Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Labour's accusing the Government of demonising beneficiaries - while people are being laid off.

Figures out today show 20-thousand more people are drawing JobSeeker benefits than a year ago.

Minister Louise Upston says that underscores the need for her policies - which include cutting JobSeekers by 50-thousand, by 2030.

Carmel Sepuloni says Government cuts mean thousands of public service workers are losing their job.

She says it's unfair for the Government to stigmatise beneficiaries -- both for people on welfare, and those that might end up there.

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The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that the system police use for stalking allegations isn't up to standard. 

This is after the murder of a 21-year-old in Auckland who had reported to police eight weeks before her death that her killer was harassing her.

The woman's file was inactive for six weeks after she made the report, then it was forwarded to another police station. It was not progressed further before she died.

Ruth Money is a Victims Advocate and told Heather du Plessis-Allan she is 'horrified' by the outcome. 

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Sydney police are continuing to identify people involved in a riot after Monday's church stabbing.

The 16-year-old suspect remains in hospital under police guard for the alleged terrorist attack.

A 19-year-old has been placed under house arrest over his alleged role in the riot.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb says they're arresting people as they're identified.

She says they believe there could be up to 50 people to identify, maybe more.

Webb says 51 officers were injured in the riot, and are recovering.

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The Privacy Commissioner wants to review the Privacy Act and introduce a right to be forgotten.

He's concerned social media is posing a major risk for children's privacy and parents need help navigating it.

A survey by his office raised concerns around young people not having the capacity to make fully informed decisions about their digital footprint and its implications later down the line.

Michael Webster told Heather du Plessis-Allan the right to be forgotten should be a fundamental one.

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Police hope to go to arbitration over pay next month.

More than 75 percent of members have voted NO to the latest pay offer, which included a new overtime rate, a pay increase and a cash payment.

They say it doesn't remedy the decline in salaries.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell says it's disappointing - and will draw out an already lengthy process.

Police Association President Chris Cahill told Heather du Plessis-Allan they want pay increases to match the rate of teachers.

"They received 6 percent last July, which is when ours (agreement) ran out," he said. 

"They received another 4 percent at the start of April and they'll receive another 4 percent at the start of December this year."

Cahill says those are the figures his members want to talk about. 

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Inflation is proving to be a hard dragon to slay. 

Annual inflation has dropped to 4%, sitting above the Reserve Bank forecast of 3.8%. 

Non-tradable inflation —on final goods and services that don't face foreign competition— remains very high at 5.8%, well above the Bank's forecast of 5.3%. 

Kiwibank Chief Economist, Jarrod Kerr, told Heather du-Plessis Allan that inflation is now being driven by domestic factors. 

He says migration is pushing up rents, climate change is pushing up insurance, and infrastructure problems are pushing up council rates. 

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Guess what: the smaller ruby ball for women is already controversial. 

I was telling you about this last week because World Rugby is spitballing the idea of giving the female rugby players a ball that's about 3% smaller and lighter than the standard ball. 

Because their hands are smaller than male hands, and it would make kicking and passing easier for them. 

Because let's be honest, kicking a rugby ball is ever slightly more difficult for a female rugby player than a male rugby player because she's smaller. So it would simply be balancing that out. 

Well... This is not gone done well with Bonnie in the Herald sports department, who reckons this is a classic case of men sitting around thinking up ideas for women that women don’t actually want. 

And all that this is going to do is give detractors of the women’s game another thing to undermine the game with by basically writing off any record that they might set by saying it doesn’t count because the ball is smaller. Who cares! 

I love it, because it’s true. 

Women are smaller and weaker than men on average, and that is a fact. 

So, if we’re playing with the same size ball, we are having to work harder. 

Cricket accepts this fact, the boundaries are smaller for women. Same with basketball, the ball is smaller. 

Let's be logically consistent about this.

Sporting bodies around the world have just banned transgender women from competing at the international level against biological women because they accept that the male body is bigger, stronger, and faster. 

So, give women a smaller rugby ball. 

If it makes the women’s game faster and better, and that then brings in more viewers... that cannot be a bad thing for women’s rugby, can it? 

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The Children's Minister says no frontline roles are being axed in widespread public service cuts. 

Oranga Tamariki is proposing a total loss of 447 jobs, and the Education Ministry says more than 500 jobs will go. 

It's in response of the Government's demand for 6.5% savings. 

Karen Chhour told Heather du Plessis-Allan that they've been adamant no frontline jobs would go in the OT restructure. 

She says they need to make sure their frontline is resourced with the tools they need, and that's what part of this restructure is about. 

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Shane Jones seems to be in trouble with the Māori Law Society.  

They’ve written to Christopher Luxon about his comments surrounding the Waitangi Tribunal and their review into Oranga Tamariki. 

He effectively said the Tribunal has no business in running operations like some sort of star chamber, delivering summons for ministers to rock up and be cross-examined. 

ZB’s Senior Political Correspondent, Barry Soper, told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he’s absolutely right, as it’s not a judicial body as such, but rather a commission of inquiry. 

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A judge has warned former US President Donald Trump over commenting on jurors on the second day of his criminal trial. 

Trump's accused of falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. 

Seven jury members have been selected after doing a rigorous survey. 

US correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Heather du Plessis-Allan the repeated warnings aren't slowing Trump down. 

He says Trump has continued to make comments despite gag orders, claiming the trial has been biased against him since the start. 

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The Warriors have made quite the acquisition with the signing of James Fisher-Harris. 

Fisher-Harris is in line to replace departing prop Addin Fonua-Blake, the club securing his services on a four-year contract. 

