Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Chris Hipkins is staying on as the leader of the Labour Party- for now. Which I think is the right thing for Labour, and I'll explain why. But first, I'll get you across what has happened. They made the call today in a nearly two-hour caucus meeting. It was supposed to wrap up at 2pm this afternoon, but it ran all the way until quarter past 3. Clearly there was more to discuss than they thought. It could be that they were debating what to do with the leadership, could be that some people were cross in there- or it could just be something as simple as taking longer to farewell their departing colleagues, who knows. But when he emerged, the faces were drawn. People were not happy, they were looking really sad. And he emerged without a full-throated endorsement of his caucus. Basically, they haven't decided that they actually like him, they've just deferred making a decision to another day. They did not hold a vote today, there wasn't a challenge today, they've decided to leave it until after the special votes are counted and they know their full caucus. It doesn't sound like the Labour caucus are all stoked with Chippy. There are multiple reports already that say there are Labour MPs who blame him for the result on Saturday night, because he made the calls on things like ruling out a wealth tax, they think that lost them the election. And he definitely didn't bring all of his energy at the start. One insider has reportedly described him as 'f***ing useless'. Having said all that- they made the right call to leave him in the job. Because they don't need the next Prime Minister in that job right now, they need someone who can do opposition well. They need someone who can have a crack at the Nats and ACT in Question Time, who can run a good attack line through the media, who knows how opposition works, who knows how to run a team. Chris Hipkins can do all of these things. There are others in there, like Grant Robertson, who can do them as well, if not better- but they are on their way out. They're clearly going to leave, and they need some senior experience. Chris Hipkins brings that. The Labour Party rules require that they do make a decision in three months from now. Even then, it might be too early to toss Chris Hipkins out because leadership battles are ugly. And I reckon they might just need time to steady the ship and recover from the trauma of what happened on Saturday night to actually think straight and make a call. Chippy's clearly not their next Prime Minister- but for now, he's the right leader. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police in London are seeking to identify two women wearing images of paragliding terrorists at a pro-Palestinian march. Police claim this weekend event began peacefully, but clashes erupted in Trafalgar Square after thousands marched from Portland Place to Whitehall. Home Secretary Suella Braverman has warned that any demonstrators caught glorifying terrorism will be arrested. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says CCTV images have been released of these women, and they could be arrested and charged. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners, Auckland Councillor Richard Hills and The Spinoff's Toby Manhire joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! National and ACT scored a slim majority in last weekend's election with 61 seats- and they may need NZ First's help after the extra special votes are tallied. Does Winston need to be included no matter how the numbers fall in the end? Australia's Voice referendum failed, with all but one state voting no to changing the constitution to create an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Could this have been planned better? Is Chris Hipkins going to stick around as Labour's leader- or is he going to leave? What can we put Labour's collapse down to? And who is Toni? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The election has finally wrapped up- and New Zealand is in for a change of leadership. Chris Luxon is our new Prime Minister-elect and National and ACT are currently on 61 seats, with the final official result being declared on November 3. NZME's Fran O'Sullivan says the nation's business community appreciates the change of leadership. "People I've spoken with really expect to see clarity, they expect to see focus, momentum and importantly- execution. And that's where the previous Government stuffed up." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon secured his role as Prime Minister- and now begins weeks of negotiation, compromise and coalition talks. National and ACT have a slim right-wing majority of 61 seats, meaning they may need bolstering from NZ First if special votes move the dial. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Chris Luxon has warned media not to expect regular updates on how talks are progressing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Incoming and outgoing MPs have arrived in Wellington as National's Chris Luxon and ACT's David Seymour form the next Government. Labour MPs have already begun handing over the reins and consulting National on future decisions- but no new policies will be implemented before November 3. Jacinda Ardern's former Chief of Staff Mike Munro says the incoming MPs will be settling into their new roles- and no substantial decisions can be made yet. "The situation in the Middle East- New Zealand's going to make decisions about evacuating people and it's really that sort of stuff rather than anything substantive related to the economy or anything." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Signs of camaraderie as we transition from one Government to the next. National's Finance spokesperson Nicola Willis says outgoing Finance Minister Grant Robertson has reached out to her. She says Robertson told her he was happy to discuss any aspect of the finance role. Willis says she appreciates that- and it's her intention to make some information requests of the Government over the next couple of weeks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa and England have booked their spots in the 2023 Rugby World Cup semi-finals. Both matches will take place at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, and the winners of both matches will face off in next week's final. Former Springbok Kevin Putt is predicting an All Blacks-South Africa final come next Sunday. "Physicality wise, the French are known for probably playing a with bit more flair and creativity and putting the ball away- you know when South Africa plays New Zealand, it'll be a bone-fight out there. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A punter who won $10 million at the TAB on Saturday is choosing to stay anonymous. The Auckland man correctly predicted the finishing order of the 12 entrants in Sydney's Everest horse race. The odds were one in just over 479 million. Entain managing director Cameron Rodger says the man's just an average punter. "He's pretty stoked, he sort of said when I talked to him that it's all sinking in right now- he thought it was a hoax when we first rang him. I was honest with him and said- I thought it was a hoax when you first rang me." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former New Zealand First MP says the Party will be driven by its manifesto, and protecting past coalition gains. Incoming Prime Minister Chris Luxon is holding talks with potential partners, waiting for the final count on November 3. It could mean National and ACT need NZ First to rule. Now-Carterton Mayor, Ron Mark, says law and order and co-governance top the Party's list. "These things fit perfectly with National-ACT's manifesto- but there's going to be stuff that they won't agree with that's on National and ACT's radar, which is tax cuts." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A majority of Australian voters rejected the Voice to Parliament referendum, with over 60 percent voting 'no'. This weekend, Australians were asked to vote on whether to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advisory body for the national Parliament and Government. If successful, Australia’s Constitution would have been amended with a new section. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Australia's international reputation could take a hit from this result. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A taunt from All Black Rieko Ioane's been slammed as 'classless' by Irish media in the aftermath of the quarterfinal in Paris. The centre put his hand to his ear and allegedly shushed the Ireland supporters after the final whistle. There's also footage of an exchange between Ioane and a furious Johnny Sexton as the teams were shaking hands. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains the controversy further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Jewish Council says events around Auckland Museum are 'distressing'. The Museum lit up with the colours of the Israeli flag last night, intending to express hope for peace. It's since apologised for offence caused, after a Pro-Palestinian protest outside the building. Council spokesperson Juliet Moses says the apology feels like a betrayal. "My community is feeling very much in pain, very much in shock- for them to make this lovely statement of solidarity and then to apologise really does just compound that pain." It's understood Jewish schools and synagogues that closed fearing protests, have re-opened. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I feel like we need to deal with the elephant in the room- Winston’s going to be part of this Government, isn’t he? Nobody’s saying it out loud, but I think we can all see that it’s absolutely going to happen. Take the cue from the fact that he was offered the Speaker’s job. And as far as I can see, they’re going to need him because at the moment - assuming that they win the Port Waikato by-election – ACT and National look like they will have 62 seats out of 122 seats in Parliament. That is not enough. Because if even one MP goes rogue, that means they only have 61 seats out of 122. What’s half of 122? 