Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Divers searching the Bayesian, the superyacht which sank off the coast of Sicily, have found five bodies and recovered four of them, according to local authorities. It's believed British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter were among the bodies brought up from the wreck. UK correspondent Enda Brady says investigations are ongoing - and the Kiwi who captained the yacht will be questioned. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Market experts are convinced 2024 will conclude with a soft economic landing. This contradicts initial predictions that a global recession would disrupt things. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds unpacks why predictions have changed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prices have bounced back in the latest Global Dairy Trade auction - with an impressive 5.5 percent increase across the board. The sixth event of the new dairy season, it is the largest percentage lift since March 2021, and a far cry from the the beginning of July when prices plunged 6.9 percent. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains what this means for the primary sector. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has moved on Auckland apartment developer Du Val Group, taking the rare step of placing it in statutory management. The move follows the group of companies being placed in interim receivership on August 2 after an application by the Financial Markets Authority. NZ Herald property editor Anne Gibson says investigations are still ongoing. "We don't really know what's going on here - we know that it is complex and serious." 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! Prime Minister Chris Luxon has urged local councils to rein in unnecessary spending. This speech has prompted some backlash - why do we think this is? All Blacks assistant coach Leon MacDonald has stepped down after just a handful of tests. Head coach Scott Robertson says this comes down to coaching differences - what do we think? New research reveals a concerning number of five-year-olds are starting school without the ability to form proper sentences - should we be worried? Is this the fault of ECE teachers - or parents? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 22 August 2024, an All Blacks coach quits. Rugby editor Elliott Smith examines what's behind Leon McDonald's shock resignation. Wellington Regional Councillor Thomas Nash is very upset that Chris Luxon told off councils for their spending habits. The Education Review Office has found an alarming number of kids turn up to school without being able to talk properly - where does parents' responsibility come in? The Huddle debates councillors getting a telling off and whether it's good to call it quits quickly if a relationship isn't working. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwibank's net profit increased 15 percent - and it says it is fulfilling its role as a disruptor. The state-owned bank brought in $202 million and grew its lending book by 9.3 percent to $32.4 billion in the 12 months to June 30. Deposits also increased $2.4 billion, or 9.4 percent, to $28.2 billion. CEO Steve Jurkovich says the bank has commited to supporting people as best as it can. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's been complaints from local Government officials following the Prime Minister's 'back to basics' speech. Speaking at the LGNZ Conference, Chris Luxon has said councils need to rein in spending, even calling the Takina convention centre hosting the event a 'waste of money'. Regional councillor Thomas Nash slammed the speech on social media as mana-diminishing, paternalistic, and visionless. Nash says he wanted to the Prime Minister to present a vision for the future. "And we need actually to work together - rather than just sling mud at each other." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Research suggests many new entrants start school without needed language skills, impacting literacy skills. Nearly two-thirds of teachers surveyed in the Education Review Office's research say Covid has affected children's language development. It's alongside more than two-thirds of parents saying their child had some language difficulty before starting school. Early Childhood Council Chief Executive Simon Laube says language starts with parents. "Yes, you could always improve oral literacy for the children in ECE, but there's a growing number of children who aren't even going to ECE." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An energy boss says predicted rain will take the strain off New Zealand's power supply. Winstone Pulp plans to close its central North Island pulp and saw mills because of spiking electricity prices, putting more than 200 jobs on the line. Transpower is now offering power generators early access to emergency hydro-lake reserves - with levels massively below average for this time of year. Meridian CEO Neal Barclay says rain and snowmelt in spring and summer will raise lake levels. "As soon as the lakes start filling up, we can start easing more into hydro-generation. We'll certainly see stock prices start to soften quite a lot." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's shock across the rugby world as Leon MacDonald exited the All Blacks coaching staff - seemingly out of the blue. MacDonald confirmed his departure today, leaving on the eve of the team's departure to South Africa, just five tests into the Scott Robertson era. ZB sports commentator Elliott Smith says it was likely Razor's decision to axe MacDonald. "If he wanted Leon to stay, he could have said - no, we can figure this out. But Leon's gone, this isn't working. It's Scott Robertson's team, he wants to imprint the way he wants to coach on this team." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has made a case against ACT's controversial Treaty Principles Bill. Peters claimed he wouldn't support the Bill beyond the first reading - and outlined an alternative approach. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacks Winston's arguments. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jetstar is on the receiving end of a class action lawsuit over its decision to hand out travel vouchers to customers who were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The lawsuit filed in the Federal Court claims the airline was legally obliged to refund tickets and is pushing for the money to be returned directly to customers with interest. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says tens of thousands of customers could potentially receive compensation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rugby philosophies going in different directions. That's what All Blacks coach Scott Robertson is singling out as the main reason for Leon MacDonald's surprise departure as one of the team's assistant coaches. The former Blues mentor was part of Robertson's original pitch for the job back in 2019 - while the pair played together for both the Crusaders and All Blacks. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave hinted there might be more to Leon MacDonald's abrupt departure. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Deputy Prime Minister has muddied the waters around the conditional Government support of ACT's Treaty Principles Bill. Answering on behalf of the Prime Minister in the House, Winston Peters seemed to suggest he was open to changing his mind after the first reading. Peters clarified he would not be supporting the Bill. "We voted to have a first reading, and therefore - we will not be supporting it from the second reading." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I don't know if you remember - but not long ago on the show we had a debate about screen time and how bad it is for kids.The question we were asking is - are we all just having a moral panic over screens, or are they as bad as the experts say they are?And I think we’ve just got more evidence that the latter is true - that screens are a particularly pernicious problem of our age for the little ones.Teachers are saying there are kids turning up at 5, sometimes 6, at school - and they just can't put sentences together. One teacher said a 6-year-old might say, for example, 'Me go pee' instead of 'I need the toilet'. And frankly, that's pretty alarming for a 6-year-old. That is what my 2-year-old talks like, a 6-year-old should be way past that situation.The teacher said that they had been teaching for 24 years, and they've never seen this low level of language. And what they’re putting it down to is too much screen time. Just too much TV, too much iPad.And apparently, it's gotten worse since Covid, where screens became baby-sitters during lockdown and parents haven’t snapped out of it.I recently spoke to a grandmother who doesn’t think 3 hours of TV a day - on multiple days - is a bad thing for a toddler. And obviously, that's a bad thing.The problem with that is no one’s talking to the kid for three hours, or reading them a book, or showing them how to properly structure a sentence about wanting to go to the bathroom.I have no idea what’s going on here with parents if they don't understand that this is a problem, I don't know how you fix it if it isn't obvious to parents that their child, at 6, isn't talking properly. But teachers are right to feel frustrated at this, this is not their job. I argue a lot of stuff about what they need to do in the classroom - but this is not their job. They're right to expect a 5-year-old to turn up at school knowing how to string sentences together. This is squarely on parents.The evidence is now overwhelming that too much screen time is bad for kids - and if we're being honest about it, parents have known this since the 1980s.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Divers have resumed their hunt for the six missing people who disappeared after a luxury yacht sank off Sicily's coast. The British-flagged Bayesian, a 56-metre-long superyacht, was carrying 22 people and anchored off the port of Porticello when it was hit by a fierce, pre-dawn storm on Tuesday. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says hopes are dwindling - and this is more likely to be a recovery mission than a rescue. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A grim warning from New Zealand's largest construction company. Fletcher Building is reporting a group net-loss-after-tax of $227 million dollars, following a $235 million profit last year. Its residential building arm has been doing well, but it's had losses from its civil business Higgins and Australian plumbing company, Tradelink. Milford Asset Management's Sam Trethewey unpacks a tough financial year for the construction sector. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Commission has detailed several potential changes in a new 389-page report designed to improve competition in the banking sector. One change involves establishing a deposit compensation scheme that insures the first $100,000 of an individual or business’s savings at a bank, credit union, building society or finance company. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny examines whether or not this is the way forward. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Kiwiblog's David Farrar joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Insurance companies are bringing in extra money - IAG posted a profit increase of 1000 percent. Whar do we make of this. Police will be cracking down on parents who smoke in the car with their kids after three years of looking the other way - do we agree with this change? Do police need to focus on this? Staffers in David Seymour's Ministry of Regulation earn on average $150,000 a year. Does this seem fair following all the public sector cuts? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 21 August 2024, Philip Polkinghorne's finances have been laid bare during his murder trial today. Chelsea Daniels tells Heather the court was told the eye-watering amount he spent on sex workers. IAG insurance has seen a 1000% rise in profit - Heather grills IAG NZ chief executive Amanda Whiting on whether we're going to keep seeing huge rises in insurance premiums. Sky TV is bleeding customers, its chief executive Sophie Moloney tells Heather whether TVNZ is going to become a more serious challenger to the business. Plus, the Huddle debates whether the police is wasting its time cracking down on people smoking in cars with kids. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sky TV is recording a 3.7 percent drop in net after-tax profit, with its customer base at the lowest level in five years. The provider says it's dealing with challenging market conditions - and had to slow down marketing while it sorted out technical issues with its Sky Box. Chief executive Sophie Moloney says they've lost a 'disappointing' number of subscribers. "I want New Zealanders to keep enjoying their Sky Sport and Sky entertainment content - so we're working hard to get them back." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

