Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Boris Johnson attempted to apologise for his Covid-19 response- an apology that quickly got hijacked. Protesters swarmed the former Prime Minister and interrupted him as he began his apology for his handling of the deadly pandemic. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Johnson's apology seemed 'rehearsed', as it was more serious than expected. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Ali Jones from Red PR and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Police Minister Mark Mitchell has released a letter of expectations for Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. The pair seem to be unified about these expectations- can Coster meet these standards? Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today put forward a motion calling for those involved in the conflict to take urgent steps towards a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. What did we think of Luxon's response? Treasury has criticised Labour's 'underfunded' plan for transport. Does this cement the previous Government's legacy of non-delivery? Taylor Swift has been named Time magazine's Person of the Year- did she deserve it? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra has upgraded its milk price forecast and raised their full-year earnings forecast following an 85 percent lift in their first-quarter profit. The forecast farmgate milk price midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25 cents to $7.50 per kgMS, and the forecast range has moved to $7.00-$8.00 per kgMS. The Country's Jamie Mackay says these predictions were boosted by a strong GDT result. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A big gap has opened up between the market and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s views of where interest rates are heading. The two-year swap rate - which can have a bearing on home mortgage rates - is now sitting on 5.21 percent, down from 5.78 percent earlier this year. This goes against last week's hawkish vision regarding higher rates. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains why this is happening. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Council has teamed up with NZ Police in a new initiative to enhance safety in the city centre. The 'Together for Tamaki Makaurau' partnership is designed to establish a more visible safety presence on Auckland streets from Karangahape Road to the waterfront. Auckland Council CityWatch and Compliance teams, police, Māori Wardens and Community Patrols NZ (CPNZ) will run co-ordinated efforts to address anti-social behaviour and crime in the CBD. Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck says these efforts will address the social issues and deterioration that's impacted the area over the last three years. "It's about the crime, the social issues and also some of the anti-social types of behaviour. One of the things we have said is that it doesn't replace the need for more police." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi households will had to find an extra $70 per week to cover their living costs, according to ASB economists. It's a smaller increase than the $115 a week lift in 2023- and and is expected to be below the increase in incomes. ASB senior economist Mark Smith says these estimates are influenced by several key factors. "Living costs really reflect what's happening with inflation, that's probably the key factor there. Also things like debt servicing have gone up significantly." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disappointment the Government hasn't gone further in its call for arms to be laid to rest in war-torn Gaza. Foreign minister Winston Peters put forward a motion calling on all parties involved in the conflict to take urgent steps towards establishing a ceasefire. It was supported by all parties. But Labour's immigration spokesman Phil Twyford says they urged the Government to agree to an immediate and permanent ceasefire. "I mean for God's sake, 16,000 people have died, the incredible human suffering that's going on right now in Gaza- we got weasel words from the Prime Minster." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year truly belongs to Taylor Swift. The 33-year-old's been named Time magazine's person of the year, a week after becoming Spotify's most most-played artist. Swift beat finalists including Barbie, King Charles and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman. KTLA entertainment correspondent Sam Rubin says she's had an 'extraordinary' 2023- full of accomplishments. "The criteria is who has influenced the world for better or worse the most, and in what many described as a very dark year, Taylor Swift has been a source of light for many." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Queenstown is waiting on a final signoff before lifting the town's boil water notice. Businesses and residents have been required to boil tap water for almost three months, after a breakout of cryptosporidium. UV treatment equipment has been installed at the Two Mile water supply. Mayor Glyn Lewers says all they need now is water regulator Taumata Arowai to give the green light. "We've done our bit by putting in the UV disinfection area, we've flushed the system, we've cleaned the tanks- so yeah, we're just waiting." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Commissioner says he's aligned with the new Police Minister on the changes needed for law and order. Minister Mark Mitchell has publicly released a letter, outlining his expectations for Commissioner Andrew Coster. That includes refocusing efforts on strengthening policing in communities, removing gang patches and cracking down on youth crime. Coster says officers essentially need to spend less time doing the business of others. "Which we do substantially in the social arena, particularly family harm where there's no violence, mental health- we need to be able to increase our visibility." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unanimous support for a Government motion calling on all parties involved in the Israel and Palestine conflict to take urgent steps towards a ceasefire. It came after the adoption of an amendment from Labour's Phil Twyford that a two-state solution must be maintained. Foreign Minister Winston Peters defended his motion, and hit out at fellow MPs. ZB political editor Jason Walls recapped the standout moments from this first session. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former controversial radio personality and Wallabies coach Alan Jones has been accused of inappropriate behaviour. Jones is being accused of preying on multiple young men, engaging in indecent assaults and inappropriate behaviour without their consent while working at the radio station. The 82-year-old broadcaster firmly denies the allegations. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says there'll likely be more stories about Jones' actions coming to light. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch's largest food bank is set to close just days before Christmas. Foodbank Canterbury has been forced to introduce a service fee to meet rising costs, meaning it's become ineligible for council funding. It says they'd be putting their ability to pay staff at risk if they operated past December 22. The foodbank supports 160 charities across Christchurch. Potters Kitchen manager Robbie Drew says they're now going to lose most of their food. "The funds have run out and it's right on Christmas, so there's going to be hundreds of families that are going to miss out." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Caps know they've got a battle on their hands heading into day two of the second cricket test against Bangladesh. New Zealand will resume under pressure at 55 for 5 in Dhaka, but only trail by 117 runs after skittling the hosts for 172 on day one. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former UK PM Boris Johnson will have a chance to defend his handling of the pandemic in two days of questioning at the Covid inquiry. He is expected to apologise to the inquiry and admit his Government made mistakes during the pandemic. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says sources close to Mr Johnson say he will argue he got big calls right that saved lives. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, current affairs commentator Josie Pagani and former National staffer Ben Thomas joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! This year's PISA results left a lot to be desired. National's Erica Stanford has since laid out plans to change these results for the better. Are they something we need to be worried about? Kiingi Tuheitia is inviting iwi to meet at Turangawaewae Marae on January 20 to form a unified voice in holding the Crown to account. National MPs have pushed back- will this achieve anything? Sky Television is putting up the price of its Neon streaming platform next year- and include advertising. Is this a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good news for Kiwi motorists, with a pre-Christmas fall in petrol prices. Brent Crude has fallen from $81 US dollars on Friday to $77 this morning. The average price for unleaded 91 petrol has already fallen about five percent since the start of the month. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen explains this sudden shift. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fourth consecutive carbon auction of 2023 failed to clear, leaving millions of units unsold. This means the Government missed out on anther $900 million worth of revenue. Milford Asset Management's Frances Sweetman says all the units built up from this year will be cancelled- but predicts an improved balance for 2024. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank is downplaying the impact of new mortgage lending rules they might impose on banks. It's given the banks until April 2024 to prepare for debt-to-income ratio restrictions to be imposed- but has indicated new changes will be too restrictive. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says DTI restrictions are unlikely to have too much of an impact on prospective borrowers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Government has set out its expectations for how the Commissioner of Police should do his job. The publicly-released letter calls for frontline officers to be considered the priority when investment decisions are made. It also reminds Coster of his responsibility to deliver on the Government's law and order commitments. That includes plans to ban gang patches, give police greater powers to search gang members and begin cracking down on youth offending. Police Minister Mark Mitchell says he thinks it's the first time a letter like this has been made public. "There's been a loss of confidence around the Labour Government and their failure to take public safety seriously or put public safety at the heart of what they're doing, I thought it was important to have a reset." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Council of Trade Unions has fired back against Brooke van Velden, claiming she shared false information. This dispute is centred around the Government's proposed repeal of Fair Pay Agreements, a promise they campaigned on during the election. CTU President Richard Wagstaff says van Velden never had a proper consultation on repealing Fair Pay Agreements. "We had no idea she had a Cabinet paper, she'd had official advice, there was a hold of issues- she never raised anything." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand's new battery-powered plane won't carry any passengers. The airline's bought an electric Alia aircraft, which is expected to join the fleet from 2026. The aircraft weighs three tonnes and its battery takes about an hour to charge. Chief sustainability officer Kiri Hannifin says they'll fly Alia on routes of about 150km and it'll be cargo only. "We just want to do smaller routes- this is all a big learning exercise for us, so we're going to keep it small to start with." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows Kiwi households aren't drawn to their food scrap bins. A food waste survey of 3,000 New Zealanders revealed that two thirds of respondents found them unappealing- citing cost and smell as the key reasons. The professional engineer behind the survey, John Mackie, says he's shared this data with the new Government to find a solution. "Putting the food waste down the insinkerator, like I do, is equally as good a solution- in fact, it was argued that it was more carbon-efficient." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Māori King has called for a national hui between iwi to unify their voices in holding the new Government to account. Kiingi Tuheitia has announced he will host the meeting at Turangawaewae Marae in Waikato's Ngāruawāhia, on January 20. His chief of staff, Ngira Simmonds, says the Māori community has had grievances with every Government and unity is essential. "Some of the plans the Government have released are of significant concern. I think it's fair to say I don't want to pre-determine any outcomes from the hui, but what I'm hearing is the primary concern." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belief our poor PISA results stem from our high child poverty. Scores from 2022 in the international OECD test of student achievement show a big fall in Kiwi maths ability since 2018 - a continuing trend. Average reading and science scores aren't significantly different, but have also declined over time. NZEI President Mark Potter says what goes on at home has a huge impact on children's learning. "We've got a higher than OECD average number of children who don't eat on a regular basis at home, and there's a direct correlation with maths achievement. And that's found around the globe." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly two months on from polling day, Chris Luxon and Chris Hipkins went head-to-head in their first Parliament debate. Hipkins had strong words for the Prime Minister, and labelled the new Government 'pathetic' and a 'disgrace' that lacked a vision for the country. He also accused Luxon of being beholden to Winston Peters and criticised National's decision to roll back Labour's smokefree policy. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Luxon and Hipkins both got some licks in, but Rangitata MP James Meager's speech won the day. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ex-Republican congresswoman and vocal Trump critic Liz Cheney is contemplating a third-party presidential run. She's said she plans to do 'whatever it takes' to thwart Trump from taking office for another term. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Cheney runs the risk of dividing her party's loyalties ahead of the 2024 election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand have lost the toss and will bowl first in the second cricket test against Bangladesh. Coming in the wake of the Black Caps 150-run loss in test number one - the second game is getting set to start in Dhaka. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what can be expected. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sky Television is putting up the price of its Neon streaming platform next year. From January 11, a standard monthly plan will go up $2 - to $20 - and ads will now show during pauses. Sky Sport Now prices will also rise for the second time this year. Gorilla Technology commentator Paul Spain says it's not a sweet deal. "Any time you mount these sorts of changes, there will be some people that will exit, particularly when you've got so many streaming options now- is it worth paying multiple subscriptions?" LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rishi Sunak's popularity amongst his party has sunk to an all time low, according to new data. The Prime Minister's approval rating from his fellow Tories has dropped to -25.4, according to Conservative Home. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this score is among the lowest on record, and he's faring worse than Liz Truss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Neale Jones from Capital and Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The National Māori Action Day Protest happened today- did it achieve anything of note? Will Luxon and National feel the pressure? What comes next? The MBIE has begun an investigation into how a confidential Cabinet paper made it into the public domain- is this a bad look for the Government? A number of councils are staring down the barrel of potential double-digit rate rises as part of their long-term plan discussions. Does the system need an overhaul? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi lamb prices are expected to remain under pressure, as Australia's output floods through overseas markets. Over the past few years, Australian farmers have been able to build up their flocks and take advantage of favourable conditions. Sheep numbers across the Tasman are at the highest they've been since 2007. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains the additional factors impacting the current market. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent real estate survey has revealed fewer agents have observed a notable increase in house prices. Of the 324 respondents, a net 28 percent of agents said prices were rising in their locations in November- down from 34 percent in October. Independent economist Tony Alexander says this indicates a lack of 'frenzy' in the current housing market. "I get the feeling for over summer, a lot of people have had enough- they're just going to turn the brain off for maybe one or two months and come back in February." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eyebrow were raised as the Te Pati Māori MPs stuck to the political swearing-in requirements on the same day organised protests and marches kicked off. MPs are legally required to swear an oath or affirmation of allegiance to King Charles, to sit and vote in the House. Te Pati's MPs first pledged allegiance to their mokopuna and Te Tiriti, then the King. ZB political editor Jason Walls says the MPs avoided putting their pride and egos ahead of the people who elected them into Parliament. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Passenger train services in Wellington are at risk of being scaled back if more funding isn't found for maintenance. The Greater Wellington Regional Council revealed there was a multi-million dollar shortfall in funding for the capital's rail network. Council chair Daran Ponter says services could be cut in under a year's time if this shortfall isn't addressed. "We're talking about the wholesale closure of particular lines until the work is done. That means some services could be decreased by as much as 50 or 75 percent." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing evidence Kiwi supermarkets may not be drawing in as much profit as expected. Woolworths New Zealand’s profits have dropped 52 percent in the last full year- down to $76 million from over $158 million. First Retail managing director Chris Wilkinson says this is proof customers aren't being fleeced at the checkout. "There is a limit to what consumers will pay. Retailers have to try and get that balance right, and this is a really good example of what's happening across the sector." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi company Goodair has developed a drug-free solution to fighting nasal congestion. Nosebuds promise to enhance diaphragmatic nasal breathing in order to reduce the impact of pressure and drainage while providing pain relief. Inventor and designer Dr David White says the buds emit a humming sound that applies mechanical stress to the affected area. "A third of the population suffers from nasal congestion, either through allergy or infection. That's commonly treated through pharmaceuticals- which all have negative side effects." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Workplace Relations Minister says she's disappointed unions are mis-characterising plans on Fair Pay Agreements. Elements of the Government's moves to repeal the policy were leaked to media last night. CTU President Richard Wagstaff subsequently told press he was upset unions had not been consulted about the plans. But Brooke Van Velden says his comments are not true. "Look, I was sworn into Government on Monday, and on Wednesday I sat down with both Business NZ and the Council of Trade Unions." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protesters in Whanganui are celebrating shutting down the courthouse during a national day of Māori action. Te Pati Māori led a march on Parliament this morning and car convoys disrupted traffic across the North Island. It's calling the Government's approach to Te Tiriti - and other initiatives affecting Māori - an assault. Whanganui iwi leader Ken Mair says they'll act again on December 20, and ask all Crown agencies in the region close for the day. He says closing the court today was a challenge to a corrupt system. "And we'll continue to do this, as uncomfortable as it may be, towards those that want to continue to uphold that system." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Māori Development Minister says today's protests were lawful - but he believes his Government will deliver for Māori. As many as 800 people marched on Parliament this morning to protest policies they consider racist, and other marches and action were held around the country. Tama Potaka says the Government isn't planning to change its policy agenda. He says they're following commitments made in their 100-day plan. "What we're really focused on is delivering outcomes and working with communities- Iwi communities, Māori communities and others- to make the changes to the inequalities we see on a daily basis." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has opted to keep the OCR on hold for the time being. The cash rate is set to stay at 4.35 percent, with economists citing moderating inflation as the main factor behind the decision. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says inflation is reducing at a positive pace- but time will tell what the market looks like in January. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing claims local Government needs reform. A number of councils are proposing double-digit rate rises for the next financial year, or face cuts to essential services. They're grappling with high interest rates, inflation and looming infrastructure costs. Future of Local Government Review Chair Jim Palmer says a new operating model is badly needed. "That includes some form of re-organisation, but there needs to be investment in the leadership competency of local Government, both at a political and executive level." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So we had the National Māori Action Day protest today. The protests took place across the North Island this morning and they were big, impressively so. There were an estimated 300 cars at the Auckland protest, there were about 50 on the Southern Motorway- which created a 3km backlog- and there were over 100 people at each of the Hamilton, Whakatane, Rotorua, Tokoroa, Taupo and Palmerston North gatherings. That is impressive, those numbers. Because from what I can see, those people were activated by the Māori Party in about 24 hours. If I'm not mistaken, they put up their social media posts yesterday, it got into the news yesterday- and all of those hundreds of people turned up to protest today at 7am. Regardless of whether you agree with the Māori Party and what they advocate for or not, it is pretty impressive that they managed to get that many people together in such a short space of time. That tells you two things, I reckon. One is that there's a lot of emotion out there about what the Government is planning to do in the race relations area. Those protests, when you think about it, were actually about nothing- but also about everything. There wasn't just one thing that those people got out to protest about. Nothing has actually happened. If you listen to the number of things people were protesting over, it was a smorgasbord of reasons why they were out there. The promise of the Government doing anything in the race relations area got those people emotional enough to go out. Secondly, if the Māori Party can activate that many people when nothing has happened in only 24 hours, imagine what they can do when something actually does happen. For example, when ACT's Treaty principles bill goes to Parliament. That bill has the potential to trigger a referendum- if it actually gets passed through Parliament. There's no evidence that suggests this will happen, but imagine how big the protests could be based on what we saw today. I know that not everybody takes the Māori Party seriously, because they're all about the spectacle. A lot of the stunts that they pull are clearly meaningless and make themselves look foolish to a lot of people. But do not underestimate them. Because they are dominating the conversation on the first day of Parliament. We aren't talking about the new Government sitting in Parliament for the first time, we're talking about the Māori Party today. And I suspect this will be the first of many days where they will dominate over the next three years. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White Ferns have lost their first ever twenty20 series to Pakistan at home, after conceding game two by ten runs in Dunedin. Chasing 138 for victory, New Zealand were 29 for four in the sixth over with Suzie Bates the only top four batter to make double digits. Georgia Plimmer and Hannah Rowe rallied late with 28 and 33 runs respectively but both were dismissed at the death. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what this means for the state of womne's cricket. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More information has come to light about the slip that brought Omid Scobie's book into the public eye. It was revealed that his agent sent a draft manuscript of Endgame to be translated into Dutch- a version that named the royals who expressed concern about Archie's skin colour. Omid Scobie himself has remained adamant that he never put the names of the royals involved into print. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says it's looking likely that the royals will take legal action. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Te Pati Māori has called for people to come together to protest the Government’s “assault on tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi”. Is this setting up another bad week for the new Government? How big will the turnout be? Auckland's City Rail Link is set to cost ratepayers $220 million per year, once it opens up. It's also looking likely the CRL will miss the November 2025 deadline- is this better or worse for Aucklanders? What did we think of this year's Cop28? Is it a bad look to have people coming together in the United Arab Emirates to reduce emissions and fuel use? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has expressed concern with the scale of financial challenges left behind by the former Government, which she is still uncovering. She's accused her predecessors of leaving the books in a much worse state than they appeared in the pre-election unveil. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says a lot of Government projects were funded on a short-term basis- and Willis shouldn't have been too surprised. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police and Waka Kotahi are working together to prepare for possible disruptions from protests planned by Te Pāti Māori. The party has proposed a nationwide day of action tomorrow against the Government's Māori policy and are rallying people to protest across the North Island. ZB political editor Jason Walls says it would be difficult for Te Pāti Māori to bring people together on a national scale, so it'll be interesting to see how the day goes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts claim New Zealand's ongoing failure to deal with bad debt is costing the country over $2 billion per year. Debt management firm DebtManagers says a human-centred and customer-led approach to debt will reduce the issue- as the current one-size-fits all approach isn't helpful. Executive director Charles Whiting says adding interest and collection fees is counter-intuitive to getting debt repaid faster. "We talk about people going into arrears- often debt is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to issues they're experiencing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing accusations the previous Government was disingenuous on finances. The Government books were opened in September in the pre-election reveal - but Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she is now surprised how many projects' funding is about to expire. Willis says the true scale and urgency of the situation wasn't made clear to her before she started. "The effect of the Government not having funded these projects is that it made their books look better than they might otherwise have looked." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.