61- and that becomes a hung Parliament. Effectively, they have actually only got one seat spare. And the thing is, MPs go rogue. Gaurav Sharma, case in point. Or they misbehave like Kiri Allan or they quit like Jacinda Ardern. And if that happens too early in a term, you’re off to a by-election and then suddenly that one majority is under threat. I would say that they almost certainly need Winston Peters and his caucus of 8, just to give them a bit of insurance and a bit of breathing room in case funny things happen. It is possible that when the specials come in – that they could, in fact favour the Nats and ACT. It’s unlikely, but it could increase their majority and maybe drop that overhang down so they need less of a majority. Even then, it’s tight and it’s unlikely. Chris Bishop himself has said that they’re actually expecting to lose at least one seat, which makes it more likely that they’ll need Winston. Now the question is- will including Winston as insurance make the future Government more stable, or less stable than just going it alone? I would say in answer to that question, counter-intuitively, including Winston actually makes everything more stable than just National and ACT. Because once Winston’s in there- he generally plays nicely once he’s inside the tent. But a Government just one seat away from losing a majority is a Government that’s always at threat of somebody doing something funny. Basically what it means is that every single MP in National and ACT gets to become a deal breaker on anything they care about. All they have to do is threaten to walk away and the whole Government’s in trouble. They have too much leverage, too much threat in internal negotiations. From what I can see, short of something majorly unexpected happening in favour of National and ACT- they’re going to need Winston. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in central Paris on Thursday, in defiance of a controversial new ban on pro-Palestinian rallies in the country. French police and members of the gendarmerie worked to disperse the crowds with tear gas and water cannons, visuals showed. The ban had been announced earlier in the day, according to a message sent by French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin to the country’s police, citing concerns about public order. “Pro-Palestinian demonstrations must be prohibited because they are likely to generate disturbances to the public order,” said the minister. He added that any organization of such protests will lead to arrests. Darmanin also called on the police to protect all locations visited by French Jews such as synagogues and schools, and said any foreigner committing acts of anti-Semitism on French soil will be “immediately expelled”. The ban follows a deadly and massive attack by militant group Hamas on Israel over the weekend that killed more than 1,200 people. The Israeli government has retaliated with overwhelming force in the coastal enclave of Gaza, which Hamas controls. Airstrikes have killed over 1,500 people in the densely inhabited area, and Israeli officials have shut off supplies of water and fuel to the entire population. As the conflict reaches unprecedented heights, protests in support of both Israelis and Palestinians have been seen around the world – some resulting in violent clashes. French President Emmanuel Macron in his address to the nation on Thursday called on the French people to stay united, saying that “it is this shield of unity that will protect us from drifting away and from all hatred.” Demonstrators in the historic Place de la Republique on Thursday whistled, clapped, and chanted in slogans in French including “We are all Palestinian” and “Palestine will live, Palestine will prevail.” The ban on pro-Palestinian rallies is “not normal under the rule of law,” one attendee named Ryan told Reuters. “In France, the great country that they say France is, you cannot demonstrate as is your right, freely. Unfortunately, freedom is no longer here, and we are forced to defy French law, as one would say, and demonstrate to show the truth,” he added. Another protester described the ban as a “great injustice” and told Reuters that he had been fined 135 euros (roughly $140) for wearing the keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian scarf. France is one of a number of European nations, including the United Kingdom and Germany, where security measures have been stepped up amid fears of reprisals against members of the Jewish communities. - by Dalal Mawad and Eve Brennan, CNNSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China has ruffled a few feathers weighing into the Israel-Hamas conflict. It’s called for establishing an independent Palestinian state, but stopped short of explicitly condemning Hamas. Its Foreign Ministry made a statement, again not mentioning Hamas or not condemning the violence against Israelis. Its UN representative put out a statement condemning civilian attacks, but also not mentioning Hamas. Hong Kong business correspondent Peter Lewis joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sky TV has announced a mystery party wants to make a highly confidential offer to buy it. It comes after Sky’s own economic headwinds, with its full-year profit falling 18 percent to $51 million, and revenue rising 2 percent to $754 million. It also announced an on-market share buyback programme earlier this year, which was paused prior to the release of its full-year results. Business commentator Rod Oram joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fletcher Building's dismissing claims from west Australian builder BGC about problems caused by its Iplex Pro-fit pipes. Fletcher has doubled down on its belief installation issues with the pipes causes them to leak in some 15,000 Perth homes. BGC alleges the pipes are the issue and says fixes will cost an estimated $1.92 billion dollars. Fletcher CEO Ross Taylor told Heather du Plessis-Allan they've done a huge number of tests that disproves BGC's theory. “What we’ve seen there is in all instances where a leak’s occurred, is a 100 percent correlation between that leak and an installation problem.