Larry Williams Drive

A positive step in condemning Iran - in the Beehive today. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta's now put a motion before the House to condemn the regime, which was unanimously passed. It comes a day after news a Kiwi couple had safely left the country, after being detained there for months. Massey University lecturer, Negar Partow says when the pair set off for Iran, they couldn't have known protests and a Government crackdown were about to kick off. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Work is underway to demolish the huts set up by the Department of Conservation in Te Urewera. 15 are gone, and 33 will be knocked down by December. This has inspired mass backlash and protests with hunters and hikers located in the region feeling slighted that the huts were torn down without much notice.  The community has gathered to protest, as they felt the huts were an important part of the Te Urewera community. Political editor Barry Soper explains the political fallout surrounding the destruction of the huts.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The trial against Bruce Lehrmann has been underway and recently hit a snag following a discovery that a member of the jury had brought in outside research about sexual assaults.  The Jury was into their sixth day of deliberations when this discovery was brought to light, and trial had to be aborted as a result, as jurors are only supposed to rely on evidence presented in the actual trial.  Brittany Higgins, the Liberal party staffer accusing Bruce Lehrmann of sexual assault delivered an emotional speech following this discovery, in which she highlighted the scrutiny she went under in the justice system. Australian correspondent Murray Olds explained further.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Both the Black Ferns and All Blacks have high profile matches coming up, and have named the team members set to be on their squads. Unlike New Zealand Rugby however, Sportstalk's D'Arcy Waldegrave promises to give equal consideration to both teams in the leadup.  D'Arcy Waldegrave breaks down who is set to play for the Black Ferns in the quarter finals and the All Blacks against Tokyo. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Children's Commissioner and registered charity Youth Law are worried schools are kicking out kids, without good reason. Two years after passing a law to enable a school disputes panel, the Government still hasn't set it up. Youth Law chair, Simon Judd, says the forming panel needs to be a priority. He says treating a student inappropriately, can have lifelong consequences. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, newly appointed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to have an interesting few weeks ahead. His first session against his opposition on Prime Minister's Questions is Wednesday afternoon (UK time), and UK correspondent Gavin Grey has observed that he could use some media coaching. He's been filling up his cabinet and making progress on the staffing front, but Gavin Grey has stated that his public presence is still somewhat lacking. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five New Zealand regions have seen their population fall over the last year, including Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Overall, the national population grew just 0.2 percent in the last year. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen explained why people were leaving the country in droves. The combination of Covid-19 and the living costs have made people want to seek out other opportunities. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent data is showing some KiwiSaver members are stopping contributions as they struggle with the cost of living crisis. Is that a good idea? Head of KiwiSaver at Milford Asset Management, Murray Harris, says otherwise. Murray Harris says that stopping your contributions could have a lot of negative impacts on your life, both in the short term and long term. This especially applies to younger members, who are hit the hardest by cost of living costs and are more likely to not contribute.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on The Huddle, we had Jordan Williams, Taxpayer Union executive director and Simon Wilson, NZ Herald senior writer here to talk about the following: Is giving money to an organisation better than an individual homeless person? Should 1st XV be televised? Auckland 1st XV principal say it will no longer be broadcast as it created at unhealthy level of scrutiny or pressure on students. After four months detained, two influencers left Iran. It sounds like they were seasoned travellers in the Middle East. Should we feel for the couple or is it travel at your own risk? Tim O'Connor of Auckland Grammar is threatening to withhold school reports if parents don't pay fees, is that okay? Does being bipolar / being mentally unwell excuse Kanye West for his racism / other behaviour? Are you glad to see Adidas cut ties? What is the Lower Hutt council up to? It couldn't find a huge rave in a bush when noise complaints were made, but journalists found out who was organising it and where it was after one phone call. All