Elliot Smith told Heather du Plessis-Allan that this is a huge signing, Golden Boot player of the year and Kiwis Captain, they couldn’t get much bigger. 

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Is it time to introduce a begging ban? 

Locals in Rotorua and Christchurch are debating the necessity of one, Rotorua Councillor Don Patterson calling for a bylaw after reports of tourists being accosted. 

Despite the Rotorua Lakes Council saying that begging is down, business owners are still struggling to stop it from happening near them. 

Reg Hennessey, Hospitality NZ Bay of Plenty President, told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the incoming council promised there would be huge changes, and he’s disappointed they’re starting to let them come back again. 

He said it’s sad, and a lot of longtime residents have left Rotorua because of it. 

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Former Prime Minister Liz Truss, who held office for a record 49 days, has recently released her new book.

The former UK leader has hit out at civil servants, the Bank of England, several political colleagues - and the fleas in Downing Street.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says it's clear Truss has no regrets.

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Tonight on The Huddle, Josie Pagani from Child Fund and Ben Thomas from Capital joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! 

Minister Shane Jones plans to scrap 'red tape' to make coal mining easier. The Greens have already voiced their disapproval- what do we think? 

Warner Brothers Discovery signed a deal with Stuff to produce and provide a daily 6pm bulletin, hopefully saving some jobs in the process. Will this merger address the wider issues with the media industry? How hopeful are we?

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Tomorrow's CPI data release is expected to reveal how close the Reserve Bank is to pushing down inflation.

During last week's OCR update, the Bank was confident restrictions would get CPI back to the target one-to-three percent this year.

HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham predicts that inflation would have slowed down this quarter.

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The Country celebrated 30 years last week, and the celebrations have recently wrapped up.

Host Jamie Mackay looked back on the full three decades of rural broadcasting today.

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BusinessDesk's Pattrick Smellie is off on a European sabbatical- and he's hopeful an interest rate cut could come before his return.

He outlined his predictions for the coming months here today.

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Resource Minister Shane Jones is dismissing what he calls green 'catastrophising' over coal mining.

As part of upcoming RMA amendments, Jones will remove the extra controls on consents that he says only apply to coal.

He says the industry's treated differently to other types of mineral extraction, and red tape is hurting the sector.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacks these new changes.

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Union workers at Fletcher subsidiary EasySteel have blamed the company's recent mismanagement for a looming restructure.

Fletcher has cited market conditions for this restructure, and jobs are on the chopping block.

First Union spokesperson Justin Wallace says 50 to 60 jobs could be scrapped.

"The interesting part is- this is not only being targeted at union members, it's also being targeted at management, marketing and other areas that are outside the union coverage." 

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Air New Zealand has signed its largest deal yet for sustainable aviation fuel.

The airline purchased 9 million litres of fuel from provider Neste, which is expected to reduce carbon emissions up to 80 percent compared to fossil jet fuel.

Chief Sustainability Officer Kiri Hannifin supports mandating other airlines follow suit to decarbonise.

"All of aviation is required to decarbonise, so we all have to do it, and there's only very limited ways to do it.

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The Government is being accused of throwing coal on the climate crisis fire.

A new Resource Management Amendment Bill to be introduced next month will ease consenting for coal mines.

Labour brought in the controls to end consents for existing thermal coal mines after 2030.

Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says New Zealand has been phasing out coal over the last few years.

"The last time Shane Jones was in Government, in 2017, New Zealand signed up to be a member of the international Powering Past Coal Alliance, which was an international commitment to phase out coal."

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The Telecommunications Commissioner says he's disappointed about alleged breaches of the 111 Contact code by telco One New Zealand.

The code is designed to protect consumers without copper landline connections.

One New Zealand has been accused of failing to provide customers with a way to call 111 in a power cut.

Commissioner Tristan Gilbertson says the company would have been aware of its obligations.

"Despite having been very closely involved in the co-development process over two years before the code went live in 2021, One has failed to implement and discharge its obligations."

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There's more details on the finances of Stuff's new agreement with Warner Brothers Discovery.

The Newshub owner signed a deal with Stuff yesterday to produce and provide a daily bulletin on TV Three from July 6, following Newshub's closure.

Stuff CEO Sinead Boucher says they'll bring over some Newshub employees, but fewer than the 40 or 50 proposed by staff.

Herald Editor-at-large Shayne Currie says Stuff is unlikely to get a cut of the advertising money.

"I think it's a flat annual fee for Stuff- and Warner Bros. Discovery takes all the revenue."

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The stabbing at a church in Sydney's west last night has been labelled a terrorist act.

New South Wales police have revealed a young person's been arrested after three people were stabbed at Wakeley's The Good Shepherd Church last night.

A graphic video of the attack shows a person lunging at the Bishop during a mass.

Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says religious leaders across Australia have stood by the church as more updates come to light.

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Confidence the Hurricanes can cope without Jordie Barrett for one Super Rugby campaign.

The midfielder has re-signed with NZR until the end of 2028, but the new deal does include a six-month sabbatical at Irish club Leinster next year.

Sportstalk host Elliott Smith explains further.

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Finding a jury for Donald Trump's hush money trial is proving tricky.

The former US President has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

Already on day one, 50 prospective jurors have been dismissed after saying they couldn't be impartial.

Cornell University law professor Randy Zelin says potential jurors are asked personal questions to determine their suitability.

"You're trying to get little pieces of insight into whether this person is going to be a free thinker, good for the defence - or a by-the-book person."

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So, the 6pm bulletin on TV3 is saved after all.

It's been announced this afternoon that that Stuff is going to make the bulletin for the owners of TV3, Warner Brothers Discovery.

