Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

ACT leader David Seymour says the overwhelming majority of people at Waitangi were respectful during his address. The National Trust chair has apologised to Seymour, MP Nicole McKee and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters. All three were drowned out by jeers - and Pita Tipene says more effort should have been made to ensure they could express their views. Seymour says many were listening politely. "Unfortunately, it's one of those things where a small number of people ruined it for everyone. And it's really important to recognise this isn't all Māori who were doing this, this was a very small minority of people who don't represent much." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 15-year-old has been arrested and three other teenagers are on the run following the brutal stabbing of a 70-year-old woman. The woman, identified as Vyleen White, was attacked in a Queensland car park- and died shortly after the encounter. She had been shopping at the Town Square Redbank Plains shopping centre in Ipswich with her grandchild, who was unharmed. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says this has sparked discussion about the rise in youth crime, with people calling for harsher penalties. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand have been dismissed on the second day of the first cricket test against South Africa at Mount Maunganui. Rachin Ravindra top-scored with 240, but the last five wickets fell for 38 runs. Sportstalk host Jason Pine recaps the day's events. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing concerns younger teens are being targeted by vape marketing. An Auckland University study shows people aged 14-to-17 are more likely to see vaping ads than 18-to-20-year olds. Half of the 3500 in the study had been exposed through social media. Marketing professor, Bodo Lang, says more needs to be done to control messaging around vape products. "It's really been shown to be a very powerful entry drug for young people, particularly non-smokers to get them into vaping- and then potentially get into something else." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hotels in Queenstown are building their own staff accommodation to combat the housing shortage in the area. They say it is a gamechanger for recruiting staff in the industry. Board Member for Tourism Industry Aotearoa James Doolan told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that although it is a good idea, it is not sustainable across the whole industry. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has announced the new National Concussion Guidelines for community sport. These include when a player suffers a concussion, they must have a minimum period of 21 days away from full competition. Sports Injury Research Expert Dr Doug King has said that people need to understand the severity of some head knocks that take place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Aiken is one of the relationship experts on Married At First Sight, one of the people pairing up the brides and grooms and trying to help them build up a partnership. The desire to find a match and be in a romantic relationship is common, spawning a variety of reality shows based entirely on the premise, MAFS being one of many. The reason behind this, Aiken told Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan, is that humans are wired to be with someone else. “The companionship, and the support, and the communication you can get from it.” “When you’re in an intimate relationship and you can have that, it’s very reassuring and grounding.” Reality TV known more for its drama than its forming of lasting relationships and Married At First Sight is no different, with only five relationships still intact after over 11 seasons. “You don’t really know whether they’re going to find the fairy tale or just blow up.” Aiken’s role as an expert is to hold a mirror up to people’s behaviour and give them the hard truths and feedback they need for the partnership to be a success. “When I look at them I’m not thinking about their personalities as in good or bad people, what I’m thinking about is their behaviours.” “What is gonna sabotage this, and what’s going to be better moving forward?” In the interview, Heather posed the question of how to know if when she’s quarrelling with her husband, if she’s the problem, he is, or if its both of them. “I guess you’ve got to look at the context.” Aiken said that you have to look at it over a period of time and ask who’s doing what. “You start to realize, well, this person's actually doing a lot more damage in the relationship than the other person who's not engaging in those behaviours.” Watching Married At First Sight is a bit of a commitment, taking about eight hours a week to watch all of the episodes. Aiken likes to think that viewers commit to it for educational purposes. “Singles watch it and they go, ‘I’ve got to avoid that person or that type’, and couples watch and they go, ‘we absolutely cannot talk like those two or behave like that.’” “You can learn what not to do by watching Married At First Sight.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greens co-leader hopeful Chloe Swarbrick is vowing to grow the party's caucus until it's big enough to lead the Government. The Auckland Central MP has announced her candidacy to replace James Shaw - who resigned this week - and will step back in March. Swarbrick told Heather du Plessis-Allan she sees herself contributing to a movement which turns the Greens into the major left party. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's asking for input as it looks to expand the Covid-19 Inquiry. It wants the panel to look into the use of lockdowns, socio-economic impacts and how much disruption was caused for business, education and healthcare. Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden told Heather du Plessis-Allan that they want to hear from people about the terms of reference. Engagement will begin in February, with details soon to be announced by the Royal Commission. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve been surprised by the number of people who still underestimate her I've had texts and in person conversations with people who don’t think she's got what it takes Yes she does Her winning Auckland central back in 2020 was a big deal. Even Jacinda Ardern, the darling of the left internationally, couldn't do it. She Tried twice and eventually pulled the pin. Not only Chloe win it, But she held the seat which is the something the greens have never managed to do before And she did it in the face of the red covid wave of 2020... and then the blue backlash wave of last year She regularly appeared in preferred prime minister polls, Which basically never happens for an MP in a minor party who isn’t the leader of that party A couple years back David Farrar the guy behind the curia polls pointed out how popular Chloe is. He said a poll he’d done "showed Swarbrick had three times the favourability of James Shaw with all voters – she was at 23 per cent and Shaw at 8 per cent". And that says a lot given James Shaw was commonly referred to as the acceptable Green Well... she’s a lot more acceptable So Chloe's got the chops, She can do the job and she’s made no secret today of the fact that she wants the greens to be bigger than Labour It's not crazy The greens in Germany have at times polled much higher than their Labour party equivalents. Can she do it here? I refer you back to David Farra who said this week “Chloe could well lift support for the Greens at the expense of Labour.” So strap yourself in because if Chloe gets the co leadership, and there is no reason why she shouldn't We are going to watch a fierce battle on the left of politics for top dog status Labour vs green Chippy vs Chloe And come on... if you’re a centre left voter... which of those two has more charisma? Which of those two parties look more energised? Don't underestimate Chloe SwarbrickSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former First Minister of Scotland broke down in tears during the UK Covid-19 inquiry. Nicola Sturgeon told the Inquiry that she wished she wasn't in the role as the pandemic struck, amid the ongoing investigation into the Covid response. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the response to Sturgeon's statement has been mixed, with several labelling her address as 'crocodile tears'. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog editor and Curia pollster David Farrar and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Foreign Minister Winston Peters has expressed interest in joining up with AUKUS, and sharing defence technology with Australia, US and UK. Will this be good for New Zealand- or jeopardise relations with China? Some former police officers have recently claimed the fitness requirements to join the force are too tough- and they should be reduced to boost recruitment numbers? Is this a good idea? Woolworths has scrapped their Onecard program and replaced it with their Everyday Rewards scheme. Are these deals good value for money? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The streaming wars have kicked up a notch, as sports have become the newest area for companies to stake their claims. Disney has struck an exclusive deal with the NFL, and Netflix has formed a partnership with the WWE. Sam Dickie with Fisher Funds says this is just the beginning, as more companies will look towards streaming their sport-based output. "It's going to be primarily on these streaming giants or on apps that are owned by the sports themselves, much like the NZR+ app in New Zealand." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's two biggest farming-focused groups appear to be teaming up. Federated Farmers and noted protest group Groundswell are making conciliatory statements- and speculation indicates they could join together to be 'one voice' for rural New Zealand. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains this partnership. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The minimum wage is set to go up by 45 cents to $23.15, starting April 1. This two percent increase will affect between 80,000 and 140,000 Kiwi workers. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says a reduced increase is the best circuit-breaker for the economy, as the fight to bring down inflation drags on. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A first combined Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministerial summit for New Zealand, across the Tasman. Winston Peters and Judith Collins have top-level meetings with their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, in Government buildings in Melbourne. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Winston Peters has a history of building international relationships and connections. "New Zealand has to be involved internationally at the moment, because we are in a very strategic part of the world at the moment." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing hope across the ditch that the RBA will cut interest rates soon. Australia's Official Cash Rate is currently at 4.35 percent, with reduced inflation data holding it in place. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Australia's Reserve Bank meets next week- and there's a high chance they'll reel the OCR back. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister-in-charge says the Government is striking the right balance on lifting the minimum wage. It's rising two percent from April to $23.15 an hour from $22.70- affecting up to 145,000 workers. Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden says it's about protecting the incomes of the lowest paid New Zealanders. "We're striking a balance between protecting the incomes of our lowest-paid workers in the economy- and also maintaining the labour market settings that encourage employment." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Woolworths have recently launched their Everyday Rewards scheme set to replace Onecards. This development comes as consumer advocates have voiced concerns about the returns on loyalty programs, encouraging consumers to shop around for deals. Woolworths Director of Digital and Loyalty, Mark Wolfenden, disagrees, claiming Everyday Rewards is 'very generous'. "It's part of our commitment to offering Kiwis more value and better ways to shop, and we've got a multi-million dollar increase in rewards as part of the new program." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's an exploratory Government mission across the ditch to find out more about AUKUS. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins have met with their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, in Melbourne. ZB political editor Jason Walls says they're specifically looking at pillar two of the Australia-UK-US security pact. "Pillar two is a sort of military, technology sharing agreement, which has been on the table for quite some time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks’ 2024 schedule has been revealed, with 14 tests set for the upcoming season under new coach Scott Robertson. It opens with matches against England in Auckland and Dunedin, followed by a highly-anticipated clash clash against Fiji in San Diego. NZ Rugby boss Mark Robinson says the newly released schedule is part of a long-term plan to increase global interest in the sport. "We need to get cracking to build awareness as a global game in that market, and we need to make sure that the All Blacks, and Fiji for that matter, are seen as the most loved teams." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are expected to cover a wide array of venues in the coming months. Five home All Blacks tests in 2024 will be played at three venues - Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin - with a test against Fiji to be played in San Diego. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ex-cop says the police need to be more flexible about mandatory fitness if they're to attract more people. The Government is committed to training 500 new officers within two years. Former policeman Gavin Benney says the Physical Competency Test isn't fit for purpose. He says some people who'd make great cops may not be able to do some aspects - such as the wall climb. "Police are struggling to recruit suitable people. So they've limited themselves with people who can run, who can do that fitness test." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you listen to what Winston Peters is saying today, it sounds a hell of a lot like he’s keen to get us involved in AUKUS- the alliance between Australia, the UK and the US, which involves the Aussies buying those nuclear subs. Clearly, AUKUS is coming up in the discussions that he and Judith Collins are having with their counterparts over in Australia today. Now he was on Sky News this morning, and the host pointed out that Jacinda Ardern didn’t seem to love the idea of AUKUS, given that she reaffirmed NZ's ban on nuclear powered vessels and that that would definitely apply to the Aussie subs. And then the host asked Winston if he had a problem with them as well. And Winston said- "Well I don't know why you’re quoting the previous Prime Minister who gave up after all... but on these issues, the then-Prime Minister displayed an enormous lack of understanding or lack of clarity." Shots fired! But listen to what he’s saying, he disagrees with Jacinda and he sounds keen on AUKUS. And actually the more I read about it, the more I think I agree with him. Anyone who believes there is no reason for us to join an alliance like AUKUS needs to stop being naïve about what's happening in the world. If the risk of war was a temperature setting on an oven, the dial has been moved up quite a lot in just the last few weeks. Governments across Europe are warning of war. The Germans, the Swedes- the UK head of army spoke about maybe needing conscription, for goodness sake. Maybe they’re being alarmist for their own ends, but maybe they’re right. There are after all two significant wars going on at the moment in the Ukraine and the Middle East that could spiral with one ill-considered action. Never mind the considerable build up of Chinese warships and planes near Taiwan just in the last few days. There's a debate about whether AUKUS even wants us- maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves asking to be included. But if they do want us, I think we should want them too. We need to get real about how worried Governments are about the world’s temperature right now. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Post-Brexit controls on food, plant and animal imports to Britain from the EU have recently come into force. Health certificates will now be required on goods ranging from produce, to meat, to even cut flowers. Industry experts warn these changes could create delays and push up costs- but some hope it will encourage UK farmers to be more competitive. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains what these changes mean for the UK going forward. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former NZ First Press Secretary Georgina Stylianou and Capital director Ben Thomas joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Mark Mitchell was forced to stand up and pretend he made a mistake by telling everyone it's going to take longer than promised to get the 500 new police officers. Did he make a good point? Who will be proven right in two years? An unfortunate recording of an exchange between an ex-prisoner and his Work and Income case manager has surfaced- is this an isolated incident or evidence of a concerning issue? The new recycling rules kick in on Thursday, February 1- how prepared are we? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ANZ has released their latest Business Confidence survey, creating a complicated picture for the economy. Business confidence rose 4 points to +37 in January, while expected own activity fell 3 points to +26. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says businesses are forecasting a clearer economic pathway following a tough couple of years- but we're not out of the woods yet. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has decided against scrapping a new regime aimed at preventing banks, insurers and non-bank deposit takers from mistreating customers. This Code of Conduct was established following a 2018 Royal Commission exposing questionable behaviour by Australian banks. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains why institutions were surprised by this 'inevitable' announcement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The holidays have wound down and central banks are back in action- what can people expect for the new year? 2023 was dominated by rate hikes to curb rampant inflation generated by the Covid-19 pandemic, and now the focus has turned to the prospect of cuts. Milford Asset Management's Katlyn Parker says there's a risk the market is expecting too much too soon, as inflation is still sticky. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government are denying there's confusion around the proposed target to get 500 more police officers within two years. Police Minister Mark Mitchell has had to correct the record in the House, after saying the Government had extended its deadline to deliver 500 more cops. National and New Zealand First agreed to meet the goal in two years - but Mitchell previously stated they needed three, due to significant challenges. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Mark Mitchell was 'hung out to dry', as recruiting that many new officers remains an unrealistic goal. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand has recently released a report designed to prove the company's economic significance to Aotearoa. The company claims it directly contributed $2.7 billion to New Zealand's economy- including $1.4 billion in wages. The report also states Air New Zealand facilitated as much as $26 billion in economic activity across tourism, exports and imports. Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Mat Bolland says this report was designed to remind employees and customers of the value Air New Zealand provides. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new documentary series explores an infamous set of disappearances around one of New Zealand's most dangerous beaches. As well as the six missing people who vanished in Piha, Black Coast Vanishings reveals others have had 'near misses'- fuelling speculation there's a serial killer in the area. Co-director Candida Beveridge says the series was designed to give a voice to concerns about the safety of the community. "What surprised us is what came out during the investigation- women being stalked, women being terrified in the bush. That, we felt, needs investigation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A push to host more women's sport and big music artists has seen Eden Park have a record breaking year. In the 12 months to the end of October, the Auckland stadium recorded a net operating profit of $8.2 million- a $4.6 million increase on the previous year. Large-scale events like the FIFA Women's World Cup and Ed Sheeran concerts were big draw cards for patrons. CEO Nick Sautner says it's been an incredible turnaround over the past five years. "Women's sport was seen as a curtain-raiser and concerts weren't permitted. It's a credit to the trustees and our staff, who have worked with the community with various stakeholders to deliver this outstanding outcome." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister says Covid-19 tests still play a big role. The Government's buying another five million RATs, to keep them free for the public through to the end of June. It'll cost more than $5 million, funded from the existing Covid budget. Shane Reti says hundreds of people are still using them. "It's for those who might be at an increased risk, where the option of further treatment would make a difference. Part of that pathway to treatment is having a positive RAT test." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warnings the Government's police recruitment goal will mean splashing some cash. The Police Minister has confirmed in the House 500 new officers will be delivered over two years, as promised in the coalition deal with New Zealand First. Mark Mitchell had to U-turn on saying recruiting and attrition issues mean it'll take three years. Police Association President Chris Cahill says they haven't had a pay rise since July 2022. "Those people can't afford to join if they can't pay their mortgages, can't sort their cost of living state. That's what they need to look at, if they want to recruit and retain, they've got to sort the pay out." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Joe Biden has announced he's decided on his next steps after a drone attack killed three soldiers in Jordan over the weekend. But Biden is not saying what these steps will be. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Republicans have criticised the administration for not acting strongly enough against the attacks. "He's going to have to be careful, because you want to have a show of force- but then again, you don't want to have an attack that's going to lead to a lot more retaliation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Athletes’ Cooperative have scored a significant victory over High Performance Sport in a landmark employment case. The Employment Relations Authority on Tuesday released their verdict, determining that the Government agency is obligated to engage in collective bargaining with the athletes involved. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what happens next. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Items that once were recycled are no longer welcome in your household collection bins. Rules are changing from February 1 in a bid to standardise across the country. Paper, glass, and plastic types One, Two and Five can be put out at the gate for recycling. Auckland Council's Waste Solutions General Manager, Parul Sood, says people should no longer put out lids. "So unless the lid is attached - like your aluminium cans - if it's attached you can just push them in. It shouldn't be detached, because what then happens is that it falls within the machinery." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I feel sorry for Mark Mitchell. He's been thrown under the bus and made to look silly today. But I think he was just telling the truth, and I suspect we’re all going to find that out in about two years time. So what’s happened is that the coalition agreement between National and NZ First promised that we would get another 500 police officers in the first two years of this Government. Recently, Police Minister Mark Mitchell has admitted it is probably actually going to take three years, because it’s very hard to recruit new police officers and the Aussies are nicking the officers we already have. But Labour got him admitting that in the house yesterday. It hit the news as a story about a broken promise - which technically it is - and then NZ First's Chief of Staff chatted to National's Chief of Staff last night. Lo and behold, Mark Mitchell got told off by Chris Luxon today for not being careful enough with his words. And he had to walk all his comments back today, he had to correct the house, and go back to pretending he’s going to be able to get us 500 extra officers in the next two years. I bet you- he will not be able to do that, and this will come back in two years as a broken promise story again. The bummer here is Mark Mitchell was just being honest. He was just doing exactly what a decent politician should do. If a politician makes a promise they can’t keep - and that happens all the time - at the first opportunity, they should clear up that they cannot keep that promise. It's a smart