Larry Williams Drive

The Christchurch public has eagerly seized its chance to have a say on the stadium question.Public consultation on whether to spend an additional $150 million on a new stadium has only just opened but the Christchurch City Council has received more than 3000 submissions.One group that's been understandably vocal on the subject is the Crusaders, with forwards coach Jason Ryan calling the process a shambles last week.Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shanghai will carry out Covid-19 testing on more than half of its 25 million residents this weekend, fueling fears of a return to more stringent restrictions just days after the financial hub emerged from two months of painful lockdown.The mass testing announcements sparked fears of a return to stringent, prolonged lockdown among Shanghai residents, many of whom had been confined to their homes for two months or more since March.Those fears have triggered panic buying. On Thursday, Shanghai residents rushed to supermarkets to stock up on food and other daily necessities, forming long lines at checkouts and leaving shelves empty, according to photos and videos that circulated on social media.At least seven of the city's 16 districts, with a combined population of 15 million people, will roll out mass testing over the weekend, Zhao Dandan, deputy head of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, said at a news conference Thursday. The districts include Shanghai's most populated areas and busy business hubs, suc

The Government is now looking at farmers’ recommendations on how to price farming emissions.This week’s He Waka Eke Noa report has suggested individual farmers would be responsible for calculating their own emissions and paying a levy on those emissions.The levy would then increase progressively over the years but can be reduced through doing things like planting native trees.Business commentator Rod Oram joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Queen Elizabeth II has reportedly pulled out of attending the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next month.Foreign secretary Liz Truss is meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart over the death sentences of two Britons and a Moroccan sentenced to death in the pro-Russian Donetsk People’s Republic.UK correspondent Gavin Grey joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It looks like our fractious relationship with Australia for the last few years might be about to get a lot better after the change in government over there.Jacinda Ardern met with new PM Anthony Albanese for the first time today and the signs are really encouraging.A couple of things have caused real stresses in our relationship with Australia in the past few years: the 501 deportees and the problem with China.On the 501s, Albo hasn’t committed to anything yet, but he dropped enough hints for us to have hope that he is going to make a few changes that we would like.He clearly is going to keep sending the Kiwi crims back here, but it sounds like he might stop sending those crims who, although born in New Zealand, have spent so long in Australia, that they are really Australia’s problem and they have no connection with New Zealand anymore.He said he would use common sense on that front and conceded that he’s be annoyed too if he was in Ardern’s shoes.That’s a good sign that would make a big difference, because

The fallout from the GIB shortage continues.Simplicity Living has cancelled all orders for New Zealand-made GIB boards in favour of imported plasterboard from Thailand.They reckon our building code is unnecessarily restrictive when it comes to plasterboard because of Fletcher’s successful lobbying.Building Industry Federation chief executive Julien Leys joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Black and Blues captain Dalton Papalii has avoided a speeding charge.Police were intending to charge him with travelling more than 50km/h over the 100km/h speed limit on Auckland’s Southern Motorway last week, but the charges have been dropped due to a technical issue with the speed detection equipment.Kane Williamson is out of the second test with England.The Black Caps captain will miss the clash at Trent Bridge in Nottingham after testing positive for Covid-19.The Warriors mess continues.Nathan Brown has resigned as coach after refusing to move his family over to New Zealand, with Stacey Jones stepping in to coach the side.The Super Rugby semifinals take place over the weekend.The Crusaders host the Chiefs on Friday night, with the Blues taking on the Brumbies on Saturday.Phil Gifford and Jim Kayes joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss the week’s sports newsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Black and Blues captain Dalton Papalii has narrowly avoided a serious speeding charge.Police were intending to charge him with travelling more than 50km/h over the 100km/h speed limit on Auckland’s Southern Motorway early on Wednesday morning last week.But that can’t proceed with the charge due to a technicality believed to be a problem with the speed detection equipment.Former All Black Steve Gordon joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh snowfall in the south is music to the ears of ski fields preparing for returning international skiers.27 centimetres of snow have already on the Remarkables this morning alone, with more to come over the weekend.Those in Queenstown are saying there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel for the tourist hotspot as the world reopens.Ski NZ CEO Paul Anderson joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Medical experts say patients are unable to get the care they need because of overcrowded hospital departments.Leaked emails show Middlemore's emergency department in South Auckland saw more than 120 patients above usual two nights in a row this week.Australasian College for Emergency Medicine's Kate Allan told Heather du Plessis-Allan says unprecedented volumes of patients are being seen nationwide.“So we do see huge volumes in winter, there’s no doubt. But this has been a really fast and rapid spike very early in winter.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disappointment with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's concession on 501s.He's says he may consider the amount of time someone has lived in Australia in the decision to deport people at a meeting with our Prime Minister in Sydney.501 advocate Filipa Payne says he could be acting right now to make the policy less harmful to potential.She told Heather du Plessis-Allan says Albanese's words seem empty.Payne says he's just offering a political carrot to keep peoples' hopes up.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacinda Ardern has gone to Australia met with new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.There are positive signs the relationship between the two is more positive compared to Ardern’s relationship with Liberal Prime Ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison.The big topics of their meeting were 501 deportees and China.Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol laid the blame firmly on Donald Trump Thursday night, saying the assault was hardly spontaneous but an “attempted coup” and a direct result of the defeated president's effort to overturn the 2020 election.With a never-before-seen 12-minute video of extremist groups leading the deadly siege and startling testimony from Trump's most inner circle, the 1/6 committee provided gripping detail in contending that Trump’s repeated lies about election fraud and his public effort to stop Joe Biden's victory led to the attack and imperiled American democracy“Democracy remains in danger,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the panel, during the hearing, timed for prime time to reach as many Americans as possible."Jan. 6 was the culmination of an attempted coup, a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after Jan. 6, to overthrow the government,” Thompson said. "The violence was no accident.”The hearings may not change Americans' vi