If you’re a fan of Newshub and this news gives you hope, I would very much urge you to temper that expectation. Because this is not going to be what you are used to.

It sounds very much like it's going to be quick and dirty. It's gonna look very different.

They are promising us it’s not going to be cheap news - but I'll tell you what, I'll have to see that to believe it, because everything points to that. That's the whole point of this exercise, making it cheaper.

The news was too expensive for Warner Brothers to justify continuing to make it, so the only way this works is if Stuff can do it for less.

The Stuff boss today was talking about some of this news being filmed by reporters on their cell phones.

Now times have changed, and the idea of a Zoom video call or the odd bit of footage filmed on a phone is not that intolerable any more. But how much of it are you prepared to tolerate?

At the moment, you see the odd bit here and there, but how much of it needs to be filmed on reporters’ cell phones to make this news affordable?

And then, how much of that is the audience going to tolerate? Cause it’s ugly. Let's be completely honest, it's ugly watching stuff that was filmed on a cell phone expanded out to a big TV.

And that is very different to the TV news product that we’re used to in this country. We're used to very slick news bulletins, which is probably part of the problem with the 6pm news.

But what happens if we’re offered up a bulletin put together on the cheap, filmed by reporters who aren’t trained camera people - on their phones?

6pm news audiences are already declining, so won’t this just make the audience leave faster?

Now, there is an argument to be made that that’s actually not the most important thing here and this is really about digital innovation using that video content in other ways on other platforms.

But that's another debate altogether, and we should probably be having that some other day.

For the 6pm news bulletin on TV3, it feels like this deal can only delay the end, it can’t prevent it.

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It's been confirmed a number of British fighter jets helped shoot down the drones fired at Israel from Iran. 

The UK was among several countries which helped counter Iran's unprecedented attack - the first direct strike onto Israeli soil.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains further.

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Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

Is the escalating conflict in the Middle East something we should be worried about? Iran sent a barrage of drones and missiles to Israel this weekend- should this be a bigger point of concern?

The Government has announced changes to tenancy laws, including pet bonds and making tenants liable for all pet damage above fair wear and tear. Will these make a difference for tenants - or landlords?

Brian Tamaki has come out in defence of a Destiny Church member who vandalised Auckland's K Road rainbow crossing. He's been slapped with a $16,000 fine- was this the right call?

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The Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Singapore have agreed to streamline flows of critical supplies during crises.

Chris Luxon sat down today in Singapore with his counterpart Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to discuss supply chains and maintaining green economy initiatives.

NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan explains further.

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Prime Minister Luxon is eyeing up the opportunities and potential to be found in South East Asia. 

Luxon's leading a 24 person business delegation to Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines over the course of the week.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explains the benefits of New Zealand building more trade relationships.

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The Warriors wound up with a 22-all draw with the Manly Sea Eagles in last weekend's match.

As the team trailed 22-20 with seconds left on the clock, Johnson's attempt at a two-point field goal fell short.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine weighs in on whether the Warriors should be proud of this.

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Private healthcare is experiencing a surge in demand as public wait-lists keep expanding.

A new private hospital has opened in central Auckland, and Epsom's Mercy Hospital is expected to add dozens more beds and at least 10 new operating theatres.

At least 1 third of Kiwis now have private health insurance, with Southern Cross reporting a 3.5 percent increase in memberships over the past year.

Otago University's Robin Gauld says more people are worried about accessing healthcare as stories surface.

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The Finance Minister's excited ahead of her trip to Washington DC.

Nicola Willis departs tomorrow for a meeting with her counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

She says she's looking forward to being in the same room as Janet Yellen, who she describes as a 'Queen' of international economics and finance.

"She is an incredible person who has advised successive American presidents and been on the Federal Reserve - and having a moment to pick her brain will be a very special moment indeed."

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The Housing Minister says introducing pet bonds will make landlords more likely to accept cats and dogs in their properties.

The Government's bringing in changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to make it easier for pet-owning tenants to find rental housing.

It includes paying an extra bond of two weeks rent, to cover potential damage.

Minister Chris Bishop says he's spoken to many landlords who support the extra security of a pet bond.

"At the moment, a lot of landlords just say - nah, it's all too hard, I'm just going to say no, it's my property, I can't be bothered. But we know there are a lot of tenants out there who want to have a dog or a cat or a pet in their property."

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The Foreign Affairs Minister says the Middle East conflict is reaching an uncertain, dangerous and difficult point.

It's yet unknown whether Israel will heed America's warning not to respond to a barrage of missiles and drones launched by Iran.

The attack was in retaliation to Israel bombing Iran's embassy in Syria, and most of the hundreds of projectiles were intercepted.

Minister Peters says everyone who wants peace in the world has a clear message.

"And for goodness sake, don't escalate this matter. That includes the neighbourhood, the many Middle Eastern countries around the world as well."

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Brian Tamaki claims the public is on his side on rainbow issues.

A member of his Destiny Church has pleaded guilty and been convicted of vandalising Auckland's K Road rainbow crossing.

Tamaki claims there's public concern about drag queens reading stories to children in libraries and the state of relationship and sexuality education in schools.

He says this was a drastic measure.

"When you have a protest action like that, you're not sorry to actually get the attention of the councils."

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Israel's war cabinet is due to resume debating how best to respond to Iran's attack on Sunday.

Most of the 300 missiles and drones fired towards them were shot down by its Iron Dome.

US President Joe Biden has already ruled out any involvement in Israel's response, to avoid worsening the conflict.

Reuters correspondent James MacKenzie says Israel do have the weaponry to hit back, but that wouldn't achieve much in the long run.

"There's the danger the Iranians are going to retaliate - and then you'll get into this cycle that will expand into a regional war."

