Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

An apology from a Southern Te Whatu Ora leader after a report has revealed it failed cancer patients for years. The Health and Disability Commissioner's released a damning report on the region's non-surgical cancer care, showing significant delays in care between 2016 and 2022. It included a patient told he had eight weeks to live, who faced a twelve-week wait to see a specialist. Te Whatu Ora Sou...

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed a Three Waters rebrand will be announced 'imminently'.  Hipkins says this revamped water infrastructure policy will bring the focus back to "affordable water infrastructure." ZB Chief Political Reporter Aaron Dahmen says that we're likely to find out more about the Three Waters reform within the next 24 hours. "It'll be very interesting to see what they a...

The Chief Ombudsman says the damage in Gisborne and Wairoa is worse than he expected. Peter Boshier is meeting iwi, councils and community groups in Gisborne, Wairoa, Napier and Hastings this week. Boshier says people's lives have been turned upside down. He says it's emotionally moving to see people in North Clyde and Wairoa clear silt from their homes -some are insured, some aren't. He expects h...

There are two elements to rising interest rates that are likely to negatively affect homeowner sentiment heading into October’s election.  The most obvious and immediate one is the weekly hit to homeowner’s back pockets. Anyone who’s moved from a dirt-cheap sugar-hit rate onto a mortgage rate several percentage points higher will be hundreds of dollars poorer every week. Even though inflation’s a...

Junior doctors across the UK are beginning a four-day strike in a dispute over pay. This strike will result in an estimated 350,000 appointments, including operations, being cancelled. UK correspondent Enda Brady says 61,000 junior doctors have walked out so far, and the British Medical Association (BMA) union has hinted that these strikes may continue for the next year. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystu...

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute and David Farrar, Curia Pollster and Kiwiblog contributor joined in on a discussion about the following topics:  The Government has announced that they plan to keep the seven-day isolation requirement in place for the next two months. What do we think of this- will people stick to the isolation requirements? The Greater Wellington Regional Cou...

A previous Immigration Minister isn't surprised at the dwindling Active Investor Plus visa applications. This visa, designed to attract wealthy individuals who can invest millions of dollars into New Zealand companies, has only drawn in 14 applications in the past six months. Former Immigration Minister Tuariki Delamere blames the changes to the scheme for the lack of applications, including the E...

Today, The Country celebrates 29 years on the air. Formerly known as The Farming Show, the program was the first Kiwi rural show to go nationwide on a commercial radio network. Host Jamie Mackay says The Country went on to inspire some spin-off shows created by people who worked with the series in the past. "I think it's good for rural New Zealand in all seriousness, that not only NZME but also so...

The Government may be looking to abandon the current layout for Three Waters in favour of a 10-entity solution. The proposed 10-entity policy alternative has been sent to BusinessDesk as the primary recommendation that will be put to Cabinet in the coming weeks. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie says this alternative proposal kills off the concerns surrounding local Government say, a k...

Israel Adesanya has copped backlash from fans after he taunted the son of Alex Pereira following his UFC victory. Adesanya turned his attention to Alex Pereira's son after he knocked out his father, and fell to the ground to mock the teenage boy in the audience.  Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave says there's no such thing as grace in the UFC, and the sport is inherently aggressive and confrontati...

Auckland Transport's new CEO wants services back to pre-Covid levels. Dean Kimpton wants to lift public transport usage by 20 percent in the next year. He says that involves employing another 360 bus drivers and up to 50 ferry skippers. "So this is not an easy task, it's going to take a lot of employment, it's going to take a lot of training and we have to implement new schedules." LISTEN ABOVE Se...

A student group at Otago University has objected to the university's bid to renew its liquor licence. Students for Sensible Drug Policy Dunedin want the licence renewal to be conditional, on the university stocking up on a medicine to treat opioid overdoses. The group will present its case at a district licensing committee on Thursday. Otago University Students Association President, Quintin Jane,...

