Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The Black Caps remain optimistic about their chances in the ODI series against Pakistan, despite being down 2-nil. In both one-dayers, the hosts have chased down New Zealand's set total, winning by five and seven wickets respectively. First ball in the third ODI is at 10:30pm this evening. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

The US corporate earnings season is still underway- and AI may be impacting investments. Companies across America have been dropping more references and concepts relating to the widespread use of AI, particularly within the tech sector.  Milford Asset Management Portfolio Manager Felix Fok says Google, Meta, Microsoft and Amazon are investing more into AI-generated advertising and assistance aimed...

KiwiRail's boss has admitted to dropping the ball in their handling of Wellington track maintenance. Over the past three days, a 70 kilometre speed limit has been slapped on Wellington train lines, roughly cutting the frequency of services in half. It's due to issues in scheduling maintenance outside of the track's compliance period and their only specialist track evaluation car breaking down last...

Air New Zealand has received a bad batch of aviation fuel for the third time since the Marsden Point refinery shut down. It arrived in Wellington from overseas and meant airlines had to tanker in more fuel to get flights completed. Board of Airline Representatives New Zealand Executive Director Cath O'Brien says we are highly reliant on oil being properly checked. She says this wasn't as much a pr...

NZME and The Warehouse Group have joined forces to create a unique online shopping experience. The new online channel- Selection Live Shopping- will host live shopping events with radio host Mike Puru every Tuesday at 12:30pm, showcasing a wide range of products. NZME Chief Digital and Publishing Officer Carolyn Luey says this channel is designed to be an immersive new shopping experience combinin...

New Zealand's unemployment rate has remained at 3.4 percent, a near record low. In the March 2023 quarter,  the employment rate increased to 69.5 percent and labour force participation rate increased to 72 per cent- both the highest recorded since the survey began. EMA Head of Advocacy and Strategy Alan McDonald says the market is still tight, as reflected by the inflation rate, wages and EMA surv...

A constitutional law expert has explained why Meka Whaitiri remains a sitting MP, despite legislation stopping party waka-jumping. She's crossing the floor to run as Te Pāti Māori's candidate in her Ikaroa-Rawhiti seat this October, quitting Labour. Speaker Adrian Rurawhe has ruled she'll now be an independent MP, for Parliamentary purposes. Otago University law professor Andrew Geddis says how th...

One of the country's top church officials is looking for a new job, so he can afford a house. Christchurch's Anglican Dean, Lawrence Kimberley lives rent-free in a clergy house - with a stipend of $50,000 a year. He's held the job since 2015, but has now decided to pursue a new career, aged 61, so he can earn enough before he retires. "We've got good retirement income coming up with the pension fr...

Former President Donald Trump said it was 'great to be home' as he touched down in Scotland. Trump visited his golf properties and attended a ceremony at his at his Aberdeenshire resort to break ground on a new course. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Trump's Scottish connection comes from his mother's side of the family and notes Joe Biden addressed the Irish Parliament the same way. Enda Brady s...

Tonight on The Huddle, current affairs commentator Josie Pagani and independent journalist Clare de Lore joined in on a discussion about the following issues- and more! Who's going to swear allegiance to King Charles this weekend? Is this out of touch? Immigration NZ has admitted to using dawn raid tactics- in 2023. How is this acceptable, especially after the public apology from two years ago?  T...

The Australian Reserve Bank has taken economists by surprise and lifted key interest rates. Australia's OCR has been raised by 25 basis points to 3.85 percent, defying predictions the RBA would pause rate hikes for a second month. HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham was surprised by this increase, as he expected the RBA would extend the pause to assess the impact of earlier hikes on the economy. "If...

Federated Farmers have voiced their opposition to the Ute Tax increase announced this morning. The group's transport spokesperson has claimed farmers don't have reliable alternatives to utes for towing equipment and safely getting around their land. The Country's Jamie Mackay says it's ironic that the Government would try to take down wealthy New Zealanders one week and subsidise them into Teslas...

