Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The Finance Minister is standing by the Government's record, after Treasury today laid the books bare. The Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update suggest our recession's likely over, but shows the Government deficit will continue longer than predicted in the Budget. Debt's now expected to peak at 22.8 percent of GDP by 2025. Grant Robertson says our Government borrowing wasn't for nothing. "Lots of New Zealanders alive today who wouldn't have been during Covid, businesses that have been able to survive- yes, we had to borrow significant amounts of money to get through Covid. Most political parties supported us doing that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An important balance needs to be struck on welcoming more residents. Provisional Stats NZ figures show a net migration gain of 96,200 people in the year to July, a new record. Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchod says we need skills from abroad, but it needs careful management. "Those people who are coming in- many of them are going to go into our essential services, like healthcare, where we need staff. That infrastructural pressure that we see from more people in the country- it's got to be balanced against the provision of services that we all need right now." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's promising to spend our money on the right things, if elected next month. Treasury's today revealed the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update. It suggests our recession's likely over - but shows the Government will be in deficit for longer, and take on billions more in debt. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the Opposition's now crunching its numbers. "What National's now got to do is sit down and look at the meaning of these figures that have been presented today. And they'll come up with their fiscal strategy within the next few weeks, so it'll be interesting to see what they make out of it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Government has confirmed its centrepiece housing fund bill will pass through Parliament, breaking a months-long impasse. Australia's Green Party pledged support, meaning the Housing Australia Future Fund has the necessary majority support in the senate. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the housing crisis is going strong, with affordable rental properties growing further out of reach for Australians. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors' do-or-die NRL playoff match against the Newcastle Knights at Mt Smart on Saturday has officially sold out. Their first home playoff since 2008 sold out less than an hours after tickets were released to the general public. ZB sports news director Clay Wilson explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Council is asking for proposals for a national stadium in the city. The working group - formed in July - now wants expressions of interest to assess. The winning venue will need to be capable of holding major events, have links to public transport and feature a retractable roof. Chair and councillor Shane Henderson says the stadium should be able to compete internationally for big ticket events. "Auckland's done this very well in the recent past, but we don't have a lot coming up in the future. This is one of the questions that has been around for many years around the city, so we want to just nail it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China has labelled the arrest of a parliamentary researcher on suspicion of spying 'slander' and a 'political farce'. Over the weekend, it came out that a parliamentary researcher with links to key political figures had been arrested over allegation of spying for China. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the UK Government is now under pressure to take action and reconsider China as a political threat. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The outgoing New Zealand Superannuation Fund CEO has slammed the near-$10 billion tax bill as 'nonsensical'. Matt Whineray believes the Superannuation Fund should have tax immunity status, according to an exit interview. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says the next Government will need to make choices about the state of the fund. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new international player is determined to snap up Fonterra dairy farmers, as competition intensifies. Fonterra farmers have put up signs featuring the slogan 'A proud Fonterra farmer' in response to Singapore-based OFI (Olam Food Ingredients) setting up in Waikato. Fonterra farm source group director Anne Douglas says Fonterra sets the benchmark for dairy prices, and OFI will respond accordingly. "If you look at how the co-operative dairy model works, we sit here every day looking to maximise milk price and return for our dairy farmers." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No signs of slowing down from Novak Djokovic after recording his 24th grand slam title. Djokovic is the US tennis Open champion after beating Daniil Medvedev in the final in straight sets. ZB sports journalist Nathan Limm explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Schools across Melbourne are calling for increased security amid ongoing attacks. Multiple incidents of gang members getting into schools and harming students have surfaced, sparking safety concerns. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says there are Facebook groups ranking Victorian schools by level of danger- and a solution must be found. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support for National has rocketed up to just over 40 percent, with a 4.3 point jump in the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll. Labour has taken a devastating tumble, down 5.5 percent to 26.8 percent. ACT has fallen two points to 10 - but can comfortably govern with National. The Greens are up to 12.3 percent, Te Pāti Māori is on three, while New Zealand First flirts with the threshold at 4.6 percent. National finance spokeswoman Nicola Willis says they aren't counting chickens yet- but it's positive. "It's pretty clear New Zealanders want a change of Government, they can see the country's going in the wrong direction and more and more of them are getting ready to vote for change." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors are set to go up against the Newcastle Knights this weekend, and expectations are high. The first home finals match held in New Zealand since 2008 will take place in Auckland's Go Media Stadium Mt Smart at 6.05 on Saturday. Former Warrior and club ambassador Monty Betham is confident the team can win as demand for tickets soars. "It really is building like that- the fans are going nuts. My phone's been ringing off the hook, people have been trying to get their link or their chance to buy pre-sales before it goes live tomorrow." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meteorologists expect the El Niño climate system will start drying out parts of the country in the coming weeks. The North Island and northern and eastern South Island will be the most affected. Weatherwatch's Phillip Duncan says it'll bring a windier westerly - which very quickly dries the east of the country. "Parts of Hawke's Bay that were flooded are already now noticing how dry it's become in such a short couple of months." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calls for banks to drop mortgage rates- while they bring in record profits. They are scraping off an extra $2.2-billion dollars annually, from a 17 percent rise in lending profits caused by rising interest rates. Squirrel Chief Executive David Cunningham says he believes the slow housing market pushed the margin this high. He says shareholders want steady profits, and rising share-prices regardless of the lack of market growth. "So the only way to deliver those profits that the market expects- or your masters in Australia expect, in the case of our major New Zealand banks- is to lift the price." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT's Leader denies he's threatening the National Party by suggesting a confidence-only deal, post-election. David Seymour previously said his party would consider it - if National doesn't co-operate in negotiations. That would force the larger party to seek the minor party's support for Government spending. Seymour says ACT's position isn't new or dramatic. "It's just saying- look, we actually want a tight working relationship, I've said that for a long time. But we reserve the right to stand up for the values and our voters to get better policy for them- and all New Zealand." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every Monday until the election The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, former Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills have the insight word and analysis. The Act Party has thrown a potential cat amongst the pigeons by threatening it may only enter a confidence deal with National. The panel discuss whether Chris Luxon is losing credibility. Labour’s polling continues to plummet – is there anything the party can do to turn its fortunes around? And the panel discuss the potential partners for both National and Labour post polling days. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former British soldier awaiting trial on terror charges who appears to have escaped from a London prison by strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery truck remained at large Thursday as police stepped up security checks across the United Kingdom amid concerns he may try to flee the country. Opposition parties linked the escape to years of financial austerity, while Britain's Conservative government said an independent investigation will take place “in due course” into how Daniel Abed Khalife managed to slip out of the medium-security Wandsworth Prison, which opened in 1851 during the reign of Queen Victoria. His escape has prompted extra security checks at major transport hubs, particularly in and around the Port of Dover, the main boat crossing from England to France. Britain's justice secretary told lawmakers that “no stone must be left unturned in getting to the bottom of what happened” as he confirmed an “independent investigation into this incident.” Alex Chalk also said “urgent” reviews into prison categorization would be carried out as questions remained over how Khalife wasn't being held at a maximum-security facility such as Belmarsh Prison in east London. Khalife, 21, is accused of planting fake bombs at a military base and of violating Britain’s Official Secrets Act by gathering information “that could be useful to an enemy.” He was discharged from the British army after his arrest earlier this year and had denied the allegations. His trial is set for November. Chalk said Khalife, who had been working in a kitchen at the prison, escaped at around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, when a vehicle that had made a delivery left. Shortly afterward, he said, contingency plans for an unaccounted prisoner were activated and police were informed. The vehicle, he added, was subsequently stopped and searched by police after the alert was raised. “Strapping was found underneath the vehicle which appeared to indicate that Daniel Khalife may have held onto the underside of it in order to escape,” Chalk said. More than 150 investigators and police staff are on the case, according to Metropolitan Police Commander Dominic Murphy, who is the lead investigator. “We have issued a nationwide alert that has resulted in increased security at our ports and borders, however currently there have not been any confirmed sightings," he said. Opposition politicians have sought to pin the blame on the Conservative government, which has been in power since 2010. Many U.K. prisons, including Wandsworth, are over capacity and short of staff. The escape could hardly have come at a worse time for a government that is already scrambling to get all schools to reopen for the new academic year amid concerns over crumbling concrete. “It simply beggars belief that a man being held on suspected terror charges was able to escape a prison by clinging to the bottom of a food delivery van,” said Shabana Mahmood, the justice spokesperson for the main opposition Labour Party. “How is such an escape even possible?” Charlie Taylor, who scrutinizes detention