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Rising interest rates and a cooling housing market are hard on sellers, but the property downturn maybe over soon. Property research company CoreLogic confirms that mortgage rates are starting to stabilise and total listings are coming down, despite the latest OCR hike. CoreLogic chief property economist Kelvin Davidson says stock on the market is coming down, net migration has picked up and the l...

Much like in New Zealand, Australians are also facing dangerously long public surgery wait times with a need for more doctors. ABC analysis has found public surgery waiting lists can be up to six years in Tasmania. Australian Correspondent Murray Olds says private healthcare is quicker, but many people can't afford it. "What's the answer? They say throw more money at the public hospital system and...

Dunedin's mayor says the town will notice the loss from hundreds of redundancies at Otago University. The University is looking at making several hundred staff redundant, to help reduce its annual operating budget by $60 million. Enrolments have fallen - down 670 domestic students on last year. Voluntary redundancies are being offered next week, with more to follow. Mayor Jules Radich says it's li...

A prediction the Reserve Bank is unlikely to cut the Official Cash Rate, despite inflation easing. Inflation increased 6.7 percent in the year to March, dipping from 7.2 percent December. Westpac Senior Economist Michael Gordon says it'll be down to easing international pressures on things like shipping prices. He thinks the Reserve Bank won't yet relax the OCR yet, which is now sitting on 5.25. "...

The Police Commissioner says sending in officers without hard body armour to end the anti-mandate protest at Parliament last year was a fine balance, but he stands by it. The Independent Police Conduct Authority has today released its report, finding overall police served the public well. Commissioner Andrew Coster says the day started with 300 protesters, but ended with only about 100 rioting. "I...

At least one Restore Passenger Rail activist has been protesting again while on bail for an earlier protest. Four Restore Passenger Rail protesters glued themselves to Wellington's Adelaide Road this morning before police peeled them off. Four people were charged on Monday after blocking the Terrace Tunnel. Protester Rosemary Penwarden says they don't plan to pause protest action any time soon. "I...

This IPCA report into how police handled the Parliamentary protest last year is not good for Andrew Coster. Frontline police come out of this really well, they clearly did the best they could in really difficult situations. When you read this report and listen again to what happened that day, the bricks being hurled at police, the violence of that hard-line crowd left at the end - it’s hard not to...

Public broadcasters across Europe have accused Russia of planning to sabotage wind farms and communication cables in the North Sea. A joint investigation by media outlets in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland says Russia have a fleet of vessels disguised as fishing trawlers carrying surveillance equipment. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says these reports include input from a Danish counter-intellig...

Tonight on The Huddle, independent journalist Clare de Lore and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following topics- and more! The NZOC has expressed early interest in hosting the 2034 Commonwealth Games- can New Zealand afford this? Is this a good idea? Education Minister Jan Tinetti has announced changes to NCEA level 2 and 3 will be delayed, but new literacy and numeracy...

Infometrics predicts tomorrow's inflation data won't show any slowdown in pricing pressures. The Reserve Bank's February forecast put inflation at 7.3, while Infometrics expects inflation to go even higher than that. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen predicts inflation will rise to 7.4 percent, higher than the expected peak. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Over in the US, first quarter earnings reporting season has officially kicked off. Despite many US companies facing a raft of challenges between interest rates, inflation, and banking turmoil, the S&P index is up by 8 percent. Milford Asset Management's Deborah Lambie says analysts are forecasting profits will be down by 6.5 percent, making it the second consecutive quarter of negative growth....

The annual inflation rate is out tomorrow, and it's expected to remain stubbornly high. Westpac economists forecast the annual inflation rate will come in at 6.9 percent, BNZ and Kiwibank predict 7.1 percent and ANZ and ASB economists expect 7.2 percent. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says inflation rates will still be well beyond the Reserve Bank's 1 to 3 percent target ran...

Fox News will pay a $1.26 billion ($787.5 million USD) settlement to Dominion Voting Systems over false election claims. Dominion Voting Systems accused the network of defamation and promoting misinformation about the 2020 US presidential election. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says this seemingly large settlement is 50 percent of what Dominion was expecting to get. Dan Mitchinson also says this...

