Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Warehouse employees have expressed outrage over a new promotion led by the retail giant. The 'ring the bell' giveaway scheme involved staff offering lucky customers $100 off their purchase on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. First Union acting secretary Bill Bradford says workers are frustrated that the company could find money for this promo- but not pay rises. "They see the owner of the st...

A panel of judges are reconsidering the David Tamihere double murder conviction 33 years on. His case is being heard in the Court of Appeal. Tamihere was convicted of killing two Swedish tourists in 1989, and released on parole in 2010. Open Justice reporter Ethan Griffiths says it's being claimed the convictions were predominantly based on circumstantial evidence. "Tamihere's lawyer essentially t...

ACT Leader David Seymour says the Public Interest Journalism Fund was silly policy. Deputy Prime Minister Winton Peters yesterday accused media of being bribed by the previous Government's $55 million fund. Today he asked reporters to tell the public what they had to sign up to, to get the money. Seymour says he doesn't believe the media was distorted by the money. "The idea that all the journalis...

Hundreds of prominent Australians have come together to condemn anti-Semitism in an open letter. State premiers, industry leaders, athletes and media personalities have signed the double-page letter, which appeared in newspapers across the country. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says anti-Semitic incidents have been on the rise in Australia since the October attack by Hamas. LISTEN ABOVE   S...

The Black Caps are bowling first in the opening cricket test against hosts Bangladesh in Sylhet. Moments ago, Bangladesh were 20 without loss, with New Zealand having a couple of early LBW shouts turned down and burning a review on one of them. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Tauranga gallery's property manager has asked it to remove posters of Palestinian art from its window. A member of the public complained about the exhibition at Kūwao Space. Co-owner Tawahinga Butt says they moved the posters - but now want to change sites. He says he shouldn't have had to move the signs. "It's a bit of an over-reach, it's not included in our tenancy agreement at all that we can...

Royal biographer Omid Scobie is set to reveal the secret scandals within the British royal family. 'Endgame' is due on shelves come November 28th, and some newly-released excerpts have got the public talking. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the book is meant to examine the fraught relationships within the royal family. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The new Government has copped some backlash over their new changes to smoking laws in order to fund their anticipated tax cuts? Is this criticism justified? Now that the coalition agreements have wrapped up- did National...

Some of America's most successful business figures are set to arrive in Auckland for the upcoming US Business Summit. Experts from major companies like PepsiCo and Amazon will gather in this half of the world to discuss New Zealand's evolving direction. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan explains the topics that will be covered within these discussions. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/liste...

The new Prime Minister says he intends to hit the ground running. Chris Luxon was officially sworn in at Government House this morning, alongside his ministerial colleagues. He says Cabinet will meet tomorrow and Wednesday in order to prepare the first 100 day action plan. ZB political editor Jason Walls says the next week will be focused on laying out their long-term and short-term political goal...

Retirement village operators claim that a proposed change in regulations governing the sector will put smaller facilities out of business. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development aims to make it mandatory for retirement villages to buy back units from the residents within a year after they vacate them. Retirement Village Residents Association president Brian Peat says a clearly defined timef...

National's Nicola Willis is ready to get stuck in after receiving her ministerial warrant. The newly sworn in Finance Minister plans to spend her first few days working on fiscal and economic updates in order to address the current economic climate. She says the outgoing Labour Government left her with several fiscal cliffs and risks to mitigate. "There's programs that they had ongoing that they j...

A push from Auckland Transport to get more people on bikes, as the Council discusses cutting cycle lane spending. Wayne Brown's proposed cutting some funding, including only delivering cycleways when AT can make them 'cheaper'. AT Chief Executive Dean Kimpton says he understands why some people aren't yet using two wheels. He says they need to find ways to make it more attractive. "To be fair, for...

A member of the Defence Strategic Review  is offering his resignation to the new minister, and thinks all political appointees should do the same. Judith Collins became Defence Minister this morning, and Sir Don McKinnon has already written to her. He says he was appointed by a Labour Minister, and every minister should be entitled to appoint someone different if they choose. "One, it's the right...

Egypt, Qatar and the US are calling for Gaza's ceasefire to be extended. The four-day pause in fighting is due to end tomorrow night, our time. Hamas has so far released three groups of hostages and a number of Palestinians have been freed from Israeli prisons. Israeli Defence Force spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus says Hamas is signalling it's willing to hand over 10 more civilia...

Health experts are raising the alarm over the potential cost of repealing smoke-free laws. The new Government is dumping legislation that aims to have five percent of people smoking - or less - by 2025. That includes laws to lower nicotine in cigarettes, reduce retailers and ban the next generation taking up smoking. Health Coalition co-chair Lisa Te Morenga says modelling shows it'll be a huge mi...

Terminally ill people located in New South Wales will be able to be legally permitted to end their own lives from tomorrow. This new legislation makes NSW the last Australian state to introduce voluntary assisted dying (VAD) to eligible patients.  Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says there is a pre-existing list of conditions that determines one's eligibility for VAD. LISTEN ABOVE See omn...

New Zealand Rugby's provincial unions are preparing to give the governing body's executive leadership a corporate rucking at a meeting on December 8. They've signed a document acknowledging the results of an independent review which found the sport's governance structure unfit for purpose. Sportstalk host Jason Pine reveals what NZ Rugby plans to address in this review. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio...

Secondary school teachers warn that the ongoing teacher shortage is set to worsen as recruitment declines. A recent survey revealed 16 percent of principals had to cancel classes due to dwindling staff, and the sector is relying on foreign-trained teachers and teachers over the age of 65. Reports also show the number of secondary teaching students has halved since 2010. Secondary Principals' Assoc...

New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters has got his wish when it comes to a broader Covid inquiry. National's coalition deal with the party has agreed to look into the use of lockdowns, vaccine efficacy and whether decisions were justified. Peters told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he wants to have it finished by the end of next year.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

Police are confirming threatening emails sent to numerous organisations were bomb threats. Police say the emails went to more than 70 schools, hospitals and worship sites, but they appear to be the same emails, from the same source, and don't pose any actual threat. They were sent from overseas but the Cybercrime unit is yet to determine an exact location. Assistant Police Commissioner Naila Hassa...

Chris Luxon is adamant his tax cuts will be delivered as promised, when promised. A coalition deal's now been signed and Luxon becomes the Prime Minister on Monday. National's promised plan for tax cuts now has a hole of 740-million-dollars a year, after New Zealand First vetoed a foreign buyers' tax. Luxon told Heather du Plessis Allan that 100-million dollars will be raised by changing fees free...

Promised tax cuts proposed by National are to go ahead following the coalition deal signed earlier today.   Newstalk ZB’s Political Editor Jason Walls spoke to Heather du-Plessis Allan as questions arise on how it will be funded following the scrapping of the foreign home buyers tax.   He said "It seems at this stage we don’t have an answer” on how the government will find the money to fund the in...

Veteran anti-Islam populist leader Geert Wilders has won a dramatic victory in the Dutch general election. Wilders has proven to be a controversial presence, having called for mosques and the Koran to be banned and speaking out against migration  UK correspondent Enda Brady says Wilders had previously been considered a joke candidate- but he manged to bring down his polarising views ahead of the e...

Tonight on The Huddle, Neale Jones from Government relations firm Capital and Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! After 40 days, we're finally on the verge of reaching a coalition deal. ACT, National and NZ First have agreed on policies, ministerial positions, processes and the new Deputy PM. Will it all be worth the wait? O...