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Over in Australia, a judge has made a civil court ruling that it's likely former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann raped colleague Brittany Higgins.

He'd taken a multi-million dollar defamation case over Network Ten's reporting of Higgins' allegations in 2021.

Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says the judge has described Lehrmann as having escaped the lion's den - but making the grave mistake of coming back for his hat.

"In other words, he was not convicted of rape at the criminal trial due to jury misconduct and a mistrial, but in suing for defamation- he was found, on balance, to be a rapist."

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The rollout of fishing vessel cameras has come with more vigilant reporting of ocean wildlife deaths.

MPI data from its 127 vessels with monitoring cameras suggests deaths were under-reported before their use.

Reports of dolphin captures have risen nearly seven-fold since cameras were introduced, compared with 2018, and volumes of discarded fish are up nearly 50 percent.

Forest and Bird's Geoff Keey says these findings weren't unexpected, given data from other countries.

"We saw similar numbers in Australia, when Australia put cameras on boats. We actually went and did the math and found that in-shore boats were between 5 and 9 times more likely to report- if there was an observer on board."

Seafood NZ Chief Executive Jeremy Helson says fishers have been paying more attention.

"There's a lot going on on a fishing vessel, there's catch coming on board, there's fish to sort and different priorities at different times. Most fishers, I do believe, do the right thing, they want to do the right thing."

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Turns out, the person who painted over the rainbow crossing on Auckland's K road 3 weeks ago is related to Brian Tamaki by marriage - what a surprise.

He is married to Brian Tamaki’s granddaughter and is the father of, I think four, of Tamaki's great-grand kids. The reason I'm not surprised is - of course Destiny Church was doing this with the rainbow crossings in Gisborne earlier.

Anyway, today he appeared in court and pleaded guilty - and was convicted, discharged and fined $16,000.

Now as far as I can tell,  this is the toughest sentence given in recent times to a protestor who caused damage, but is it really tough?

A $16,000 fine sounds a lot, until you hear they’re not particularly worried about the fine because already a supporter has pledged $5,000 to help out.

And sure, a criminal record sucks - but not that much when your daily life doesn’t even break its stride because you’re not going to jail or do anything as punishment.

I'm going to repeat myself because I've said this before - the courts need to impose sentences that will deter other protestors who damage stuff from doing it as well. And yet, at the moment, that's not what I'm seeing.

Remember the climate protestor who sprayed red paint all over the luxury car sales yard in Wellington? She was discharged without conviction, ordered to pay half the water-blasting bills, plus give another $500 to charity -and that was about it.

Protest has, particularly in recent years - and particularly led by the climate activists - gone from being peaceful marching and waving of placards and shouting to now including damage of property, kind of as a matter of course.

This is a big problem overseas with the climate activists throwing paint at valuable pieces of art on display. And here in New Zealand, it's kind of being imported.

We had the spraying of the car yard in Wellington, the spraying of a car yard in Auckland, we had the abseiler deface the Treaty exhibition at Te Papa, we had the Destiny Church guys vandalise the rainbow crossing in Gisborne- and now this. 

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that if you don't adequately punish something, it will be repeated. You just have to be a human to know that because it's human behaviour.

Case in point today - Brian Tamaki is proud of what his grandson-in-law did. They don't really care about the fine. 

Now tell me if that's going to deter others from, next time they're really angry about something, just damaging some property to prove how angry they are.

Probably not, so expect more until we start properly punishing people who deliberately damage other people's stuff in the name of protest.

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Russia-China relations have reached unprecedented levels according to Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Lavrov arrived in Beijing for a two-day official visit on Monday with the two countries looking to further solidify diplomatic ties. 

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Food price data showed prices in March were up just 0.7 percent compared to a year earlier – the smallest increase in food prices in three years. 

CEO of Foodstuffs North Island Chris Quin tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the business must keep challenging itself to evolve every way it can to remove costs. 

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Sport journalist Lavina Good and ZB Rugby commentator Paul Allison discuss the need for a shake-up in domestic netball and World Netball’s decision to ban transgender athletes. 

Also, has the NRL had its best start to the season at the expense of a long injury list? 

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Pseudoephedrine will be back on the shelves quicker than previously thought. MedSafe has approved 11 medicines that contain the chemical and suppliers say stocks should be in New Zealand by June. 

Pseudoephedrine-based treatments were banned in 2011, but the new Government has overtured the ban. 

Owner of Mangawhai Pharmacy Lanny Wong tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the move is a good one – offering alternatives for cold and flu treatments. 

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A 15 year-old boy has been critically injured after being run over multiple times on Wednesday evening in Ngaruawahia. Police are currently treating it as a targeted attack. 

Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur wants to reassure the community that the attack is not random. He tells Heather du Plessis-Allan police are appealing for information on the vehicle. 

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New Zealand has firmly shifted further to the US after Winston Peters met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken overnight. 

Former NZ Ambassador to the US Tim Groser tells Heather du Plessis-Allan that the move is not a new direction from where we were before the change of government. 

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New Zealand has given the nod to the US Secretary of State that we will sign up to AUKUS, following Winston Peters’ visit to Washington DC. 

Senior political correspondent Barry Soper tells Heather du Plessis-Allan we could be biting the hand that feeds us as the latest trade figures between New Zealand and China reach over $40 billion. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has told journalists that a hammered media is not something the government can do much about. 

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US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson reflects on the trial of O.J. Simpson, and his time working with homicide detective Mark Furham. 

Plus, New Zealand wine is making more inroads into the United States with a new campaign ‘Pour yourself a glass of New Zealand’. 

