Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

A marketing professor thinks New World's latest pots and pans promo let customers down. Customers have been collecting stickers to claim MasterChef branded cookware. A Wellington customer claims some pans have run out across the city. Auckland University Marketing Professor Mike Lee says you would think the supermarket would have enough stock. "The customers thought they were going to get something, and that's why they spent that money at New World rather than any other retailer." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chair of General Practice New Zealand says GP capacity issues are becoming a crisis. Te Whatu Ora Health NZ says an overloaded primary healthcare system is to blame for more children turning up at hospital. Bryan Betty says a third of GPs have closed their books, but most are trying to accommodate their base with acute on-the-day appointments, where parents of sick kids can try first. "If capacity is reached or something happens where you can't get in, then you'd need to go to an after-hours medical centre or you'd need to go to an ED if you are concerned, because the prime thing is the child." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts claim rising unemployment is necessary medicine to get inflation under control. Stats NZ says unemployment rose to 3.9 percent for the three months to September, up from 3.6 last quarter- and 3.2 a year ago. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says those figures are still a lot better than they've been in recent history. "Some of the underlying figures suggest that more people coming in from migration, fewer jobs on offer and more people looking for them means there might not be as much additional pressure on prices as we head into next year." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley is gaining more traction in the polls, as Trump holds a steady lead. 53 percent of Republican voters overwhelmingly favour Trump, according to the latest stats- while Haley holds 22 percent of the vote, overtaking Ron DeSantis. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says it's still anyone's race, but Donald Trump is still likely to lead ahead of February's Republican primary. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A deflated All Blacks cohort have come through the gates at Auckland Airport after returning home from the Rugby World Cup in France. The team's been away for over 70 days, having departed New Zealand back in August. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what's coming next for the All Blacks, as they work to move past last weekend's loss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark says she's shocked by Israel bombing a densely populated refugee camp in north Gaza. Israel has defended the strike, saying it successfully targeted a Hamas commander responsible for the October 7 attack on Israel. Gaza's Health Ministry says the attack killed at least 50 Palestinians. Clark is also a former head of the UN Development programme. She says the past three weeks have been devastating. "The main UN humanitarian agency in Gaza- 67 of their colleagues have been killed. They're among more than 8,500 dead." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Foreign Office officials suggested rescinding Benjamin Netanyahu's invitation to a hotly-anticipated AI summit in Bletchley Park. World leaders, experts and tech executives are set to gather at the famed home of World War II codebreakers to discuss safety measures for artificial intelligence. UK correspondent Enda Brady says officials warned Netanyahu's presence could overshadow Rishi Sunak and distract guests from the topics at hand. 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! Former Act MP and Minister Heather Roy wants a ban on public reporting of polls during the voting period because it influences undecided voters. Is this true? Can polls really sway the choices of voters? New research has revealed the number of Kiwi vegans has dropped in recent months, with only three percent identifying as vegan compared to last year's five percent? Why are people making the switch? Have increased food prices driven these numbers down? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists across the Tasman have noticed Australia is battling two significant economic shocks at once. Stubbornly high interest rates offset by an increased surge in inward migration are helping keep inflation up- leading to increased concerns that the RBA could hike the OCR up come November. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says the increased number of migrants will boost inflation in the short term, but the shock could ease once figures stabilise. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recent collapse of two high-profile Kiwi startups has raised questions about an incoming downturn for businesses and employment. Online grocery retailer Supie was placed into voluntary administration and craft brewer Deep Creek Brewing went into liquidation today. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie says increased interest rates, stubborn inflation and weak consumer confidence could lead to closures becoming more common. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former ACT MP suggests political polls should be banned once voting opens up during an election campaign. Heather Roy argues that polls have the potential to influence undecided voters during an election period- which doesn't mesh with the strict rules against advertising on election day. She says New Zealand would have fairer and more democratic elections if polls were banned once voting began. "With this election particularly, we just had poll after poll in the two weeks while people were voting- politicians aren't quite sure if they're talking to people who have already voted or are about to vote. I think there just needs to be a rationalisation and some consistency around the rules." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pati Maori is calling on the Government to expel the US ambassador for their country's role in the conflict in Gaza. The Party made the same demand about the Israeli Ambassador, accusing Israel of war crimes. The Maori Party say the US Government has poured billions of dollars into Israel's military and claims it's led to the killing of children in Gaza - not done in self-defence. ZB political editor Jason Walls says it's unlikely New Zealand would expel their US ambassador and distance themselves from their international allies. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One meat supplier is offering a lifeline to Supie's displaced former employees. The grocery start-up was placed into voluntary administration, leaving 120 workers and thousands of customers out of pocket. Neat Meat managing director Simon Eriksen says the company has already reached out and interviewed several former Supie employees. "As we approach summer, naturally a business like ours is growing- the needs are probably a group of 10 to 15, maybe more staff over that period, maybe half will be permanent. We need good staff." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After weeks of rumours and speculation, Eddie Jones has finally walked away from coaching the Wallabies. Rugby Australia announced his resignation earlier today- less than a month after Jones denied he was on the move. Rugby writer and former Wallaby Peter FitzSimons says he saw 'disaster' coming, but predicted this move happening years from now. "I saw it ending in tears 4 or 5 years from now. Eddie's a human cattle prod. He takes over teams, he completely exhausts people, he wears out assistant coaches, he wears out players." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hospitalisations of young children that could have been prevented with better primary care have dramatically risen. Te Whatu Ora data shows such preventable hospitalisations for children up to four years old jumped 35 percent in the year ending June. That's nationally - and it's even higher for Auckland alone, at 66 percent. Interim chief clinical officer, Dr Richard Sullivan, says more young people are turning up with pneumonia and gastro illnesses. "So we're really focusing on how we support our communities, our primary care colleagues- to really turn that dial around." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warehouse says the Grocery Commissioner needs to chop-chop on reform. The retailer claimed an investigation into Sanitarium briefly stopping its supply of Weet-Bix isn't happening quick enough. Sanitarium kept up supply to supermarkets. Warehouse Chief Product Officer Tania Benyon says combined with online grocery startup Supie failing - it's reason for prompt action from the Commissioner. "He should really use the powers that he has to stop that. We want a fair and level playing field, and he is the person able to do that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whakaari Management Limited has been found guilty of health and safety failings ahead of the island's 2019 eruption. 47 people were on Whakaari- 22 died and dozens were seriously injured. Newstalk ZB's Chelsea Daniels says the company was found guilty of one charge, but not the other under the Health and Safety Work Act. "What I took away from the verdict was that WML (Whakaari Management Limited) didn't ensure adequate risk assessments were done relating to those tours happening on the island." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No relief yet from devastating bushfires in rural Queensland. More than 50 homes have been burnt down in Tara, about 300 kilometres west of Brisbane- and two people have died. Conditions are expected to worsen tomorrow, with gusty winds and temperatures topping 40 degrees. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says they don't have exact numbers on how many homes have been destroyed. "Because they haven't been able to send assessment teams out to other parts of the fire ground, there could be dozens more. We simply don't know at this point." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The drawn out saga of Eddie Jones' exit as Wallabies coach is officially over. Rugby Australia have confirmed they've accepted Jones' resignation - just 10 months into his five-year deal. It comes less than a fortnight after the 63-year-old declared his commitment to the role. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oranga Tamariki's chief social worker says it's a complete tragedy every time a child dies. An agency source has told Stuff at least 57 children have been killed since the child protection agency was established in 2017, and almost half had a record with the ministry before their death. Peter Whitcombe says it's important every time a child dies through homicide - that the agency works to understand its role, and what can be learned. "Family situations change, often there can be new relationships, there can be things that become really significant stressors. We can only act on what we know." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He's only been in the job for a few weeks, but already the new Grocery Commissioner Pierre van Heerden is dealing with the brutal, entrenched reality of the sector that he's been charged with holding to account. It was pretty extraordinary, really. Just amazing timing that on the very same day as online retailer Supie was put into voluntary administration, van Heerden published his top priorities for the Grocery Commissioner role. I think there's one word that would probably summarise all those priorities- competition. The focus of the Grocery Commissioner has to be fostering a properly competitive environment across the grocery sector. And an environment where he or she cannot be afraid of calling out any flicker, any scintilla of anti-competitive behaviour by the supermarket duopoly. I get it, I get that it's complex, I get that there are land covenants, wholesale supply setups- there are all sorts of contractual bits and pieces, all manner of different advantageous rules, systems and get-ups that help the main two players. It's easy to be cynical about the effectiveness of our various Government Commissioners when the Grocery Commissioner role was established. I, like many others, felt like it was a bit of cop-out. We questioned how effective that person could actually be. But here's the thing- there was a huge weight, a massive weight of public support behind the Grocery Commissioner's mission. Kiwis don't need any more Commerce Commission studies to tell us we are getting a crappy deal in aisle 3. Pierre van Heerden, rest assured in the eyes of the public, cannot be more assertive. He cannot be too aggressive or too outspoken. But there's one measure, one measure alone by which he and his role will be judged. And that measure is competition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boris Johnson's breaking into the broadcasting industry following his stint in politics. The former Prime Minister has signed on with right-wing channel GB News as a presenter, programme maker and commentator. Johnson promises to deliver his 'unvarnished' views on a range of topics, and will play a key role in the channel's coverage of the US and UK elections. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Johnson plans to 'showcase the power of Britain around the world'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, current affairs commentator Josie Pagani and Kiwiblog founder and Curia pollster David Farrar joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The Rugby World Cup has finally come to an end- with South Africa narrowly beating out New Zealand to take home the title. What did we think of the result? Was this a fair victory? Have TMOs gone too far? Online grocery startup Supie has gone into voluntary administration after two years of operation. Are we sad to see this development? Does the supermarket duopoly need competition- or regulation? Winston Peters has spoken out and given his first post-election interview. He won't give much away, but expressed interest in getting negotiations wrapped up quickly. What's his goal here? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The incoming National-led Government is expected to step up for two key international summits. The Pacific Islands Forum and APEC are set to happen within the next few weeks- and it's likely Luxon will attend to represent New Zealand on a wider scale. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan explains what to expect in the coming weeks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Noted historian and former Former UK Supreme Court Justice Lord Sumption is adamant free speech is under threat in liberal democracies. The Free Speech Union has brought Lord Sumption to New Zealand as the keynote speaker for their AGM and conference- and as part of a wider speaking tour. Lord Sumption says people are no longer inclined to accept dissent or opposing opinions on various issues. "The willingness to accept dissent, to accept the possibility that most people may think that you're wrong, that you may not succeed in getting your own ideas accepted by democratic Governments and parliaments- the inclination to accept these things is diminishing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seven rising female-led New Zealand businesses are set to receive funding, resources and mentorship from Coralus. Coralus, formerly known as SheEO, has announced its 2023 Ventures today- expanding their outreach by two more businesses than in previous years. Among this selection is Kiwi Launch Pad, an employer-funded digital platform for new migrants designed to help them successfully settle in Aotearoa. Founder Bridget Romanes says this service has attracted several major employers, from Deloitte, KPMG, TVNZ and KiwiRail. "There's 100,000 migrants who've come to New Zealand since the borders opened, roughly, in July last year. The demand is certainly out there." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's deputy leader won't put a timeframe on how quickly a new Government will form after the final results are in. The party holds the slimmest of majorities if it partners with ACT - but there's still some half-a-million-special ballots to be counted. The official election figures are due out on Friday, and could see the pair needing New Zealand First. Nicola Willis says she knows New Zealanders want them to get on with it. "There's a big job ahead of us to turn the economy around and get things back on track, so we'll be trying to do that in a responsible way- as efficiently as possible." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A World Cup final full of controversial calls ended in disappointment for New Zealand and elation for South Africa. The game saw four yellow cards during the contest - two to each team - with the most prominent being All Blacks captain Sam Cane's card being upgraded to red for direct contact to the head when making a tackle. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Paul Allison says fans were quick to unload their criticisms onto the officials- which he argues isn't fair. "I don't think we should be blaming the referees or the officials for the end result, I think the All Blacks had their opportunity and they weren't able to take them- the South Africans were." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A senior architecture lecturer says the future of Wellington's Town Hall should be considered - along with its heritage. Mayor Tory Whanau wants to consider changing heritage laws, now the building's earthquake rebuild has blown out to a potential cost of $330 million. Dr Elizabeth Aitken-Rose says sometimes buildings are saved that shouldn't be. But she says New Zealand also tends to knock everything down and start again. "If you think about the Wellington Town Hall, it's not just what it is or what it was- but the purpose it actually serves in the community going on." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friends cast-mates haven't yet spoken publicly about the death of Matthew Perry, known to millions as Chandler Bing. The 54 year old was found dead yesterday in the hot tub at his LA home. LA entertainment correspondent Sean Mandell says the only reactions reported so far come from sources close to Lisa Kudrow. "Sources close to Kudrow have expressed that Kudrow is allegedly confused and baffled, believing that Perry was in good health recently, that certainly he had been sober." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A promising challenger to the supermarket duopoly has dropped out of the race. Online grocer Supie has entered voluntary administration- owing an estimated $3 million. Analyst Nick Hogendijk says the start-up battled from day one. "The big pressure point will be the significant amount of investment in resources she was going to need to have from day one- it was always going to be difficult against a duopoly that was so well set up, so well-geared." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's free trade deal with the EU has collapsed. Australian correspondent Oliver Petersen says negotiations had been going on for five years, but the final deal wasn't good enough for either side. He says it's to do with access - or lack thereof - that Australian beef producers can get to the EU. "They didn't even get to the table to say- let's sign this off. What's going to happen here- we're going to just look at New Zealand's model and ask if we can do the same thing. But at this stage, no deal." New Zealand signed its own Free Trade Agreement with the EU last year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters has accused the media of having warped priorities. Speaking to The Platform this morning, he took aim at the coverage New Zealand First received on the campaign trail. He says it seemed sausage rolls were more important than public meetings, and standing on the side of the road waving banners was a substitute for policies. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Winston Peters is concerned about establishing a Government as soon as possible. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A hotly-anticipated final ended in disappointment for New Zealand, after the Springboks won the World Cup. The Springboks went scoreless in the second half but managed to hold out a 14-man New Zealand 12-11. Sportstalk host Jason Pine weighs in on the nation's reaction- as some fans are taking the loss out on referee Wayne Barnes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lucrative pay and enticing housing packages are luring a number of Kiwi police officers across the ditch. Australian police figures show 77 officers are leaving to work in Queensland, and close to 20 are heading off to the Northern Territory. Constables starting out in the region start out on $100,000 a year, and experienced officers could expect a $118,000 base salary- with $20,000 on offer to cover relocation costs. Police Association president Chris Cahill is concerned these numbers could snowball if officers who leave are open about these incentives. "The real concern is- if they get over there and what they see is as good as they've been told. They'll start telling their mates, one tells one etc. It's a real concern." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sixty years after the onset of Beatlemania and with two of the quartet now dead, artificial intelligence has enabled the release next week of what is promised to be the last “new” Beatles song. The track, called “Now And Then,” will be available Thursday, Nov. 2, as part of a single paired with “Love Me Do,” the very first Beatles single that came out in 1962 in England, it was announced Thursday. “Now And Then” comes from the same batch of unreleased demos written by the late John Lennon, which were taken by his former bandmates to construct the songs “Free As a Bird” and “Real Love,” released in the mid-1990s. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison worked on “Now And Then” in the same sessions, but technological limitations stood in the way. With the help of artificial intelligence, director Peter Jackson cleared those problems up by “separating” Lennon's original vocals from a piano used in the late 1970s. The much clearer vocals allowed McCartney and Starr to complete the track last year. The survivors packed plenty into it. The new single contains guitar that Harrison had recorded nearly three decades ago, a new drum part by Starr, with McCartney's bass, piano and a slide guitar solo he added as a tribute to Harrison, who died in 2001. McCartney and Starr sang backup. McCartney also added a string arrangement written with the help of Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin. As if that wasn't enough, they weaved in backing vocals from the original Beatles recordings of “Here, There and Everywhere,” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Because.” “There it was, John's voice, crystal clear,” McCartney said in the announcement. “It's quite emotional. And we all play on it, it's a genuine Beatles recording. In 2023 to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven't heard, I think it's quite an exciting thing.” Harrison's widow, Olivia, said he felt in the 1990s that the technical problems made it impossible to release a song that met the band's standards. With the improvements, “he would have wholeheartedly” joined Paul and Ringo in completing the song now if he were still alive, she said. Next Wednesday, the day before the song's release, a 12-minute film that tells the story of the new recording will be made public. Later in the month, expanded versions of the Beatles' compilations “1962-1966” and “1967-1970” will be released. “Now And Then,” despite coming much later than 1970, will be added to the latter collection. The surviving Beatles have skillfully released new projects, like remixes of their old albums that include studio outtakes and Jackson's “Get Back” film, usually timed to appeal to nostalgic fans around the holiday season. This year, it's the grand finale of new music. “This is the last track, ever, that you’ll get the four Beatles on the track. John, Paul, George, and Ringo,” Starr said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. - by David Bauder, APSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, once seen as a reform-minded contender to the country’s top leadership role, died of a sudden heart attack early Friday in Shanghai, state media reported. He was 68 years old. Li, who was nominally China’s No. 2 leader until late last year, served as the country’s premier – traditionally in charge of the economy – for a decade from 2013 to March this year under strongman leader Xi Jinping. During his time in the role, Li navigated the world’s second-largest economy through a challenging period of rising technology and trade tensions with the United States, mounting government debt and unemployment, and the Covid-19 pandemic. In his final year in power, the economist by training had been a strong voice warning of challenges to China’s economy amid widespread Covid-19 lockdowns. He backed efforts to boost employment and maintain economic stability. As the news of Li’s death broke Friday morning, social media users circulated a line from Li’s annual address to China’s rubber stamp parliament in 2022, where he pledged that, “No matter how the international environment may change, China will keep the course of wider openness.” Li, known to use his English language skills on occasion in appearances outside the mainland, was seen as representing a different approach to China’s ties with the world, at a time when the country’s relations with the West have grown increasingly strained. “China and the United States have common interests,” Li said in response to CNN’s question at his annual press conference in March 2021. “The two countries need to put more energy on their common ground and expand converging interests.” Li is also remembered for his focus on addressing societal ills – with social media users on Friday also pointing to his 2020 comments noting that China still had 600 million people with a monthly income of 1,000 yuan ($137). Those remarks came at a time when China was touting its success in lifting millions out of poverty as a point of national pride. Li, a highly educated technocrat with degrees in law and economics, was considered friendly to the private sector. He was seen to have an increasingly diverging economic policy stance from Xi, who tightened party control over the economy. A reform-minded leader Li is widely seen as a protege of Xi’s predecessor, Hu Jintao, who presided over an era of rapid growth in China from 2002 to 2012. The men shared economic sensibilities and rose to power through the Communist