facilities in England in his role as the chief inspector of prisons, said staff shortages are “the source of many problems” at Wandsworth. Taylor said it “should be standard practice” for vehicles entering and leaving the prison to be checked and a prisoner has to earn a “certain level of trust” in order to be allowed to work in a kitchen. “But the issue that we are particularly concerned about is there are too many prisoners in Wandsworth for the amount of staff who are there," he said. "And that ultimately is the source of many of the problems in the jail.” In an annual review, published in July, Wandsworth Prison was deemed to be a “serious concern." The prison, which is in the middle of a residential area, holds around 1,600 defendants appearing at London courts and offenders due to be released in five wings. - by Pan Pylas, APSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are certainly putting in the time to cultivate their relationship. Less than three months after honoring Modi with a state visit to the White House, Biden is to arrive in New Delhi on Friday — a day before the start of the Group of 20 summit there — to squeeze in another round of one-on-one talks with the leader of the world’s most populous nation. There have been more than a dozen in-person or virtual engagements between the leaders since 2021 as both have looked to tighten the U.S.-India partnership amid shared major concerns. Those include an increasingly assertive China and monumental challenges posed by climate change, artificial intelligence, global supply chain resilience and other issues. Modi has heavily branded the summit as his own. The Indian prime minister has pictures of himself posted along the highway from the airport, greeting G20 delegates with quotes about the need to address climate change. As a result, Biden will be something of a houseguest when he meets with his Indian counterpart. “This meeting will be taking place at the prime minister’s residence — so it is unusual in that respect,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One. “This is not your typical bilateral visit to India with meetings taking place in the prime minister’s office.” Biden, a center-left Democrat, and Modi, a conservative Hindu nationalist, are hardly ideological soulmates. Yet, both leaders are increasingly drawn together by China's military and economic maneuverings in the Indo-Pacific. India late last month lodged an objection through diplomatic channels with Beijing over China's new standard map that lays claim to India’s territory along their shared border. The version of the Chinese map published by the Ministry of Natural Resources website shows Arunachal Pradesh and the Doklam Plateau — over which the two sides have feuded — included within Chinese borders, along with Aksai Chin in the western section that China controls but India still claims. The Philippines and Malaysia have also lodged protests over the new Chinese map. The map was released just days after Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — and agreed to work to de-escalate tensions at their disputed border. China and India have had thousands of troops facing off in a disputed region of the Himalayas since 2020, when skirmishes led to the first deadly clashes in decades. Both countries are nuclear armed. China, which is also a member of the G20, has said that Xi will not attend this weekend's India summit and is instead dispatching Premier Li Qiang to represent China. Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press on the sidelines of a summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Indonesia, spoke out against China's new map. “It’s a violation of the law. And that’s where I put that map,” Harris told the AP. The U.S. government outreach goes beyond Biden. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told reporters on Friday that the G20 is her fourth trip to India in the past year, making it the country she's visited most. Yellen said India has shown leadership in helping to provide loans to developing nations as well as provide debt relief when needed. The White House has been tight-lipped about what, if any, major announcements will come out of Biden's latest talks with Modi. But the administration seems eager to build on the momentum from the June state visit, which included announcements on climate, health care and space as well as some major private sector projects. The two sides set the groundwork for U.S.-based General Electric to partner with India-based Hindustan Aeronautics to produce jet engines for Indian aircraft in India and the sale of U.S.-made armed MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones. U.S.-based Micron Technology agreed to build a $2.75 billion semiconductor assembly and test facility in India, with Micron spending more than $800 million and India financing the rest. The administration also plans to discuss civil nuclear issues. Friday's meeting seems unlikely to produce as many major deals. Still, the White House will look to “put something on the table," predicted Richard Rossow, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Rossow said Modi would like to see the Biden administration put greater focus on the Indian Ocean region as it goes about recalibrating its Indo-Pacific policy. India’s concern is that “the United States is overly focused on Taiwan, South China Sea, East China Sea, Pacific Islands,” Rossow said. “And there’s not nearly enough attention on the Indian Ocean region. And that’s where India sees its primary security concerns rising now.” The White House has sought to play down Biden and Modi 's differences over Russia’s war in Ukraine. India abstained from voting on U

