Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Julian Savea says he's nowhere close to retirement. The barnstorming outside back is on the move from the Hurricanes to Moana Pasifika for next year's Super Rugby campaign. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did I have a debate on my hands when I got home last night about the country’s debt levels. The husband gave me a huge telling off for saying yesterday that the Government had taken on too much debt. So I feel like I need to clear this up: I don’t mind the level of debt New Zealand has. We've heard this a thousand times, but it’s worth saying again- we have very little debt in contrast to other countries in the OECD. Actually, debt is good. If you borrow money to invest in things which make your country richer, like building roads for productivity or new schools for education, it’s a good thing. Case in point- how else did you buy your house if not with a mortgage, AKA, debt? And same with infrastructure- if you need to take on debt to build roads and schools in New Zealand, that’s fine, it’s actually a smart way to spread the cost over generations. My problem is what we did with that debt. What have we got to show for it? Absolutely nothing. In 2019, we had the tiniest, tiniest amount of debt. $5 billion in debt, that’s nothing. By the time all of Grant’s promises have rinsed out our books in 2027, we will have $102 billion in debt. And what we have got to show for it? Grant keeps saying- oh, we needed to support businesses and people through the pandemic. Absolutely, he’s right. I will never begrudge smart spending that helped Kiwis out when they needed it. But by far and away, the biggest cost was the wage subsidy. That cost us $19 billion. But what about the rest of it? That leaves $78 billion spent on - what? Nurses’ pay can’t account for all of it. The truth is - and we know it - the pandemic gave Labour permission to spend. Some of the spending was fine, but then they didn't stop spending. And they blew a lot of our money on rubbish. $1 billion for the Greens Jobs for Nature scheme. $3 billion for NZ First. $50 million on consultants for the bike bridge that never got built. $33 million to buy the Bacon building in Kingsland for Auckland Light Rail, even though it’s going to get cancelled. I could go on, but you get the picture. Debt, not bad. This debt, what a waste. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another slide for Labour in tonight's One News-Verian poll, with the National Party up two points to 39 percent, and Labour down one to 28. The Greens and ACT are both down, on 10 percent. Winston Peters' New Zealand First is back in the game, up one to poll 5 percent. The Battle of the Chrises is neck and neck with both on 23 percent as preferred Prime Minister- Hipkins is up 2 percent, and Luxon up 3. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Labour's fighting a losing battle as National retains their strong lead. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour says the pandemic showed a need for more local healthcare worker training. The party's announced it'll train another 335 doctors every year from 2027- and increase medical school places from next year. Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says they've already increased the workforce by 2,000 people. "So I think the National Party's attack line - that this should've happened earlier - is negated by the fact that we already grew our workforce. We're now choosing a different way." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts are hoping to get to the bottom of mysterious banging noises coming from below an Auckland home. For months, noises have reverberated from beneath the Forrest Hill house, on the North Shore - with council officials yet to figure out its origins. Neighbour Lizzie Oakes hopes a new development may help solve the puzzle. "I think an engineer has made contact with the homeowner, they seem to think it might be a sound they've heard somewhere, so I think they're having a meeting with the homeowner tomorrow." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Qantas staff will be chasing compensation, after Australia's High Court has upheld a decision against the airline. It's agreed the airline illegally sacked more than 1700 workers during Covid. It breached the Fair Work Act by outsourcing baggage handlers, cleaners and ground staff. The Australian Transport Workers' Union's Nick McIntosh says the next step is going back to the federal court. "These workers will have their compensation hearing held and then after that, there will be a penalty hearing about exactly how much money Qantas has to pay." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT thinks more people should be in jail. The party's law and order policy would invest $1 billion into 500 more prison beds, and toughen sentences for offending against vulnerable workers. Leader David Seymour says the Government has tried letting criminals out of prison. He says a Ministry of Justice survey shows the result. "Victimisations are up by about 30 percent in 5 years, but the human price of that is that people feel it's not safe to run a dairy- and for some people, it's been absolutely tragic." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's pledging to lift medical school places by 95 a year from 2025, in New Zealand's largest boost ever. Chris Hipkins says if re-elected, they'll lift training 62 percent over the coming decade. Labour's extra places amount to 874 doctors trained each year by 2027- beating out National's promised 759 by 2030. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this scheme is the latest strategy Labour's borrowed from National, following on from their roading outline and pledge cards. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Division among Republicans, over a push to impeach democratic President Joe Biden. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy's asking for a formal investigation, calling the President's dealings corruption. He alleges Biden used his power to facilitate his son's business deals - and benefited. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Kevin McCarthy's under pressure from fellow Republicans to push this investigation forward- but it's unlikely anything will be brought forward. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions over divisions within New Zealand. An Essential Research poll shows 77 percent of Kiwis believe the country is either a little more - or much more - divided, depending on their political stance. Labour and Green voters think there's less division, and National and ACT supporters say we are more so. Those aged 55-plus are the most concerned. Victoria University's Max Rashbrooke says he's unsure he agrees. He says the poll doesn't clarify what people mean by division. "But particularly with older people- they may just be expressing concern about the pace of change, about social change, about things they find destabilising." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Almost one third of female NHS surgeons have been sexually assaulted at work, according to a new survey. A study published in the British Journal of Surgery found 30 percent of female surgeons had been sexually assaulted, and 29 percent had experienced unwanted physical advances in the workplace. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the first-person stories shared exposed a pattern of senior consultants and surgeons taking advantage of younger graduates and trainees. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and current affairs commentator Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! This year's deficit is expected to be $10 billion, next year's expected to go up to $11.4 billion - Treasury reckons we've come out of recession but the next Government will have a tough battle on its hands to pay down debt and return to a surplus. Is this a nail in the coffin for Labour or is there an inkling of good news in there that's enough to calm some nerves? Is it game over for Labour? Last night's Newshub-Reid Research poll had Labour down to 26.8 percent support, while National is up to 40.9 percent. Will the gap only get bigger? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts are warning of a potential power shortage risk ahead of winter 2024. The closure of one of Contact Energy's 100 megawatt peaking plants after a turbine blade broke and caused extensive internal damage to the machine has sparked concerns for future power supply. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie explains the extent of the damage- and why the plant won't be up and running until 2025. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Troubling news for our national carrier, with a global engine problem affecting hundreds of planes worldwide. Engine maker Pratt and Whitney says up to 700 engines will be impacted over the next three years. It'll affect 16 A320 and 321 NEO aircraft in Air New Zealand's fleet - mostly serving Australia and the Pacific Islands. Aviation commentator Geoff Thomas says this disruption has been caused by parts of the engine prematurely wearing out. "Over about 20 years, you'll replace every part of an engine. They all have different design lives within the engine, all different parts. What they've found is one particular area wearing a bit sooner than they thought." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rumours are circulating about a new famer-led movement set to challenge the current drive for taxing on-farm emissions. Rural News claims this campaign will promote a a 'methane accord', designed to fight against 'unscientific' emissions taxes. The Country's Jamie Mackay says farmers are growing sick of 'political games' being played with their livelihood- even by their own industry organisations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Chris Luxon has been quick to slam Labour's 'economic mismanagement' after the PREFU revealed Government debt has blown out further. Treasury's latest update is forecasting no recession, but shows the Government will be in deficit longer than expected and take on billions more debt. Luxon says Kiwis are worried about losing their homes and taking on second jobs as the Government continues to spend. "What's obvious is that Hipkins and Robertson have no idea how to run the economy, they're running it into the ground. And that's just saddling up a bad set of circumstances for future generations of Kiwis, and that's not on." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health advocates are celebrating the release of a new DIY cervical screening test kit for women. This test, available from today, will allow women to use a swab to detect the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes more than 95 percent of cervical cancers. Te Whatu Ora National Screening Unit clinical lead Dr Jane O’Hallahan says this 'game-changing' test kit will encourage more people to screen themselves. "At this point, you will need to seek out your provider- but the test is so much easier to do. You can do it yourself, it's a simple swab that you place 4 or 5 centimetres up- and move it around, take it out and put in a container. This will be a game changer." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The future of Mount Ruapehu's skifields remain up in the air. The Tuwharetoa iwi group has abandoned its bid to take over the liquidated Ruapehu Alpine Lifts. Ruapehu District Mayor Weston Kirton says there are reports the iwi now plans to take legal action, if the sale isn't stopped. He says it's a sad situation. "They thought they were going to be bidding- then they come in out of left field and say that they're not going to support a new bidder to actually go ahead with this negotiation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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