Months on from Cyclone Gabrielle, no-one is willing to discuss a course of action for all the red-stickered homes. An expert from BusinessDesk is suggesting these affected homeowners could be the 'canary in the mine' for the future of long-term managed retreat. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie says whatever ends up happening to the affected residents will become a template for the fut...

The Government has made some tweaks to the Clean Car Discount Scheme. The changes announced include narrowing the focus to more fuel-efficient vehicles earlier, increasing fees, adjusting eligibility and reducing rebates. ZB's senior political correspondent Barry Soper says these changes are another example of the current Government announcing a scheme and having to overhaul it when it didn't work...

The Warriors have named the key members to play in their Magic Round squad for Sunday's match against Penrith in Brisbane. Warriors skipper Tohu Harris and fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad have both been confirmed, but they'll likely have to prove their fitness over the course of this week. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

The Australian Government says a proposed ban on recreational vapes is long overdue. It's looking to make them prescription only, and limit flavours and colours. The Federal Health Minister Mark Butler also announced a five percent hike to the tobacco tax. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the Minister is pushing back on claims vapes are mostly used to quit smoking. "They are full of chemi...

The sugar hit many businesses received during the pandemic is starting to wear off. Company liquidations are on the rise again as the Covid-related protections that once shielded businesses are subsiding. Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association chair Kare Johnstone says the number of liquidations from the first quarter of 2023 is 265, up 29 percent from early 2022. "While liquidations...

The Hawke's Bay region is calling out for more Government assistance following Cyclone Gabrielle. A report has found the area will have ongoing economic losses of $3.5 billion dollars over the next 10 years if no support arrives immediately. Rockit Apples chair John Loughlin says they'd like $750 million dollars to help with clean ups and replanting efforts. He says if they don't get help, the res...

A new tool for working parents has gone live today. The NZ Parental Leave Register features policies from almost 200 Kiwi employers, making it the largest database of parental leave information in the country. Founder Stephanie Pow says they have some big name employers on board with it. "We've got 8 of the 10 largest employers in New Zealand, but also we've got employers with anywhere to 4 employ...

A fourth man has been found not guilty in connection to the drugging and sexual assault of women at a central Christchurch bar, following a 2018 investigation. The man was accused of sexually violating a women he met at the bar. The Herald's Anna Leask says Judge Paul Mabey weighed up everything put before him at the Christchurch District Court today. "There was too much reasonable doubt for him....

An original member of the Polynesian Panthers says she's not surprised the dawn raid tactic is still being used. Immigration New Zealand's confirmed it has had eighteen interactions during night-time hours in the past ten months. That's despite the Government apologising two years ago for the infamous dawn raids in the 1970s. Melani Anae says this aligns with what she's been hearing. "Well, I've h...

A Christchurch business owner is expressing frustration at the disruption created by maintenance. For the last four weeks, traffic management and road cones have been set up outside the Vehicles Under $6990 dealership. According to the Council, this is being done to fix waterworks. Owner Hamish Cross has observed that work on this project has only taken place during one six hour period over the co...

I'm not going to be pledging my allegiance to King Charles during his coronation on Sunday night. What a cringe of an idea . And what a weird misstep from the palace. Because everything else in the coronation seems pretty on point with modern times. It's a cost of living crisis so they're going small for the coronation. They've got diversity , they’ve got a black baroness and heaps of women partic...

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss is disputing a £12,000 bill relating to her use of the Chevening country house in Kent. This bill covers her use of Chevening house during 2022, when she was foreign secretary and preparing to be leader of the Conservative Party. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the rules are clear about what can be claimed back by those who had access to Chevening and Truss is bein...

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Kaine Thompson, former Labour Press Secretary joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The Government is placing a toll charge onto Penlink, the arterial line connecting State Highway 1 to the Whangaparāoa Peninsula. Is it fair to toll this road, on top of the regional fuel tax.  A rapid review has be...