Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Organisers of the South Island's 100 kilometre Ultra Marathon are shocked by reaction to their prize. CJM’s Events is offering $10,000 to the first person to do the event in under eight hours. But it's met widespread criticism around the world, with allegations of sexism and threats of a mass boycott. Owner John Moore says they hoped to celebrate a record breaking achievement this year, by either...

The Green Party says if Immigration barred an anti trans activist entering New Zealand, it would prevent a lot of violence and hassle. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, aka Posie Parker is planning speaking events in Auckland and Wellington this weekend. She has a history of extreme anti-trans statements, and at an appearance in Melbourne over the weekend far right supporters chanted and threw Nazi salute...

A bitter end to a custody fight over a Maori child, whose Pakeha foster family has given up an ongoing legal battle. Stuff reports Oranga Tamariki three times took the girl, nicknamed Moana, before she was three before putting her with the couple. After four years, Oranga Tamariki then placed her with a Wellington Maori family, saying the couple couldn't meet her 'cultural needs'. Whanau Ora Commi...

Donald Trump is riling up his base by saying he'll be arrested tomorrow. It's believed the former US President is talking about the years-long investigation into a hush money scheme involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels. US trial attorney Randy Zelin says this is just fanfare from Trump. He says former presidents are offered the opportunity to "surrender". "You walk into the courthouse, you...

Right, I'm going to tell you a story that makes me incredibly sad. And I want to know whether you think we’re doing things right in this country. Today, the family of Moana have announced they’re going to give her up because fighting to keep her is too stressful. Moana is a little girl, about seven or eight years old. Authorities took her away from her mum when she was three and placed her with a...

What is the point in demoting Stuart Nash down the Cabinet rankings, but leaving him in all his ministerial portfolios?  Is anybody actually going to buy this charade of a punishment?  The only thing that's happened to him today is that there is now a 20 in front of his name instead of an 11, which might give him a slightly bruised ego because he’s the lowest ranked Cabinet minster now. But otherw...

Auckland's domestic airport is facing their biggest redevelopment since the terminal opened 57 years ago. Plans have been signed off to merge the domestic and international terminals and have them sit under one roof. The new airport will include 12 new domestic gates and a shorter - and covered - walk between terminals. Auckland Airport’s chief executive Carrie Hurihanganui says the existing termi...

A concern Auckland Transport isn't focusing on the right things. Seven Auckland railway stations are getting new names, including the city’s busiest train station, Britomart. The Taxpayer's Union says it seems there are too many comms staff and not enough engineers at the agency. Executive Director Jordan Williams says there are so many other problems worth fixing. He says there is a bus driver sh...

Chris Hipkins has demoted Stuart Nash after his numerous breaches of the Cabinet manual. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Nash knows where the skeletons are, and if he was fired from Cabinet, he could go feral. "He'd have nothing to lose and he could bring the Government down in a screaming heap, and that's the last thing Chris Hipkins would want."  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.co...

The Pentagon has de-classified footage showing Russian fighter jets downing an American drone. Earlier in the week, the US claimed the Russian jets forced it to crash over the Black Sea by clipping its wing - something Russia denied. US correspondent Katherine Firkin says it backs up America's side of the story. Firkin says in a way Washington has called Moscow's bluff by releasing the footage. LI...

A tech expert says banning TikTok from MP's phones is reasonable. New Zealand Parliament is following the lead of international partners and banning the TikTok app from MP's work phones, over national security fears. Technology commentator Bill Bennett says it has access to location and phone contact data, so it could be a security risk. "Basically, the Chinese law is that any data TikTok collects...

New research says the country needs to slash resource consent processing times to meet emissions targets. Resource consent processing times have gone up by 150 percent in eight years, which has added to the increased costs of projects. The Infrastructure Consenting for Climate Targets report says New Zealand is on track to incur an emissions liability of $7 billion by 2050. Infrastructure Commissi...