The New Zealand Olympic Committee has expressed early interest in hosting the 2034 Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games Federation recently allowed the event to operate on a national model rather than city or province, which NZOC has taken into account. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave says years of repurposing, reconstituting, rethinking and recycling will determine whether or not this act...

The National Party today unveiled their proposed policies for the farming sector. Leader Chris Luxon promised to ban foreign investment in farms, to convert to forestry for carbon farming and to remove two agriculture regulations for every new one introduced. National's agriculture spokesperson Todd McClay explained that foreign buyers weren't banned altogether, but they no longer had the option t...

There's soon to be a new non-stop flight service between Christchurch and San Francisco. United Airlines says it'll start the direct flights in December for four months, flying three times a week. There hasn't been a direct connection between the South Island and the US since 2006. Scott Callaway, Christchurch Airport General Manager of Tourism and Trade says it'll open a whole new door for touris...

A zoologist says a man who jumped into the rhino enclosure at Auckland Zoo is lucky to be alive. He climbed over a barrier and plunged into the pond, floating and rinsing his face. The rhinos were startled and moved quickly to the far end of the habitat, where zoo keepers kept them safely away. Zoologist Mark Vette says the man put himself in real danger. "People just don't realise they're very fa...

The Education Minister says delaying NCEA changes has nothing to do with recent strike action by principals. Jan Tinetti today announced new maths and literacy tests will be introduced next year, but other planned changes for NCEA levels two and three will be pushed back a year. She says shifting the timeframes allows breathing room to focus on establishing key skills for students, and it's unrela...

The New Zealand Olympic Committee has today expressed their interest in hosting the 2034 Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games Federation have recently introduced a new hosting model which allows for a more locally tailored sports programme and competition to take place across multiple regions. NZ Olympic Committee chief executive Nicki Nicol says the opportunity to host the Commonwealth Game...

The New Zealand Olympic Committee has signalled early interest in hosting the 2034 Commonwealth Games.  NZOC's chief executive has said it's an 'exciting opportunity for New Zealand Sport.' Barry Soper, ZB's senior political correspondent is against this move, labelling it 'ridiculous'. "This country has a massive problem in terms of debt, in terms of earning and in terms of paying its way in the...

An Auckland Michael Hill has finally closed its doors after multiple ram raid attacks. The Takapuna store's been boarded up since October and is now permanently closing after ten years in the suburb. Takapuna Business Association's Terence Harpur says it was hit about three times over two years. He's sad to see them go. "They just had a really great team, good community feel to it- I mean, they ha...

Rishi Sunak is being investigated by a Parliament watchdog over failure to declare interest. Last month, the Prime Minister was questioned over shares that his wife held in a childcare agency that stood to benefit from the Spring budget. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the UK's parliamentary commissioner for standards will determine if Sunak has broken the rules after an inquiry. LISTEN ABOVE   S...

Tonight on The Huddle, current affairs commentator Josie Pagani and Newstalk ZB's Nick Mills joined in on a discussion about the following topics:  The annual North Canterbury Hunting Competition has caused a bit of a stir by creating a competition encouraging under 14's to kill feral cats. The SPCA is now looking into it- what do we think of this? John Tamihere wrote an opinion piece for Stuff cl...

House prices in New Zealand are still down, but Australia's market is looking quite different. New data out today says New Zealand house prices are down by 12.9 percent, while Australian property prices have gone up nationally for the first time in 11 months. HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham says a key factor is that the RBNZ is more focused on reducing inflation by lifting interest rates than Au...

Beef + Lamb New Zealand are calling for the staged implementation of an agricultural emissions framework. The organisation's new Board Chair, Kate Acland aims to establish robust emissions measuring, with a price on emissions not introduced until outstanding issues are resolved. The Country's Jamie Mackay says Beef + Lamb are concerned about the disproportionate impact on their sector and its ongo...