Larry Williams Drive

Richie Mo'unga is leaving the All Blacks after the World Cup to play in Japan for two years. Ticket sales not going well for the Black Caps vs England at Lords – maybe because tickets go up to $300 each? Miles Davis joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rollout of compensation for Christchurch residents affected by the Bromley smell is off to a rough start. 3400 households are – as of yesterday – eligible for $200 to help cover medical appointments and other costs caused by the odour. Unfortunately, the Council won't have enough $200 Prezzy cards to actually give to these households until Friday. Community advocate Stephen McPaike is one of those affected by the smell, he joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Depending on where you sit this is either unbelievable or entirely believable but it looks like the Government has gone soft on its big shake-up of the supermarket sector.  You know how the Government was blaming the supermarkets for the cost-of-living crisis, for your veges going up in price because they’re making $1m in excess profits each day? You know how it’s all their fault? And you know how Grant Robertson sat in studio with us on Budget Day and said they have to act on supermarkets? If you believed any of that you’re in for a big disappointment because the big reveal was done about an hour ago and it looks like the Government has basically warned supermarkets to change, at pace, or face regulation. Does this not feel like the petrol shake-up all over again? Big words, big words. Not a lot of action. So, what they’re doing is, they’ve accepted 12/14 recommendations from the Commerce Commission, which, by the way, produced such a pathetic report that it was deemed tame so we’re already off to a bad star

UK government minister joins Liverpool Football Club to demand an investigation into the "unacceptable issues" faced by fans which led to their Champions League final against Real Madrid being delayed.  An English council that declared bankruptcy last year spent £28,000 on indoor plants which a councillor said are now "dying".  More than 16,000 street parties are expected to be held in the UK over the Queen’s platinum jubilee bank holiday weekend. UK correspondent Gavin Grey joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research has found that there isn't enough water in Canterbury to handle the pollution created by the region's dairy farms. The study found that harmful nitrates are flowing from farms into drinking water sources, faster than rain or river water can dilute them. Greenpeace says the research shows that herd sizes need to come down and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers need to be phased out. Dr Mike Joy joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China and Fiji have today signed a partnership agreement the latest in a row of deals done over the past few days. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced that the two sides agreed to "further synergize our strategies and expand cooperation in the economy, trade, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, civil aviation, education law enforcement, emergency management" Journalist Lice Movono joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns the Foreign Minister isn't engaged enough.  China's foreign minister is offering deals to 10 Pacific nations – and has already struck one with Samoa.  National has called for Nanaia Mahuta to head to the Pacific to better understand China's intentions.  NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan told Heather du Plessis Allan the portfolio requires a Minister who is on the road a lot – and Mahuta seems to have too much on her plate. “It’s a huge portfolio today because we actually have relationships with many more players than we did 20 years ago.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fiji and Samoa are the latest Pacific nations to sign trade and security deals with China. And even Niue is reportedly considering an agreement.  Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta is yet to respond to the news. She's stayed very quiet on the Chinese Foreign Minister's tour of the Pacific.  Acting Prime Minister and Finance Minister Grant Robertson joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fiji is the latest country expected to sign an agreement with China this afternoon. The Chinese Foreign Minister is on a marathon tour around the region, showing up NZ's and Australia's lack of attention. How concerned are you about these developments? While the Australian foreign minister flew out to Fiji immediately, our Foreign Minister isn't even speaking publicly. Would you expect more? The Government's response to supermarket duopoly is out – they're bringing in an industry regulator, a mandatory code of conduct, compulsory unit pricing and more transparent loyalty schemes. Plus, the big operators will have to open their wholesale arms up for competitors or face more regulation. Will this change the bill at the checkout do you think?  Should we shorten traditional working hours to school hours – while keeping pay the same? The issue of Kamahl Santamaria's resignation from Breakfast TV – just a month after he started. There are questions both about the alleged events that led to his resignation, and also