political management thing to do, it resets expectations. And it limits the damage. A broken promise will always cop blowback, but admitting it early makes that blowback much smaller. I feel sorry for him, he was doing the right thing. Now the only way out of this is to get 500 extra officers in the next two years- or go through this whole story again in two years time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles has been discharged from hospital after undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate. The 75-year-old monarch was seen smiling and waving to the public, as he left the London Clinic with Queen Camilla. Daughter-in-law Princess Catherine has also been discharged following abdominal surgery, and is recovering at home in Windsor. UK correspondent Enda Brady says people are still clamouring to learn the nature of Kate's surgery, as details haven't been revealed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Neale Jones from Capital and Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! James Shaw stepped down as co-leader of the Green Party. Was this expected? What will Shaw's legacy be? The Government changes their minds on the status of the country's UNRWA funding, with contributions pausing until Foreign Minister Winston Peters approves. What inspired this rethink? Is this the right decision? Chris Luxon and David Seymour are at odds over the Treaty, with Luxon now saying the Treaty is akin to a partnership - exactly what Seymour doesn't think. Was it a good move for Luxon to take a stand? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank has poured cold water over growing speculation for an early rates cut this year. In a webinar delivered to the public, RBNZ chief economist Paul Conway said non-tradeable inflation came in higher than predicted, at 5.9 percent. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says it's likely the RBNZ won't cut the OCR until the fourth quarter of 2024. "The economy has slowed a lot and inflation is coming down, but as Conway pointed out, inflation is still too high- it's well above target." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One leading accountant and agri-business advisor fears the current downturn in the rural sector may be the worst recorded in recent memory. Pita Alexander says there's been 11 financial downcycles impacting the sector since 1948, but this one is the worst. The Country's Jamie Mackay says the dairy sector may have bottomed out- and the worst is yet to come for sheep farmers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert is predicting James Shaw's next career move following his departure from the Greens. Shaw announced he'll step back as party co-leader- but stay on in Parliament for the first reading of his Right to a Sustainable Environment Bill. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie suspects James Shaw could eventually replace Rod Carr as Climate Change Commission chair. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The House roared back to life this week, as MPs settled in their seats for this year's first Question Time. Smokefree legislation, the Treaty Principles Bill and the Red Sea New Zealand Defence Force deployment were all key issues discussed in the first session of 2024. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Luxon led a very restrained session in the debating chambers. "We had people in the past years who have been fantastic- clever, intellectual debaters, cutting... we don't have that anymore. Luxon would like to be, but he's a politician in chief executive's clothing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The NZSAS are reportedly offering experienced personnel significant retention payments to prevent them from quitting. Military leaders have been told the unit is 'near collapse', with at least one third of the uniformed workforce leaving since 2021, most citing poor pay. NZ Herald investigative reporter David Fisher says NZSAS needs a significant funding boost before mid-2025. "The capabilities that it's lost, the stressors that it has are deep, and they're widespread. There's no quick fix to it, it needs the Government to lean in to boosting the military." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's accusations the Midwifery Council is ignoring midwives, over proposed changes to its 'Scope of Practice'. Almost 3000 people have signed a petition against the revision - and replacing the words 'women and baby' with 'whanau'. Petition organiser Deb Hayes says the council hasn't listened to feedback. "I think midwives might not have even bothered replying, because the Midwifery Council doesn't listen to the feedback we give anyway." The council agreed to adopt the revised scope late last year, and including an explanatory paragraph. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's believed more Gloriavale leavers will join a bid for compensation after a lifetime of lost opportunities. Nine leavers found to be employees, not volunteers, in landmark Employment Court cases are jointly seeking $5.2 million. It's for lost wages, entitlement breaches, penalties and compensation. Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust general manager Liz Gregory says she's met with other leavers who want to get on board. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were 50 or 60 people that might actually also file with the Employment Relations Authority." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Green MP says it's no surprise James Shaw has stepped aside as co-leader. He's announced he'll stand down in March, but remain an MP to back his Sustainable Environment Bill's first reading. Gareth Hughes says Shaw got the Party into Government for six years, so he can say mission accomplished. "It makes sense, I think, for him- and also for the Party to refresh itself and look to the future." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Foreign Minister is standing by refusing to commit further funding for the UN's aid agency in Gaza. A number of countries have hit pause after Israel alleged a dozen staff took part in the October 7 Hamas attack. Prime Minister Chris Luxon says New Zealand won't contribute until Winston Peters has okayed it. Peters says our next payment tranche isn't until the middle of the year. "We've got time to consider this and plenty of time to come to a resolution- having heard what the United Nations investigation has to say." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.