticket, they can still be voted on and will have to stand as independents if they win a seat. The Gambling Commission has also launched an investigation into a now suspended Labour candidate. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s hopes a spike in global shipping prices won't stay around for long. Conflict in the Red Sea has caused shipping costs to jump three times higher than the rates seen at end of last year. But, ASB Senior economist Mark Smith told Mike Hosking, the impact on inflation will depend on how long prices remain high. He says the prices have spiked quickly, but it's still early days. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest in the Julian Assange saga is being coined a dark day in American history and press freedom. The Wikileaks founder is set to plead guilty to violating US espionage law and will be sentenced to 62 months of time already served before going free. Freedom of the Press' Director of Advocacy Seth Stern told Mike Hosking that it's a case that the former Trump administration should never have pursued. He says the Biden administration purports to be friends of the free press, so for them to have continued this for years before finding a way out is disturbing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is taking a firm stance on vaping. The sale of vapes will be restricted to pharmacies from next week, as the Greens agree to pass a proposed ban. However, the Government has agreed to water down restrictions that would have required adults to obtain a prescription. Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that this has sparked anger, as pharmacists say that they should be prescription only. She said that restrictions will still be in place regarding packaging and flavours, limiting the products to plain packaging and mint, menthol, and tobacco flavours. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Robertson’s All Blacks squad has been announced, with Scott Barrett taking the captaincy. He’s taking over the duties from Sam Cane, with Ardie Savea and Jordie Barrett sharing the vice-captaincy. Rugby Commentator Tony Johnson told Mike Hosking that he doubts there’ll be any drastic changes right off the bat. He said that if they’re going to change their playstyle, they’ll do it incrementally as time goes on, and they have plenty of time to do that. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cancer Society says yesterday was a momentous day but there's still a bit of uncertainty around Pharmac's funding boost. The Government's committed $604 million, taken in advance from next year's Budget. It will cover the funding for 54 new medicines, including 26 cancer treatments. Cancer Society chief executive Rachael Hart told Mike Hosking that it's been an incredibly stressful time so the news brings some relief, but the uncertainty doesn't end. She says cancer patients still don't know when the drugs will be funded, and when you're shelling out thousands of dollars a month, every month matters. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland will soon have Police on the beat 24/7. Community Beat Teams will be based in major centres, with 63 officers in Auckland, 17 in Wellington and 10 in Christchurch. It's the Police and Government's newest plan to crackdown on crime rates. Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking “We want to make sure that we have a safe city – not one that’s plagued with sleepers drug dealers and disorderly behaviour.” Mitchell said “They’ve already increased foot patrols in the city – but now they’re increasing the number of dedicated police officers that will be out there and highly visible doing their work.” LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles will likely skip New Zealand during his upcoming tour to the South Pacific. According to The Mirror, he and Queen Camilla are set to visit Australia and Samoa - but have dropped New Zealand. The visit was never officially announced - just rumoured to be on the agenda. UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking “His Majesty is said to be like a caged tiger - desperate to do more, while undergoing chemotherapy and having the cancer diagnosis.” Grey said “It’s been decided he’d be better off doing a ten-day trip.” LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think we got enough out of Nicola Willis on the programme Friday to know that today, cabinet’s gonna sign off this money for Pharmac to solve the cancer problem. The big outworking of this is - I hope they've learned their lesson. This government has a couple of problems. The biggest one is the mess they inherited. We are going to spend at least the next year deep in it. Two years of economic misery is a lot to ask of an electorate, and it's a lot to expect of a government to rectify. Even on a good day - with plenty of intent and hard work - voters get grumpy with whoever’s in charge, whether it was their fault or not. So given that, problem #2: self-inflicted wounds. The cancer promise was mad. It was mad because governments don't pick drugs. That's what Pharmac is for. If you don't like Pharmac, fine, change it. But don't keep the same system while trying gerrymandering. They also put out a list of thirteen drugs, some of which aren't even fit for purpose anymore. And then, Problem #3: failure to deliver, I mean OMG – did they learn nothing from Labour? And then last week, scrutiny week, Shane Reti says they'll deliver the 13. Nicola Willis says they will deliver some. David Seymour says he can't make a comment because Pharmac is independent. Three people, three messages. Mixed messaging - is that problem #4? So this week, an answer. And seemingly, an elegant one - more money. The money gets spent on stuff that's needed. Not automatically the 13. It's spent by Pharmac. And it might well mean some spending on other drugs as well. So, sorted. But big lesson: it never had to be this way. And if all they're doing this week is handing out money, why didn't they do it in the budget when they had the chance? Delivery and confidence, that's what we want from governments. If this is a one off, they'll get away with it. If it's a habit. They're toast. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Blues dominated the Chiefs on Saturday night to take the 2024 Super Rugby title at Eden Park - beating the visitors 41-10. Caleb Clarke scored a hattrick as Akira Ioane and AJ Lam got a try each. It's the first time they've won the competition in more than two decades. Newstalk ZB Sports Anchor, Andrew Alderson, told Mike Hosking “I thought it was going to be closer – but the Blues were so convincing.” Alderson said “Ever since I’ve been working here, we’ve been talking about the Blues resurgence – and it’s finally come.” LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government’s expected to announce a $600 million boost in funding for Pharmac today. If approved, it would bump the medicine budget up 40 percent - and cover the 13 cancer drugs the Government initially promised, and more. Patient Voice Aotearoa Chair, Malcolm Mulholland, told Mike Hosking “From our perspective – this was always going to be the option that the government would land on.” Mulholland said “The problem doesn’t go away – but we expect it will put a significant dent in Pharmac’s options for investment lists.” LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour’s lead in the UK election is holding steady as the Tories deal with a scandal. The party has admitted that their campaign head, Tony Lee, placed bets on the timing of the vote, allegedly just days before Sunak went public. The BBC revealed that Tory candidate Laura Sanders, wife of Lee, is also being investigated by Britain’s Gambling Commission. UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking that it’s a huge scandal that these people have seemingly used insider information to infringe the UK’s betting laws. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's officially out of a technical recession but may not be out of the woods. Stats NZ figures show GDP rose 0.2% in the three months to March and the same amount for the year. However, per capita GDP decreased by 0.3%. Infometrics Chief Economist Brad Olsen told Mike Hosking that the numbers are not looking promising for Q2. He said that some of the important pieces of the business economy haven’t been doing as well —construction, non-food manufacturing, professional services— which doesn’t bode well for general economic momentum. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tomorrow’s Super Rugby Final is set to be an intense match. The Blues face off against the Chiefs at a sold-out Eden Park, kicking off just after 7pm. ZB’s Rugby Commentator Elliott Smith told Mike Hosking that the Chiefs have come out of nowhere in the last couple weeks. The Blues were expected to face the Hurricanes in the finals, the Chiefs entering the playoffs sitting fourth on the table. He said they’ve stepped up not just one or two levels, but, to use a sporting cliché, they seem to have gone up and grown an extra leg, finding their feet and swept away the hurricanes on their home turf. “It sets up an interesting final.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Northland business leader says the large power outage will significantly impact business. Widespread power outages began yesterday morning when a transmission tower toppled at Glorit, northwest of Auckland. NorthPower says supply has since been restored to the majority of Northland. Top Energy is showing 61 customers in Bay of Islands still without but warns there's potential for further outages as they manage load restrictions. North Chamber chief executive Darryn Fisher told Mike Hosking that the business impact isn't yet known, but he expects it'll be significant with economic head winds already at play. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Freight operators are thrilled they can deliver goods to Northland a lot faster from next week. State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyns will reopen to two-way traffic from 11.59pm next Wednesday, just in time for Matariki weekend. The Transport Agency says additional space has been created so crews can work on repairs without lengthy closures. James Smith, General Manager of Policy and Advocacy at the National Road Carriers Association, told Mike Hosking that it's important to note that this repair only gives them another seven years of the Brynderwyns, and then the whole lots coming down. He said that what they're saying is that while that fix is in place, let's get on with building the diversion as fast as they can, because if the previous government had continued with it, it would’ve been just about done by this point. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We'll know later today whether New Zealand was in a technical recession last financial quarter. Gross Domestic Product figures for the three months to March are released later this morning. ASB is forecasting a 0.1% rise. Senior economist Kim Mundy told Mike Hosking that they're not expecting another recession, but neither are they expecting strong growth. She says they think the second quarter will actually be worse. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a renewed call for Boeing to be prosecuted after being grilled in the US Senate over its recent safety issues. US Justice officials have until July 7th to decide if it lays criminal charges. Family members of the 346 victims of two separate crashes involving Boeing planes five years ago were also at the hearing. US Correspondent Katherine Firkin told Mike Hosking that they're calling for criminal liability for the company, specifically the upper management. She says they want Boeing to be fined almost US$25 billion, and for officials to move forward with criminal prosecution. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dolphin advocates are celebrating SailGP's decision to move next year's event from Christchurch. SailGP announced the 2025 edition wouldn't return to Lyttelton Harbour, which has hosted for the last two years. In this year's event, the first day of racing was controversially cancelled due to a Hector's Dolphin spotting. Maui and Hector's Dolphin Defenders spokesperson Christine Rose told Mike Hosking that regulations are in place for anyone using boats in Hector's Dolphin habitats. She says those rules have to apply for everyone else, especially when the scale of impacts is greater. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dozens of migrants have been rescued from a sinking ship in the Mediterranean. German aid group RESQSHIP said it picked up 51 people from a sinking wooden boat, including two unconscious people, and found ten bodies trapped in the lower deck. A second ship sank nearby, and 64 people total are still missing from the vessels. Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that the Mediterranean is the deadliest known migration route in the world. He said that since 2014, over 23 thousand migrants have died or gone missing in its waters. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maintenance on ageing Interislander ferries is seen as a short-term solution by the Maritime Union. Estimated annual maintenance costs to keep KiwiRail’s three ageing Interislander ferries running could almost double to $65 million by next year, and keeping the ferries afloat will be an “ongoing battle”. A previous assessment of the fleet’s condition raised concerns about steel corrosion, metal getting weak and cracking, and prohibitive maintenance expenses. The project to replace the fleet with two mega ferries was left dead in the water in December after overall costs, including new terminals and wharf upgrades, ballooned to almost $3 billion and the new Government refused to fund the blowout. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has previously refused to commit to replacing the fleet by 2026, which is when the now-cancelled mega ferries were due to arrive. Given the project’s history of delays, budget blowouts, and other problems, Willis said people were “dreaming” if they thought the mega ferries would be up and running with the necessary port development in place by that time. A Ministerial Advisory Group is looking into new options for the future of the ferry service. Maritime Union spokesperson Victor Billot told Mike Hosking that ships of this age will have issues, especially on Cook Strait. He says they are maintaining ferries that are nearing the end of their lives anyway. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s hopes an improved vaccine against an infectious disease running rife through New Zealand cattle could ease costs for farmers. The Ministry for Primary Industries is backing a project which aims to develop a modified vaccine against Bovine Viral Diarrhoea. It impacts about 80% of our dairy and beef herds and costs the industry more than $190 million each year. Research lead John Moffat told Mike Hosking that it's one of the many threats farmers face. He says the virus is one of the most important issues needing to be dealt with in the cattle industry. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A victims' advocate says new measures to address court backlogs are doable if all players in the system play their part. The Chief District Court Judge has introduced maximum waiting times based on the seriousness of the crime. For the least serious category —where there's no risk of prison— the aim is six months. Independent victims' advocate Ruth Money told Mike Hosking that the courts are jammed and delayed. She says people have their lives on hold waiting. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following his visit to New Zealand, the Chinese Premier has begun his visit to Australia. Li Qiang was greeted by hundreds of supporters and protestors upon his arrival in Canberra on Sunday, receiving a ceremonial welcome at Parliament House. Australian Correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that there has been talks of better military communication, as well as extending the offering of visa-free travel to Australians. She said that Albanese says the bilateral relationship is back on track. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's changed its tune on transgender people participating in community sports. A policy in the New Zealand First-National Coalition agreement threatened to withhold public funding if sports bodies didn't separate trans athletes from grassroots competitions. After feedback from Sport New Zealand, Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop says the government will now take a watching brief. Save Women's Sport spokesperson Ro Edge told Mike Hosking that she thinks Bishop's been given inaccurate information. She says a letter she received from Bishop wrongly stated Sport NZ's guidelines have exemptions for fairness and safety in female sport. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government promises “granny flats” of 60 square metres or less will be easier to build after planning changes that will force councils to permit small dwellings on rural and residential zones without resource consent. Making it easier to build granny flats was part of NZ First’s coalition agreement with National. NZ First leader Winston Peters, taking over as Acting Prime Minister while Christopher Luxon is in Japan, used Monday’s post-Cabinet press conference to announce consultation on changes that would fulfil that policy promise. “Making it easier to build granny flats will make it more affordable for families to live the way that suits them best,” Peters said. “Over a quarter of households that do not own their home spend more than 40 per cent of their income on housing. High housing costs have a greater impact on Māori, Pasifika, and people with disabilities, as well as seniors - so unlocking the space in the backyards of family members opens the door to new ways of living. “We know granny flats are a great option for seniors, but they’re also increasingly popular with other families such as those who want homes where their university-age children can live at home but maintain some privacy and independence, or families who want to provide extra support to a loved one,” he said. Feedback's being sought on the proposed change. Certified Builders Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming told Mike Hosking that it's good that proposed designs are required to meet the building code. But he says there's no checking to ensure designs and constructions adhere to the building code, which isn't such a good thing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This weekend's Super Rugby semifinals have raised a few eyebrows over their smaller-than expected attendance numbers. ZB sports reporter Andrew Alderson suspects this is because these Super Rugby matches had to compete with this weekend's Warriors' clash. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Princess of Wales has returned to the public eye for King's Birthday celebrations, making her first public appearance this year. Kate faced wild internet speculation on her whereabouts earlier this year before revealing she's undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer. She was pictured smiling, sitting alongside her three children in a carriage for the Trooping the Colour parade. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the public were thrilled to see her back. "She looked a little thin, a little drawn, but she did look, still, pretty amazing. And after all the chemo she's been in - perhaps that's no surprise at all." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One teachers' union is concerned abut the recommended changes to teaching standards in a new report. The Ministerial Advisory Group reviewing English and maths learning has recommended annual 'checkpoint' tests for students. It also recommends children be encouraged to write by hand as much as possible for their first three years at school - and cursive lessons in years four to six. NZEI president Mark Potter says children in society are facing all sorts of issues, but how teachers teach isn't one. "Things aren't going well for children in our society right now, but just focusing on what teachers do in the classroom all the time, especially by political groups and political figures, is not going to help children at all." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon is on the ground in Japan, but his business delegation won't be touching down for another day. The Prime Minister's plane has broken down yet again, this time while refuelling in Papua New Guinea. Luxon's been forced to fly commercial to Tokyo, while the business leaders, officials and others in his delegation are travelling to Brisbane and then on to Japan today. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Luxon abruptly disappeared from the airport, leaving his delegation confused about what was happening. "The Prime Minister leaving took everybody by surprise, I saw his face as he was leaving in the motorcade... he was not happy." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Britain’s Labour Party has launched its manifesto. It said on Thursday that it would be “pro-business” and prioritise “wealth creation”. Among the party’s flagship pledges is the creation of a new publicly owned energy company, a ban on awarding new North Sea oil and gas licences, and reducing medical wait times. UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking that it’s quite different from the manifesto they ran on a few years ago under Jeremy Corbyn. He said that Starmer is very much saying that his party is the party for change, but he is for stability, and in his own words, there were no “rabbits out of the hat”. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a big weekend in sports as the Super Rugby semifinals kick off tonight. The Blues and the Brumbies are facing off at Eden Park tonight, the Hurricanes and the Chiefs going head-to-head in Wellington’s Sky Stadium tomorrow afternoon. Sports Commentator Sam Ackerman told Mike Hosking that if he could only watch one of the matches, he’d take the Hurricanes v Chiefs. He said it’s got blockbuster written all over it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.