A new approach to paying for private healthcare has started in New Zealand. Fettle gives people the ability to contribute to an investment fund which eventually goes into paying for private healthcare. Fettle founder and CEO Dr Colin Hutchinson joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Injury concerns in the Warriors camp ahead of their first finals game since 2018. Star playmaker Shaun Johnson will sit out the first-round clash against Penrith due to a calf injury. And ticket demand for them is through the roof. Fans will be able to purchase presale access to finals tickets for $49, a perk usually reserved for those with full season memberships. But where those games will be held is up in the air. And the All Blacks have got injury concerns of their own. Jordie Barrett, Shannon Frizell and Brodie Retallick will all sit out the Rugby World Cup opener with France with injury concerns. Andrew Gourdie and Nick Bewley joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss the week's sports newsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Huge problems in the All Blacks camp ahead of tomorrow’s Rugby World Cup opener. The three-time champion All Blacks will kick off the spectacle with hosts France tomorrow morning. But Jordie Barrett, Shannon Frizell and Brodie Retallick will all miss the opener due to injury. NZ Herald rugby writer Liam Napier joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumer NZ is warning that many household appliances actually should last longer than both the warranty and what's expected. For example, TVs should be providing 8 years of work, and ovens should last for about 15 years. It wants to see a mandatory 'repairability' rating system introduced, showing how many years an appliance should last - similar to an energy rating. Consumer NZ Head of Testing Dr Paul Smith joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's released more of its education policy today. If it wins the election, it will require primary schools to teach every single child how to reach using structured literacy. It's basically a return to phonics, instead of the whole language approach used for the last 50 years. Education spokesperson Erica Stanford joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Security has been upped ahead of the opening Rugby World Cup match in Paris. More than 7000 Police officers will be on-site as the All Blacks play France tomorrow morning. It's after chaos broke out after last year's Champions League football final at the Stade de France in Paris. France Correspondent Catherine Field told Heather Du Plessis-Allan this is what France has to do. “The Rugby World Cup – whilst this is what we’re all focusing on – the security forces are also using this as a test run for next year’s Olympic Games which are gonna be here.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament has officially wound up today. New Zealand Herald Extraordinary Phillip O'Shea headed procedures earlier today, despite Parliament officially closing last week. A new Taxpayers Union-Curia poll has spelled turmoil for the Labour Party. It's put the party at 27 percent - no change from last month - but well behind National at 35 percent. But Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says his election campaign is "only just ramping up". Meanwhile, National leader Chris Luxon has been rounding up the business conference, pledging to bring back 90-day trials and concentrate on low productivity. Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are a parent or a grandparent worried about whether our schooling will teach your child to read properly – you need to listen to this. Good education announcement from National today. I have been waiting for anyone to announce this for a couple of years now. So I'm pleased someone’s finally done it. If the Nats win the election, they will require all primary schools to teach little ones to read using structured literacy – which is basically going back to phonics. Now let me explain to you why this is potentially a game changer. For the last 50 years, our schools have not been teaching phonics. They have been teaching what’s called whole language. And basically what that does is assumes that kids will naturally learn to read just like they learn to talk. If you leave books with pictures lying around for them and if the book has the word apple next to a picture of an apple – that will teach them to read. It is rubbish. It does not. It is such a fail that 36 percent of our 14-year-olds failed the NCEA pilot reading exam last year. The reading ability of our 10-year-olds is the worst it’s ever been and is apparently the worst in the English-speaking world. So what's been going on is that a lot of schools have been spending thousands of dollars of their own money to pay consultants to come in and help them teach in another way, which is called structured literacy. And as I say – basically goes back to phonics. And they have been getting amazing results, the kids are learning to read again. Here's an example: Kaiapoi North School in Canterbury spent $20,000 and the principal said it was worth every cent. After two years: the principal said 68 of their 72 kids learning it were at or above the curriculum standards and scoring not around 70 percent – but in the 90 percents. The Education Ministry knows this. There have been campaigns for years to get them to go back to phonics. New South Wales has just gone back to phonics, and yet our Education Ministry has dragged their heels. And now finally, the Nats have seen the light. And they say if they win in October, teachers will all be teaching structured literacy to kids, and the way it’s phrased – they will not have the option of doing anything else. There will be tests on Year 2s to make sure it’s working, and every new teacher will be taught it too. And that is brilliant. I tell you what: this could be a game changer. It could genuinely be the thing that lifts our reading rates again and turns our education system around, because if you can’t read... you can’t do any education. Good, simple, practical announcement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday formally notified the judge overseeing the Georgia election subversion case that he “may” try to move his state case into federal court. Trump’s lawyers have previously said they would try to move the case, which could help him get the charges dropped by invoking immunity protections for federal officials. “President Trump hereby notifies the Court that he may seek removal of his prosecution to federal court,” his lawyer Steven Sadow said in a brief court filing. “To be timely, his notice of removal must be filed within 30-days of his arraignment.” The 30-day clock began on August 31, when Trump waived his right to an arraignment hearing