Holiday Breakfast

Christchurch’s new One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha officially opened this weekend with a sold out match between the Crusaders and Waratahs on Friday night. The All Blacks’ first test at the venue on July 4, and the Warriors’ first NRL match at the stadium in June both quickly sold out, while Robbie Williams and the Foo Fighters are set to perform in late 2026 / early 2027.  Crusaders CEO C...

The government is putting funds towards repairs needed on New Zealand's great bike trails due to storm damage. It is expected that the Hauraki Rail Trail, that's been shut since January, the Waikato River Trail, and a connecting track on the Tasman Great Taste Trail will need approximately $800,000 to fix.  "If you think about the Hauraki Rail Trail, it is absolutely spectacular, but it does...

The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner took place in Washington last night, but was cancelled part way through after a shooter with multiple weapons charged through a security checkpoint. Washington Bureau Chief for the Guardian, David Smith, was present at the dinner.  He told Andrew Dickens, " I heard some shouting and people diving under tables, and that kind of rippled like a wave...

A nationwide survey by the Combined Building Supplies Co-operative has found that 84% of members have felt moderate to significant impact from fuel price increases.  CEO Carl Taylor said some builders can't even afford to get to their work sites.  "So, clients are obviously starting to look at pausing their projects, pricing becomes harder to lock in, and the confidence drops, and that's...

Pop-duo Foley has just spent four weeks on the Hot 20 singles chart, peaking at number 1, following their EP release 'Like an Actress'.  The duo is made up of Ash Wallace and Gabriel Everett.  Ash Wallace joined Andrew Dickens to chat defining genre, the New Zealand music community, and aspirations.  "I think it's always hard to narrow your own music down," Wallace said. "You know,...

In a Truth Social post Donald Trump announced the successful rescue of a missing crew member of a fighter jet that was shot down over Iran.  Although Iran's military claims the US operation was "completely foiled." Meanwhile, the historic Artemis 2 mission enters it's fifth day. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Far-right political party One Nation, led by Pauline Hanson, has surpassed Labor and the Coalition in Queensland in the latest poll.  "Once upon a time, Pauline Hanson was the fringe lunatic way out on the lunar right, and now, in South Australia, she smashed the conservative vote down there," Australian correspondent Murray Olds said. Olds chats to Andrew Dickens about One Nation's unprecede...

Endurance swimmer Jono Ridler has completed a 1367km journey, swimming the length of the North Island, in an effort to raise awareness against bottom trawling.  After getting out of the water on Saturday, Ridler led a convoy of people to the steps of Parliament, where multiple ministers waited, and he was presented with a taonga. Ridler spoke to Andrew Dickens about the difficult journey, "a...

The Government's 2034 tourism target is to lift arrivals to 4.78 million, but a report for MBIE shows that this could require up to $3.5 billion in extra infrastructure. Regions like Queenstown are already facing pressure on their infrastructure with Destination Queenstown and Lake Wanaka Tourism CEO Mat Woods saying they are 'bursting at the seams'.  He told Andrew Dickens, "we're havin...

Actors Cliff Curtis and Jason Momoa, and director Taika Waititi, have purchased Auckland-based Studio West with the goal to bring more jobs and Polynesian storytelling to the country. "It's still a pretty tough time for the screen industry, but it is some positive news in the middle of all of that," Screen Production and Development Association President, Irene Gardiner said.  See omnystudio....

US President Donald Trump has issued threats to Iran in an R-rated speech as his ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz comes to an end.  He has said he will target Iran’s critical infrastructure if the strait is not reopened before Monday. Jeffrey Price, senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute, John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, joined Andrew Dickens to chat about w...

Australia’s new hate speech laws have hit a speedbump.   Parliament was recalled early to pass reform that would create serious offences for hate in the wake of the Bondi terror attack.   However, the Opposition and the Greens are refusing to accept the laws in their current form.   Australia Correspondent Murray Olds told Andrew Dickens the Opposition is saying the timeline is ridi...