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson of Sherson Willis PR and former Labour staffer Mike Munro talked about: What did we think of last night’s final debate? Did Chris Hipkins go too far? How will tomorrow night play out? How big a role will New Zealand First and Winston Peters play tomorrow night? Will he break his word? Will he work with ACT? What will happen after the dust settles? And should Mark Telea have been dropped for the quarterfinal clash with Ireland on Sunday morning? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Social Development is copping heat for a $36 million program connecting employers and beneficiaries. It's despite a Treasury warning the plan was dubious value for money. Employers and Manufacturer's Association CEO Brett O'Reilly says it's just not needed. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan there are already private sector options to match employers and potential employees. O'Reilly says there are options like Seek and Trade Me. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australians are gearing up to vote tomorrow in their first referendum in decades. The country will have its say on whether an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice should be introduced, and change the Constitution. Latest polls show 45 percent of Aussies are planning to vote no, 38 percent yes, and 17 percent remain undecided. Guardian Australia's political reporter Amy Remeikis told Heather du Plessis-Allan the country is more divided than ever. “The country has got a pretty deep scar across it, and I don’t think we can pretend that it’s going to be business as normal come October 15 when the referendum dust starts to settle.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has made a huge call ahead of the team’s with Ireland. Wing Mark Telea has been dropped from the side for the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal, for apparently missing team curfew. But that’s the least of the All Blacks’ concerns as they go into Sunday morning’s quarter as underdogs against the World Number 1. NZ Herald rugby writer Liam Napier joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour claims it's enjoying a last-minute surge in leaked internal polling. It puts Labour on 30 percent, National on 35, the Greens on 13, Act on 8, and Te Pati Maori on 4. It would have the left bloc overtaking the right - 47 percent to 43 percent. Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls is urging scepticism. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan with New Zealand First on 6 percent, this still makes Winston Peters kingmaker. “I would take this with more than a pinch of salt. I mean, we don’t talk about parties’ internal polls like they’re the gospel, but this is just a way the Labour Party will shore up their support and get to the polls.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel's military has told the UN 1.1 million people living in north Gaza will need to leave in the next 24 hours. A UN Spokesperson says everyone living north of Wadi will need to relocate to southern Gaza. 1300 people have been killed in Israel, and more than 1400 in Gaza since Hamas launched its surprise attack on the city. US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Heather du Plessis-Allan the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with the Palestinian President in the next few hours. “I think really he wants to stop any spillover from the war between Israel and Hamas.” Mitchinson says various diplomats will be making visits to allies to shore up support. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Blacks wing Mark Telea has been dropped for the weekend's quarterfinal with Ireland, after being stood down for disciplinary reasons. It's understood the Blues winger - who's scored three tries in two matches this World Cup - breached team curfew rules, and will be replaced by Leicester Fainga'anuku. Other quarterfinals this weekend are South Africa vs France, England vs Fiji and Wales vs Argentina. Weekend Sport host Jason Pine joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has issued five of her councillors with a code of conduct complaint, alleging they breached confidentiality. Whanau confirmed she received a complaint about the conduct of five councillors from Deputy Mayor Laurie Foon and, after seeking advice, decided to proceed with issuing the complaint. “To assist me in my consideration of these allegations, I have initiated an independent review to establish if any breach has occurred. That review will be undertaken by Linda Clark, partner at law firm Dentons Kensington Swan. “Given my role under the Code of Conduct, I do not intend to make any further comment on this matter until the independent review has been completed.” Four of the councillors - Diane Calvert, Ray Chung, Tony