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A sleep-in my have helped Ryan Fox forget his recent woes as he recorded a red hot 31 on the front nine to hold the lead through 12 holes at the opening major of the year before carding a three-under 69 at Augusta National. 

Plus, Piney predicts the Wellington Phoenix’s highest ever regular season finish. 

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O.J. Simpson, the American football star and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend in a trial that mesmerised the American public but was later found liable in a separate civil case, has died aged 76. 

Lawyer and commentator Charles Rosenberg tells Heather du Plessis-Allan that celebrities often enter criminal trials with an enhanced presumption of innocence. The controversial figure’s reputation never recovered and the question now is how he will be referred to in history – as a footballer or as a murderer. 

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Over in the UK, there's concern around an uptick in counterfeit stamps.

Consumers have been warned to be on the lookout for these fake stamps- which investigations indicate have been sent through by China. 

UK correspondent Enda Brady explains why China could be doing this to the nation.

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Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

Shortland Street is the latest program set to be cut, as TVNZ considers the fate of the series. Is this proof our viewing habits have changed? Could it be saved?

Labour's Willie Jackson has fired off against Minister Melissa Lee in the House today- what do we think of this? Was this out of line?

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After Japan's massive asset bubble burst in 1989, the region experienced 30 years with inflation, interest rates and wage growth remaining near zero.

That seems to be changing, with speculation suggesting Japan could develop a 'normal' economy in the post-Covid years.

Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains what this means for investors.

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A day full of reminiscing for The Country radio show today as it celebrates 30 years on air.

The programme formerly known as the Farming Show had humble beginnings at the Gore Showgrounds, on Radio Hokonui in 1994.

Producer Rowena Duncum recapped the station's biggest moments.

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It's been a big time for job cuts, with multiple roles being slashed over the past month.

The public service has posted several high-profile job cuts, and over 300 media roles disappeared following the TVNZ and Newshub culls.

Telecommunications giants like One NZ have also laid off hundreds of workers - and the closure of Sunfed and Kate Sylvester will mean more jobs are on the chopping block.

NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says this won't be the last of it, as unemployment figures will be expected to reach 5 percent.

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Willie Jackson's launched a broadside attack on the Broadcasting Minister, saying she's missing in action.

With Newshub's closure announced this week and four shows chopped at TVNZ, Melissa Lee's under pressure to offer a plan for levelling the media playing field against the likes of Facebook and Google.

ZB political correspondent Barry Soper says it was interesting that Willie Jackson didn't offer any supplementary comments. 

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Over in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese aims to scale up clean energy incentives and advanced manufacturing through a new initiative.

The Future Made in Australia scheme promises to boost existing programs and add new ones to boost various industries. 

Australian correspondent Sam Emery says Albanese is enacting these measures to ease fears about the state of the economy.

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Housing Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed a suite of changes will be made to the Residential Tenancies Act.

A bill being introduced to Parliament will bring back 90-day no-cause terminations for periodic tenancies, which were removed by Labour last term.

Property Investors Federation President Sue Harrison says the return of no-cause rental terminations can mitigate the harm of taking on risky tenants.

"We desperately need more rentals in this country, 85 percent are in private hands. And we desperately need to be able to keep that number going- there's no other way of replacing those homes."

On the other hand, Luke Somervell from Renters United is concerned these changes will create extra difficulty for renters.

"The situation for renters is already about as dire as it gets, and everyone has a right to a decent roof over their head. And I'm really worried that this policy is just going to make renting less secure, less safe and less fair."

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There's confusion and frustration surrounding the surgical centre sitting empty at Auckland's North Shore Hospital. 

It was originally set to open this month after several delays, but the date has been pushed back with no opening in sight.

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the scope of the project has changed - and has only just passed council consenting.

"We're hoping to open it in the next few months, but that's why we're still here with the building that can't quite be used."

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One Kiwi athlete bound for the upcoming Paris Olympics is pleased to hear about the latest offer from World Athletics.

The governing body plans to give gold medallists a cash prize of $84,000.

Olympic shot-putter Tom Walsh says this is a good step forward from World Athletics.

"It's good to see that World Athletics have come to the party and are paying some prize money for how you perform. It shows you where the time is in the world."

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There's fresh calls to investigate the use of puberty blockers for Kiwi youth who identify as transgender following research out of the UK.

The Ministry of Health has been reviewing puberty blockers since 2022- but there's been no word confirming they plan to follow the UK's lead and block use of the drug for under-18s. 

Starship paediatric endocrinologist Dr Ben Albert says puberty blockers can serve a purpose in helping younger users- and that banning them isn't the way to go.

"It's really important if a young person chooses to use medication like this, they have a really good understanding of what the effects will be, and the uncertainties that exist around those treatments." 

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Labour's broadcasting spokesman says the Government cannot afford not to help Newshub.

Media Minister Melissa Lee is facing growing questions about how she'll support the embattled industry, with Newshub closing in July.

Labour's Willie Jackson says turning to New Zealand On Air could be a stop-gap solution.

He says the Government could mediate with other parties on supporting the station- and that propping up the business would cost about $35 million.

"It has such an iconic history- that you don't just give up. It's about talking with business interest."

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The likes of Hamish Kerr, Eliza McCartney and Tom Walsh could pocket $84,000 if they win gold for New Zealand at Paris.

World Athletics has made the move to introduce prize money for the Games, beginning with track and field.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further.

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There's concerns over the safety of Boeing's 787-Dreamliner aircrafts.

A long-time company engineer claims sections of plane fuselage are improperly fastened - and could weaken over time.

The US Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

Aviation commentator, Geoffrey Thomas, says neither Airbus or Boeing make the engines, wheels, seats or undercarriages.