Party’s Youth League, once seen as a training ground for future leaders. The faction was known for producing reform-minded leaders hailing from humble family backgrounds, but its influence is believed to have been crushed by Xi since he came to power. The relationship between Li and Hu was in the spotlight last year when the former top leader was unexpectedly led out of the closing ceremony of the October 2022 Communist Party Congress, where Xi further consolidated power. In a moment of drama during a usually highly choreographed event, Hu was escorted from the room, pausing on his way out to pat a stony-faced Li on the shoulder, who nodded and turned to watch the former leader depart. State media later suggested Hu left due to health issues. Under Hu, Li was named to the party’s top leadership body, the Politburo Standing Committee, in 2007. He previously held key roles as party chief in industrial Liaoning province and was provincial leader of Henan, an agricultural base. Born in Anhui, Li spent his late teens doing manual labor with the Dongling Production Brigade in the eastern province during the Cultural Revolution, a decade-long social and political upheaval launched by late Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Li was among the first batch of students to sit the college entrance exam after it was reinstated following the end of the Cultural Revolution. In 1978, he enrolled at the prestigious Peking University, where he studied law and later obtained a doctorate in economics. Unlike Xi, Li is not considered one of China’s princelings hailing from a prominent party family. He held positions in the Communist Youth League Central Committee during the 1980s and 90s. His time in the top echelons of China’s Communist Party came to a close last October, when he was not named to the party’s Central Committee during a twice-a-decade leadership reshuffle that saw Xi surround himself with key allies. Then 67, Li was one year short of the unofficial retirement age for senior Chinese Communist Party leaders. He was succeeded as premier earlier this year by former Shanghai party chief and Xi loyalist Li Qiang. - by Simone McCarthy and Steven Jiang, CNNSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All eyes were on Fletcher Building and how shareholders would react at their AGM. Among the issues it’s dealt with recently include the Iplex pipes, directors’ fees and the poor annual results. Business commentator Rod Oram joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington City Council officials knew about the Town Hall budget blowout six months before councillors did. This week, the council voted to increase funding to earthquake strengthen the Hall, which could reach up to $329 million. But the council’s project team realised the costs were fast increasing at the start of the year, told the Council chief executive in June and told Tory Whanau in September, and councillors found out until this month when they asked for a cash injection. Wellington City Councillor Tim Brown joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are just one win away from sporting immortality. After being largely written off after the opening defeat to France, all that stands in the way of them and the Webb Ellis Cup is the Springboks with their bomb squad bench. Both teams are on three titles, and are vying to stand above the other with a fourth win. But the game could be overshadowed by World Rugby’s new tournament. World Rugby has announced a 12-team Nations League from 2026, with promotion and relegation in 2030. The 2027 tournament will also be expanded to 24 teams. But less than 12 hours prior to kick off, the Black Caps will be in action in India. They take on Australia in Dharamshala as they look to move on from last weekend’s loss to India. Abby Wilson and Scotty Stevenson joined Jack Tame to discuss the week’s sports newsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former All Blacks coach John Hart thinks the Springboks have made a massive gamble with their 7-1 stacking of forwards on the bench. It was a tactic that worked during when they beat the All Blacks 35-7 at Twickenham before the Rugby World Cup. Meanwhile, the All Blacks have made one change from the team that beat Argentina 44-6 in last week’s semifinal. All Blacks legend Sir Michael Jones joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sport Canterbury has described Christchurch's new sport centre price blow-out as gob smacking. Contractor CPB has increased its claim by more than $200 million to $439 million, sparking a legal dispute with government delivery agency Rau Paenga — formerly Otakaro Limited. Sport Canterbury chief executive Julyan Falloon told Jack Tame the prospect of further delays is heartbreaking. “But to question Rau Paenga’s design at this stage when the facility’s 70 percent completed is sort of becoming a little bit farcical from our perspective.” The increased claim will bring the project's total value to $696 million. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pharmac’s board is backing the CEO and bringing in external contractors to help implement a plan to fix the organisation’s internal culture. I get it, people make mistakes, we all understand that, but in my eyes, Pharma’s leadership has made a couple of massive errors in recent months. The first — if you cast your minds back was the rollout of the Trikafta funding announcement. I personally just thought it was incredibly inappropriate that Pharmac appeared to turn the whole thing into a made-for-TV moment. Medicines funding is so sensitive. Pharmac is literally making decisions about peoples’ lives. The whole Pharma model is supposed to remove emotion from the equation as much as possible. So think about what making a made-for-TV Oprah-style moment means in the context of drug funding and medicines funding. It feels really, really icky to me and in my view, it only incentivises pharmaceutical companies to launch really big, emotional PR campaigns in order to get their medicines funded regardless of how much they cost. Which ultimately undermines the whole purpose of Pharmac’s model. But not only that, they appeared to very deliberately mislead journalist Rachel Smalley when she found out about the funding decision ahead of their PR moment and she started making calls. And then the pièce de résistance: internal emails showed senior leadership making incredibly unprofessional comments about Rachel Smalley. I just do not understand how you can rise to a senior leadership position in an agency such as Pharmac and not realise that your emails can be made public. What does it say about the judgment of those leaders? Not just the comments, but that they made them in writing. The external contractors might help to change the culture within Pharmac. Internally, they might be successful in making some big cultural changes. But when it comes to an organisation like Pharmac, public perception matters just as much, if not more. And this won’t fix it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Council of Licensed Firearms Owners is hoping ACT can score them a win in coalition negotiations. Party leader David Seymour says he wants to get rid of the Firearms Registry, but will have to convince their coalition partner National. Hugh Devereux-Mack told Jack Tame registering their firearms is burdensome and makes them a target. He claims the register potentially puts them at risk by saying where they live, who is in the household and where the guns are stored. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have named a largely unchanged team for the Rugby World Cup final on Sunday. Brodie Retallick has been named to the starting XV in place of Sam Whitelock — the only change from the 44-6 win over Argentina. Meanwhile, the Springboks have named two changes from their 16-15 win over England, and a 7-1 forward split on the bench. Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon may just be getting closer to a deal with Winston Peters. The Prime Minister-elect and wife Amanda have been over to Peters’ house for dinner, but it’s unclear what the two discussed — particularly as the special vote count looms. However, Peters’ social media posts about the Christchurch mosque attack inquiry just before the two met at his home could be throw a spanner in the works among Luxon’s party faithful. Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 24 hours on from the mass shooting in Maine, and the man allegedly responsible remains on the run. The shootings at a bowling alley and bar in Lewiston left 18 people dead and 13 injured. The FBI searched Robert Card's last known address earlier today, but didn't find him. US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Jack Tame they were looking for any evidence they could find — including weapons, electronics, or a plan of the shootings. “Also, several other news outlets over here are reporting that he left a suicide note inside one other home, and that his sister says he may’ve been looking for his ex.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Springboks have taken a hefty gamble ahead of the Rugby World Cup final against the All Blacks. They've named a 7-1 split on the bench with more forwards - which they did when they beat the All Blacks 35-7 at Twickenham before the World Cup. But prior to that, the Black Caps have a huge clash of their own in the Cricket World Cup. They'll be looking to get back on track after their first defeat of the tournament to hosts in India, with a mouthwatering clash with Australia in Dharamshala. Weekend Sport host Jason Pine joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pharmac's board has agreed to an action plan to improve the organisation's culture after inappropriate emails were sent about journalist Rachel Smalley. Chief Executive Sarah Fitt has also publicly apologised — saying she deeply regrets her actions. Patient Voice Aotearoa had called for the resignation ahead of the Board and Fitt ahead of today's meeting. Chair Malcolm Mulholland told Jack Tame he thinks the outcome is pathetic. “I think there’s only one option available now to change the culture of Pharmac — and that’s for the incoming National government to sack the board and Sarah Fitt.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rishi Sunak is facing the prospect of a by-election after Tory MP Peter Bone was stood down for inappropriate behaviour. An investigation revealed Bone had bullied and sexually harassed a former parliamentary staff member. Bone has since been suspended for 6 weeks. UK correspondent Enda Brady says it's increasingly likely that Labour will need to force a by-election following this verdict. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.