Auckland Transport has spent close to $10 million since 2013 on a barely-used Grey Lynn cycleway.It caused controversy when carparks were removed and bus stops relocated when it was built in 2017 and has since been re-designed and extended.The money's been spent with 50 different contractors and other parties and an unspecified number of third party suppliers.Bike Auckland chair Tony Mitchell told Heather du Plessis Allan it's a lot of money - especially when it's not complete or safe.“People in Auckland won’t ride unless it’s protected cycleways. And what we mean by that is there is a small protective strip in between where the cars and buses are and the bike.”LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Historic day at UK petrol pumps... It now costs £100 pounds to fill your car. Big housing policy announcement from PM as he "moves on". UK correspondent Enda Brady joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cheap land and pre-built subdivisions are attracting industrial companies away from Auckland City.  Saito Labels and Tags is following the likes of Sleepyhead and is looking to move its entire operation to the small Waikato town of Kerepehi near Paeroa.  Right now, fewer than 500 people live in Kerepehi and there's only one dairy.  Saito founder Gavin Hodder joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's a company that's had enough of the Gib shortage. Simplicity Living is a building company owned by Kiwisaver provider Simplicity ... they're sick of waiting on Fletcher Building and paying $25 dollars a sheet. So, they've cancelled their orders and are instead importing a bunch of plasterboard from Thailand.  Managing Director Shane Brealey joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The OECD has delivered a warning for the global economy today in its latest Economic Growth Outlook. It's slashed global growth forecasts from 4.5 % to 3%... And it had a warning for New Zealand too.  Liam Dann, NZ Herald's editor at large, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is touching down in Australia tonight for a flying visit to see the new Australian PM Anthony Albanese.  There's been plenty of talk around what we want from the Aussies... Fewer 501 deportees.. Better treatment for Kiwis in Australia... But what are they going to want from us? Andrew Bolt is the host of the Bolt Report on Sky TV, he joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government wants to give Ngai Tahu the power to appoint two members to Environment Canterbury that have the same powers as elected councillors. Is this undemocratic? Police and the Crown have now launched their own reviews, after the Supreme Court quashed Alan Hall's murder conviction. Are you concerned people might lose trust in Police after such a blatant case of a miscarriage of justice? We've now got targets to improve our kids' school attendance rates, how can we get kids back in the classroom? Nanaia Mahuta's family members have been given government contracts on multiple occasions. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing – but does she need to explain her conflicts of interest better to the public? The Three Waters reform is officially underway with the first reading of the bill in the House this afternoon... With so much opposition to the changes – is this going to work out for the Government? David Farrar, Pollster and Kiwiblog editor, and Matthew Tukaki, Māori Authority, joined Heather du Pless