Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The father of one of five teens killed in a crash near Timaru, at Washdyke, has spoken about the driver responsible. Tyreese Fleming, now 21, was on a restricted licence and had been drinking. Although sentenced in June last year to two-and-a-half years in prison, he walked free yesterday. He'll live in Christchurch, with conditions including not entering Timaru and Temuka. Stephen Drummond, whose son Javarney, died in the crash, says there's nothing he can do about it. "It's the police system, it's the way it is. He only served less than three months for each kid, basically." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could National's approach to gangs bring needed change? A Mongrel Mob president has claimed the party's gang policy would breach human rights. It includes banning patches in public spaces, and making membership an aggravating factor in sentencing. Black Power member Denis O'Reilly says he welcomes potential benefits of the harsher regime. "As long as stuff is done within the law and within the Bill of Rights, why not have some upside-down thinking?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You want an example of bizarre stuff happening at council level? Take a look at the Reading Cinema deal Wellington City Council is trying to stitch together The context here is that Reading Cinema is on Wellington’s Courtenay Place party strip, but it is closed and has been since 2019 because it is a quake risk- and now it’s becoming an eyesore. But apparently, the council is trying to help the owners pay for the strengthening. What it is reportedly offering to do is buy the land under the building for $32 million, which the owners can then use to strengthen the building. And then, those owners can buy the land back in ten years for $32 million. How nuts is that? That land will undoubtedly value up in ten years, and yet, the Council wants to sell it back for exactly the same amount. So basically, it’s just a complicated way of providing a loan of $32 million to the owners of Reading Cinema. Now, ratepayers are going to have some opinions on this, because they are struggling to fund the earthquake strengthening of buildings like Town Hall, which they own and the repair of water pipes, which they own. And that’s without helping pay for the renovation of a cinema owned by a company listed on the NASDAQ. But here’s the really wacky thing- ratepayers are not supposed to know about this. The details of this were supposed to be kept confidential, the deal was supposed to be struck without their knowledge, because it’s ‘commercially sensitive’, apparently. And that is why the mayor has called in lawyer Linda Clark, to try to shut up the councillors who opposed this, because someone leaked the details to the media. How outrageous is this? To (A), stitch up a deal that uses what little debt allowance Wellington City Council has left to subsidise an US listed company. To (B), try to keep it a secret from the ratepayers who just got hit with a 12 percent rates rise. And then (C), try to shut down any public dissent. Find me something more bizarre at council level this week and I'll buy you a ticket to the cinema, once Wellingtonians subsidise its reopening. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The head of MI5 has warned Chinese espionage is on an 'epic scale' in the UK. Director General Ken McCallum has claimed over 20,000 people have been approached covertly online by Chinese spies. This warning comes amid a new warning to thousands of British businesses of the risk of having their innovation stolen. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says more Chinese companies are working to get access to small companies, start-ups and universities, who were largely unaware of security risks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Infrastructure NZ Chief Executive Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! A hospital in Gaza is the latest to have been hit by bombs, with about 500 feared dead. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has turned from bad to catastrophic - has Israel gone too far now, is the situation in Gaza too dire? Winston Peters has touched down in Wellington, and has refused to answer questions from the media. Should Christopher Luxon do the same, rather than defend each day why he's not talking about the negotiations? An investigation into the Ranfurly Shield accident has found that it really was dropped, but NZ Rugby couldn't confirm what the white substance was. Do we believe any of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders will get extra insight into the cost of living, as Stats NZ promises to release more up-to-date inflation data. Stats NZ will now publish monthly price changes for alcohol, fuel, tobacco, air and travel costs, in addition to regular data for food and rent prices. The CPI data will continue to be published every three months. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says this will allow people to see 44 percent of the CPI on a monthly basis and keep better track of that data. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2023 is a big year for organised labour action. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have walked off their jobs at a rate not seen in decades, with new data claiming over 18 million days have been lost to strikes so far this year. Back on New Zealand shores, 850,000 workdays have been lost to strikes between January and May, according to MBIE reports. Milford Asset Management's Deborah Lambie says unionised workers receive pay reviews less frequently, and low unemployment gives these workers extra leverage in negotiations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insurance premiums are going through the roof, and Kiwis are feeling the pinch. All types of insurance costs rose by 9.6 per cent between the September 2022 and 2023 quarters, according to new data. Dwelling insurance costs led the jump, rising 21.2 percent, and contents and car insurance premiums went up by 18.8 and 10.2 percent, respectively. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains the factors driving these hikes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plumbers, drain layers and gas fitters have expressed disappointment with the training their apprentices are getting from Te Pūkenga. Reports have surfaced of poor training facilities, students' work getting lost, and apprentices taking longer than expected to finish their programs as they wait for block courses to open up. Dave Strong from Morrinsville Plumbing and Gas says one of his apprentices will have to wait an extra 8 months to finish their program, because key block courses weren't available. "If you don't make some available, then it's smoke and mirrors. If you don't put courses on because you can't run them, then you don't have to cancel them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiri Allan is being criticised for jumping from the Beehive into a consultancy firm, a manoeuvre the ex-Justice Minister once launched a review on. Justice officials were asked to look into lobbying in April, over controversy sparked by former MP Kris Faafoi starting a firm less than three months after resigning. Allan registered her new consultancy business two weeks after losing the justice portfolio, while she was still an MP. Victoria University political analyst Bryce Edwards says Allan is clearing trying to leverage her time in the public service, for money. "She's talking about being a Cabinet minister, and her extensive networks from Government, and so forth. That's her marketing pitch." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamas and Israel are pointing fingers at each other, following a deadly airstrike at a Gaza hospital. It's killed at least 500 people and Israel is blaming a misfire by militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad - which it denies. Meanwhile, an Israeli blockade has trapped people in Gaza as food, water, fuel and electricity becomes more scarce. Simon Eccleshall from Doctors Without Borders says International Humanitarian Law clearly condemns attacking medical facilities. "It's very unclear still as to what exactly has happened at the hospital overnight, but what we do know is that there are massive numbers of casualties of Palestinians who were seeking refuge." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new study shows a majority of adults hit the snooze button in the morning. The study of 1500 people found young people were more likely to sleep after their alarms go off. Dr Alex Bartle from the SleepWell Clinic says people should set alarms for when they need to get up. "Give yourself five or ten minutes just to come through- not so you go back to sleep again." He says it's easy to get up when you feel you have to, but if you have extra time, you'll go back to sleep. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ Rugby have concluded their investigation into the treatment of the Ranfurly Shield after images surfaced on social media in September. The organisation has confirmed that the Shield was accidentally dropped on the floor- but drug testing still hasn't identified the white substance from the photos. Hawke's Bay Rugby CEO Jay Campbell says NZ Rugby tested the Shield thoroughly, and the report only identified plaster. "The release was quite clear- they said it was inconclusive. The report says the only substance they were able to pick up was the plaster from the back of the shield." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ First leader Winston Peters has touched down in Wellington, ahead of negotiation talks with National and ACT. There were cheers from onlookers outside the airport as he arrived- but Peters stayed quiet, despite being peppered with questions by journalists. ZB political editor Jason Walls says it's unlikely Winston Peters will directly address media as coalition discussions get started- and journalists will have to get creative in sourcing explanations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finger pointing has begun over an airstrike on a Gaza hospital that killed at least 500 people. Israel is blaming a misfire by militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad - which it denies. US President Joe Biden is en route to Israel, although his summit with Egypt, Palestine and Jordan has been cancelled. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Biden and his staff will likely be working on a plan that allows humanitarian aid to get into Gaza. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hawke's Bay officials are keeping tight-lipped about the mysterious white powder pictured on the Ranfurly Shield after it was broken. An investigation which included interviews with players and management has determined the Shield was accidentally dropped- but it's unknown what the white substance was. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The election result looks to have lit a fire under the property market. Real estate agents in Wellington say business has picked up since the 'blue wave' crashed through. National and ACT have both promised to phase in interest deductibility for landlords and make it easier for banks to lend money. City Sales sales manager Scott Dunn says people saw a change of Government coming. He says Auckland's market picked up about three weeks ago. "Our change happened about two or three weeks ago, we've had to double our auction offerings from the demand. From here until the end of the year, it's very, very busy." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks managed to score a win against Ireland and advance to the World Cup semi-finals, but the victory wasn't without controversy. The Irish Times reported that midfielder Rieko Ioane performed a 'classless' gesture in the direction of Ireland's supporters in a taunting fashion. UK correspondent Enda Brady offers his take on the controversy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog contributor and Curia pollster David Farrar and current affairs commentator Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the issues of the day- and more! Andrew Little announced his decision to bow out of politics- will any other big Labour names join him? Chris Hipkins says he's going to hang on and keep leading Labour for the time being- how long will he last? Who else could take over? Does Labour understand what went wrong on Saturday? Chris Luxon has faced a barrage of questions about his coalition negotiations- are we being impatient? Christchurch's mayor has warned his council is 'up a creek' financially and may have to face massive rate rises- or make hard choices. Do councils need to find new ways to raise more money some other way? What role does Government have? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's signs inflation in New Zealand may have passed its peak. New figures show inflation rose 5.6 percent in the year to September, down from six percent in the year to June. It's better than expected by banks and economists. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says these figures are encouraging- but inflation is still running very high, so caution should be applied. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's farming community are feeling hopeful about the new changes in Government. While the nation's 54th Parliament won't be finalised until November, several prospective MPs from National and ACT have backgrounds in the primary sector. Grant McCallum, Suze Redmayne, Miles Anderson, Mike Butterick, Andrew Hoggard and Cameron Luxton are among the new faces bringing their rural backgrounds and insight into the Beehive. The Country's Rowena Duncum says Kiwi farmers will be feeling a weight lift off their shoulders as more rural voices step in. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon has been batting off questions about National's ongoing coalition discussions. The incoming Prime Minister has confirmed he'll remain tight-lipped as National negotiates with ACT and NZ First as the special votes are still tallied. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie says Luxon's trying to establish a style of leadership where his team gets things done- as opposed to discussing plans. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins says he's still the leader of the Labour Party. He delivered the impassioned message after a marathon caucus meeting with new and current MPs. He's confirmed there was no leadership challenge, but the team will hold a vote within three months of the election. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Labour doesn't know the makeup of their future caucus yet- and there's still time for the Party and Hipkins to reassess their options. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's Government is back to the drawing board after the failed Voice Referendum. All but one state voted No to changing the constitution to allow an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, with a nationwide support of around 40 percent. Australia's former ambassador to the United States, John McCarthy, has claimed this rejection will be viewed negatively by the wider Asia-Pacific region. Australian correspondent Murray Olds explains what this means for the future of Australia's Government. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch City Council is warning cutbacks and hard decisions will have to be made to avoid significant increases to rates. Mayor Phil Mauger says the council's 'up a creek' financially, and cuts to libraries and swimming pools are on the cards in order to avoid an 18 percent rate rise. Christchurch City Councillor Jake McLellan says the situation is a challenging one. "We're obviously subject to the same pressures that every organisation is, but I certainly don't want to see libraries or swimming pools closed and I'm going to be working hard to make sure that doesn't happen." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wellington woman is trying to hunt down her wedding dress that accidentally got donated to an op shop. Donna McQuaid lent her wedding dress to a friend who was recently engaged. But that friend accidentally donated the designer dress to a Lower Hutt charity shop. McQuaid has called every charity shop in Wellington to no avail. She says if you saw it in an op-shop, you would know you've stumbled upon something special. "It's really got some sentimental value to me, and I would love to get it back." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mount Albert's Greens candidate says the narrow margin in the seat shows elections are no longer two-horse races. Labour's Helen White has won on early numbers by just over 100 votes. It's traditionally a Labour stronghold, previously held by Jacinda Ardern, David Shearer, Helen Clark - and Michael Savage. White's blaming her slim-win on the Greens splitting the vote. Ricardo Menendez-March says his Party's proud of its record result. "No one, not the Greens, not National or Labour, can take any electorate for granted." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belief New Zealand's winning the war on inflation. Figures out today show annual inflation rose 5.6 percent in the year to September, down from 6 percent in the year to June. Kiwibank Senior Economist, Jarrod Kerr, says it's great some pressures are finally easing. "There's some frustrations in there, with petrol and a few other bits and pieces, but when we look at the broad basket of goods and services that we consume- prices are coming off." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Labour Leader Andrew Little says he's thinking of the Party and its future as he quits politics. He says it's important those who'll form the next Labour Government get the chance to be nurtured and developed. Little says he doesn't believe people should hang on too long. "I feel very privileged to have been in the roles that I've been in and to have done what I've done, but I'm also at an age where I could do some other things outside of Parliament- and I'm very keen to explore that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie Jones has admitted regret at his explosive press conference at the airport before leaving for the Rugby World Cup. The Wallabies coach told Australian media to give themselves an uppercut after fielding questions about their losing streak and leaving Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper out of the squad. Jones has denied talks with Japan's rugby union and has reaffirmed his intention to lead the Wallabies to the next World Cup. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artificial intelligence could give some medical professionals a run for their money. A recent study has found ChatGPT outperformed GPs in matching guidelines for recommending treatment for patients with depression. It found the AI also avoided gender or socio-economic bias. Umbrella Wellbeing Psychologist Dougal Sutherland says the tech may have a role in the sector in future. "Especially early on when people are going to see their GP or somebody else around their mental health to help sort people into the right place." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.