No guarantee there won't be fresh revelations about Stuart Nash tomorrow, next week or the one after. The Napier MP's been in hot water after it was revealed he'd breached the Cabinet Manual twice, over comments made on Newstalk ZB. After resigning the police portfolio, he's now dropped to the lowest Cabinet ranking, after the Prime Minister became aware of a third indiscretion. Former MP Peter Du...

After spending two years in custody awaiting trial, a man has been found not guilty by a jury in less than an hour. Barney Mackie of Kaipara was charged with one count of rape and one of administering ecstasy following an alleged incident in Paparoa in 2021. Criminal Defence Lawyer Steve Cullen says he doubts he is entitled to compensation. "He would have had multiple bail hearings, but the only t...

The economy's slightly weaker than economists and the Reserve Bank expected. New GDP figures show a 0.6 percent contraction for the December quarter, compared to a two percent increase for September's. All major banks predicted a slump despite the Central Bank predicting a 0.7 lift. ASB economist Nathaniel Keall says the warning signs were there. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

I don’t understand why Chris Hipkins didn’t just fire Stuart Nash from all of his portfolios yesterday. He should’ve.  I have not seen anyone else defending Nash, every single commentator I've seen and heard on the radio and in the papers this morning has said the same thing : He’s got to lose all the portfolios .  When he breached the cabinet manual he didn’t breach it as Police Minister, he brea...

Auckland's Mayor doesn't want to go halves on the bill for Auckland's City Rail link cost blowout. The team's asked for an extra billion dollars, to be split evenly by Council and Government. Wayne Brown says he want to get as much out of the Government as he can. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he's not keen for the Council to pony up. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

National says there's no way Stuart Nash can keep his ministerial warrant with the reveal of another historical botch-up. Deputy leader Nicola Willis told Heather Du-Plessis Allan that it's clear what needs to happen now. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a squabble among former and current Australian Labour MPs over the country's AUKUS deal. It's buying three US nuclear submarines under its new deal with the US and the UK. Former Prime Minister Paul Keating is labelling the deal the worst international decision since trying to bring in conscription. Australian correspondent Murray Olds told Heather du Plessis-Allan that Keating is arguing...

Cabinet minister Stuart Nash is set to come under further pressure amid revelations the Solicitor General had considered prosecuting him for contempt over public comments he had made after the arrest of Eli Epiha in the case of the killing of police constable Matthew Hunt. Newstalk ZB Senior Political correspondent Barry Soper exclusively revealed the earlier occasion, which led to Nash being form...

A Russian aircraft has been intercepted by the RAF and German air force in a joint NATO mission. This was the first mission of its kind after the Russian jet was intercepted near NATO airspace. This interception comes after a Russian fighter jet collided with a US drone, causing conflict between both nations. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the relationship between NATO and Russia had been more t...

Tonight on the Huddle, David Farrar from Kiwiblog and Curia and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day: Stuart Nash has resigned from his role as Police Minister following his comments about our justice system's response to crime on Newstalk ZB. Was this the right decision? Who do we think should take over as Police Ministe...

The fourth quarter GDP figures are set to be released by Stats NZ tomorrow. After the third quarter's 2 percent growth, the Reserve Bank is forecasting the next quarterly GDP growth to be at 0.7 percent. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen is among the many economists predicting a drop in growth instead. Brad Olsen says growth will have stayed flat or dropped as low as -0.2 percent, as reta...

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has sparked concerns about the banking sector. The US Federal Reserve has stepped in to ensure depositors are protected from losing their assets, but people still have long-term fears about the banks. Milford Asset Management Portfolio Manager Frances Sweetman says this collapse was likely a one-off issue with this specific bank. Frances Sweetman says a combinat...

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced Monday that a public consultation to clarify the difference between contractors employees would be deferred. The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) is disappointed, with CTU secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges saying it would harm misclassified contractors struggling with the cost of living crisis. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says the unions...