Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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