Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The Government has swiftly rejected Auckland mayor Wayne Brown's proposal that they pay rates on their Auckland properties. Mayor Brown believes the city would benefit from $400 million worth of revenue if the rates were paid on Government buildings- and if the GST charged on rates was given back. He says this scheme would have solved the Government's challenge of helping people through a cost of living crisis. "The tax on this GST on rates is a land tax- if they give that back, they'll help everybody. It'd solve their problem, bingo. They should thank me." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Rugby has been on the receiving end of criticism from the provinces amid a proposed shake-up to the board. The national body and several provincial unions remain in a back-and-forth over how to implement a review that recommends sweeping changes to the way the game is governed. Mid-Canterbury rugby union chair Gerard Rushton says it's important for members of New Zealand's rugby community to be on NZ Rugby's board. "It's important to have that culture and ensure that the connection back to the community is represented through the board. It's farcical to think rugby can be treated like a corporate." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chlöe Swarbrick expects the pride of Auckland's rainbow community to shine through tenfold after vandalism overnight on Karangahape Road. Three people in balaclavas poured white paint on the road's rainbow crossing, then fled in a car without registration plates. Police are declaring it a hate crime and searched a Flat Bush property this afternoon, seizing a number of items. Green Party co-leader and Auckland Central MP Swarbrick says it's a sad and petty use of energy. "This is a symbol, which is out there- but you can't paint over people's existence." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Secondary Principals' Association believes the community should get behind schools and students to help reduce bad behaviour. A new Education Review Office report shows it's worsened over the past two years. President Vaughan Couillault says Covid lock-downs weren't the only factor. "There's a growing sort of movement where members of the community become indignant when their kid does something wrong. They aren't backing schools to make the right decisions." Couillault says there needs to be a conversation on student expectations, and how the community will support this. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A vast ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is now off the table. The Government has scrapped plans for the 620,000 square kilometre marine reserve, envisioned by Sir John Key to protect unique biodiversity. Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says the Kermadec Islands are already well-protected. "There's far too much misinformation, and I've had to put up with green muckery over this issue. There is already a host of protective measures there." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Children in Alice Springs won't be allowed outside their homes at night for the next fortnight. The Northern Territory Government has mandated an emergency curfew to curb escalating violence in the town. Chaos descended on the region on Tuesday afternoon when a large group attacked the Todd Tavern, causing thousands of dollars worth of property damage. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says residents feel these extra measures were a long time coming. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Defence Force has been on the receiving end of backlash amid claims they were underprepared to handle Cyclone Gabrielle. Documents claimed there were not enough resources, the water tanks dispatched weren't certified for drinking- and a lack of PPE meant personnel were unable to attend rescue efforts. Rear Admiral James Gilmour acknowledged the optics, but claimed the NZDF was required to follow the Health and Safety Act. "What we had was our people racing in with the best of intent- and our role within the Defence Force is to stay within the Health and Safety Act." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour is demanding an end to greyhound racing, saying the industry's been On Notice for too long. Animal activists have been calling for an end to the sport for ages, with demand surging after three dogs dies in a week. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave weighed in on the controversy today. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, public satisfaction with the NHS has dropped again, setting a new low recorded by the British Social Attitudes survey. 24 percent of respondents say they were satisfied with the NHS in 2023, with waiting times and staff shortages being the biggest concerns. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says there's a divided response to how the UK can improve the NHS. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, Josie Pagani from Childfund and Kiwiblog writer and Curia Pollster David Farrar joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Auckland University raised some eyebrows after images of designated rooms for Māori and Pasifika students surfaced online. Some students say these rooms are vital, important spaces- do we agree? Amid the buzz around Fred Again.. landing in New Zealand, there's been controversy over his opener getting preferential treatment to get her passport fast-tracked. What do we think of this? The mayors of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch are demanding the Government start paying rates on its buildings in their cities to help with the cities' finances. Fair call? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 'slow grind' lies ahead for households over the next few months, but the end is within sight for the tough fight with inflation. ASB's latest Quarterly Economic Forecast says things will get better after a slow 3 to 6 months for the economy- and rates and living costs will come down again. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen says recent data shows people can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first trading quarter of 2024 has come to an end, giving investors an opportunity to take stock of what's to come. The market has struggled under the pressure of the economy, with construction, housing, and retail taking a financial hit. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton explains what this means for the rest of the year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert has labelled the Government's Budget Policy Statement a 'sobering reality check' with no surprises. The Finance Minister says a surplus is unlikely to happen by 2026/27 and Treasury has warned the economy will slow down- forcing the Government to borrow more. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny unpacks what this could mean for the proposed tax cuts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lawyer who's represented Gloriavale leavers is suing four Government departments, alleging they allowed abuse to happen for years. The West Coast Christian community's been thrust into the spotlight again, following the release of documentary miniseries Escaping Utopia. Barrister Brian Henry has accused the community of being 'groomers' who abused women and neglected children. "It's all set out there. I'm not saying anything other than what the court says." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland University's Student Association is holding firm on giving minority students designated spaces. A sign outside a campus study area - now removed - read: “This is a designated area for Māori and Pasifika students”. ACT Party spokesperson Parmjeet Parmar called it reminiscent of an ugly past New Zealand's left behind. Association president Alan Shaker says they are absolutely necessary. "We've got a women's space, a queer space, we've got a lot of tuākana spaces, we've got a Muslim prayer spaces- and this is no different from that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chair Dame Patsy Reddy has confirmed she'll resign if the NZ Rugby board reforms don't go through in line with her proposals. NZR's newly released proposal suggests nine independent board members for NZR's future boards. However, the provincial unions want three board members to have had board-level experience at a provincial level. Dame Patsy Reddy says a 'world-leading' governance structure is needed to ensure the continued success of NZ Rugby. "We've been leading the rugby world for 135 years, but we need to have world-leading governance to remain ahead of the game. And a world-leading governance structure does not have a representational model." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says she'll confirm in the Budget how much extra the Government will have to spend - although she's still promising tax cuts in July.Nicola Willis broke convention today when delivering the Budget Policy Statement by not detailing the operating allowance. She says the number will be lower than $3.5 billion dollars previously forecast. But Willis says she's not fazed to be straying from the norm. "Grant Robertson has a practise where he announced the number six months out, and then he'd deliver a completely different number on Budget Day. And I don't think that's particularly helpful, I want to be more reliable than that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Coast Guard says six construction workers missing in Baltimore Harbour are now presumed dead. They were caught up in the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge overnight, after it was hit by a container ship. US correspondent Logan Church says investigations are taking place to find out what happened in the leadup to the tragic collapse. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister is still adamant that the Government will stick to their tax cut plans. Nicola Willis today unveiled the Budget Policy Statement, which broke with normal convention and did not include how much extra spending the Government will take on at the budget. Willis says despite a worse than expected set of fiscal forecasts, tax cuts are still coming in July. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Willis didn't say whether the tax cuts would resemble the ones promised to voters in 2023. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Rugby chair Dame Patsy Reddy has outlined why she believes an independent model for the sport's governance is a must. NZR has released a proposal to change the governance structure and could call a Special General Meeting to vote on it. The proposal suggests nine independent board members for NZR's future boards, and the provincial unions want three board members to have had board-level experience at a provincial level. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Former Defence Minister says our airforce personnel shouldn't train overseas defence forces - against our best interest. Seven former Defence Force personnel were found to have been hired to help train the People's Liberation Army. Former Defence Minister Wayne Mapp says this shows there needs to be an updated contract clause barring former personnel from training other Defence Forces. "We certainly don't have it in law as such, but I'm not absolutely sure about the current status of the contracts. But if they're not there, they should be." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Kate Middleton revealed her cancer diagnosis to the world, there's been increased interest in the UK's leading cancer charity websites. Macmillan Cancer Support revealed traffic was up 10 percent from last Friday- the highest weekend traffic the website has recorded in years. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this matches the outpouring of support King Charles got following his cancer reveal. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, Neale Jones from Capital Relations and Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Were we surprised to learn about Chinese state-sponsored hacking into NZ MPs and Parliament systems? Do you think NZ got the balance right with their response- or should we have gone harder? NZ Post has revealed they plan to scrap 750 jobs amid changes to the mail sector. Is this an unfortunate necessity? Destiny Church was active today, with members heading out to paint over a rainbow crossing in Gisborne to protest a drag queen story hour. Was this a step too far? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A joint research project between AgResearch and Meat and Livestock Australia has revealed more consumers are interested in the health benefits of red meat. Consumers in the US and Australia have expressed interest in eating more red meat to improve their wellbeing, according to the surveys. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains what this means for the wider industry. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shock and surprise throughout the country, as the public today learned Chinese spies hacked into Government systems back in 2021. The hack was revealed to have stolen a small amount of non-strategic information. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie explains the international implications of this announcement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A struggling retail sector is urging the Government to roll back the Easter trading restrictions. Under current laws, shops all over New Zealand are required to close this upcoming Good Friday and Easter Sunday. ACT has created a bill that would scrap these trading rules and National has expressed support for it- but NZ First doesn't agree. Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says the sector has voiced support for this bill in order to boost economic recovery. "With Easter being early this year, I'm sure there'll still be a number of tourists in and around New Zealand, and that would help generate income for the country as well." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Startling revelations about the frequency of cyber attacks on significant New Zealand organisations. The GCSB says malicious targeting of the Parliamentary Counsel Office and Parliamentary Services in 2021 was linked to to actors backed by China. The Government is condemning the actions and publicly backing the UK and US, which have announced retaliatory sanctions over similar claims. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this isn't the first time international agencies have attempted to spy on New Zealand- but the Chinese factor has charged the response. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of New Zealand's most famously car-reliant cities is trialling a new approach to public transport. The new on-demand electric buses work as an Uber-like service- where commuters can summon them instead of waiting for a regular bus. Bay of Plenty regional councillor Andrew von Dadelszen says these buses operate within zones to get people closer to their chosen destination. "You just go on the app and book it- and the bus will come and collect you and take you to where you want to go." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Posties will be no more in four to six years, as NZ Post announces significant change to their delivery service. It's confirmed both mail and parcels will eventually be delivered by courier drivers, meaning up to 750 people will lose their jobs in mail delivery, processing and support roles. Postal Workers Union spokesperson John Maynard says it's clear New Zealand Post hasn't been fighting for new solutions to the changing world. "We agree there needs to be a different way of going about this, but we think the proposition we put to the company will save them tens of millions of dollars of redundancy pay." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warning: Potentially distressing content Outrage at a Wellington theatre company who cast a man convicted of rape in a lead role. Wellington Repertory Theatre's 'Murdered to Death' stars Harrison Stuart Nicol, who was convicted of rape in 2021. The theatre company has told media in a statement a safety plan's in place. Independent victims' advocate Ruth Money says a rapist poster-boy is incredibly distressing, and she's got concerns about the company's safety practice. She asks if those who wrote the safety practice are trained in sexual violence, and wonders if the theatre company is happy their leading man is a convicted rapist. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister in charge of the GCSB in 2021- when a cyber incident targeted Parliamentary entities - has revealed more about what followed. The spy agency revealed today it became aware the intrusion, linked to a Chinese state-backed actor. China's ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong has called the accusations groundless and irresponsible. Andrew Little says he was told there had been a hack, but lengthy investigation was needed. "Making an announcement, a co-ordinated announcement of this nature, on this particular hack has been talked about for some months. But obviously, all the things lined up for that to happen in the last 24 hours." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters is threatening to refuse interviews with RNZ, unless it apologises over its reporting on his Party. The Court of Appeal has dismissed a Serious Fraud Office bid to overturn a court ruling two men were NOT guilty of obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars by deception for the New Zealand First Foundation. The money wasn't deemed a 'donation', because the funds weren't deposited into the Party's account. Party leader Peters claims the media ran 'attacks' on NZ First, and says RNZ won't get away with it. "You'll see what I do- because if they think that they are not going to be held accountable, they couldn't be more wrong." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions are calling for a 5 percent pay rise for workers on minimum and award wages. The union body says inflation has left workers on these lower wages worse off financially, even when accounting for three years' worth of increases. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says over three million workers stand to benefit from this potential pay bump. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ Rugby chair Dame Patsy Reddy has threatened calling time on her tenure as the seven month governance standoff with the provincial unions continues. Dame Patsy took the stance at a post-board briefing last week, insisting she would not support alternative reform proposals to the ones put forward by the non-binding Pilkington Report. Those stated NZ Rugby’s constitution and governance was not fit for purpose and stressed the need for a nine-person independent board. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave recaps the ongoing standoff. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing divergence between the US and Israel, as UN members vote for a ceasefire resolution in Gaza. The US abstained and didn't veto the Security Council resolution, voted for by all 14 other members. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled meetings scheduled in Washington this week. Times Correspondent Harriet Alexander says it's a sign of how difficult the two countries' relations have become. "Public opinion in the US is really turning against the war, and they want much more effort on a ceasefire and getting humanitarian aid in." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

France has raised their terror alert warning to the highest level following the attack in Moscow. At least 137 people are dead and 150 are injured after gunmen opened fire at a rock concert. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains why France feels concerned following these recent events. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Labour staffer Kaine Thompson joined in on a discussion about the following issue of the day- and more! Sir Russell Coutts has claimed Christchurch will never be able to host a SailGP event again after this weekend's debacle. Given Auckland couldn't host it- what happens with SailGP in New Zealand now? Kate Middleton shocked the world last weekend by revealing she had been diagnosed with cancer. Were the rumours and speculation inappropriate in hindsight? Can we learn anything from this? Labour delivered their own State of the Nation address this weekend- is this the right time for Labour to plan a comeback? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is still committed to delivering on their tax cuts, despite last week's announcement that New Zealand is in recession. Finance Minister Nicola has spent the last few days holding true to that Government promise. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan is among the many experts calling for the cuts to be delayed, amid concerns. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ratification of the free trade agreement with the EU is now complete after it gained Royal Assent. Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says it was ratified in a small ceremony at the Beehive today - and is now confirmed to come into effect from May. Zespri Head of Global Public Affairs Michael Fox says the timing is super helpful for the kiwifruit industry, after a couple of 'bumpy' years. "We've got about 90 percent of our fruit left to ship- so a really welcome boom for growers." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has unveiled their first pre-Budget financial announcement, in the form of their Family Boost scheme. It will let parents and caregivers claim back up to 25 percent of their childcare costs - up to $75 per week - from July. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this scheme comes with more short-term complications for parents. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says the Family Boost scheme isn't exactly as promised pre-election. From July, parents and caregivers can claim back up to 25 percent of childcare costs, to a maximum $75 dollars per week. Nicola Willis says they'd hoped to reimburse parents every fortnight- but the IRD warned that their systems weren't sophisticated enough to deliver on that. "We're not prepared to delay, we want this released in people's bank accounts this year. So instead, we're going for an approach where parents send their invoices in every three months and they get a lump sum payment." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Animal-focused charity SAFE wants an immediate ban on all greyhound racing after three dogs died in one week this month. Greyhound Racing New Zealand has suspended racing at Manukau Stadium for five weeks. It says concerning increases in injuries require immediate intervention and more investigation. SAFE investigations head, Will Appelbe, says racing's moved to Cambridge, but there've been just as many injuries. "It's just moving the problem to another location. Dogs will continue to be injured, continue to have serious injuries like fractures- and occasionally, sadly, that results in the death of greyhounds." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some relief for parents facing rising childcare costs. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has unveiled the Family Boost policy- which will let parents and caregivers claim back up to 25 percent of childcare costs, up to $75 a week. Parents are being told to start collecting invoices from July, to begin being refunded every three months from October. Early Childhood Council CEO Simon Laube says the option where parents would get money back more regularly was going to take about three years to build. "So they've gone with something that's kind of quick and dirty- but we have a problem today, don't we? So we can't be waiting around for three years." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch NZ is keeping the door open to SailGP, hoping racing can happen again in Lyttelton next year. Last weekend's event has been marred by debate on measures to protect dolphins, with SailGP CEO Russell Coutts casting doubt on future hosting plans. A dolphin sighting meant Saturday's race was cancelled. Christchurch NZ's Loren Aberhart says a contract's been signed, but they are still open to discussions. "But I think from our perspective, when you look at the way it went yesterday- it was incredible. And Pete Burling texted me saying it was the best SailGP he's ever done." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is short 90,000 tradies to meet new housing targets. The Government plans to build 1.2 million new homes over the next five years. Australia correspondent Oliver Peterson says they'll get tradies to finish their qualifications, or will poach some from overseas. But he says it has to compete with the mining industry. "That's just always going to be the lure for a lot of people who might be tradies looking at apprentice wages, where they're barely able to make ends meet- or work on a mine and get these ridiculous salaries from day dot." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The future of SailGP in New Zealand may have sunk as a result of yesterday's cancellation of racing at Lyttelton Harbour. A dolphin sighting prevented three fleet races from taking place on day one, before four races yesterday with New Zealand winning the overall event. Fresh off his infamous interview with SailGP boss Sir Russell Coutts, Sportstalk host Jason Pine shared his thoughts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Commitment to a major overhaul of Hawkes Bay's emergency response, which has been labelled 'not fit for purpose.' The Civil Defence Emergency Management Joint Committee has fully accepted the independent review of its disaster response to Cyclone Gabrielle. It highlights major issues ranging from communication failures to overwhelmed officials, and points to residents being told they were overreacting. Joint Committee chair, Hinewai Ormsby, says they will be acting on all 75 recommendations. "It's really important that we take those learnings and make sure we build a stronger system going forward." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A group of prominent Aucklanders have voiced disapproval with the planned long-term lease of the council-owned Port of Auckland. Over 30 high-profile figures have signed an open letter against the plan, including Lady Pippa Blake, Sir Stephen Tindall, Sir Ralph Norris, and Chloe Swarbrick. Stop Stealing Our Harbour spokesperson Michael Goldwater says the Council needs to consider its long-term vision for the waterfront. "What needs to happen is that the Government and Auckland Council should develop a plan to move the Port. There's actually no conversation about that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'd have to say, the cancer diagnosis of the Princess of Wales, Kate, was probably the biggest news over the weekend, wasn't it? Absolutely shocking. There are a couple of things I reckon most of us will already agree on. The first is obviously just what an awful diagnosis cancer is for someone as young as Kate. And particularly for a mum of wee kids, this must be very scary for absolutely everybody in that family. And also, I reckon most of us will agree that some of the behaviour around her absence from public life has been pretty appalling- most especially paparazzi taking her photo and publishing it. But I'm not sure if it’s necessarily occurred to you yet how badly she’s been let down by her own team. This whole period of nasty rumours being spread and hounding of Kate could have been avoided, I'm 100 percent sure, if her people had handled her diagnosis the same way that King Charles’ people handled his. Remember, King Charles and Kate were discharged on the exact same day from the same hospital. A week later, he announced he had cancer. He was actually praised for helping people out, he drove people who had cancer to find out more information about it. She disappeared from view, and as a result she was hounded. I fully understand there are different considerations for Kate. The shock is probably much bigger, given how much younger she is, and there's the fact that she wanted to protect her kids as well. But I think what her staff haven’t actually understood is that it's 2024. There is social media out there. You can ask the media to be responsible and back off, and the vast majority of legacy media will do that. But you can’t control social media. No-one can control social media. If you leave a vacuum, and the media leaves a vacuum, it will get filled by people on social media nowadays. They're not necessarily being horrible, sometimes they're just curious, sometimes they're just concerned, in a few cases they're nutty- and in some cases, they're trolls. And if you leave that vacuum long enough, it gets so wild even people like Stephen Colbert can’t ignore it anymore. I'm not making excuses for the trolling, but it does exist, we all have to acknowledge it exists and the job of those palace staff who help Kate and William and all the royals with the media is not to pretend it doesn't exist- but to acknowledge it and respond accordingly. If they had handled it properly, Kate would not have been hounded. Just ask King Charles, who also has cancer - and wasn’t hounded. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some commercial catch limits have been increased, and these changes will come into effect in April of this year. Fisheries Minister Shane Jones discusses new limits with Heather. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.