"All of these items come in from a massive supply chain. So if there's a problem with an Airbus aeroplane, there's a problem with a Boeing plane."

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Shortland Street is now apparently in trouble. TVNZ has just confirmed it is reviewing whether it carries on with Shortland Street.

It's still a popular show, but unfortunately it's very expensive to make and very expensive for TVNZ to buy.

And given TV audiences are down to about a third of what they were about 15, 25 years ago -it won’t be bringing in the advertising dollars it used to.

It's not always obvious, when you're in the middle of a moment in history, just how important that moment is. Sometimes it only occurs to you afterward, when you look back, just how much changed at that moment.

New Zealand is in a moment like that.

We are eradicating in the next few weeks some of the biggest TV shows that we make in New Zealand- about New Zealand.

Newshub, the AM Show, Ryan Bridge’s due-to-be-launched 7 o'clock show, Newshub Nation, Paddy Gower Has Issues, Newshub late, Sunday, Fair Go, the TVNZ midday bulletin, the TVNZ late news and maybe even Shortland Street now- or maybe reducing how much it plays out in a week.

And look, that doesn't mean there are no New Zealand-made TV shows left. There's still Seven Sharp, Motorway Patrol, The Casketeers- the list goes on.

But the dynamics that are killing those other shows at the moment will, in the end, probably get the rest of them too. And what that means is that we see less and less of ourselves as Kiwis on screen.

And that is a loss, because there is consensus that hearing and seeing your culture and your accent and your way of life reflected back to you on screen is affirming. It makes you proud of who you are.

So remember this- because this isn’t just another day in the media sector. This isn’t normal, what's happening right now.

In this moment of time, we are losing something we will probably never get back to the same extent, which is hours of Kiwi voices and faces on screen every day.

And kids being born right now will probably grow up pretty much exclusively watching international content and hardly any New-Zealand made content.

I'm not arguing this should be stopped. Frankly, if we want to keep New Zealand on screens, we need shows that New Zealanders want to watch, and that's clearly not happening.

I'm just pointing out this is a big thing - and an unusual thing - that is happening right now.

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Over in their UK, the NHS has confirmed they will stop prescribing puberty blockers for under-18s.

A review by Dr Hilary Cass claimed there were 'gaps in evidence' around the drugs- and puberty blockers will no longer be given out to minors as a result.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has voiced support for these changes. 

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Tonight on The Huddle, Josie Pagani from Child Fund and Nick Mills from ZB's Wellington Mornings joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

It's the final blow for Newshub, as it was officially confirmed the newsroom will shut down for good on July 5th. Could it have been saved?

A petition to ensure free school lunches aren't cut has been presented to Parliament, with over 50,000 signing in support. Do we need to streamline the program to keep it going?

A new study revealed swapping fish for red meat could save lives and help solve the climate change crisis- could this be popular?

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The Reserve Bank confirmed they'll hold the OCR in place at 5.5 percent.

This falls in line with predictions that the OCR update would follow on from February's release.

Milford Asset Management Sam Trethewey says some of the market was hoping for a reprieve- and they were left disappointed.

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The Reserve Bank held the OCR steady at 5.5 percent, but warned people about the risk that came with increased rates.

Governor Adrian Orr says rates will need to stay high for a sustained period- and warned this could lead to more unemployment and financial stress 'than expected'.

NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says the RBNZ's 'engineered recession' came with risks- and we're seeing the results.

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The Broadcasting Minister says media is a priority for the Government, despite it being absent from the quarterly plan.

It's been a dark day for media, with Newshub's closure confirmed for July and TVNZ axing its Sunday show alongside Fair Go, Midday and Tonight.

Melissa Lee says she's taking a paper to Cabinet she hopes will help the industry, although she won't give a timeline.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper wonders if a solution can really be found.

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The Arizona Supreme Court recently ruled that a 160-year-old abortion ban can be enforced by the state.

The law was first established in 1864 - preceding Arizona becoming a state - and it makes abortion punishable by two to five years in prison, unless the mother's life is at risk.

US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says this change could turn Arizona into one of the biggest battlegrounds in the upcoming US election.

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Two tech giants claim they've found a way to make AI smarter - and more human-like.

OpenAI and Meta have revealed they plan to launch artificial intelligence models capable of reasoning, planning and storing memory.

Being AI co-founder David McDonald says this technology opens up new opportunities for various industries.

"It has profound impacts on productivity and what people do with their daily lives, there's more opportunities available to people."

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The Media Minister says the Broadcasting Act needs updating to ensure a level playing field.

Warner Brothers Discovery has confirmed Newshub will shut July 5.

TVNZ has also confirmed plans to cut its Midday, Tonight, Fair Go and Sunday shows.

Media Minister Melissa Lee says she's written a cabinet paper, but wouldn't give any further details.

"There is a Cabinet process, there is a Cabinet paper- there's a process. I'm not going to comment further on it."

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Swapping red meat for herring, sardines and anchovies could save thousands of lives and help tackle the climate crisis, according to new research.

According to BMJ Global Health, red meat consumption is linked to an increase in diet-related diseases and replacing it with forage fish could save 750,000 lives in the long run.

Kingi restaurant owner and chef Tom Hishon says these fish are a great source of omegas and calcium.

"With fish, it's important to remember you kind of don't want to cook it all the way through and take it off the heat- you always let that residual heat come through."

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A sad day for Newshub staff with closure confirmed, and about 250 jobs lost.

Warner Bros. Discovery have told staff there's no planned deal 'at this stage' with third parties.

Newshub investigations reporter Michael Morrah says it's tough.

