Larry Williams Drive

Looks like Hutt Valley Hospital was just the tip of the iceberg. Wellington Hospital has to move its entire Emergency Department, as it no longer meets the required earthquake standards. Capital and Coast DHB says plans are underway to relocate the ED, but there's no indication how long this might take. Dr John Bonning, president of the College of Emergency Medicine, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you think the cost of living is bad now, think again.  Forecasts that were released by Treasury at the budget yesterday, paint a grim picture of what's yet to come for a couple more years.  Government economists say annual inflation will be 5.2% in the year to June next year. 3.6% the year after and is not expected to drop below three percent until 2025. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has slapped targets on the two major supermarket chains' backs. Urgent legislation was passed last night to stop them blocking competitors from accessing land. Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark says this is just the first step to improve competition in the sector. Finance Minister Grant Robertson said something very similar on yesterday's show. Retail consultant Nick Hogendijk has been closely following the commerce commission report on supermarkets. Nick joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Conservative MP accused of rape has been bailed. The number of obese Brits is going to outnumber healthy adults within five years. UK correspondent Enda Brady joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I want to bring you up to date on the serious baby formula shortage in the United States right now. Parents have been scrambling to find formula after one of America's largest producers was forced to shut down some of its manufacturing, after a bacteria safety scare. The FDA is now increasing formula imports into the country... Begging the question, is there an opportunity for some of our New Zealand products to get a foothold? Jan Carey, chief executive of the Infant Nutrition Council of Australia and New Zealand, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liam Dann is the Herald's business editor at large; he's been working his way through the budget this afternoon. Liam joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ACT Party is calling this budget the brain drain budget... Saying ambitious Kiwis are tired of being milked and will leave the country for greener pastures.  The Government has lifted caps for first home loans and grants... Something ACT says will only lift house prices further.  ACT's leader David Seymour joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tauranga is grappling with a significant youth violence problem at some of its bus stops. So much so, the head of NZ Bus says it's the worst anti-social and criminal behaviour he's seen in his 22 years in the bus industry. The Regional Council has now voted to restrict free fares for under 18-year-olds, in the hope it will help ease the problem. Council chair Doug Leeder joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has reacted to the cost-of-living crisis with a billion-dollar package targeting the so-called "squeezed middle". But the boosts to transport costs and $27 for middle-income earners are temporary. Meanwhile, Treasury is forecasting inflation will remain elevated until 2025. ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COST OF LIVING PAYMENT – Is a temporary extra $27 going to cut it for those suffering from the cost-of-living crisis? What about those who are missing out? TRANSPORT – half-price public transport and petrol tax reduction will continue for two months and then what? Were you expecting something more long-term? CLIMATE CHANGE WAS BARELY MENTIONED TODAY – Did the Government realise it's just not appropriate right now as people battle with living costs, or are they actually just less ambitious than we give them credit for? SUPERMARKETS – They've committed to emergency legislation to ban covenants for land use by the big supermarkets. The Commerce Commission recommended this but does it fall short of the more significant changes that might be needed to address the duopoly? On a scale of 1–10... what do you give this Budget? Julie-Anne Genter, Green Party Finance Spokesperson, and Phil O’Reilly, former Business NZ CEO, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan on the Huddle. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

Addressing the cost-of-living crisis was the number one task for Grant Robertson today. And while the middle class will welcome $27 a week for three months – a total of 350 bucks – beneficiaries and pensioners are asking what's in it for them.  Cost cuts to public transport and the fuel tax will continue for another couple of months The Salvation Army's Ian Hutson told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the cost-of-living package has little extra for marginalised communities. “There was nothing really there for them, there was the winter energy payment but that’s geared towards getting people through the winter which was already there anyway, so not much there for the people we’re trying to help.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the “block of cheese and cup of coffee” budget. Because that’s all you’re going to be able to buy with that extra $27 a week. One block of $21 tasty cheese and one $6 cup of coffee. And that’s only if you earn below $70K a year. As I said earlier, I think the first reaction low-income Kiwis will have is to be pleasantly surprised but that will probably wear off pretty quickly. Once you realise how little you’re getting and that you’re only getting it for three months. You’ll get it for August, September and October and then you’ll lose it just before Christmas when you probably need it the most. There are a bunch of things I don’t understand about the decision to helicopter this amount of money into the accounts of only some Kiwis and for only three months. First of all, why so little? It’s just big enough to be better than a poke in the eye, but just small enough to feel miserly. Second, why exclude pensioners? Pensioners buy groceries too. They’ll be running out of money too. Telling them to use the

There's big drama on the set of Dancing with the Stars. Eric Murray and Rhys Mathewson have both got Covid and have had to bow out of the competition paving the way for Alex Vaz and Newstalk ZB’s very own Kerre Woodham to return. Kerre joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Addressing the cost-of-living crisis was at the forefront of today's budget. Anyone earning less than $70k will get a one-off $350 over three months from August – $27 a week. But beneficiaries and pensioners miss out.  Public transport will stay half price and the fuel tax reduction will continue for another two months. Finance Minister Grant Robertson joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The winners – the losers?  What's been the reaction?  How do you rate Robertson today and Luxon's response? Chief political reporter Jason Walls joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says the Government is taking New Zealanders backwards with its budget. They say Grant Robertson spent too much money while Kiwis are continuing to fall behind every week.National Party leader Christopher Luxon joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Barrett is working with psychologists to avoid getting any more red cards. What's in the budget for sport? Sportstalk host D’Arcy Waldegrave joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health is at the forefront of this budget. Billions are being put aside to wipe DHB debt, Pharmac’s getting almost 200 million dollars over two years and the new Māori Health Authority is up for 168 million over four years. But what's in this budget for those on the front line? I'm talking doctors, and nurses ... remember we've got 4,000 nursing vacancies right now. Paul Goulter, CEO of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the UK, an unnamed Conservative MP (from the party of government) has been arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault. The UK government announces a new law will be introduced to change the post-Brexit trade deal for Northern Ireland.  Plus, a UK charity shop worker found a foreign banknote worth £140,000 – but he didn't keep a penny for himself.  UK correspondent Gavin Grey joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the eve of budget day and everyone's got their wishlist.  Whether it's health, cost-of-living relief or climate change. We'll find out the Government's priorities tomorrow.  NZ Herald’s Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.