Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Auckland Zoo is dealing with the harsh reality of wild animals. Sumatran tiger Zayana gave birth to her first two cubs on Friday. But when the first was stillborn, she followed a natural instinct and killed the live second cub. Carnivore team lead Lauren Booth says a tiger needs two to three cubs to make it worth raising them. "The mortality rate within the first two years is about 50 to 70 percent. So there's a bit of maths that goes on there in terms of the resources they're going to put into those animals." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The union for SkyCity Casino workers says it raised concerns years ago when it restructured. SkyCity's casino operator licenses could be temporarily suspended - over complaints about host responsibility. Unite Union says the casino slashed supervisor numbers by nearly 40 percent in 2016. National Director Mike Treen says it was up to them to ensure people didn't play too long. "I think it's led directly to the problems they're facing today." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's promising shovels in the ground in its first term for a second Mount Vic tunnel- if it gets the top job after the election. Infrastructure spokesperson Chris Bishop says they'll get consents fast tracked. He says it's good for buses, cars, walking, cycling, and it will decongest Wellington. National says alongside upgrades to the Basin Reserve, it'll cost $2.2 billion dollars. The proposal differs to Let's Get Wellington Moving, which would use one tunnel just for walking and cycling. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A view extra safety measures could reduce the need for mountain rescues. Two walkers were rescued from the top of Mount Ngauruhoe on Saturday - wearing light clothes and unsuitable footwear. They reportedly had limited English and mightn't have realised the climb's dangers. Adrift Tongariro tour guide Stewart Barclay says it would be useful to issue safety information in other languages. "As much information as we can get out there in the appropriate way- absolutely. Because we're all about safety." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you know what? I'm actually cross at Health NZ Te Whatu Ora for playing silly buggers with senior doctors and their pay. Things are serious right now. It is a serious thing for senior doctors to go on strike today, they've never done this before. And I can totally understand why- they must be at their wits end with the silly games Te Whatu Ora are playing to avoid paying doctors properly. For a start, the health bosses misrepresented what the senior doctors actually get paid already. They said these doctors get, on average, $318,000 per year. But that is clearly not true. Check out the collective agreement online, the top pay is $250,000 and the median is $220,000. Either way, it’s a lot of money, but Te Whatu Ora Health NZ can let us make up our own minds with the honest facts instead of being dishonest. As well as that, they’ve misrepresented what they’re offering the doctors. They said up to 12.9 percent, which sounds like a lot- but we found out that they dicked around with that number too, and it's not nearly that much. It’s more like 5 percent, say the doctors. The reason I'm cross about this is that we don’t get the luxury of paying our doctors poorly in this country. Doctors can move, and if you pay them poorly- they’re just going to go off to Australia. Particularly Victoria, where the lowest they can earn there is more than the highest they can earn here. My brother-in-law, a doctor, just left for Victoria. My neighbour, also a doctor, left a couple of years back. If the health bosses continue to play these games with our doctors and try to dick them around on pay, we will lose more. And we can’t afford to, because we’re already 1700 doctors short in this country. That means you and I will not get the healthcare we actually deserve because we pay our taxes for it. So instead of Health NZ using their 200 communications staff to figure out clever ways to make doctors look greedy, how about they find some money to pay doctors properly. And if they need to cut some of those back-office spin doctors who play slippery games to find the dollars, so be it. I'd rather have the doctors anyway.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Burning Man festival-goer says although it's very wet at the US desert event - it hasn't dampened the mood. Nevada authorities are investigating a death after storms swept through, closing vehicle access. People are trudging through mud and being urged to shelter in place and conserve food and water. But Chris Knight says there's no chaos - and people are still partying. He says some are anxious, but people are prepared because it's an event held in one of the harshest environments on Earth. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Problem Gambling Foundation says gambling outlets should take note. Internal Affairs has applied for a temporary suspension of SkyCity's gambling licence, after a former gambler complained. It's accused Sky City of not meeting Host Responsibility rules, relating to detecting a client's continuous play. The share market reacted to the application by wiping $260 million off the company's market value today. Foundation spokesperson Andree Froude says this suspension will warn SkyCity and other gambling operators about the seriousness of breaching the rules. "We want this to be a warning for other operators and for SkyCity that it's really important that they do meet their legal requirements." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over half of Australians are set to reject the inclusion of an Indigenous advisory panel, according to a new poll. Data shows only 38 percent of voters intend to vote in favour of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, with 53 being opposed to the proposal. Australian correspondent Andrew Macfarlane says this poll follows a massive push in favour of the campaign, where John Farnham shared his support- and signature song. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors are giving their fans the option to purchase a 'Finals FastPass' as demand for tickets soars. For $49, fans will be able to buy their way towards priority access to tickets for the highly-anticipated final. The fee won't guarantee tickets- but it gives fans a higher chance. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT's new energy policy is being praised as a helpful solution for New Zealand's future. The party has reiterated its pledge to overturn the ban on oil and gas exploration, and revealed it will scrap the Lake Onslow pumped hydro project. ACT is also campaigning on cutting red tape for offshore wind power projects - and bringing in a regulatory framework for carbon capture technology. Energy Resources Aotearoa chief executive John Carnegie says ACT's policy announcement takes New Zealand a step closer to affordable energy. "We only need to look over the ditch at Australia- their standard of living is proof of what can be achieved if countries utilise resources to create jobs and abundant, low-cost and resilient energy." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh off the back of a successful business delegation to India, Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges is set to take 30 businesses to China. Despite the unstable economic climate, Bridges still thinks there's plenty of commercial opportunity in China. He says New Zealand does significantly more trade there than with India and there's room for more partnerships and relationships. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Whatu Ora says it's put a fair offer on the table as it stares down the barrel of an unprecedented strike by senior doctors and dentists. Association of Salaried Medical Specialists members will walk off the job for two hours tomorrow from midday. About 250 planned care procedures are likely to be deferred, although emergency care is still available. Te Whatu Ora's Andrew Slater says they're offering salary increases of up to 12.9 percent over the next 12 months. "Anything more than what we've got on the table would require further reprioritisation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Council of Trade Unions are defending their ad attack on National's leader. Their billboards and newspaper ads call Chris Luxon 'out of touch' and 'too much risk'. National's campaign chair Chris Bishop is accusing Labour of being behind it, but the CTU president says they're not in cahoots with Labour. President Richard Wagstaff says it's their job to call out someone who's 'going after working people'. "He's the leader, the buck stops with him. He's put out a set of policies that will undermine working people- it's our job to call him out." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister is defending the CTU's controversial attack ad, claiming it's a technique favoured by both sides. Billboards and newspaper ads from the Council of Trade Unions describe Chris Luxon as 'out of touch' and 'too much risk'. Finance Minister Grant Robertson says it's the CTU's right to highlight relevant issues in a democratic society. "And they wouldn't be alone in doing that, the Taxpayers' Union have done numerous screengrabs of me, unflattering photos- and they're a surrogate of National and the ACT Party." 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 attack ads are already being published, with the CTU going after Chris Luxon on the front page of the Herald and on billboards across the country. Could this be the most negative campaign in recent memory? Is going negative an effective strategy? All eyes this weekend were on Labour and National’s campaign launches – who had the better launch? And was it better for Chris Luxon to use his family, or for Chris Hipkins to involve former Prime Minister Helen Clark? Labour has pledged to extend free dental care to those 29 and under by 2026. Is that good policy? Is it better than the pledge to slash GST off fruit and veg? The campaign is already getting distracted by protests – should we get used to this over the coming weeks? And the panel discuss what they think the main themes for Election 2023 will be. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recently dismissed his defence minister, claiming it was time for 'new approaches.' Oleksii Reznikov had led the ministry since before Russia's full-scale 2022 invasion, and will be replaced by Rustem Umerov. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Reznikov spearheaded key changes in Ukrain's defence ministry and laid the groundwork for future NATO partnerships. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rotorua Principals are becoming increasingly concerned about fights occurring at a CBD bus stop. Police presence has been increased in the area at the request of Mayor Tania Tapsell, but despite this, children still say they feel unsafe. Rotorua Intermediate School Principal Garry de Thierry told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he saw seven security people and a policeman at the bus stop earlier this afternoon. He said he’s confused, angry, and disappointed that they have gotten to this stage. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A retail crime unit introduced in the Western Bay of Plenty is receiving praise. Police put the unit in place after the area had five thousand retail crimes last year. In just three weeks it's managed to grab 53 offenders and lay more than 400 charges. Papamoa Plaza Mall Manager Anne Murphy told Heather du Plessis-Allan that retailers are delighted. She says while they aren't relaxing yet, they are thrilled it's had an effect so quickly. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wellington City Councillor says there'll be some disappointment from developers and mana whenua about the now ditched Shelly Bay development. The land's been sold to Sir Peter Jackson and his wife Dame Fran Walsh, who intend to return it to its natural state. Many protested the development while others backed it, saying the city needs more housing. Councillor Nikau Wi Neera told Heather du Plessis Allan that they're still liaising with the office of the new owners about future plans. He says they've indicated it'll have a more recreational focus than the proposed residential focus, but it's a chance to explore other opportunities for the space. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Grocery Commissioner says suppliers being treated better will help drive down prices at the supermarket. Under new measures coming into force later this month, grocery stores could get slapped with a fine up to three million dollars for unfairly treating local suppliers. Pierre van Heerden told Heather du Plessis Allan that it'll be good for consumers too, because a healthy supplier base means better range and products, which then encourages more competition. He says more competition between supermarkets and between suppliers will have a downward pressure on prices. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT Leader David Seymour's taken issue with comments made by Maori Development Minister Willie Jackson, calling them divisive and ineffective. In his final speech of the parliamentary term yesterday, Jackson said Maori have a different set of rights because they're recognised as the indigenous people of the country. Seymour told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it's the first time he's heard a Labour MP explicitly say the Treaty of Waitangi means some people have different rights than others. He claims that's not true and not supported by the Treaty, which he argues says we all have the same rights and duties. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Election 2023 is set to be one of the most important in recent memory. To cut through the spin – join Newstalk ZB’s The Front Bench to get to the heart of the issues that matter most. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Barry Soper, Phil O’Reilly and Richard Hills thrash out the big political issues in the lead up to Election 2023. There's no holding back, no topic off limits, and no rules in this rapid-fire, highly opinionated political discussion. Phil O’Reilly brings his vast business experience and acumen to the table as former Chief Executive of BusinessNZ, as well as being uniquely placed as someone at the leading edge of the global debate in his work as Paris-based Chair of Business at OECD. With climate change and local government being hot topics for Election 2023, Auckland councillor Richard Hills, who has led Auckland’s Climate Plan as well as been Chair of the Planning, Environment & Parks Committee, will provide insight into the inner workings of policy makers. And of course, you’ll get the best analysis from Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis Allan and Barry Soper. Whether it’s cost of living, education, curbing the rise of crime or how to get the teens off vaping, The Front Bench will examine the issues that Kiwis are talking about ahead of voting day. Listen live every Monday at 4pm on Newstalk ZB and subscribe to the podcast on iHeartRadio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mother of suspended Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales has been hospitalised after an extended hunger strike. Ángeles Béjar locked herself in a church in her hometown of Motril, in southern Spain to protest her son's treatment after he was suspended for forcibly kissing Jennifer Hermoso. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Ángeles Béjar had locked herself in the church for 60 hours, living on water and electrolyte drinks, before a concerned priest alerted emergency services. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Projects Director at Still Sam Johnson and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Do we mind that National is using a 'climate dividend to fund their proposed tax cuts? Other parties have voiced their disapproval- will voters mind? Or are they only focused on the tax cuts? An attack ad targeting National's Chris Luxon was accidently launched early- before getting taken down. How dirty can we expect the campaign to get? What did we think of this? A survey found the majority of parents are stressed and dealing with anxiety and wish they could have more guidance. Should we fund parenting classes, like we fund antenatal classes? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following global inflation peaking at the end of 2022, US interest rates had descended by November of that year. However, these interest rates have been spiking up again, to the confusion of economists. Fisher Funds senior portfolio manager Sam Dickie says the US managed to escape a recession- and that's making the Federal Reserve evaluate future hikes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey shows there's a change of heart throughout the sector. According to the data, business confidence lifted nine points in August to -4, the highest read since mid-2021. Expected own activity also jumped 10 points, to +11. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says business confidence has been on a slow and steady rise throughout the year- but the promise of a new Government has given economists hope. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protesters briefly disrupted Parliament's Question Time with whistles and banners, on the last sitting day of the term. As Greens co-leader, James Shaw was answering questions about climate change, the group of activists blew whistles and yelled "no more cows". The Country's Jamie Mackay voiced his disapproval, as the dairy sector has had a rough time throughout 2023. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That's a wrap. The 53rd Parliament has adjourned for the campaign period, ahead of the October 14 election. The final session was a raucous one, with with MPs at times shouting over each other and Speaker Adrian Rurawhe having to intervene. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says it was a showcase of political personality, as everyone gears up for the campaign. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human remains found near a highway overpass in Sydney have been identified as belonging to Samah Baker. She was last seen in January 2019, and her former boyfriend James Hachem was arrested and charged with murder after the disappearance. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Samah Baker's family are hurting from this discovery, as they never got to say goodbye properly. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A damning inquiry into New Zealand Rugby's constitution and governance structure has found neither are fit for purpose. A four-person panel has found the need for change is urgent, with Super Rugby and provincial unions struggling to create revenue amid declining fan engagement. NZR have responded with a statement saying they are committed to considering all recommendations. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave examines what this could mean for the future of rugby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says their latest plan aims to give a boost to the house building sector. If they get into power, the party wants to support skilled construction workers by keeping apprenticeships and having 'appropriate' immigration settings. Housing spokesperson Chris Bishop says they need to address the housing shortage. He says they want the industry to have access to skilled labour here, and from overseas as well. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are growing calls for the Government to fund parenting support programmes, following on from taxpayer-funded antenatal classes. A survey run by the Positive Parenting Programme shows that Kiwi parents are feeling more stressed, anxious and angry as a result of their children's behaviour. Triple P New Zealand country manager Jackie Riach says a nationally funded parental support program would help guide struggling parents. "Some parents want to get that advice from an online programme, some parents actually want to go and talk to someone, some want to go in a group- what we're talking about is a range of options for parents." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A domestic violence survivor has reaffirmed her belief the laws around marriage need to change. The Family Proceedings Amendment Bill had its first reading last night. It would scrap the two-year wait between a separation after domestic violence - and dissolving the marriage. Survivor and instigator of the Bill Ashley Jones says she's passionate about the proposed changes. "I think in my own experience, it's really important for abuse victims to have that power and control back." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's plan to raid New Zealand's climate action fund is being labelled dangerous and grossly irresponsible. They plan to take money from the Emissions Trading Scheme - reserved for fighting climate change - to fund tax cuts. The ETS is a Government-run market that requires polluting companies to buy credits to offset their emissions. Climate Minister and Greens co-leader, James Shaw, says it pays for critical work like public transport improvements and helping companies decarbonise. "It's currently going towards supporting the people of Fiji to move villages away from the sea towards higher ground, which is safer." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A four-person panel has determined that the current New Zealand Rugby Union constitution and consequent governance structures aren't 'fit for purpose'. The review urges NZ Rugby to create a stakeholder council and an appropriately skilled board in order to address issues with fan engagement and revenue. Panel chair David Pilkington says the current process of appointing board members is 'convoluted' and needs to be simplified. "What we're advocating is a professional appointments process that simplifies the opportunity to put directors onto the board, directors that have the skills, knowledges and experience to deal with challenges." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An independent power company says the industry needs structural reform. Consumer NZ has raised concern about historically high profits made last year by our biggest power companies. Meridian, Contact, Genesis and Mercury made a combined $2.7 billion operating profits in the past year. Consumer estimates 40,000 households couldn't afford power over the same period. Electric Kiwi chief executive Luke Blincoe says the market is broken. "You've got those big 4 players with excessive market power, and they're able to extract monopoly rents from Kiwi families, really." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, good luck to James Shaw trying to convince Kiwis it’s a bad idea for National to give us that climate dividend as part of their tax cuts. He's going as hard as he can. Yesterday, he said it "pissed him off" and it was “incensing him”, and today he’s put out a press release saying he’s “insulted”. What he’s upset about is that National has used the ETS money to pay for their tax cuts. The ETS money collects from us all paying a little tax every time we do something that pollutes the planet. So when you buy petrol, some of your bill is an ETS levy. When you pay your power bill, some of it is on the ETS, and so on. Now, James and the Labour Government have famously used that money to help corporates cut their emissions. So they used $140 million of the ETS money to buy the furnace for the Glenbrook Steel Mill owned by the Australian company BlueScope. And they used $90 million to help Fonterra cut back on coal burning. Both BlueScope and Fonterra could’ve paid for that themselves, because BlueScope declared a profit of more than a billion Aussie dollars and Fonterra declared more than half a billion Kiwi dollars. National is instead giving us that money back. To be fair, they are wrong to call it a climate dividend, because it’s not. It’s something completely different- but they’re still giving it back to us. And there is good reason for them to do this, because that ETS tax that you are paying is part of the reason life is more expensive. Between February 2021 and February 2022, it sneakily pushed up petrol by 10 cents a litre, it pushed up your gas bills and pushed up the cost of your fruit and veges because the petrol and diesel cost more to truck them to the shops. That is going to keep happening as we fight climate change and the ETS keeps taxing us more. So good luck to James Shaw trying to convince us that as we pay more and more, the money should be given to corporates and not to us. It is a weird day when the Green Party co-leader is more worried about helping an Australian company than Kiwis doing it tough. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour is casting doubt over National's newly unveiled tax policy that promises to end the foreign buyers ban. National claims that their proposed 15 percent tax on overseas homebuyers will generate the revenue needed to help fund tax cuts. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen says it's clear that National has looked through property price data and examined foreign purchases before the ban was implemented to inform this policy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National leader Chris Luxon and deputy Nicola Willis have unveiled their long awaited tax plan- as the clock ticks down to October's election. If elected, National would shift personal income tax brackets for inflation and expand tax credits, and cover it by slashing public service spending and rolling out a 15 percent foreign buyer tax on homes. Enable.Me's Hannah McQueen says the shifted personal income tax brackets would give Kiwi households an extra $100-$250 a fortnight- which would be helpful to New Zealand's middle class. "For some context, if you had a mortgage of $400,000 and you were on a 3 percent rate to a 7 percent rate, your repayments have increased by $450 a fortnight- $250 of that is now going to be offset." National also want to bring back public transport fares for children and scrap the 50 percent discount for under-25's, a policy that Free Fares NZ campaigner Steve Maran disagrees with. "Removing that is a step in the wrong direction. Many low-income families have benefitted from this initiative, which made it easier for all of them to get to school and get to work." The Property Council's Leonie Freeman has also voiced disapproval at National's plan to remove depreciation for non-residential buildings to pay for tax cuts. "They've been flip-flopping on this policy for some time. The commercial property industry is in a pretty challenging time at the moment, there's already pressures like the need to upgrade for seismic strengthening." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Weenink believes his experience as chair of the players' association will aid him in his new role as chief executive of New Zealand Cricket. The 50-year-old former Wellington first-class cricketer and businessman replaces David White, and will begin after being welcomed into the Auckland office on Friday. He says New Zealand Cricket's biggest strength is their flexibility around contracting arrangements. "With players like Trent Boult, there is a lot of T20 leagues around the place. So New Zealand Cricket needs to be flexible enough to try and keep these sort of players playing for New Zealand." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a choppy month for stock markets globally, with the NZX underperforming throughout August. The NZX is currently down by 5 percent for the month, with experts concerned this dip has wiped out gains made in the first half of 2023. Milford Asset Management analyst Jeremy Hutton says rising interest rates are a major factor in the downturn, as many economies are working to avoid recession. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners 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! National have finally shown us their long awaited tax plan- is it good? Could they have gone harder? And most importantly- is it a vote winner? Restore Passenger Rail Supporter Rosemary Penwarden has been remanded in custody instead of being let out on bail. Is this too extreme- or was this the right punishment for disrupting Wellington traffic? The Ministry of Education is spending $26,000 a month to store unused face masks. They're now considering spending a further $120,000 to destroy their supply- is this a sign of poor planning? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's keeping the heat on National over its centrepiece tax policy - suggesting its promise is collapsing faster than a house of cards. The party's election tax plan would shift income brackets for the so-called squeezed middle, using $14.6 billion found by reprioritising spending and adding taxes. Minister Grant Robertson says that makes huge assumptions on how much would be raised, and is likely to be impacted by international treaties. Finance spokesperson Nicola Willis insists the plan's fully costed. "If you're buying a house on the other side of the world, then you're actually interested in that luxury part of the market. We've had a bit of house price inflation since then too." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) scheme has been expanded to cover all of London's boroughs- to the outrage of drivers. Under the scheme, drivers must pay a charge of £12.50 a day to drive a non-compliant vehicle within the zone. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Londoners are taking to the streets to protest and damaging the cameras designed to monitor the zone. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Restore Passenger Rail spokesperson says it's a bit extreme for a judge to decline bail for a protester. Rosemary Penwarden appeared in Wellington District Court yesterday - accused of endangering transport on State Highway One in Kilbirnie. She's been remanded in custody, but is appealing to the High Court to instead be given electronically monitored bail. Protest group spokesperson James Cockle says it's a big call. "As far as I know, it's the first time in our history that a climate protestor has been remanded in custody for protesting." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unused face masks will end up costing the Ministry of Education thousands of dollars. The Ministry's spending $26,000 a month on storage fees for millions of masks likely to go unused, now that mandates have ended. The storage cost is so high, the Ministry is now considering spending $120,000 to destroy them. The Secondary Principals Association's Vaughn Couillaut says he can understand the Ministry's thinking when they stocked up. "Plentiful supply was delivered to schools, we could get them whenever we wanted. We still can now, if we needed to order some. They certainly bought a ton, not knowing when those mandates would finish." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global investment giant BlackRock warns central banks won't start cutting interest rates anytime soon. Their strategists believe western central banks are committed to stamping inflation out for good- despite the economic troubles weighing China down. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says BlackRock is convinced central banks will overlook China's economic climate to focus on inflation in order to avoid future rate hikes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Securing the future of test cricket will be front of mind for New Zealand Cricket's new chief executive, Scott Weenink. The 50-year-old lawyer and former Wellington first-class player has replaced David White, who's spent the last 12 years at the helm. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The speed and risk from Hurricane Idalia is growing as it approaches Florida's West Coast. It's expected to wreak havoc on the US state, touching down early tomorrow morning. Unsurvivable storm surge is predicted to hit parts of the island city of Cedar Key. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says coastal areas are frantically preparing. "Classes have been cancelled, businesses boarded up, whole towns have just been told to get out of there while you can." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is going to sound really harsh, but that Restore Passenger Rail protestor who was put in jail for two weeks yesterday deserved exactly what she got. I bear no ill will whatsoever to Rosemary Penwarden. She's a mum and grandmother, she seems like a nice lady, she's been nothing but lovely and polite every time she's been on the show and I admire her conviction, in a weird way. But she and everyone else in that group have been incredibly selfish every single time they glue their hands to the road in rush hour and deliberately stop Wellingtonians from being able to get to work or to medical appointments or to get their kids to school. What happened yesterday is significant, because the courts have been very tolerant with these protestors and constantly given them another chance. Suddenly, they’ve had enough. And as far as we can tell, it is the first time a climate protestor has ever been sent to jail in New Zealand. But these guys have been warned. When they pulled the hand-gluing stunt back in April, one of them landed in front of judge Noel Sainsbury in the Wellington District Court. He warned them that the same rules applied to them as everyone else. And so one of them got sent home with an ankle bracelet on with the warning that next time, it’s jail. But – again - the protestors were out doing the same thing yesterday. Rosemary herself was pushing it with the law. She's already been charged at least once over the protests, and was let out on bail. And generally, the conditions of bail are that you don’t do it again, otherwise you’re in the clink. And yet, she was back a week later in April- into a cop car and taken to the station. And then she was back at it again yesterday. So she has probably breached bail conditions at least once, if not more. Absolutely, it is harsh to put protestors in jail. But if you don’t, you run the risk of things escalating to the point the UK was facing recently, where climate protesters were shutting down main roads for 36 hours. And in the end, they had had enough and sent a Kiwi in London to jail for three years, so two weeks is getting off lightly. I hope Rosemary getting sent to jail scares these nice protesting people into quitting with the hand-gluing, because jail isn’t nice. Clearly Rosemary herself isn’t loving it- her lawyer’s launching an appeal already try to get her out of jail and on home D with an ankle bracelet instead. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.