Larry Williams Drive

Former All Black Josh Kronfeld is prepared to donate his brain to medical science to conduct CTE research. The ex-flanker appeared on TVNZ's Breakfast show and said he'd be willing to donate his brain to further research on CTE among athletes when he passes. Josh Kronfeld says that this is a serious talking point among rugby players as they age, and as contact athletes, they're vulnerable. Josh Kronfeld says that he suffered a serious head injury years after his rugby career, and he's likely still at risk of CTE. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced a $300 million emergency package to help the nation recover after Cyclone Gabrielle. $250 million will be spent on roads and infrastructure and $50 million will be used to help businesses recover. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says this is likely just the start of the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery efforts. Fran O'Sullivan says announcing this recovery fund early on was a smart move on the Government's part. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced a Cyclone Gabrielle emergency package of $250 million for roads and $50 million for businesses. Chris Hipkins has also extended the state of emergency another 7 days and established a cyclone recovery taskforce. The taskforce would be headed by Sir Brian Roche and Grant Robertson will be the new Cyclone Recovery Minister. ZB's senior political correspondent Barry Soper says we'll find out more about the taskforce in the coming days. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pace bowler Matt Henry has made his return to the Black Caps. Matt Henry missed the team's first test defeat for the birth of his daughter, but will be back on the team on Friday. Newstalk ZB Wellington sportsreader Adam Cooper says Matt Henry's return will boost the team's bowling capabilities, but the Black Caps are still under-performing when it comes to batting. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on The Huddle, former Labour Press Secretary Kaine Thompson and Kiwiblog writer and Curia Pollster David Farrar joined in on a discussion about the following topics:  Why hasn't the Government sent the Defence Force in to deal with the crime wave in Hawke's Bay? Napier's mayor wants it, but the police are yet to ask. How does this make Labour look? Roald Dahl's books are undergoing a re-write to remove 'insensitive' language and themes. The use of the words 'fat' and 'ugly' are being removed and the  Oompa Loompas are now gender neutral to promote inclusivity. Is this necessary? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers has opened a discussion about changing superannuation tax concessions. Chalmers has argued that there needs to be focus on the long-term sustainability of the scheme and future changes to the system need to be compatible with its objective. Chalmers also denounced 'disastrous' policy proposals, namely the decision to withdraw billions of dollars from the superannuation fund during the Covid-19 pandemic. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says that Australia has an ageing population who can't rely on the Government funding everyone's pensions making this discussion beneficial.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced a Cyclone Gabrielle emergency package of $300 million. $250 million will be spent of the roads, $50 million will be going towards supporting businesses and a new cyclone recovery task force will be created. Newly designated Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson says this package is just the beginning and work will be required over the next weeks and years. Grant Robertson says the new construction will be focused on long-term investments to better prepare for similar disasters.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hawke's Bay Regional Council had defended their decision to not formally evacuate Esk Valley residents. Low-lying regions were given notice to evacuate on Monday February 13 and the Regional Council didn't see the need for a formal evacuation. The Regional Council says the rising floodwaters changed swiftly and were double what had been forecast. Hawke's Bay Today editor Chris Hyde says the council should have evacuated the entire Esk Valley region in the lead-up to Cyclone Gabrielle, given the valley's history with flooding. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerned Hawke's Bay residents have asked the Government to bring in the Defence Force. Locals have formed blockades to keep out looters and road workers have reported being threatened with guns. Despite this, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says the situation is under control and there is a lot of inaccurate information circulating. "There have been examples of very bad behaviour here and we will hold those offenders to account. We have sent 145 additional police staff into the area focused on front-line policing and we've got helicopters working extended shifts." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can anyone explain why the Government hasn’t sent the Defence Force into Hawke’s bay to keep order?  Clearly people need help, and there clearly aren’t enough police.  There are reports of looting, people in Puketaphu are manning overnight road blocks to keep looters out. Same apparently in Rissington.  NewsHub reported last night that as soon as generators arrived, people blockade them with cars to stop them being nicked. A roading crew had a pistol and sawn-off shot gun pulled on them. Vodafone's CEO says their generators are being stolen from their cell sites. Already, 59 people have been arrested for looting and dishonesty so far. The mayor of Napier says they need more police because there aren’t enough patrols and they can only spare one to help with the road blocks at Puketapu and that isn’t enough, she says. But she also says she wants the Defence Force in there and she’s been told no, but she doesn’t know why. Short of a good explanation, we can only guess why the Defence Force isn’t being sent in. A

