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Kiwifruit marketer Zespri has shocked growers with an announcement that they won't be paying them out for February.  Zespri stated that fruit quality issues from the 2022 season created additional costs for them to factor in. Zespri Chief Grower Carol Ward says that 2022 has been a challenging season for kiwifruit and other produce, and the fruit quality issues impacted on their returns. Carol say...

Signs re-establishing the former Whanganui town of Maxwell as Pākaraka were torn down hours after their installation. The Whanganui District Council supported the application and assisted with community consultation after the change was proposed, as the name Maxwell had a controversial history.  The signs were put up following a ceremony last Saturday, but were found ripped down hours after the fa...

The 2023 Oscar nominations were released today, and six Kiwis are currently up for awards. Sound engineer Michael Hedges is among them, having been nominated for the 'Best Sound' award for Avatar: The Way Of Water. Hedges says he and the rest of the Avatar sound team have spent the day celebrating and receiving support from well-wishers and they look forward to the ceremony. "It's amazing, you get...

A young person living in Oranga Tamariki's care was discovered to have been living in a motel for 600 days.  Further reporting has also revealed other young people in state care were living in motels for up to 200 days, as no suitable alternatives could be found. Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency Chair, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, says that allowing these young people to live in motels is not the ideal s...

An economist says the only good news on today's inflation rate is it didn't rise higher. Consumer Price Index data for the final quarter of 2022 shows inflation rose 7.2 percent annually, unchanged from the September quarter. Housing and household utilities, followed by food, were the largest contributors. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says it's a surprise the rate didn't fall. LISTEN...

Former US President Donald Trump holds the lead over President Joe Biden, according to a hypothetical poll released by Emerson College. 44 percent of voters have stood behind Trump, as opposed to the 41 percent who backed Joe Biden. The remaining voters didn't favour either candidate. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says this poll doesn't prove much for the state of the 2024 election, as more Repu...

Black Fern Ruby Tui won't return for the upcoming Super Rugby Aupiki, which kicks off in a month. Ruby Tui's manager has confirmed Ruby Tui plans on being behind the commentators microphone working for Sky Sport for the time being. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave says that Ruby Tui hasn't announced if she plans on quitting the sport or if this is just a temporary break.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystu...

Calls for harsher alcohol restrictions in Australia's Northern Territory. Reports of domestic violence and crime have soared since a law banning alcohol consumption in town camps in Alice Springs expired last July. Australian PM Anthony Albanese has recently banned selling takeaway booze on Monday and Tuesday and restricted sales hours for the rest of the week. Alice Springs mayor, Matt Paterson s...

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has orderd an investigation into Tory chair Nadhim Zahawi's tax affairs. Nadhim Zahawi sold his former polling company YouGov several years ago and pocketed millions of pounds in shares, but it came to light that he never put the shares on his tax return. He eventually settled the amount last weekend and paid the additional fines, but Rishi Sunak has ordered an invest...

The Country's Jamie Mackay hiked the Milford Track last Thursday- as Jacinda Ardern announced her resignation. Jamie Mackay described this experience as an interesting one, as the group of 50 hikers entered a point of 'digital darkness' 20 minutes after the initial announcement. By the time the group had made it to Milford Sound on Sunday, Chris Hipkins was confirmed to be replacing Jacinda Ardern...

The Reserve Bank is set to make their next OCR announcement in a month, and predictions say it'll make a 75 basis point hike. This will take the OCR to 5 percent, but economists are wondering if that will be the ceiling for rate hikes.  HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham speculates that this upcoming rate hike may be the last one we're faced with for a while because the economy is already starting...

Incoming Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has made the business sector and the economy the focus of his Government. His first address promised to handle the inflation 'pandemic', and he plans on meeting with Auckland business leaders on Thursday after he's been sworn in. EMA Chief Executive Brett O'Riley says Chris Hipkins need to understand the cost impacts of Government policies at a time where marg...

Today on the Huddle: David Farrar, Kiwiblog writer and Curia pollster and Kaine Thompson, former Labour Press Secretary joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Were Chris Luxon's comments on co-governance at Rātana appropriate? Is today the right time for National to be transparent about their stance on co-governance? Do you think farmers will listen to Fonterra'...

Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck says the best thing local startups can do is get out of New Zealand- for a while. According to Beck, it's important for Kiwi entrepreneurs to get global context and that the nation's infamous 'tall poppy syndrome' problem can hold founders back when it comes to success.   Peter Beck says it's important for entrepreneurs to see if their idea is world-class by taking it...

A concerned group of residents in Auckland's Beach Haven district have come together to voice their issues surrounding plans to build apartments in the area. The group, 'We Oppose The Cresta Ave Beach Haven Development' have met to discuss stopping this development, as they're concerned about "bedroom commuters" setting up in the region. Leader and spokesperson Crispin Robertson says the Beach Hav...

Brac and Bow duty manager Debbie Sinclair was in for a surprise when UK-based superstar Ed Sheeran paid a visit to the pub. The Featherston local and pub duty manager was on duty and told a customer that he resembled the singer before checking his ID and noticing the customer wasn't a doppelganger at all. According to Sinclair, it took seeing the ID a couple of times and her boss pointing it out b...

Data from the Westpac McDermott Miller Regional Survey confirms that economic confidence is at a new low. Auckland is the least confident overall, but most regions around the country aren't feeling optimistic about what 2023 has in store. Westpac senior economist Nathan Penny says that inflation has driven up living costs and interest rates and that 2023 is set to fix the over-heated economy, but...

National leader Chris Luxon used his appearance at Rātana to reaffirm his party's stance against co-governance. During his speech, Luxon said the co-governance debate has been an increasing poor discussion and he blamed the current Government for not being "upfront or transparent" on the subject. Chris Luxon says that today's Rātana event was an appropriate opportunity to talk about the co-governa...

Jacinda Ardern delivered her final address as Prime Minister at Rātana earlier today. Ardern said that it was symbolic on her part to speak at Rātana on her last day as Prime Minister, as her 2018 appearance at Rātana was her first public appearance following her pregnancy announcement. Barry Soper, ZB's senior political correspondent says there was mass support from the rest of the Labour party f...

Australian PM has touched down in Alice Springs amid a wave of crime and violence in the area. Alice Springs has reported an uptick in assaults and home invasions, with the crime wave being fuelled by long-term alcohol sale bans expiring and not being renewed over the last six months. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says that alcohol-related assaults have gone up by 53 percent in Alice Spring...

The Black Caps have had an unimpressive start in the ODI series, having lost to India on Saturday. The final score was 108 in 3.43 overs to 11-2 in 20.1 overs to India and New Zealand were at 15- 5 towards the first half, a historically low start for the Black Caps. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave says tonight's match may give them a chance to turn things around. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/...

Fonterra has ordered dairy farmers to stop killing bobby calves unless they have a humane reason to do so. From June 2023, all non-replacement bobby calves are required to be raised for beef, veal, or pet food supply in order to adhere to consumer guarantee standards surrounding the treatment of calves. Farming expert Dr Jacqueline Rowarth says that Fonterra has ordered this in order to ensure tha...

Prince Andrew plans to launch a legal case against accuser Virginia Guiffree in order to overturn the previous settlement. After receiving an inheritance from Queen Elizabeth II's passing, Prince Andrew consulted lawyers in order to get Guiffree's allegations of sexual abuse retracted. UK correspondent Kay Oliver says that the lawyers Prince Andrew consulted have advised him to forget the whole th...

Federated Farmers are requesting a Government inquiry into the flooding and destroyed infrastructure left by Cyclone Hale. They claim that farmers located in the Gisbourne area are dealing with extra damage from slash and residual materials from forestry harvesting after Cyclone Hale hit earlier in the month. Federated Farmers national board member Toby Williams says the slash from harvesting is b...

The Mānuka Honey Appellation Society have withdrawn legal action in the UK to trademark the word mānuka, but have promised the campaign isn't over. Australian honey producers have been using the mānuka banner to sell their honey and claimed victory over the withdrawn appeal.  Mānuka Honey Appellation Society CEO John Rawcliffe says that the Australian honey producers have jumped the gun by celebra...