Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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