Roald Dahl's children's books are being updated to remove 'controversial' language. References to characters being 'fat' or 'ugly' will be removed from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and James and the Giant Peach, among others. Book editor and essayist Madison Hamill was initially shocked at the proposed changes, but says some of the edits are reasonable. Madison Hamill says Roald Dahl was 'a man of his time' and some aspects of his work haven't aged well, but removing other aspects go against the author's vision. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand is predicted to reach $323 million in half-year profits, up 188 percent on the same period in 2022. These high earnings can be attributed to strong demand for travel and a reduction in competition. Forsyth Barr Head of Research Andy Bowley says these earnings can be attributed to Air New Zealand's divisive fare increases. Andy Bowley says these prices increases are no different to any other industry, in which prices go up to meet increased demand. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand is predicted to reach $323 million in half-year profits, up 188 percent on the same period in 2022. These high earnings can be attributed to strong demand for travel and a reduction in competition. Forsyth Barr Head of Research Andy Bowley says these earnings can be attributed to Air New Zealand's divisive fare increases. Andy Bowley says these prices increases are no different to any other industry, in which prices go up to meet increased demand. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT's David Seymour is calling for the Defence Force to help reclaim control of the Hawke's Bay streets. There have been reports of violence and looting in the region following Cyclone Gabrielle, and police have so far arrested 42 people. Road workers have also been threatened with guns in a recent incident and citizens are setting up road blockades. David Seymour says the NZDF needs to be sent to Hawke's Bay to assist the police in this extreme situation. "At this point, you've got a lot of remote isolated areas, it's hard for police to get up there and they need more bodies on the ground. This is a time to use that provision Parliament put in the law." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland University is advising staff to use artificial intelligence...to fight artificial intelligence. It's recommending detector tool GPTZero, which can spot if students are using controversial AI essay writing programme ChatGPT. The university is also recommending making assignments harder for such programmes to fake essays. Commercial Law Associate Professor Alex Sims says it's possible to confuse the AI with a standard question and answer, and tests and exams will still be part of the curriculum. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's unclear just how high the death toll of Cyclone Gabrielle could rise. Police have revealed a death in Puketapu near Napier that is related to flooding, bringing the official total of fatalities to eight. The Hawera Hawks Rugby League Club has also reported that a club stalwart was killed by a slip on the Napier-Taupo road. The Police Commissioner says about 4500 people are uncontactable across Tairawhiti and Hawke's Bay. Temporary morgues have been set up at Napier Port in preparation for more fatalities. Herald reporter Adam Pearse is there, and says that authorities won't specify how many deaths are expected. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Orchards in Hawkes Bay have been devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle. Yummy Fruit Company General Manager Paul Paynter says about 30 percent of his orchards have been destroyed, and some are under more than a metre of silt. Paynter says he expects regional revenue from fruit and wine to decrease by up to 50 percent this year. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that a wage subsidy and other Government support may be in order. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American President Joe Biden says the balloons shot down by the US aren't likely to be related to Chinese spying. Last week three unidentified objects were downed by U.S. fighter planes. International correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Heather du Plessis-Allan that they think the balloons were used to track data such as weather or pollution. Biden has also been declared fit for duty. His doctor has reported that the 80 year old is healthy and vigorous, but there's still push back on his age.   Mitchinson says American's want the President to have regular health examinations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hopefully one of the lessons we learn from the awful destruction caused by this cyclone is that we cannot do the rebuild from this on the cheap. Too often we do things on the cheap.  Take for example what’s just happened to the electricity; one of the biggest problems right now is a lack of power. At the worst, almost a quarter of a million people had no power, and currently it’s still in the tens of thousands. All over the North Island: Northland, Auckland, the Coromandel, Tairawhiti, Hawkes Bay, and it might be as long as two weeks before some of these people get electricity. Part of that is because we built the electricity network on the cheap. We chose to put our power lines above us on poles—the cheaper option—instead of underground where they would be less likely to be disrupted by weather like we’ve just had. We are now paying for that decision. The same is true of our roading network. We've cut costs there too. Now let’s be fair, the roads were always going to take a hammering. This storm was unpreced

Nicola Sturgeon has announced her decision to resign as Scotland's first minister. Sources confirm Nicola Sturgeon's resignation was abrupt, citing that she has "had enough". UK correspondent Enda Brady says that politicians everywhere have viewed this resignation as a victory for the UK. Enda Brady says that there were likely many factors that drove Nicola Sturgeon to resign, and that this could be the shot in the arm Scotland needs for independence. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.