"It's a huge loss for the country and for democracy- and of course, it's devastating for us here at Newshub."

Newshub's newsroom, website and TV news will go offline on July 5.

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A mortgage adviser says New Zealanders are feeling the strain of heavy home loan rates.

The Reserve Bank's held the Official Cash Rate at 5.5 percent.

Adviser Malcolm Knight says a lot of home owners are asking for interest-only periods or loan repayment holidays.

"If you can get through this next 12 to 18 month period- just hunker down, get through the tough credit crunch period - the light is at the end of the tunnel. We should see rates coming down next year."

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As you know, truancy has been a topic of some discussion in the last week, especially with Associate Education Minster David Seymour's plans to get kids back into class.

I've been puzzling over it, especially since it popped up last week, over why it is that we have this truancy problem and why we have parents on both ends of the parenting spectrum who are as casual as they are about school.

Why have we got what I would consider to be delinquent parents, who just don't care if the kid goes to school?

And why have we also got parents who you would consider to be caring, given they're taking the kids on a holiday to Fiji- why are they happy for the kids to bunk school for a treat like this?

How do we explain these quite different groups of parents both having such a casual attitude?

And this morning, I realised what the problem is. Neither of those groups of parents see real value in school.

And both of them are right to some extent, aren't they?

NCEA is a joke qualification where you can’t really measure anymore where a child sits in their understanding of a subject. You have no idea if your child is 56 percent proficient at maths or 76 percent, and there’s a big difference.

Even at younger levels, there are plenty of kids not learning to read and write and do sums at a level they should be for their age. Only slightly more than half the kids at a recent year 10 mock reading assessment passed. Which means nearly half failed, that's massive.

So when the parents think it's not a big deal if Johnny misses a week of school, or a couple of days of school - are they wrong? Probably not. Because Johnny's not learning that much anyway.

What this means is that forcing the kids back to class is only one half of the solution. The other half is probably more important, which is to make that class time count.

Fortunately, this Government has plans to do that.

They've already told primary and intermediate schools to make sure there’s an hour of reading, writing and maths every day, they’ve taken the phones out of the classroom, and they've set a target of 80 percent of Year 8 students to be at or above the expected curriculum level for their age in reading, writing and maths.

But they’ve just delayed the NCEA changes by two years. To be fair, it sounds like it was out of their hands and the schools weren’t ready to implement it. But that’s at least two years away from being fixed.

So absolutely, the Government is 100 percent right to force the kids back to class. But then there has to be value towards those classes- and that’s the harder bit isn’t it?

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Spain will scrap its 'golden visa' program geared towards foreigners who make significant investments in real estate.

The program rewarded foreign investors who invested at least 500,000 euros in property to live and work in Spain for three years.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says these investors were locking locals out of the property market- and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez decided enough was enough.

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Tonight on the Huddle, Matt Heath from Radio Hauraki and broadcaster Paddy Gower joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

The Government has unveiled a scheme designed to combat truancy- including publishing weekly attendance data, giving parents health guidance to decide if a child's sick enough to miss school and creating a traffic light scheme to track attendance rates. Will this work? 

There's a new hospital building attached to North Shore Hospital sitting unused- what's going on with that? In a time of endless wait-lists, is it madness that this is happening?

Fake meat-company Sunfed is shutting down- is the plant-based meat craze dying? 

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New Zealand's bracing itself for another downpour- but it's not all bad news.

Severe rain is expected to hit the country, and farmers across the drought-stricken South Island are hoping this forecast breaks a months-long dry spell.

The Country's Jamie Mackay says some farmers have had to truck in water to keep things going.

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A new report from the Climate Change Commission warned New Zealand will need to tackle methane emissions to keep up with 2050 climate goals.

The report warned that the nation would have to reduce stock rates by 23 percent for dairy, and 12 percent for sheep and beef by the 2050 deadline.

BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie unpacked the political debate surrounding methane emissions.

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It's a good polling day for the Green Party.

The latest Taxpayers' Union Curia survey has the Greens up 3.3 points to 14.6 percent.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this is down to Chlöe Swarbrick - following on from some rocky months for the Party.

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Ahead of tomorrow's OCR update, one expert is challenging the Reserve Bank to start cutting rates ASAP.

The Official Cash Rate is widely expected to stay at 5.5 percent, but Squirrel CEO David Cunningham believes the RBNZ should ease up.

Cunningham says monetary policy changes have a one to two-year lag before they flow through to the wider economy.

"What that means is- the Reserve Bank should always be looking a couple of years ahead in terms of what they do today and how they impact the future."

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Inland Revenue is sending the construction sector a final warning to get on top of business tax obligations.

40,000 businesses with outstanding debt and overdue returns will be sent emails and letters in the coming months.

Inland Revenue spokesperson RichardPhilp says the current outstanding tax debt sits just shy of a billion dollars.

"We'll be writing to most - some we'll try to prompt with a text message, but most of them we'll be writing to. It won't be the first contact we've had with them."

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The lights are on and the hospital beds are in place, but the new surgical building on the grounds of North Shore Hospital remains unused.

The $300 million building was supposed to open its first couple floors last December, then this month.

Sarah Dalton from the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists suspects there's issues with staffing and the operational budget.

"When there is that level of investment in hospital infrastructure, we want to see it up and running as soon as possible."

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The Associate Minister for Education says improved public health advice will help define what illnesses can keep kids off school.

As part of an attendance action plan, David Seymour has announced weekly attendance reporting and is proposing categorising the worst truancy with a traffic light system.

Minister David Seymour says the number of sickness-related absences has doubled in the last five years.

"I know we had Covid, but that's largely subsided. The number of people who don't attend for health reasons has stayed roughly the same."