For many, Six60 is an undeniable part of the New Zealand summer soundscape.   Their classics such as ‘Don’t Forget Your Roots’, ‘The Greatest’, and ‘Please Don’t Go’ are a staple of every backyard barbeque summer get together, and soon a few new songs will be joining the playlists.   Their fifth studio album ‘Right Here Right Now’ is set to be released in February, but two new singles ar...

A tourism leader in Kaikoura says they're having their busiest summer season since a major earthquake almost a decade ago.   Visitor numbers reached about 220 thousand in November, up nearly 30 thousand on the year before.  Destination Kaikoura Chair Chris Sturgeon told Andrew Dickens tourism and hospitality players says things are booming.  He says there's a positive feeling throug...

President Donald Trump is threatening to deploy troops to Minnesota, with heated clashes on the streets over the presence of ICE.  US Homeland Security says a federal officer has shot a man in the leg in Minneapolis after being attacked with a shovel as he tried to make an arrest.  Protests have erupted in the city since an anti-immigration officer shot a woman dead last week.  US C...

Online hate speech in New Zealand is becoming more targeted and our system can't keep pace.  Netsafe's latest survey shows since 2018, the proportion of ethnicity-based hate speech has risen from 18% to 36%, becoming the most common reason people are targeted.  Political-based hate has also increased to 25%.  Netsafe Chief Online Safety Officer Sean Lyons told Andrew Dickens regulat...

Calls for the Government to force streaming giants to invest in New Zealand content as local productions struggle.   The Screen Producers' Association says Netflix, Disney, Apple and Amazon should be forced to commission local programmes or pay into a fund from their local revenue   President Irene Gardiner says declining ad revenue means TVNZ and Three have cut local productions by $50...

Questions continue to swirl over Scott Robertson’s departure as All Blacks coach.  He's left halfway through his four-year deal after player frustration simmered and boiled over in a scathing internal review late last year.  NZ Rugby Chair David Kirk denies a player revolt forced Robertson out.  But former Chief Executive David Moffett told Andrew Dickens the organisation's a bit of...

Fonterra's boss says farmers are used to volatility in prices and payouts.  Its midpoint forecast farmgate milk price for this season now sits at $9 after a string of falls in global dairy prices.  That's more than 10% lower than last season's final payout.  Chief Executive Miles Hurrell told Andrew Dickens most farms are intergenerational, so farmers understand the ups and downs of...

Another tourism announcement is set to come – another round in the Regional Tourism Boost plan.   The goal is to get international travellers out of the main centres to explore all that New Zealand has to offer.  Round two will focus on the April to June season, when there’s typically fewer travellers and less activity.  Tourism Minister Louise Upston told Andrew Dickens it’s about...

If you haven’t heard the name Gianmarco Soresi, you may have seen his clips.  The American stand up comedian is a staple of shortform video platforms, with over two million follows across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.  He’s become known for his crowd work and his distinctive physicality, clambering over chairs and folding himself up as he performs.  And he’s bringing it to New Ze...

An All Blacks bombshell to start the New Year.  The Herald has detailed elements of a 'scathing' internal review into the side's 2025 season, with critical feedback on the coaching, culture, and environment.  Head coach Scott Robertson and his lead assistant Scott Hansen are believed to be at the centre of the critical feedback.  All Blacks player of the year for the 2025 season Ard...

Don Brash says everyone should be concerned about political interference regarding matters at America's central bank.  US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says he's now embroiled in a criminal investigation because he didn't cut interest rates as much as Donald Trump wanted.  Trump denies involvement but is standing by calls for Powell to be replaced.  RBNZ Governor Anna Breman s...

The UK will be deciding this week whether or not to allow the construction of a Chinese ‘mega’ embassy in London.   The project has been debated for years, with concerns over the potential security risks it could pose for the UK.  Critics fear the embassy, which would be located close to London’s financial district and crucial data cables, would be used as a base for espionage.   UK...

At least 500 buildings have been destroyed as wildfires continue to tear through Victoria.   Multiple fires have ravaged 404,000 hectares of land – an area more than five times the size of Singapore.   Thousands of properties remain without power, and television and radio services to areas like Bendigo and Castlemaine have been knocked out.   Australian Correspondent Murray Olds tol...