Rockit apples, the company known for growing smaller apples, will be expanding their outreach into the South Island. The company is looking for farmland and growers in the Canterbury and Nelson regions, and plans on filling 200 hectares of land with trees to increase their product output. Rockit is expecting to ship at least 76 million apples this year, climbing up to 160 million by the end of next year.  Commercial General Manager for Rockit apples, Tom Lane, talked us through this brand expansion. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tenants will need to brace themselves in the coming months, as landlords are expecting to be raising rent prices.  Data from economist Tony Alexander states that 74 percent of landlords will be raising their rates within the next six months.  Tony Alexander explained why landlords feel the need to raise their rents ahead of existing cost pressures and what this will mean for the renters themselves. "The rents are determined by people's ability to afford them. And with the rents increasing and the cost of living overall going up, what we're going to see, if it's not already in the marketplace happening right now, is some people who are thinking about leaving home and going flatting will delay it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A dilemma for schools and parents alike. That's how the Principals' Association is labelling Auckland Grammar school's decision to hold students end of year reports for unpaid fees. One parent has accused the school of bullying tactics during a cost of living crisis. President Cherie Taylor Patel says some parents are pushing their luck, but some will be sincere. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Locating a 24 hour bush party that generated multiple noise complaints doesn't seem like an impossible task. Despite this, Lower Hutt council struggled to find and shut down this rave, which displeased the surrounding residents. Godfrey Therkleson was based 2 kilometres from the location of this party, and had to endure the noise running unregulated. He also observed that noise control not stepping in was worse for other families based in the region. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A once-in a generation shift for workers' rights. The Fair Pay Agreements legislation is expected to pass its third reading in Parliament later today. The rules will mean if a thousand employees, or 10 percent of a workforce, agree to start the collective bargaining process, that process is automatically triggered. Council of Trade Unions President Richard Wagstaff says it's going to make an impact in industries where employers are in a race to the bottom. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's denying a deal was struck with Iran's Government to free a Kiwi influencer couple, now safely out. It's understood Topher Richwhite and Bridget Thackwray had been held in the country - since entering in July. Topher Richwhite is the son of Kiwi businessman, David Richwhite. Ricardo Simich is a friend of the couple and he says that he was among the many people who hadn't heard from the couple since July, and felt concerned about the disappearance, given what he new about Iran's track record. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fair Pay Agreements legislation has been progressing further through parliament, and will be expected to pass its final stages this week. The legislation is based around improving pay standards for New Zealand workers, as well as improving their working conditions and environments. The bill hasn't officially passed yet, but political editor Barry Soper joined us to explain how the bill was progressing, as well as how Labour and National were responding to it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adidas is dropping their partnership with Kanye West, following his controversial antisemitic comments and statements.  Adidas is the latest company to cut ties with Kanye West following his recent statements, and they've publicly stated his controversial comments go against their brand. They've immediately stopped production of the Yeezy shoe line going forward. Earlier in the month, Kanye West was suspended from Twitter and Instagram as a result of his antisemitic statements. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson explained how companies have been feeling the pressure to drop support of Kanye West following his antisemitic statements and tweets. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Secondary schools across Auckland have decided to put a coverage blackout on their First XV rugby games, ahead of Auckland's 1A competition. The coverage blackout includes TV airtime, as well as livestreams. This decision was implemented in order to prioritise the well-being of the school-aged rugby players. Sportstalk's D'Arcy Waldegrave says that the schools have made the right decision, as the players don't need that kind of public scrutiny or pressure placed on them. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People should feel comfortable giving money to those doing it tough. That's the message from the Auckland City Mission - after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was seen giving cash to someone in Wellington's CBD. National leader Christopher Luxon says he'd prefer to give money to organisations that help people. Mission health and social services general manager, Jacqui Dillon says it comes down to individual choice. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, Rishi Sunak has officially been confirmed to be the new Prime Minister after Liz Truss abruptly resigned. This is a positive development for Rishi Sunak, as he's only been in parliament for 7 years. UK correspondent Enda Brady explained that Rishi Sunak was going into the postition with a wealth background, as he and his wife have a personal net worth in the billions. Enda Brady highlighted that the UK is going through a historic period of wealth inequality and Rishi Sunak may be in a losing situation when it comes to the economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.