The Health Minister says when countries move away from mandated Covid-19 isolation, it means more transmission. The Government's keeping the seven day isolation requirement for people with Covid-19 for at least the next two months. Cabinet's also asked for more work on whether testing to return to work for mild cases or asymptomatic people would be safe and effective. Health Minister Ayesha Verral...

Suggestions the Government's Three Water reforms will change, but it still hasn't appeased opponents. Sources have told BusinessDesk officials are considering merging water services into 10 regional entities, rather than four. The recommendations are expected to go to Cabinet in coming weeks, although the Prime Minister says no decisions have been made. Manawatu mayor Helen Worboys it doesn't addr...

Cabinet is seeking advice on whether a Covid "test to work" scheme would work. Business NZ CEO Kirk Hope says that could allow some workers back sooner than seven days. "Of course, you know your employer's going to say- only come in if you're capable of working, we don't want you here if you're still, in fact feeling quite sick." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An opposition MP has resigned from Australia's shadow cabinet to campaign to give indigenous people a voice. The Liberal Party's Julian Leeser has resigned, after his party confirmed it will oppose the change to the country's constitution. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says he's supported the cause a long time. "This is something he's been working on for a decade. He has been campaigning fo...

New Zealand's mandatory seven-day isolation period for Covid-19 isn't changing for at least the next two months. Chris Hipkins says he expects we'll reach a point by the end of winter where Covid becomes normal and we're moving towards the virus being just another thing managed by the health system. ZB's Chief Political Reporter Aaron Dahmen says it seems that the remaining Covid-19 restrictions w...

Weight loss surgery doesn't meet the 'strict' threshold required to withdraw KiwiSaver funds. Three people have applied for the early release of their retirement savings on the grounds of serious illness, and all three applications were rejected. Financial advisor Liz Koh says the threshold to withdraw KiwiSaver funds under 'serious illness' is very high, and applicants will need a condition that...

At a time when the Reserve Bank is piling pressure on mortgage holders, Kiwisaver hardship grants have spiked, and our economy is already quite likely in recession, the latest job numbers from SEEK add to a confusing and seemingly contradictory economic picture.  According to SEEK’s employment dashboard, job ads have increased month-on-month for the third time this year, with job ad volumes almost...

The husband of Scotland's former first minister, Peter Murrell has been arrested in connection with an SNP finance probe. Peter Murrell was questioned after being taken into custody by Police Scotland officers. UK correspondent Enda Brady says neighbours described the police entrance into Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell's house as something out of a police drama. Enda Brady explained that Peter...

Tonight on The Huddle, Chief Executive of Transporting NZ Nick Leggett and journalist Clare de Lore joined in on a discussion about the following topics: Green Party MP Elizabeth Kerekere is under fire for calling colleague Chlöe Swarbrick a 'crybaby' in a group text sent to other MPs. How does this make the Labour/Greens set look following a recent burst of bad behaviour? And how did this text ge...

Auckland-based Scarbro Construction has today declared insolvency and called in liquidators. The building company has stopped work on five active construction sites- and experts warn this won't be the only construction business in trouble this year. AUT Construction Management professor John Tookey wasn't expecting Scarbro to dissolve, but says that any construction company can go belly-up. John T...

The Reserve Bank hiked up the OCR higher than expected- and it shocked a lot of experts. The Official Cash Rate went up 50 basis points to 5.25 percent, the highest it's been since the 2008 global financial crisis. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says the Reserve Bank delivered exactly what they said they were going to in February. Liam Dann explains that the Reserve Bank would have d...

Surprise in Australia - that their Liberal Party opposes the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Party leader Peter Dutton has pledged to actively campaign against it. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says he didn't think they would back the Labor initiative. "The Liberals are seeking to split hairs, yes they're saying to constitutional recognition, but no to a voice that would be able to provide...

KiwiRail and StraitNZ are in the early stages of being investigated. The Commerce Commission has opened investigations into both Cook Strait ferry companies after months of cancelled and delayed sailings. This investigation will examine whether consumers have been accurately informed of their rights to refunds or reimbursements following the disrupted trips. Jon Reeves from the Public Transport Us...