and entered a not guilty plea. There are several potential benefits for Trump if he can move the state case into federal court. It would give him additional avenues to get the charges dropped if he can convince a judge that his alleged actions in the indictment were tied to his formal duties as a government official. If the case stays in state court, the jurors will all come from Fulton County, which President Joe Biden won by a 47-point margin. If the case moves to federal court, the jury pool will be culled from a 10-county region near Atlanta that Biden won by 32 points, a narrower but still comfortable margin. Several of Trump’s 19 co-defendants are already attempting to move their case to federal court. His former chief of staff Mark Meadows testified at a hearing last week as part of his bid to move the case. Further hearings are scheduled for later this month on whether a federal judge will weigh similar requests from former Trump-era Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark and other co-defendants. - by Marshall Cohen, CNNSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heartbreaking news for Warriors fans overnight. Star playmaker Shaun Johnson has been officially ruled out of tomorrow's first-round NRL finals match with the Penrith Panthers in Penrith with a calf injury. Warriors assistant coach Justin Morgan joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corrections staff are going on strike. 98 percent of association members rejected the latest collective agreement offer - with 97 percent voting in favour of industrial action. Members are seeking an offer higher than inflation's 6 percent - and greater staffing numbers. Corrections Association President Floyd du Plessis told Heather du Plessis-Allan dates for strike action will be decided next week. He says all they want is Corrections to come back with a reasonable offer so action can be avoided. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A manhunt has been launched after a former soldier awaiting trial on terror charges escaped from a London prison. Daniel Abed Khalife had been accused of planting fake bombs at a military base and allegedly breaching the Official Secrets Act. UK correspondent Enda Brady says he reportedly escaped by clinging on to the underside of a food delivery van. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour chief of staff and Maxim Institute director Tim Wilson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Labour leader Chris Hipkins has apologised today - after his party released social media ads with misleading information about National's plan to scrap the first-year fees-free policy for tertiary education. This is on top of Willie Jackson claiming a National/ACT Government would get rid of the minimum wage. Is this issue unique to Labour? What's going on with these lies? Police Minister Ginny Andersen says Labour is committed to continuing investment in fighting crime. The party promised 300 more police officers over four years if re-elected, on top of the1800 more officers added during their previous term. How effective will this scheme be? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Residential building work has dropped for the third consecutive quarter in a row, according to new data. The Wellington region led the annual decline, with a 13 percent PA fall in residential construction put in place. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen says this downturn reflects high interest rates and declining house prices trickling down to the construction sector. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More trouble for the carbon credit scheme that Labour wants to use to fund climate initiatives. The Government has tried - and failed - a third time to auction off credits, giving businesses the right to emit carbon dioxide. This means Treasury is now short over $900 million ahead of Tuesday's Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update. The Country's Jamie Mackay says the credits will be available to purchase again- but economists warn the units could be harder to sell a fourth time. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert warns that Kiwis will soon feel more pain at the pump. Crude oil prices have climbed to new heights, after Saudi Arabia and Russia committed to maintaining their production cuts through to the end of 2023. Brent oil reached $90 per barrel for the first time since November. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says this is the first time since 2021 that crude oil prices have surged without the tax break in place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Claims truth is the first casualty of the election season. Labour leader Chris Hipkins has had to apologise for the actions of several party members, with inaccurate information being shared about National and ACT's plans for the country. Willie Jackson found himself in hot water over his claims about minimum wage, junior staffers have been exposed lying about the opposition's plans for student loan interest- among others. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the first week of the 2023 election campaign has been dominated by untruths from Labour. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's transport spokesman has labelled Auckland Light Rail's commercial building purchase 'shocking'. Auckland Light Rail has signed a $33 million contract to buy the Kiwi Bacon Building, located on New North Road. That's despite National vowing to scrap the $14.6-billion-dollar project if elected next month. Simeon Brown says the Government has had six years to deliver and hasn't presented a business case to purchase the building. "The Government hasn't got a business case, they haven't got a route- yet they've decided to spend $33 million on a commercial property. This is absolutely unbelievable." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns over employers making young people work during school hours. James Cook High School principal Grant McMillan says most employers are helpful and work with the school. But he says some fast food places and construction sites make kids ditch school for work. "Sadly, there are a small group of employers who tend to exploit young people by ensuring that the employer's needs are met before the young person's school - or other needs - are met." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A slow down for the clean-up of silt in the cyclone ravaged Hawke's Bay. About $44 million has been committed to managing silt and debris. But the Regional Council says the money's run out a month earlier than expected. Silt Recovery Taskforce Lead Darren de Klerk says they've explained the issue to the Government. "To get us going for the next six months through to the end of summer 2024, we've forecast around $18 million. That should put a significant dent in the silt." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Minister says bolstering the police force will help New Zealand tackle a complex crime situation. Labour has promised 300 more cops over four years if re-elected. It's on top of about 1800 more staff coming on board since Labour won the 2017 election. Police Minister Ginny Andersen says it will make a material difference. "Those extra police officers mean that when people call the phone and ring up police, we get a response immediately." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he'll visit China by the end of the year. This trip will be the first visit to the region from an Australian Prime Minister since 2016. It's been speculated for several months that Albanese will make this journey, after a successful interaction with Xi Jinping at a G20 meeting last year. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says this meeting is the first step of a journey to repair relations between both nations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson has jetted to Sydney, but there's no guarantees he'll play in Saturday's NRL finals match against the Penrith Panthers. The Warriors' 'Player of the Year' has reportedly suffered a lower leg injury and has just a 50/50 chance of taking the field. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A nurses union says having more staff will reduce violence in emergency departments. There have been more than 7,000 assaults of public health employees in the two years to April. The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine is calling for around-the-clock security guards in all EDs. NZNO's Kerri Nuku says reducing wait times will lower the tension. "If we had more nurses, more doctors on the floor to be able to deal with the crisis- ED departments across the whole workforce are short." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russian mercenary group Wagner is set to be prescribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK Government- making it illegal to align with or support the organisation. UK home secretary Suella Braverman described the group as 'violent and destructive' and a 'threat to global security'. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says this designation could provide a legal basis for Ukrainians to sue Wagner for billions in compensation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Ben Thomas from Ben Thomas PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Chris Hipkins has had to apologise for the actions of another MP, this time Willie Jackson. Jackson claimed ACT and National would get rid of the minimum wage. Is Labour's campaign out of control? Labour has laid out a five-point plan to grow the economy- how strong does this look? In particular, how credible is this newfound focus on India? Missing Marokopa man Tom Phillips is now wanted over an alleged bank robbery- what do we think of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EV charging network provider ChargeNet welcomes the latest announcement from National. The party pledges it will roll out 10,000 more EV chargers up and down the country, to the tune of $257 million. CEO Danusia Wypych says this investment from National would encourage more people to use electric vehicles. "Now, people are more worried about- will I get a charger? And we've seen from our own customer base that there's starting to be more drivers out on the road, and we know we have to upgrade." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A drop in share prices for Sky City - over the possibility its casino license could be suspended for up to 10 days. The Department of Internal Affairs has applied for a temporary suspension from the Gambling Commission after it accused the operator of not complying with Host Responsibility rules. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton says the stock price dropped 13 percent on Monday, prompting concerns. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ANZ economists are warning that taxpayers may have to cover the extra interest accumulated on Government debt. If the Treasury has to issue more bonds than the market wants, the price of the bonds will fall, and their yields will rise- which will cost taxpayers. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says the Government is bringing in less tax revenue that expected as the economy slows- and Treasury will have to factor that in. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has laid out a five-point economic strategy for Labour's third term in Government- if the party's re-elected. Hipkins promised he'll lead a delegation to India to foster relations and eventually establish a trade deal. $100 million will also be spent on Venture Capital Fund for investment in agri-tech, to encourage innovation. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this Government has ignored India as a trade partner- until the election came around. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Nicola Willis is promising a 'competitive, cost-effective' scheme that will benefit Kiwi motorists. Leader Chris Luxon is pledging to deliver 10,000 EV chargers over the next 4 years, at a cost of $257 million. National also seeks to dump Labour's clean car discount scheme. Nicola Willis says National will collaborate with the private sector to deliver a competitive bidding process that will reduce costs. "It supports the investment, and it makes sure that we get the chargers in the right places around the country, so that all people are happy about driving EVs." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.