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Kiwi plant-based meat replacement company Sunfed is shutting down as inventory runs out and investors leave.

The company made chicken, beef and bacon alternatives using yellow pea protein.

Founder Shama Lee has announced its closure on social media, saying the plant-based bubble's burst.

Marketing expert Bodo Lang says products like this fail after not making money, despite being full of promise.

"We all have inflated expectations when it comes to these really exciting aspirational products. EVs, plant-based meat- these are exciting products that can help save the planet and people."

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There's a bright spot among major cuts at TVNZ.

The state broadcaster has confirmed it's axing news and current affairs shows, Midday, Tonight and Fair Go.

But it is proposing Fair Go's brand will continue on its digital platforms, with four new roles created.

E Tu negotiations specialist, Michael Wood, says it is an improvement on the initial proposal.

"I think some of the clear support from New Zealanders around this issue has contributed to that."

Meetings are being held tomorrow discussing the future of current affairs show, Sunday.

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The ongoing youth curfew in Alice Springs will be extended for another six days to cover the entire school holiday period, authorities revealed. 

The curfew bars people under the age of 18 to enter the region's town centre between the hours of 6pm to 6am.

Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says residents has responded positively to these changes.

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Eden Park will play host to Saturday's Super Rugby Aupiki final - as the Warriors clash against the Manly Sea Eagles.

The Blues claimed hosting rights with their final round win over the Hurricanes Poua and meet the Chiefs Manawa on Saturday.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further.

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There's concerns in South Auckland, as unsupervised dogs roam neighbourhoods and kill scores of cats.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, there's been an uptick in dogs in Auckland and residents are concerned.

Conifer Grove Residents' Association chair Kelvin Hieatt says a community group went out most nights between 10pm and 5am, tracking down four identified dogs.

"Once the black female dog was caught, the cats stopped being killed- full stop."

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If you hadn't already realised it, then you will now because the closure of Sunfed Foods should have brought you up to speed - the plant-based food craze is over.

I don’t wanna be the one to say- "I told you so", but I did.

February 2020, I basically said fake meat is not a thing, it's not going to catch on. And that is when I met the woman from Sunfed, who actually tried to change my mind.

Shama Sukul Lee came into the studio with some meat-free bacon, and it was actually delicious. Credit to her, she had a great product. And she had money behind it, she has $10 million worth of investment, which included some pretty high profile backers.

But she couldn't turn a profit. And she says it’s because the "plant-based bubble burst".

She's right. Look around the world, Nestlé withdrew its vegan ranges from sale in the UK last year, British sausage company Heck reduced its range of meat-free products, and the most famous one, Beyond Meat - which had Bill Gates’ money in there - reported that sales fell by almost a third last year.

You know what the problem is, don't you?

It's the same problem I think the EVs have got. Consumers en masse will only switch if what you give them is better.

Case in point, we’ve switched from linear TV to Netflix because it’s got better content and it’s more convenient, we've switched the landline to the cell phone because you can take it with you- that's more convenient.

And we switched from the horse and cart to the motor vehicle because it’s more convenient not having to keep a horse alive.

But plant-based food is not better than a steak. And frankly, not enough of us think about the climate deeply enough to do it for moral reasons.

There's a lot of this going on at the moment, there's hype about new products that we will switch to for moral reasons, EVs being the most obvious example right now.

But look what’s happening to the EV market, there's a massive slump. And why? Because they’re still not better than petrol and diesel vehicles, particularly over longer distances.

If there’s one lesson from this, it’s that moral motivation is not enough. The product you give us has got to be better.

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The UN's atomic watchdog has warned the recent drone attack Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia power plant has raised the risk of a 'major nuclear accident'.

Russia has claimed Ukraine was behind the attack- a claim Ukraine has denied involvement in.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency has outlined the risks of this attack.

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Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! 

Trust in the media throughout New Zealand has plummeted following a steady decline since 2020, according to new research. Is the media being dragged down by biases? What lessons can news organisations learn from this research?

The Government has unveiled nine targets across multiple sectors to be met by 2030. Crime, education, unemployment and healthcare are among the issues the Government seeks to tackle. Can they meet these goals?

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The Climate Commission has recently released their latest targets its fourth emissions budget, covering 2036 to 2040.

The Commission has urged the Government to phase out petrol car imports by 2040 and bolster renewable energy and methane-reducing tech on farms. 

Chair Rod Carr says changes in land use will have to take place as the climate turns around.

"Already, dairying in Northland is increasingly challenging because it is getting hotter. There are other parts of New Zealand where it's going to get drier."

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Prime Minister Luxon will travel to Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines from April 14 - 20.

This trip is expected to signal the Government's commitment to deepen New Zealand’s international engagement, particularly in South East Asia.

NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan explains what New Zealand can offer these potential international partners.

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The Government today unveiled nine goals to be publicly reported on each quarter from mid-year.

These include reducing violent crime and youth offending, shortening emergency stays and planned care waits, keeping kids in school and helping them achieve better results and sticking to 2050 climate goals.

ZB senior political correspondent says the Government is taking on some extra risks with this scheme.

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The Finance Minister is confident the Government can meet all nine of their proposed targets by 2030.

These include shortening emergency department stays and waits for planned care, increasing school attendance, reducing violent crime, and having fewer people on the Jobseeker Benefit.

Minister Nicola Willis says they've picked nine things that will really make a difference to the lives of New Zealanders.

"There's fewer young criminals, violent crime is down, we've got fewer people on a benefit, kids are attending school more, they're achieving more, there's fewer people living in motels and we've got our emissions down, and they'll say- that's a Government that's done its job."

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