IAG, the country's largest insurer, has reported a significant increase in insurance profit in the 12 months to the end of June. The company, which owns the State, AMI and NZI brands, said it had collected 19 percent more in premiums from retail customers in New Zealand than in the previous year. Chief executive Amanda Whiting says the company has worked through a big year for the sector. "We've been focusing on supporting customers who we know have been experiencing cost of living challenges - so we've been doing a fair bit around that, we've been making sure that we're bolstering our customer care." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should New Zealand adopt Australia's stricter licensing approach? The AA's pushing for change, prompted by figures showing 18 to 24 year old drivers in New Zealand are three times more likely to die on our roads than the same cohort in Australia. It has commissioned research by Adelaide University - which suggests Australia's tougher penalties and additional testing could work here. Study lead Lisa Wundersitz says it could have a real impact. "Young drivers tend to have more crashes than any other age group - and I guess we need to consider that they're inexperienced as well. It's important to put a good foundation in." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A legal expert is rejecting the legitimacy of research into police bias. A two-year inquiry commissioned by police suggests there are ongoing inequities in treatment depending on people's race, sexuality, gender, and mental health. It's found Māori men are more likely to be stopped, tasered, and prosecuted, compared with Pakeha. Lawyer Steve Cullen says it's a 'bizarre' allegation. "There might be individual cases that might seem to have that as a bias in relation to the parties involved in the case - but that doesn't support an allegation of fundamental corruption within the police nationwide." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm very much on the side of the cops over whether they should be pinging people for smoking in cars with kids. You'll have caught up on this by now - we've found out police have not been enforcing the law since it was passed three years ago, they haven’t issued a single fine over it, and it's deliberate.And the Police Union says the reason is because, frankly, cops are busy. And this is not a cop problem, this is a health problem. I could not agree more. We know police can only do so much, so let's prioritise it. I would personally prefer they were preventing crimes, catching bad guys and putting them in jail, getting stolen stuff back, putting pressure on gangs and keeping our roads safe with booze buses and drug tests.I could go on and on with my list of priorities for what I want the police to do, and I would go on for a very long time before my list ever hit - stopping stupid parents smoking in their cars with their kids inside. How is that a police job? Frankly, if parents are that dumb that they're hot-boxing a car with tobacco while their kids are inside, they're doing that at home as well. Having the cops come round and give them a crack about the car thing might make the rest of us judgemental drivers feel better, but it’s not going to save the kids. They’re getting that smoke anyway from somewhere else. This was always a dumb law, simply because it would take up a huge amount of resource for a cop to chase down a car over a ciggie when they could be using that time to prevent a crime from happening.I actually think Mark Mitchell's done the wrong thing by stepping in and forcing the cops to start enforcing this. He knows they’re stretched already, he's just made that worse. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A deep dive into Philip Polkinghorne's finances - and payments for sex - was carried out as his murder trial hits its halfway point. The eye surgeon is accused of killing his wife, Pauline Hanna, in their Remuera home in 2021. The Court today's heard about the large sums Polkinghorne paid to numerous sex workers. Newstalk ZB's Chelsea Daniels says he was largely in control of the couple's bank accounts. "All up, the total amount he spent on women between 2016 and the beginning of 2021 was $296,645." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama drew in a standing ovation during her speech at the Democratic National Convention. She and Barack Obama turned up to the Chicago event to endorse Kamala Harris and get some jabs in against Donald Trump. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Michelle stole the show before the former president delivered his address. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Obamas turned up to address party faithful at the Democratic National Convention. The former President and First Lady together endorsed Kamala Harris at the event, ahead of Harris formally accepting the presidential nomination. US correspondent Logan Church says Michelle Obama came out with some fiery language in her speech. "She's always been somewhat of a reluctant campaigner over the years, but she spoke for almost 20 minutes - and spent most of it focusing on Trump, dealing out some absolute zingers." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coach of world tennis number one Jannik Sinner admits the cloud of a potential doping ban has taken its toll on the young Italian star. Sinner's been fined and stripped of ranking points - but cleared of any suspension for a pair of positive tests for an anabolic steroid in March. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacks the controversy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington-based iwi Ngāti Toa Rangatira has asked ACT leader David Seymour to front up and debate the Treaty Principles Bill. Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira chief executive Helmut Modlik has labelled Seymour's suggestions to have a national conversation about the Treaty a 'charade'. Modlik says he hopes this debate will receive plenty of media coverage. "The audience for the debate I'm hoping for isn't David, it's actually our fellow citizens. I'm really wanting to surface, for New Zealanders, the issues that keep getting alluded to, but never really directly addressed." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new book has revealed what the late Queen Elizabeth really thought of former President Donald Trump. According to A Voyage Around The Queen, the deceased ruler found Trump to be 'very rude' during his visits to the UK in 2018 and 2019. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this contradicts Trump's claim that he was her favourite guest hosted at Windsor Castle. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Homeowners have been able to breathe a sigh of relief following the Reserve Bank's decision to cut the OCR. The cash rate was cut by 25 basis points after their August meeting, down to 5.25 percent. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham explains that the RBNZ had to meet expectations to keep the economy in check. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's green shoots returning to the housing market, according to the Real Estate Institute. REINZ data shows the volume of sales rose 14.5 percent year-on-year and nearly 20 percent month-on-month. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen unpacks what this news means following the recent OCR cut. 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! Darleen Tana has maintained that they're not leaving Parliament and they'll fight back against the Green Party's attempts to oust her. Do we think the Greens will take the risk and use the waka-jumping law? The Commerce Commission has made a list of proposals to improve competition in the banking sector - and Finance Minister Nicola Willis aims to take them all on board. Do we think this will work? The Democratic National Convention has kicked off - will the Kamala Harris hype last all the way until November? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mercury Energy has lifted its net profit by 159 percent in the June year to $290 million. The company’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and financial instruments came to $877m, up 4 percent on the previous year. Mercury CEO Vince Hawksworth has pushed back against accusations of profiteering from Minister Shane Jones. "If you look at today's result, and yes, it was a very good result - on the back of quite a bit of new investment in our business." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For once, we have a Commerce Commission study that isn’t going nowhere. Nicola Willis says she's going to do what the Commerce Commission has recommended in the banking study out today - and she'll do all 14 recommendations.This is a little surprise, isn’t it? Because we have got very used to these studies coming out and pretty much nothing of any substance being done. We've had the petrol study, the supermarket study, the construction industry study - I was a little cynical about the banking study, but I was wrong. And what's even more surprising is that it's a centre-right Government - who are often accused of cosying up to big business - who are prepared to do the ballsy thing there. Doesn't that make a nice change? Now as to whether it’s actually going to make a difference - the jury is out big time. I mean, I love the idea of capitalising Kiwibank, it'll most likely improve the bank, it'll give Kiwi investors another productive asset to put their money into - it deserves to be beefed up. And for those reasons alone, I'm stoked Nicola Willis is committed to doing it. But I'm not convinced it’s going to be the disruptor and add the competition that's needed. Too many people who know a lot more about economics and finance have said it won't be big enough.With the open banking thing that Nicola Willis is committed to, again, I haven't seen any evidence that this is the game-changer it's being sold as. If anything, it's been really expensive in Australia - it's cost about $1.5 billion without doing all that much for customers.Now, those are just two out of 14 recommendations - and who knows? Maybe in combination these will all together make a difference, but as I say, the jury's still out. But you can't fault the fact that the Government's prepared to do what's recommended. And even if it doesn't affect competition as much as we'd like, at least we're getting on with doing something about Kiwibank. Which, frankly, has been a long time coming. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 20 August 2024, the Finance Minister has declared war on the "cosy pillow fights" between the big banks. Darleen Tana tells Heather they won't leave Parliament and is pushing back at the "cancel culture" that led to their ousting from the Green Party. Mercury Energy boss Vince Hawksworth defends his company's 159% profit rise during times of record electricity prices. Plus the Huddle debates whether the hype around Kamala Harris will last until the election in November. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi wine company Selaks has launched its first 5 percent offering amid increased demand for alcohol-free and low-alcohol beverages. Selaks Origins Breeze 5% promises a low alcohol experience, with each bottle containing three standard drinks. General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Olly Wilson, says this gives consumers more choice. "This is the first time we've had a 5 percent product available, so we're pretty excited about that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Darleen Tana says they have support within the Green Party to stay. They've refused the Party's repeated requests to resign from Parliament. Tana today argued Parliament's proportionality isn't affected, because Te Pati Maori is submitting their vote via proxy - aligned with Green positions. Tana says they're not staying for the money, but because they're kaupapa-driven. "I'm listening to my communities - Green Party members and non-members alike - who have been constantly calling me and reminding me that they voted party Green for Darleen." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New reports have unveiled a disturbing discovery in Sydney's drinking water. 'Forever chemicals' with links to cancer have been found in several drinking catchments across the region - that serve millions of Australians. Australian correspondent Sam Emery says investigations are still ongoing into the extent of the damage. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Climate Change Minister believes slashing 24 million carbon credits will fix the struggling Emissions Trading Scheme. Companies buy the credits in quarterly auctions - to offset their pollution output. Repeated failures to sell credits triggered the Climate Change Commission to advise there are too many cheap units available, in order to drive down emissions. Minister Simon Watts says it's a simple supply and demand fix, but he can't speculate on the price implications. "What we've done here today is make sure we've put some credibility back into this market - which hasn't been the case in the past." Changes to unit numbers kick in from 2025. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister aims to put an end to the 'cosy pillow fight' between banks and bolster sector competition. A Commerce Commission report has found that the four big Australian-owned banks are turning high profits, far out-stripping international peers. The Commission has recommends open banking practices and tweaks to Reserve Bank rules to ease access for small players. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she's exploring options to raise Kiwibank's capital. "I think Kiwibank needs to remain New Zealand's bank - and exactly how that's defined is one of the questions that's to be discussed during this process." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden's reflected on his legacy - and laid a case against Donald Trump in a rousing address. The President's speech ended the first day of the Democratic National Convention, where Kamala Harris will accept the presidential nomination. Biden says Harris will be a President the nation can be proud of - and will put her stamp on America's future. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Biden didn't hold back in his statements condemning Donald Trump. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After three years of planning, Team NZ is set to compete in the 2024 America's Cup. On August 22, the six America’s Cup teams will take to the water in their new AC75 race vessels for the third and final preliminary regatta before the moments that truly matter. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's belief the Christ Church Cathedral will be rebuilt eventually, despite ongoing funding issues. The Reinstatement Group has announced it's pausing work - until more funding is found. The Finance Minister confirmed this month that no more cash will go to the project, leaving it short $85 million. Project chair Mark Stewart says the Government needs to play a part in the rebuild, but acknowledged constraints. "People are suffering out there, there is a cost of living crisis, there is fiscal restraint - and we need to be recognizant of that and understand the timing too." He says they're committed to keeping funding conversations alive with the Government, the City Council and donors. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK Government has established emergency measures to ease prison overcrowding as more rioters are being sentenced for their role in the recent unrest. The system, known as Operation Early Dawn, means defendants waiting for a court appearance will be kept in police cells until prison space is available. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says hundreds of people have been arrested over the last few weeks - which puts additional strain on the system. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Logistics and courier company Freightways has recorded a 5.8 percent decrease in net profit after weathering what its leaders believe to be the worst of the economic cycle in New Zealand and Australia. Freightways announced its 2024 results to the NZX on Monday. It reported net profit after tax of $70.9 million, a reduction from its 2023 result that the company said was largely due to higher interest expenses. Earnings before interest, depreciation, tax, and amortisation were $229.1m, up 6.6% from 2023. Freightways CEO Mark Troughear explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BNZ’s performance of services index - which measures sentiment across services firms - was up 3.9 points to 44.6 in July from a rock-bottom level of 40.7 in June. While it’s better than June it’s still a very low result - a result below 50 indicates activity is contracting for the fifth straight month. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explains how this adds to the proof that the Reserve Bank needed to cut the OCR. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani and Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! There's growing calls to bring back the Wellington-Auckland sleeper train as an alternative to pricey air travel. Is this a good idea? The Government has announced a new crackdown on dangerous drivers to bring down road deaths. Will this help make things safer? The ACT Party caused a bit of a stir by not showing up at Koroneihana? Is this a bad look? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.