The US Justice Department is to review the police response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.  Authorities have so far struggled to give a clear timeline on how the events unfolded, to much public anger.  Officials have admitted police delayed entering the school for over 40 minutes as they did not believe it was still an active shooter situation.  Steven Monacelli, a journalist out of Texas, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Kiwi business consultant wants the classic 9 to 5 workday scrapped in favour of a 9 to 3 day to match with school times.  Ellen Nelson has launched a campaign called Work School Hours, saying ending work at 5 results in too much of a juggle to fit in the school pick up, or pay for after school care. Ellen Nelson joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government says it's put supermarkets "on notice" warning them to become more competitive or face regulation.  It's introducing an industry regulator, a mandatory code of conduct and compulsory unit pricing. But any radical moves like breaking up the duopoly or making the big two sell-off stores have been shelved.  Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What was the response to the Government’s announcement around the Supermarket duopoly? The latest on the PM’s US trip.  There’s a bit of drama around the departure of Breakfast TV's host... What is the Government saying about this? Political reporter Aaron Dahmen joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The opposition confirms new leadership. Thousands of paramedics go on strike over exhaustion. An Aussie company is sending millions of tubs of baby formula to the US after a rival recalls their product. 6PR Perth Live Presenter Oliver Peterson joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A leaked report finds that NZ Rugby may struggle to get the Silver Lake genie back in the bottle. Heartbreak for Scott Dixon at the Indy500. Sports commentator Phil Gifford joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced major legislative changes designed to reduce the power of the supermarket duopoly. The changes include an industry regulator, a mandatory code of conduct and tighter regulations around wholesale access. Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark says he's putting the supermarket giants on notice. Sarah Balle, founder of Supie, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and a 20-strong delegation arrived in the Solomon Islands Thursday at the start of an eight-nation tour that comes amid growing concerns about Beijing’s military and financial ambitions in the South Pacific region.China says the trip builds on a long history of friendly relations between Beijing and the island nations.But Australia scrambled to counter the move by sending its own Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Fiji to shore up support in the Pacific. Wong had been on the job just five days following an Australian election and had just arrived back Wednesday night from a meeting in Tokyo.In Fiji, Wong said it was up to each island nation to decide what partnerships they formed and what agreements they signed, but urged them to consider the benefits of sticking with Australia.“Australia will be a partner that doesn’t come with strings attached nor imposing unsustainable financial burdens," Wong said. “We are a partner that won’t erode Pacific priorities or Pacific institutions.”

Oil companies are making a killing at the moment.The price of Brent crude is back to levels not seen since early March.But there are a few developments this week that are starting to put pressure on the oil and gas companies.Business commentator Rod Oram joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former president of the Louvre museum has received preliminary charges for alleged antiquities trafficking during his tenure as head of the famous Paris museum.Police in the French capital charged Jean-Luc Martinez on Wednesday with “complicity in organized fraud” and money laundering, according to the Paris prosecutors’ office.The prosecutor’s office said that two of Martinez’ former colleagues in the Louvre's Egyptian antiquities department were also taken into custody this week but released without charges.The Paris prosecutor's office would not confirm French media reports saying that the three men were suspected of taking part in the trafficking of priceless heritage pieces.According to Le Canard Enchaine newspaper, investigators were looking into whether Martinez “turned a blind eye” to false certificates of provenance for five Egyptian antiquities.The newspaper said the pieces including a granite Tutankhamun stele or slab sold in 2016 when the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, a branch of the Paris museum, acqu

The reaction on our text machine took me by surprise earlier this week.It was during The Huddle and we were talking about the Australian election I think and the number of successful independent female candidates and one of our guests used the phrase ‘pale, stale, male’.And boy did the text machine go nuts.Fair enough. Because it is an unfair generalisation.What really interested me though was that I didn’t even really notice the phrase until the texts lit up because I'm inured to it.It’s just so common nowadays to beat up on men.Which brings me to an article in the Herald today.It’s a Listener interview with the author of a book called ‘What Do Men Want” and the author Nina Power argues that it’s time that we stop this gender war.She says we have to “acknowledge that its’ possible for men to be good” which she reckons “seems to be impossible in the discourse around toxic masculinity”.Because the pervasive thinking is that "all masculinity and therefore all men is bad and it doesn’t allow room for the possibl