Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Banking customers are losing out, according to a draft report that finds a lack of competition. The Commerce Commission's found ANZ, ASB, BNZ and Westpac also have sustained high profits compared with global peers. The report says Kiwibank also lacks the capital to disrupt the big four in a meaningful way. Commerce Commission chair John Small says these banks aren't interested in competing with each other. "They're not really going after each other, they're matching each other's prices, they've got really high visibility into what each other's doing- they're typically aiming to maintain market share, rather than take market share off each other." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tough economic choices are on the horizon for the Government. GDP slipped 0.1 percent in 2023's last quarter, the second of negative growth in a row. Associate Finance Minister David Seymour says the previous Government left plenty of fiscal cliffs. He says it's unfortunate there isn't more money to go around. "I don't think there's a single person around the Cabinet Table who doesn't want to pay New Zealand police officers a lot more money. I know I do, they're some of the greatest New Zealanders." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's unemployment rate dropped to 3.7 percent in February, down from 4.1 percent. This decrease comes off the back of an ongoing economic slowdown, as Australia aims to tamp down inflation. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says it's likely employers are feeling more confident, amid the promises of rate cuts later this year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Whitelock's final act in an All Blacks jersey may not be last year's World Cup final. The New Zealand Herald reports the 153-test lock has been approached by coach Scott Robertson to return from France This is despite his former franchise, the Crusaders, says as far as they know he's on a two year deal at Pau. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One anti-youth vaping group thinks the Government's plan to crack down on youth vaping will miss the mark. The Government has promised a complete ban on disposable vapes and tougher fines for retailers caught selling to under-18s. Vape Free Kids co-founder Charyl Robinson says the only way to really tackle this problem is to reduce the number of available retailers. "There's been no indication that promises are set to be kept. There was murmurs, I suppose, of some further restrictions on retailers- but I don't hear anything promising." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I don't think many of us are surprised to hear that we’re back in a technical recession for the second time in a year, it's pretty rough out there. Personally, I know people involved in retail. They're behind on rent, they can’t pay it because they aren’t making enough money any more. I know an architecture business that hasn't had any business for months now, I've heard of contractors like draftsmen, builders, and so on cold calling other businesses looking for work. I’ve heard of a person selling their house because they can’t afford the mortgage payments unless they take on a third job. And the bummer is, they might sell their house for less than they paid for it. So if you're hearing that kind of thing, or if you are experiencing it yourself - it is not news to you that we’re in a recession. And actually, the number out today actually doesn’t do it justice, cause it says the economy's shrunk by 0.1 percent- which is really not a lot. The truth is, that number isn’t telling the full story. Because that number has been pumped up by record levels of immigration. The real number is the GDP per capita, this is the economic number when you count every single person in the country. And that's come back by 0.7 percent in the last three months. And here's a real brutal number- since September 2022, which means just slightly over a year's worth of data on a per capita basis, the economy has shrunk 4 percent. That is massive, and that is what you’re feeling. That is the price of our Covid response, it's the price of the lockdowns and the spending and printing of the money and the resulting interest rate hikes to settle it back down again. I was thinking yesterday about Grant Robertson's legacy and how most commentators are quite rightly saying it’ll be years before we really can say what his legacy is. But I think the clue is in the numbers today. What happens to us all over time is that we forget detail. We forget what is said, we forget what is done, but the thing that we are left with is how it made us feel. So, how is this recession making you feel? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, has reportedly been targeted by a security breach of medical records. The London Clinic has launched an investigation into hospital staff allegedly attempting to view Kate's medical data from her stay in January. UK correspondent Kay Oliver recaps the ongoing saga. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! New research has linked intermittent fasting to an increased risk of cardiovascular death. Should we be concerned? Have we tried this diet? Is anyone actually convinced by the Government's proposed crackdown on youth vaping? The Government impose more hefty fines for selling vapes to under-18 year olds and ban single-use vapes by the end of the year. Will these measures have an impact? The Department of Conservation recently announced they plan to hike up the prices for New Zealand's Great Walks- is this fair? Grant Robertson delivered his valedictory speech in the House this evening. How will he be remembered as a Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another social media giant is gearing up to hit the stock market. Forum-based social network Reddit plans to make an initial public offering, making it the first social media company to go public in years. Stake executive director Matt Leibowitz says it'll be interesting to see what a company with Reddit's reputation can attract. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many local retailers, including Kathmandu and The Warehouse, have reported less-than-stellar earnings this week. KMD Brands has posted a $10 million loss, and The Warehouse Group today announced a $23.7 million net loss. Milford Asset Management's Sam Trethewey says it's clear economic conditions and interest rates are having an impact on consumer spending. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everybody's looking forward to extra tax cuts- but some people will have to take a hit to pay for them. The Government has confirmed new changes to the income tax system are coming from April 1, and commercial and industrial building owners are uniquely affected for the worse. NZ Herald Wellington business editor explains why they won't be able to deduct depreciation as an expense under these rules. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister has delivered his final speech in the House. Grant Robertson resigned from politics last month, after a long career impacted by a a shifting economy, disasters and a global pandemic. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Robertson will be remembered for his humour over his years in Parliament. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warehouse Group has revealed it plans to sell or close its online shopping website TheMarket.com by the end of the financial year. It comes just weeks after the company sold off its outdoor chain Torpedo7 for just a dollar. Today's announcement also comes as The Warehouse Group announces a $23.7 million net loss in the six months to January 28, amid grim retail conditions. Chief Product Officer Tania Benyon says this is a sign the market is changing as we enter tough times. "There's no doubt it's a tough retail environment. I think we're seeing that with other results in the market." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent study shows intermittent fasting is linked to a high risk of cardiovascular death. The American study analysed 20,000 adults and found 91 percent were more likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Auckland University head of nutrition and dietetics, Clare Wall, says it's hard to tell how accurate the study is. "But what we don't know is actually how long these people have been on these diets for. The first thing I think about is- what was the quality of these people's diets? We don't really have enough information." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Rugby is set to introduce some new rules and changes in the hope of increasing the speed and overall entertainment of the game. Some of these measures - 20 minute timeouts for red cards and reduced TMO decisions - have been implemented in Super Rugby. NZ Rugby's high performance referee manager Chris Pollock says there's been an increased appetite for rugby following last year's World Cup. "We've got a law book that's very complex, we also have a law book that's been around for a long time- and our game has evolved." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A supermarket action group is questioning the Commerce Commission's decision making. The Commission's decided not to investigate Sanitarium's move to pause the Warehouse's Weet-Bix supply, finding no evidence of anti-competitiveness. Sanitarium paused supply after the Warehouse began selling the cereal more cheaply than major supermarkets. Grocery Action Group's Ernie Newman says the Warehouse has had one issue after another, since it began selling groceries. "People really did say- hey, we know when something is not fair play. But it seems that the Commerce Commission doesn't know when something is not fair play, and has simply fumbled this one." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government says it's trying to strike the right balance between helping smokers quit and stopping youth vaping. Single-use vapes will be banned by the end of the year, and fines for selling vapes to under-18s will rise massively. The Associate Health Minister has been asked whether the Coalition will enforce minimum prices to put people off buying vapes. Casey Costello says she's not a fan of that- and she says vapes are still a great smoking cessation tool. "The alternate risk is that we get the prices back up- and they're equitable to smoking, so we end up with people taking up smoking." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to new reports, a record-shattering number of wealthy Americans are looking to make the move overseas. The political turmoil and social instability are inspiring investors, entrepreneurs and similar rich-listers to relocate. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Portugal, Malta, Spain, Greece and Italy are among the most popular locations people want to immigrate to. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Rugby is considering a global trial of a 20-minute red card as part of plans to broaden the sport's appeal. The proposal, where the player sent off is eventually replaced by a substitute, will potentially go before the governing body's council at Dublin in May. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wellington Muslim leader says he wants community consultation during the ongoing debate on whether mosques can play the call to prayer over loud speakers. The City Council is investigating a proposal to change noise control rules, to let mosques play calls at prayer times. Some Councillors are citing noise concerns. Leader Tariq Saeed says they'd be played quietly, to not disrupt neighbours. "We want to explore the possibility, if the community is okay with it. Still, we want to be very respectful and mindful, so we don't cause any discomfort to the people." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm completely puzzled about something, I'm really stumped by this. And that is- why two Governments in a row now are pussy-footing around the vaping problem instead of just going hard and properly putting them out of the reach of kids. The associate Health Minister, Casey Costello, has today announced a so-called crackdown on vaping, which includes banning disposal vapes. Yes, that does sound familiar. And that would be because Ayesha Verrall already banned them last year. But she stuffed up her definition of a disposable vape, so they're basically still on the market for about $8 bucks. Go and look at the Vapo sign out front if you don’t believe me. And mark my words, Casey Costello is about to do exactly the same thing. Because what's happening is these guys are getting hung up on banning certain types of vapes and whether their batteries are removable or not, thereby defining them as disposable or not. When the solution to stopping 14 and 15-year-olds getting hooked on vapes is simple, because it's the same solution we used for the ciggies. Force the price up. The problem with vapes is that they're cheap. As I said, go to Vapo. They're selling a fully compliant vape with a removable battery for $8 right now. That's the kind of thing kids are buying, cause they can afford it. If you force the price up, the kids won’t be able to. And at some point- like where we're at with the ciggies where a pack costs $45 bucks or whatever, only the hard-core addicts will be left. We need to take this seriously. This is what I don't understand about these Governments- why aren't they taking this seriously? As many as 10 percent of our 14 to 15-year-olds vape daily. Nearly 2000 primary and intermediate school students were stood down for vaping or smoking last year. We don't really know the impact this will have on these kids, or their lungs, but getting hooked on anything at 14 is surely not a good idea. And I just do not understand why, when the solution is staring consecutive ministers in the face and parents and teachers and principals and health experts are begging them to do something, they dick around with banning this thing or that thing and failing at it instead of just going hard. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barack Obama has recently arrived in the UK, on a visit to 10 Downing Street. The former US President reportedly paid a 'courtesy visit' to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for an hour-long private discussion. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this high-profile meeting gave Rishi Sunak an extra boost- but it's unclear what this means for Sunak's chances. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Toby Manhire from the Spinoff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Winston Peters has defended his use of Chumbawamba's hit 'Tubthumping', saying there's nothing wrong with using the song- despite what the band says. Who's in the right here? Does Peters has bigger things to worry about? Will the Government's proposed tax cuts come through? Did Luxon's comments this morning inspire any confidence? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has held interest rates steady at 4.35 percent. Australia's OCR has stayed in place since November 2023 off the back of 13 rate hikes- but governor Michele Bullock says the fight isn't over. HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham explains further- and predicts when Aussie homeowners can expect cuts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lower tomato prices might be great news for consumers- less so for the country's growers. Farmers still can't export their product over to Australia, due to a pepino mosaic virus, or PepMV, outbreak impacting business The Country's Jamie Mackay says the cost of production outweighs sale prices- and Kiwi farmers have been hit hard. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Property developers Du Val Group have found themselves in another patch of controversy. The company has reportedly taken hundreds of millions from investors- and have since tried to convince investors to turn their loans into shares. BusinessDesk's Pattrick Smellie recaps the whole saga here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick came out swinging during her first Question Time in the role, She asked Prime Minister Luxon to commit to resigning if his moves to regulate unruly Kāinga Ora tenants lead to more children becoming homeless. This request inspired laughter from other politicians in the House. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Chloe was determined to make an impression- but she picked the wrong target. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, rideshare giant Uber has been forced to pay over $270 million to compensate taxi drivers and operators. Taxi companies across the nation took legal action after they claimed they lost years worth of income when Uber moved into the country. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says this is the fifth largest settlement in Australian history. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White Ferns have dropped the opening cricket T20 against England, losing by 27 runs in Dunedin. The visitors were sent in to bat first, reaching 160 for 4, thanks to a captain's knock of 63 by Heather Knight. In reply, New Zealand fell short in their chase at 133 for 5, despite skipper Suzie Bates' 65. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave recaps the loss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Uber drivers have continued their employment fight, now at the Court of Appeal. Two years ago, the court ruled four Wellington Uber drivers should be considered employees, not contractors, giving them more entitlements. Now, Uber's appealing the decision, and drivers and unions rallied outside the court today. First Union strategic project coordinator Anita Rosentreter says the protesting drivers showed 'bravery' in standing up against Uber's pushback. "It was a combination of a whole bunch of drivers, and also their whanau and supporters- and the unions came out to show support. We had politicians there, it was a wide range of Wellingtonians." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Debate in Wellington over the Council's proposal to allow broadcasting of religious calls over mosque loud-speakers. Local Mosques reportedly asked the council to change noise control regulations, so they can play calls to prayer over outdoor speakers, as is done in Muslim countries. Some have taken issue with the proposal. Councillor Nicola Young says such issues aren't what they need to think about. "The City Council should stick to its municipal role. It's got big issues, like water and sewage infrastructure- why are we not focusing on that, instead of having these distractions?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Complaints from Wellington bus drivers who've been resorting to tampering with excessively loud on-board speakers. One city bus company is threatening to turn security cameras onto drivers to stop them reducing the volume. Tramways Union National President Gary Froggatt says the noisy announcements keep giving drivers a fright. "The driver is concentrating at the front of the bus and the traffic. Then all of a sudden, a noise comes - abruptly in some cases - advertising material." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you needed proof that the Government is doing the right thing by cracking down on unruly state house tenants- here it is. Even Chris Hipkins is endorsing it now. He's admitted today his Government should've done more to crack down on state house tenants terrorising their neighbourhoods. And he’s said- “I have some sympathy for some of the changes that they’re making, there should be further consequences”. If even the guy who led the Government that stopped the evictions now admits he’s on board with starting up the evictions again, then that tells you it’s the right thing to do. Look, I admit it's a tough policy, because people are gonna get punished. If they tear up a house, if they terrorise their neighbours, or don’t pay their rent repeatedly- they will be punished by being kicked out of the house. But this isn't introducing punishment, it's just changing who gets punished. Because people are being punished already. The neighbours are being punished, the taxpayers are being punished by constantly having to fix up houses that are being ripped up, and the families waiting in motels for homes while those homes are filled with people who aren’t respecting the privilege are being punished too. But the neighbours and the taxpayers and people waiting in motels shouldn't be the ones being punished by this behaviour, because they aren't the bad guys here- the guys tearing up the houses are the bad guys. And it is only right that if someone is being punished, it should the people doing the bad stuff, not everyone around them. I think yesterday's crackdown was well overdue, because we need to start looking after the right people in this country. We've spent too long now bending over backwards for the delinquents. The unruly tenants, the gang members demanding rights to wear a patch, the criminals demanding discounts because of tough childhoods. We have to change who we look after here, including the neighbours, the citizens who don’t want to be intimidated by gangs, and the victims who want the offenders locked up. This looks after the right people instead of punishing them- and it’s about time. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health officials are warning a shortage of anti-psychotic drug - olanzapine - could cause relapses for people with schizophrenia symptoms. Supply of the injected medication is already low, and a shipment didn't arrive last month. Royal College of Psychiatrists New Zealand chair, Hiran Thabrew, says it's critical for people to get their regular medication, or a substitute. "What might happen is that people might experience a deterioration in their mental state, they might notice symptoms of psychosis start to occur and people around them might notice their behaviour changing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Transport Minister says changes to road user charges for plug-in hybrids are about finding a balance. Owners will pay $38 per 1000 kilometres- down from a proposed 53. The amendment put forward by Labour was accidentally agreed to by governing MPs in a mix-up during the select committee stage. Minister Simeon Brown says this change recognises that hybrids can run on a battery, or on petrol. "The reality is, this is a tricky issue. There are a range of particularly older plug-in hybrids, which do consume a lot of petrol- and so they would be paying even more." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters says there is nothing wrong with him using a song by a UK punk band during his State of the Nation speech. The Spinoff reports Chumbawamba has requested their record label issue a cease and desist order to the New Zealand First leader for playing 'Tubthumping'. The band says it's odd the refrain 'I get knocked down, but I get up again' is being used by Peters as he barks his bigoted policies during his recent speeches. Peters says the Spinoff are leftist shills. "It's a public meeting, we're not using it for any beneficial purpose in terms of making money for ourselves. And so I'm afraid we've got a media outlet that doesn't know what the law is." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After all the speculation and scandal, the Princess of Wales has reportedly been spotted out and about again. Reports claim Kate Middleton was seen visiting an upscale farm shop by her family home in Windsor. UK correspondent says speculation indicates Kate could return to her royal duties as soon as Easter. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani and Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The Government is taking a harder line on Kāinga Ora renters- and urging the organisation to kick out unruly tenants. Is this the right course of action? Will this curb bad behaviour? It's been revealed the Defence Force was ill-prepared when they were sent to help Cyclone Gabrielle-affected areas. They weren't licensed to hand out drinking water, and didn't have PPE so were told not to help people dig up silt. What do we think of this? Winston Peters raised some eyebrows over the weekend by comparing co-governance with Nazi Germany in his State of the Nation speech. Was this a bridge too far? A pitch invader clad in an Auckland FC jersey storming through Eden Park captured plenty of attention. Was it a dumb stunt or a clever marketing pitch? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters has welcomed his Chinese counterpart to the Beehive, in a meeting building on many previous talks. The meeting comes as the Chinese Government's expressed concerns over New Zealand signalling interest in joining the AUKUS intelligence sharing pact. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says the AUKUS issue will be brought up, as China has their concerns about New Zealand getting involved. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Housing Minister says the purpose of a crackdown on social housing tenants is to send a message. The Government's taking a harder line on Kainga Ora renters, with the Prime Minister ordering the provider to axe its Sustaining Tenancies Framework. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explains the likelihood of these restrictions curbing bad behaviour. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Residents in Australia's Northern Territory and Queensland are bracing themselves for a tropical cyclone. Cyclone Megan is now rated a category three storm, and is expected to touch down between Monday night and Tuesday morning. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says experts are predicting half a year's worth of rain will batter the affected areas. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's calls for a complete ban on the deadly engineered stone, primarily used in bench tops. The Australasian College of Physicians is urging the New Zealand Government to follow Australia's lead on the stone, which can give stonemasons the incurable lung disease, silicosis. RACP spokesperson Dr Alexandra Muthu says the organisation is calling for an outright ban on the material being imported into New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister insists that the Government's proposed tax cuts will be delivered by the end of the year. This follows an earlier interview that had experts concerned the Government planned to delay the scheme. Minister Nicola Willis says the cuts will need to pass through Cabinet- but Kiwis will still benefit from tax reduction soon. "I can assure you, tax reduction for working New Zealanders will be the centrepiece of our budget." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's crackdown on poorly-behaved social housing tenants is being welcomed by many. The Government's taking a harder line on Kāinga Ora renters, with the Prime Minister ordering the provider to axe its Sustaining Tenancies Framework. Lawyer Adina Thorn says this is a big step in the right direction for victims. "I get emails, unsolicited emails, from people talking about their neighbours having machetes, shouting at them 24/7." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's A-League team hasn't played a match yet, but they've found themselves in the public eye. During Saturday's Phoenix game at Eden Park, a pitch invader sporting an Auckland FC jersey dashed onto the field. Rumours are swirling, but Eden Park boss Nick Sautner is denying involvement with this stunt. "Encouraging that sort of activity has the ability to compromise their future aspirations for their team- and we're all about family-friendly environments and ensuring the safety of the players." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some strong words are expected behind closed doors from China's Foreign Minister. Wang Yi has been in talks with counterpart Winston Peters in Wellington today, ahead of an official dinner. Geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller says they'll be all smiles for the cameras. But he says behind the scenes, there may be harsh words about New Zealand's AUKUS moves. "Because this new Government that New Zealand has really came out strongly, they came out with a hiss and a roar wanting to align New Zealand closer with the US and wanting to get into AUKUS. And that's not gone down well with Beijing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Housing Minister claims social housing tenants misbehave because they know there won't be consequences. The Government's taking a harder line on Kāinga Ora tenants, instructing the provider to axe its Sustaining Tenancies Framework, saying this allows tenants to remain in a state house regardless of bad behaviour or unpaid rent. Chris Bishop says the cost of living crisis probably has affected tenants' ability to pay rent. "However, if you know that, basically, it is almost impossible to be booted out of a Kāinga Ora property, then people's behaviour is set based on those expectations." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sports fans are investigating the curious case of an Auckland FC jersey-clad pitch invader. As the Phoenix defeated Sydney FC 2-1 in their final home match in Auckland, an individual clad in Auckland FC gear ran onto the field. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains the theories surrounding this incident. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whakarongorau's chief executive is correcting perceptions that the organisation is biased towards one particular group. The telehealth organisation has an option for Māori callers to be redirected to a separate queue with the touch of a button. Chief executive Glynis Sandland says this measure is designed to put callers in touch with a Māori clinician- and they get moved to the regular queue if none are available. "The way to look at this is- people have different needs. And we do this in a number of different ways, it's not only Māori. We have a disability line, we have a line set up for new people coming into the country." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National is making noises that sound an awful lot like they might not deliver the full tax cuts in July like they promised. Finance Minster Nicola Willis was on the radio this morning, she was asked about it and she replied that she still intended to roll out the tax cuts in July- but it was subject to Cabinet discussions, so she could not give a cast-iron guarantee it would happen. Ooh, she's playing with fire. Look, I hope this is one those weird little technicalities where politicians don’t want to get ahead of an announcement or leave themselves exposed, so they don’t answer the question properly. But there’s actually nothing to worry about, and the tax cuts will be delivered as expected. Because boy oh boy, there will be hell to pay if those tax cuts don’t come through. Because they made such a big song and dance about them, and people expect them. The economy is as stuffed as we thought it was going to be. We can split hairs about a percentage point here or there, but broadly, we knew this was coming. National cannot be surprised by any of this. We are probably in a double dip recession, that was predicted months before the election. There are significant policies Labour left unfunded, for example school lunches and the Pharmac budget. We knew this before the election, cause it was in the pre-election fiscal update. And we said to National- there is not enough money for your tax cuts. We could see it, commentators lined up to say that - including me. And Nicola Willis said it was fine, there would be enough money for tax cuts. We said- no there isn't. She said there was, and then she said she would quit as Finance Minister if she couldn't deliver her tax cuts. So there is no room to move here. Nothing much has changed from when they made the promise to now- when they need to deliver it. If they promise something, they need to deliver. Otherwise, what’s to stop these politicians promising new highways for every town, 2000 new police, and free ice cream for everyone? The reason we extract promises from politicians is because these things are tough to deliver. If we don't hold them to this promise, what is the point of any promise made before an election? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.