Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

One New Zealand city may have beaten out Auckland in terms of traffic congestion. Tauranga commuters are increasingly frustrated by traffic jams, with 77 percent of residents acknowledging the problem. Tauranga Chamber of Commerce CEO Matt Cowley says based on the regional GDP, investment hasn't kept up with population growth. "It's just really connecting the Golden Triangle up that has half of Ne...

A man accused of killing Kaikohe Grandmother Linda Woods has had his trial date set for two years from now. Terrence Kiro pleaded not guilty to a manslaughter charge. Criminal Defence Lawyer Marie Dyhrberg says the delays relate to Covid-19 and the workloads of expert witnesses and lawyers. She told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the delays aren't due to a lack of effort. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudi...

Debris from the submersible has been found 500 meters off the bow of the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean. The US Coastguard says that the debris indicate that a catastrophic event occurred, and it’s likely that the five people on board have perished. Director of the Shipbuilding Hub at Adelaide University Eric Fusil told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it's unknown if a proper level of safety was impl...

Gisborne's Mayor says the region is shattered after constant extreme weather events. Welfare centres have been opened as the region remains in a State of Local Emergency, with a Red Heavy Rain Warning in place until midday Sunday. An Orange Heavy Rain Warning is in place for much of Hawke's Bay. State Highway 35 from Gisborne to Ruatoria is now closed overnight, while State Highway 2 is closed bet...

Tomorrow night will crown the winners of Super Rugby Pacific, with the Crusaders versing the Chiefs on their home turf. Crusaders coach Scott Robertson is confident in his team's ability, but says it feels like the end of an era. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that they've had some amazing moments along the way, and that tomorrow is going to be a hell of a match. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/...

Once again, the Pike River families have been utterly vindicated in  t heir battle to get a proper police investigation into what happened inside that mine on the 19 th of November, 2010.  Police have today again revealed that they’ve spotted more bodies using the boreholes they’ve been drilling . This time it was two or three bodies in a crib room area, which they describe as a breakout communal...

It's a race against time as rescuers search for the missing Titan submersible. The exact whereabouts of the submersible and the condition of the five crew members is still unknown- and oxygen is hours away from running out. UK correspondent Enda Brady says even if they pinpoint the exact location of the submersible, it's still 4 kilometres deep in the ocean. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/liste...

Tonight on The Huddle, Infrastructure NZ chief executive Nick Leggett and Radio Hauraki's Matt Heath joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The hunt continues for the submersible missing in the Atlantic Ocean since Sunday. Oxygen supply is running low and it's estimated to run out in a matter of hours. This event has divided the world- is this a tragedy, or did...

The unwinding of Covid-19 is still having an impact on the business sector. Investors have noticed companies have benefitted from the impacts of lockdowns and spikes- and some of their growth is unwinding. Fisher Funds senior portfolio manager Sam Dickie says retailers that worked a spike in demand during lockdowns into their prices are feeling the 'sting in the tail'. "A good example of that is t...

At least 18 Kiwis are set to compete in the four-day 2023 Golden Shears World   Shearing and Woolhandling Championships in Scotland. The championships will feature competitors from 29 countries, in an event that attracts over 100,000 people through the Ingliston gates each day. The Country's Jamie Mackay says these championships draw in big crowds- and are expected to bring more people to Masterto...

Lower-than-expected tax revenue is causing the Crown accounts to dip further down. The IRD reportedly received $69 million in the previous tax year, sparking concerns about interest limitations. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says it's currently unknown why the Government brought in less tax revenue, but $69 million is relatively small in the grand scheme. LISTEN ABOVE   See...

A major boost for the Crusaders, with Sam Whitelock cleared to play one last game for the franchise. Whitelock has been battling an Achilles injury and has missed the last two weeks. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave says both Super Rugby finalists are approaching the match from very different angles. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says Michael Wood's failure to declare shareholdings was a 'blind spot'. Hipkins addressed the media earlier today, stating he hadn't spoken to Wood since yesterday, and intended to give him some space. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Michael Wood's multiple failures to disclose shareholdings that had a conflict of interest fell into the 'blind spot'...

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may need to modify the controversial Voice to Parliament referendum. The Australian senate passed legislation to hold the referendum after months of parliamentary procedures, and Australians will be expected to vote later this year. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Albanese needs to get more people on his side, as the vote is underperforming in t...

There are calls for Auckland Light Rail to be thrown on the scrap heap with Michael Wood. Following his exit from Cabinet yesterday, demand is growing for Wood's pet project to follow suit. The project is expected to cost between $7.3 billion and $29.2 billion, however Wood doubted it would reach the upper limit of this range. Public Transport Users Association national coordinator Jon Reeves says...

Potential for a begging ban in Rotorua. The regional Council is considering developing a bylaw to tackle the 'emerging issue' after public concern over problems, including intimidation of elderly people. Local McDonald's owner Rob Parry has joined his voice to the calls, saying begging is a growing problem for his business. "The begging has got worse, there's no denying that. Although it's pretty...

An Australian vegan activist claims a Perth eatery's ban on vegans is discrimination. Fyre Restaurant has announced on social media it's banning all vegans - for mental health reasons. The beef kicked off after an unnamed customer complained at being charged $32 for a bowl of vegetables, after calling ahead to request a vegan meal. Advocate Tash Peterson says the customer's complaint was reasonabl...

National agrees parents need to be held accountable for their children's crimes. A group of small business owners presented petitions to Parliament yesterday, calling for tougher laws and harsher punishments. It includes consequences for parents whose children do ram-raids and smash and grabs. National's police spokesman Mark Mitchell says parents should be offered help to better care for their fa...

Time is running out for the US Coastguard to find the missing Titan submersible. The vessel went missing in the Atlantic Ocean four days ago, with five on board. It's estimated their oxygen will run out about 11pm. Searchers are concentrating on an area where knocking was heard underwater. Former Australian Navy Submarine Commander Frank Owen says that's hopeful because it's emergency protocol to...

Kiwi winter Olympian and biathlon junior world champion Campbell Wright is set to compete under a new flag moving forward. Wright already holds American citizenship and will officially switch competitive allegiances to the US team from July 1. He explained he was making the switch overseas because he was prioritising his athletic career over national pride. "At the end of the day, I want to be the...

This missing submersible has just brought out the best and the worst in people, hasn’t it?   The best- because look at how much we care.  These are five people we don’t know and probably will never meet , and yet we around the world are obsessed with the search for them, hoping they get found in time . With countless messages posted on social media saying things like ‘praying for them’  and so on....

The company behind the missing 'Titan' submersible was repeatedly warned about safety problems with the venture. David Lochridge, OceanGate’s former director of marine operations wrote a critical report claiming passengers could be endangered if the vessel reached extreme depths. According to court documents, Lochridge was sacked for raising these safety concerns. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says...

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Former Minister Michael Wood has resigned from all portfolios - after revelations he not only held Auckland Airport shares, but his family trust also has shares in Chorus, Spark and National Australia Bank. Can...

The Future for Local Government Review warns a 'radical overhaul' is needed to better serve the country.  The report suggests lowering the council voting age to 16, introducing transferable votes, and an annual transfer of around $1 billion dollars a year from central to local Government. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says central Government currently collects 90 percent of taxes- and...

Fletcher Building have downgraded their profit forecast, citing a slowing market and extreme weather. The building and construction company lowered their forecasted operating profit to $800 million, down from February's $855 million. Milford Asset Management Portfolio Manager Frances Sweetman says this figure looks like a material downgrade, but it's not as negative as it suggests. "Management has...