Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Kiwi sports fans are set to benefit from Sky's latest free-to-air lineup. Friday Night Footy for   NRL and Super Saturday rugby matches will launch on Sky Open from February 24. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scrapping of funding by the Government for pre-sentencing cultural reports has been criticised. The reports consider how an offender's personal, family or cultural background may have contributed to their crime. Convenor of the Criminal Law Committee Chris Macklin says the process has evolved from Judges asking for more information. "These reports are not just full of excuses, they often have with...

It's official, the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax is gone-burger from 1 July. Aucklanders will not have to pay $11.5 cents a litre more everyone else in the country every time they fill up their cars. Toyota Hilux drivers will save $9.20 a fill and Toyota Corolla drivers will save $5.75 a fill. Good riddance to bad rubbish. That was a rort, wasn’t it? Remember what Auckland was supposed to get for tha...

Prince Harry returned to the UK shortly after his father's diagnosis was revealed. King Charles is being treated for cancer, which was discovered during a separate procedure for benign prostate enlargement. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says reports claim Harry spent a half-hour with the King- and has no plans to meet with William or other family members. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! How do we feel this week's Waitangi event went for the Government? Was it better than predicted- or worse? King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer- what will this mean for the royal family? Who else can step...

Increased unemployment figures are a sign of a stronger overall economy, claims one expert. Stats NZ figures show unemployment has crept up to 4 percent- the highest level since June 2021. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says the number of employed people in the country has also increased over this quarter. "When we looked through the numbers, we saw that the labour force in December wa...

Fletcher Building can expect a significant financial hit, after revealing they put another $180 million aside for repairs. Costs have blown out on two big projects- Auckland's International Convention Centre and the Wellington International Airport Car Park. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton says this cost blowout is putting a strain on Fletcher's balance. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/li...

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has requested more money from the Government to cover the cost of their vault refurbishments. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains that these underground vaults are quite old and need 'significant' repair. "The Reserve Bank has warned the new Finance Minister, Nicola Willis, that it's going to need quite a bit of money to upgrade the vaults...

Simplicity are calling for Fletcher Building's board and management to be scrutinised further. Fletcher's stock has dropped following a multi-million dollar cost blowout on two big projects in Auckland and Wellington. Managing director Sam Stubbs says they called for the chair's resignation two years ago- and action hasn't been taken. "In those two years, the directors paid themselves $4 million i...

The Government has unveiled their promised law and order crackdown. Section 27 reports and Labour's prison reduction targets have been thrown on the scrap heap, and sentencing discounts have been capped at 40 percent. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper approves of taxpayer-funded 'cultural reports' being brought down. "Doing away with the reports doesn't stop friends and family writing...

In the US, a Michigan woman has become the first parent convicted of manslaughter over their child's shooting. Ethan Crumbley is serving life in prison for killing four classmates in 2021. Today his mother, Jennifer Crumbley, has been found guilty of negligence in letting her son have a gun, and ignoring warnings signs of his mental health. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says this case was the fi...

Activist and iwi leader Mike Smith has won the right to sue the likes of Fonterra for their role in causing climate change, in a Supreme Court ruling delivered this morning. He wants them to either stop polluting, or start bringing emissions down quickly. Greenpeace Executive Director Russel Norman says it means Fonterra may have to pay for some of the harm they're causing. "Climate pollution mean...

King Charles' cancer diagnosis is casting doubt on his future role. The Palace reports he will continue official duties until further notice. Sydney University Constitutional Law expert Anne Twomey says what duties he performs, remain within his control at this stage. But she says if he becomes incapacitated, decisions will move to his spouse Queen Camilla, two Parliamentary officials and two peop...

I'm pleasantly surprised - aren’t you? - by how things went at Waitangi this year. There were no dildos, no mud, no manhandling, there were no ugly scenes and none of the stuff that many of us were probably expecting. Given what’s happened in the past, and how much more tense it was predicted to be this year, because of the Government's Māori related policies. Instead, things were handled exactly...

There's concerns the unemployment rate will rise more. Stats NZ released its labour market update for the December quarter today, with unemployment up to four percent. 3000 more people were unemployed than in the previous quarter, hitting 122,000. Employers and Manufacturers Association Advocacy head, Alan McDonald, says many members called them about restructuring and redundancies in late 2023. "...

The Government has released a slew of law and order changes, in line with its 100-day plan. Cultural reports have been scrapped, alongside Labour's targets to reduce prison populations by 30 percent. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says their target is to reduce the number of people victimised by violent crime. "We're making it crystal clear to the whole system- we're on about public safety, not s...

Criticism of crowded Auckland school buses from worried North Shore parents. Video footage has shown a bus meant to carry about 40, appearing packed with about 100 kids. Some were standing on seat backs, grabbing a handrail. One mum, Evelyn Araujo, says just braking could be disastrous. "Students can stand on the bus, that's normal. What is not normal is having over 60 kids standing on the bus, ta...

Parking charges for some SUVs are set to triple, following a recent landmark vote. This is the latest move by Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo to make the city greener and friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists ahead of the Paris Olympics. The election had a low turnout - 5.7 percent - but over 54 percent of voters supported the change. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says these increased fees apply to ca...

Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! It's been a fiery start to the Waitangi Day event, with protestors heckling Winston Peters and David Seymour and the new Government being called 'spiders' and 'a den of lions' by Kelvin Davis. Will this sway anybody...

Fletcher Building has delivered grim news of a $180 million dollar hit to accounts on two big projects. Costs for Auckland's International Convention Centre are up another $165 million, and a Wellington car park's tally has risen $15 million. The company's half-year results are due out next Wednesday. Jarden's Grant Swanepoel says this is the fourth concerning financial 'surprise' from Fletcher in...

The Prime Minister's speech seems to have done little to soothe anxieties at Waitangi. Chris Luxon and his delegation of National, ACT and New Zealand First MPs gave addresses at the Treaty Grounds today. Tensions are high over ACT's Treaty Principles Bill, which has coalition support to select committee stage. ZB senior political reporter Sophie Trigger says interestingly - Luxon's speech totally...

KiwiSaver providers are turning away from controversial companies, instead gravitating towards ethical ones. Data from Mindful Money shows several of the largest KiwiSaver providers have reduced their investment in companies with a harmful output. In the six months to September last year, there's been a 72 percent drop in investment in tobacco companies, a 35 percent reduction in weapons, and a 29...

Finance Minister Nicola Willis is stressing the importance of open discussion on the evening before Waitangi Day. The Government is facing anger and concern over the proposed Treaty Principles Bill, with David Seymour and Winston Peters being heckled during today's speeches. Nicola Willis says the gathering in Waitangi left room for a range of approaches- but most people have been peaceful. "There...

The Grammy's Song of the Year award has gone to Billie Eilish and Finneas - for the Barbie track 'What Was I Made For?'. Eilish has thanked director Greta Gerwig for making the best movie of the year. It's the pair's second songwriting award, after winning with 'Bad Guy' in 2020. KTLA entertainment correspondent Sam Rubin says it was a big night for the entertainment industry. LISTEN ABOVE  See om...

Hawke's Bay leaders say they're in the dark on when money from a special Lotto appeal will be dished out. More than $10 million raised by the draw set up in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle has sat unspent with the Department of Internal Affairs for nearly a year. It expects there'll be action this month. Chair of the Hawkes Bay Fruitgrowers' Charitable Trust, Brydon Nisbet, says he didn't even...