Randle and Nicola Young - issued a joint press release this afternoon outlining the nature of the complaint. One other unnamed councillor has also reportedly been issued with the complaint. The councillors say the complaint comes after a public-excluded meeting earlier in October where Wellington City Council discussed the future of the Reading Cinema complex on Courtenay Place. Despite the meeting being held behind closed doors, the Herald understands a multimillion-dollar deal, involving the council buying the land underneath the Reading Cinema, was under consideration. It was discussed in a public-excluded part of the meeting. Reasons given for this included allowing the local authority to carry on negotiations, including commercial and industrial negotiations, without prejudice or disadvantage. At the time, Whanau said it was “getting really boring” that some of her councillors continued to speak to the media about confidential council meetings. “It creates an environment where the public does not have the full picture and loses faith in our processes and decision-making,” Whanau said. The councillors say Whanau left “a clear breadcrumb trail about a deal with Reading Cinema making it easy for the media to identify the project”. “So why is she attacking and blaming us?” Councillor Diane Calvert said the complaint is an attempt to silence councillors. Councillor Diane Calvert. Photo / Mark Mitchell “The mayor and chief executive are trying to silence and discredit the independent councillors; the ones who are most concerned about the city’s finances. It is an orchestrated attack on democracy.” The complaint also references the councillors’ concerns about the Town Hall’s cost blow-out and the financial challenges facing Wellington. The Town Hall budget recently exploded from $182 million to a possible $329m. Since the Town Hall was declared earthquake-prone and closed in 2013, the cost of the work has grown from $43m to $60m to $90m to $112m and most recently to $182m in 2022. Vita Molyneux is a Wellington-based journalist who covers breaking news and stories from the capital. She has been a journalist since 2018 and joined the Herald in 2021.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anti-Semitic incidents have surged in Britain in the three days since Hamas attacked Israel. The Community Security Trust, a charity focused on protecting the UK's Jewish community has reported 89 anti-Semitic incidents in the region- a 320 percent increase. UK correspondent Enda Brady says property has been vandalised, flags have been taken down and security has been amplified. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Curia pollster and Kiwiblog editor David Farrar and Neale Jones from Capital PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! What did we think of last night's political polls? Do we think the election result will be different from what they show? Will NZ First still be the kingmaker party? Are we surprised more New Zealanders are calling for a referendum on the Treaty, according to recent data? A start-up, Tracksuit, is requiring their employees to be transparent about their salaries. Would you work somewhere where your salary is visible to co-workers? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An expert warns the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict comes with ramifications for investors. The death toll on both Palestinian and Israeli sides has reached nearly 2500 in total, with 338,000 in Gaza displaced. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds says the impact of this tragedy can be weighed against the economic complications surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sheep and beef farm profit margins are expected to fall a further 30 percent, according to Beef + Lamb NZ's Season Outlook. This lower profitability comes at a time where farmers are already struggling to rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and prepare for dry conditions ahead of El Niño, painting a grim picture in experts' eyes. The Country's Jamie Mackay says there's further downsides to this negative forecast if China doesn't bounce back quickly enough. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Signs food price inflation may be turning a corner and cooling down. Stats NZ data shows food prices are 8 percent higher for the year to September- but it's also the lowest since July 2022. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says this inflation cooldown is to be expected after months of increased food prices. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pressure is mounting as Fletcher Building tries to work their way through an ongoing trading halt. The building company is trying to work out a possible solution in relation to plumbing failures occurring in Western Australia. Australian firm BGC says these issues with Fletcher subsidiary Iplex will cost the company over $1.8 billion to fix. BusinessDesk's Victoria Young says Fletcher has maintained that these issues come from improper installation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hipkins has claimed a National-led Government will set key Maori initiatives back extensively. The Prime Minister has hit out at the opposition, declaring National's Chris Luxon will reverse all 'By Maori for Maori' progress Labour has made. Hipkins also compared Luxon's approach to Don Brash's 'divisive' 2005 campaign. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Hipkins' allegations don't match National's stance on race relations and labelled the move 'short-sighted'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TOP leader Raf Manji says Labour and National have 'pulled back' from the Christchurch seat of Ilam, paving the way for him to get into Parliament. Labour's Ilam candidate Sarah Pallett has dismissed Manji's claims as 'rubbish', and claims Labour is still in it to win it. "We've been campaigning so hard, and it's a tiny bit insulting to my volunteers, who've really put in the hard yards and continue to do so- they've been out all day today. I'm just bemused." National's Hamish Campbell says this is a 'desperate' claim from Raf Manji, as National has been working to bring in votes. "If you drive through Illam, you'll see that it's absolutely covered in blue signs. We're working right up til we can no longer campaign, which is midnight on Friday. We're going strong." Raf Manji is still defending his earlier statements, saying he's not seeing a lot of action on the ground from both major parties. "We're out every day, and we've been out every day for the last month. Yes, we see billboards, but we're not seeing a lot on the ground. I'm sure there's staff doorknocking, but we're out and about." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

German sandal company Birkenstock experienced a disappointing debut after landing on the New York Stock exchange. The brand experienced a meteoric rise in popularity over the past decade, selling over 30 million pairs in 2022 alone. Birkenstock priced its initial public offering at $46 a share- but the share prices quickly fell 12.6 percent and closed at $40.20. Stake Chief Marketing Officer Bryan Wilmot says many IPOs have attempted to enter the market within the last two years- and the economy turned quickly. "The market was booming, we saw people taking advantage of that. Then interest rates started to rise, uncertainty and volatility turned the market- the IPO market has completely dried up." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No emotion from a Christchurch man after he was convicted of murdering his childhood friend. David Benbow has been found guilty of murdering Michael McGrath in 2017. The murder charge was proven with no body, no murder weapon and no forensic evidence. The jury delivered its verdict, after deliberating for 18 hours over three days. The Herald's Sam Sherwood was in court and says McGrath's supporters cheered when the guilty verdict was reached. "Benbow himself was just emotionless when the verdict was read out. His mother, who sat on my side of the courtroom, let out a loud gasp." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Negotiations are underway for a humanitarian corridor in Gaza, ahead of Israel's ground offensive. The death toll on both Palestinian and Israeli sides is nearing 2500, with 338,000 in Gaza displaced. The UN is working with the US, Egypt and Israel on establishing a humanitarian corridor on Gaza's border with Egypt. Newshub Europe Correspondent Lisette Reymer says all sides are being forced to make compromises. "At the moment, it seems like perhaps Israel is leaning towards letting the food come in- but nobody is able to leave or have any American citizens be able to leave." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie Jones is reportedly ditching the Wallabies to return to Japan. According to a Japanese sports newspaper, the former England coach and two-time Wallabies coach is heading back to the Brave Blossoms- eight years after leaving the same job. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says these claims are mostly speculation- and Eddie Jones hasn't confirmed anything. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Breakers have voiced their support for Israel on social media. In a post on the team's Instagram account, the Breakers claimed they were 'deeply saddened' by the attacks in Israel by Hamas and that they stood with the people of Israel. This post has inspired discussion and sparked backlash- and Sportstalk's D'Arcy Waldegrave weighed in on the public reaction. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The question is being asked- should salaries be made public? Kiwi start-up company Tracksuit is doing just that, introducing pay transparency across its entire 51-person staff. People lead Christine van Hoffen says while it can be uncomfortable at first, it's had positive effects on the team. Employment expert Max Whitehead says pay transparency allows room for trouble. "It becomes this resentment, it becomes this conflict and discontent in the workplace." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The EU has warned Elon Musk that X is being used to spread 'disinformation' about Hamas' attack on Israel. EU industry chief Thierry Breton says Musk's platform has been used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation within the European Union. Musk responded by claiming X's company policy was that everything is open source and transparent. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the Digital Services Act (DSA) requires X to remove and address illegal content or material that violates their standards. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Recent polls indicate National's popularity may have peaked and the gap between left and right blocs is narrowing. Both the new Newshub-Reid Research and One News Verian polls show National and ACT will need the boost from NZ First to govern- could National lose the unlosable election? Dame Jacinda Ardern took to Facebook to encourage voters to turn up and cast their votes for Labour- calling Hipkins a friend and a good dad. Do we think this will encourage a wider turnout? Politicians are weighing in on the Israel discussion - Marama Davidson said if we're going to deem Hamas a terrorist organisation, the same test should be applied to the Israeli Defence Force. Is she out of line with public opinion on this one? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Net migration has reached a new record high. Stats NZ says in the year to August, 110,000 more people moved to New Zealand than left. Arrivals reached an all-time high of 225,000, and migrant departures got to 115,000. Milford Asset Management's Frances Sweetman explains why this new wave of migrant workers are drawn to New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taxes - and tax cuts - have turned into a political football this election. Changing income tax rates is high on the agendas of most political parties, with National and ACT promising adjustments and the Greens, Te Pāti Māori and TOP calling for progress. What would this mean for voters? NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny breaks down these proposed policies. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roadworkers in Rotorua have been shot at with a BB gun, verbally abused and left traumatised in Rotorua, Waka Kotahi claims. Police have since issued a formal warning to one person after the incident, which took place at a detour point near the Utuhina Stream Bridge. Waka Kotahi's David Speirs says the bridge repairs have caused a spike in traffic delays during peak times, but there's no excuse for abuse and threats. "There was quite a high level of trauma as a consequence for the workers involved, but fortunately no-one was physically hurt." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The election is on a knife-edge, with the gap between the left and right blocs narrowing in tonight's latest political polls. Both the Newshub-Reid Research One News Verian polls show National and ACT need New Zealand First to govern. National has fallen more than four points according to Newshub - down to 34.5 percent - while Labour gains in both surveys, but remains in the 20s. National's finance spokeswoman Nicola Willis says it's closer than she'd like. "I think that that is because there are still people who are taking change for granted." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Association is sounding the alarm over a spike in mental health-related callouts. The reported figures are up 55 percent in the last 5 years, with 77,000 callouts per year connected to mental health issues. Police Association President Chris Cahill says police are unable to keep up with this level of demand- especially with cases that aren't linked to criminal offending. "Police are getting to a crisis level where they're simply unable to meet the demand for service, the calls for service because of the amount of work they're getting- somewhere, we've got to turn that tap off." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A company is moving marketing to a new level by trying to use the power of everyday Kiwis. Social media business TheSalt is entering the New Zealand market by paying users to post about specific brands, including McDonald's and Netflix- paying a starting $50 per post. Co-Founder in New Zealand, Shayne Moore, says using genuine locals is a good marketing technique. "It's all about community and connecting people with brands that we already use and love." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Provincial areas in New Zealand are feeling the impacts as growing numbers of Kiwis jet off overseas. Stats NZ says in the year to August, 110,000 more people moved to New Zealand than left. Arrivals reached an all-time high of 225,000, with 115,000 migrant departures. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says migrants often move to the main cities- but New Zealanders are leaving from all over. "Provincial areas across the country are seeing that young talent head off to Australia at a time when it's still not particularly easy to find workers." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A geopolitics expert says Israeli strategies for recovering hostages taken by Hamas could follow multiple avenues. Israel's death toll since the attack has climbed to more than 1000, and return fire on Gaza has killed more than 900. Democracy Project Analyst Geoffrey Miller says Israel is assembling a ground offensive, but it could take weeks to carry out. He says Israel could also pursue other options. "There are 5000 Palestinians in Israeli jails- they might be swapped for those at some point, or they might be used to secure a ceasefire." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.