Early Edition on Newstalk ZB

New Zealand’s rugby provinces have been warned by the professional players to brace for a civil war if they vote to approve their own governance change proposal at next week’s special general meeting. 

In an explosive move that shows how distressed the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association (NZRPA) is with the current governance system and the possibility of it not being fixed in line with independent recommendations, the trade body has told the unions it is ready to break away to form a new and separate entity to manage the professional game. 

In a fiercely worded letter sent to all unions as well as New Zealand Rugby (NZR), Super Rugby Pacific clubs and the Māori Rugby Board, the NZRPA says that if the provinces vote in favour of what is known as Proposal 2 —a new governance structure that the provinces have developed themselves and one that differs significantly to an alternative blueprint that aligns with the findings of an independent review— it will withdraw, via its collective employment agreement, the right for NZR to govern the game. 

NZRPA CEO Rob Nichol told Mike Hosking that Proposal 2 is a different proposal to what was put up by a group of provincial unions, and unfortunately it doesn’t stack up. 

He said that it falls well short of the recommendations and independent analysis undertaken by the expert panel and effectively discredits them. 

Should Proposal 2 be implemented, Nichol said, they’ll end up back at status quo, or worse. 

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Electoral paperwork is landing two MPs in hot water. 

The Greens have referred suspended MP Darleen Tana to the Electoral Commission for failing to put a promoter statement on a magazine advertorial. 

The party itself is investigating what she knew about allegations of migrant exploitation relating to her husband's business. 

At the same time, National has stripped MP David MacLeod of his Select Committee positions, after he failed to declare 19 donations. 

Former National ministerial advisor Brigitte Morten told Mike Hosking that it brings MacLeod's competence into question. 

She says with the support available around donation declaration, there's no excuse. 

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Passengers have described their terror when a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore dropped suddenly. 

A 73-year-old British man has died of a suspected heart attack and dozens of others were injured. 

A statement from the airline says 23 of the 211 passengers were from New Zealand. 

Flight SQ321 was diverted to Bangkok. 

UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that the plane fell seven thousand feet in six minutes, causing mid-air chaos. 

Seven other passengers are critically injured with head injuries. 

Singapore Airlines says 18 people have been hospitalised in Bangkok. 

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Police response times in Australia’s Northern Territory have gotten worse. 

A domestic violence inquest has heard that police response times have increased in the past year, more than doubling over the previous five. 

NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy revealed that between 2022 and 2023, the number of hours spent on domestic violence cases increased from 712,000 to 882,000, costs increasing with them. 

Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that racism within the Northern Territory Police has also been put under the spotlight. 

She said that allegations have been made that a serving officer circulated a photo of a topless aboriginal woman via a social media chat. 

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Local councils want a new approach to move decision making away from central government and back into communities. 

Local Government New Zealand is proposing city and regional deals, a system which would see councils team up with the government on specific projects. 

Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe told Mike Hosking that it will give more control to local communities. 

He says communities know what they want and should be allowed to deliver projects for themselves. 

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The death of Iran's President isn't expected to have immediate impacts internationally. 

President Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister have been confirmed dead by state media after a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border. 

Iran has announced five days of public mourning. 

Otago University international relations professor Robert Patman told Mike Hosking reaction will come down to whether the crash is deemed an accident. 

He says there will be serious international ramifications if foul play is found to be involved. 

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Immediate changes are in store for Kainga Ora, in light of a critical independent review. 

It found the public housing agency needs significant savings to become financially viable. 

Housing Minister Chris Bishop's indicated a total refresh of the board but rules out a mass sell-off of state houses. 

Community Housing Aotearoa Deputy CEO, Chris Glaudel told Mike Hosking that the report isn't shocking, but contained a few surprises. 

He says the most important thing was the report digging deeper into our overall social housing system and the issues at play. 

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A sellout crowd is certain as it's just one day til Wellington Phoenix chants ring out across the city. 

The nix are playing the Melbourne Victory at a packed Cake Tin. 

Excitement's been building up in the capital about the A-League semifinal clash, as the team goes into the second leg on a nil-all aggregate score, at home. 

Weekend Sport host Jason Pine told Mike Hosking that he gets the feeling that the match will be settled within 90 minutes. 

He said that someone will have the inspirational moment, the flash of brilliance, or someone will make a mistake, and that will settle the game. 

“I don’t think we’ll see a nil-all tomorrow night.” 

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King Charles has been attending garden parties as he returns to public duties. 

The monarch returned to work in late April, about two months after it was announced he was being treated for cancer. 

UK correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking that he appeared in good spirits at the garden parties this past week. 

He says hundreds of people are invited to the parties, which have days for different industries. 

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The Workplace Relations and Safety Minister's being urged to address the huge cost of workplace bullying. 

A report by the Human Rights Commission and KPMG has found the cost of bullying and harassment to employers is about $1.5 billion a year. 

Equal Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo told Mike Hosking that Minister Brooke van Velden wants to look at health and safety laws and the grievance processes. 

She hopes the minister's paying attention to the report, because it may be a loss for businesses but it's the people's lives that are at the centre of this. 

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Federated Farmers says most farmers are looking at Fonterra's change in strategy with cautious optimism.  

The dairy giant's signalled its intent to divest well-known brands such as Anchor and overseas brands Fonterra Oceania and Fonterra Sri Lanka. 

It wants to focus on producing ingredients and selling them to consumers and other businesses. 

Federated Farmers Dairy Chair Richard McIntyre told Mike Hosking that some are concerned about Fonterra's potential move away from value-added products. 

But he says they're also talking about investing more in innovation, so it'll be interesting to see the detail. 

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After months of goading, Donald Trump has his wish. 

Joe Biden has finally agreed to presidential debates, but on a different schedule. 

He released a video on social media earlier today saying that he’s ready to debate, and that Trump is available on Wednesdays, referring to the day that Trump’s hush money trial is not in session. 

US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Roman Travers that normally these debates take place in the last two or so months of the campaign, but the first will be taking place in June, the second in September. 

Biden’s team says the usual model hasn’t been working, and that organisers have failed to keep the debates under control in the past. 

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Hundreds of appointments and surgeries have been cancelled as junior doctors begin another strike. 

They’re continuing to fight for better pay and work conditions. 

More than 2000 doctors walked off the job at 7am for the second time in two weeks, the strike planned to last two days. 

Sarah Dalton, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, told Roman Travers that we’re already training many young doctors just to go off and work overseas as the work conditions and pay aren’t good enough for the senior medical workforce. 

Now, she said, Te Whatu Ora seems to be doing everything they can to get them to go even sooner. 

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There's a small silver lining for regional councils amid slowing local economic growth. 

The March Infometrics Monitor reveals economic activity has increased just 0.2% over a year, the slowest growth since the first Covid-19 lockdown. 

Building consents have dropped almost 60% in the Tasman District and fell around 25% for all regions. 

Tasman District Mayor Tim King told Roman Travers that despite hard times for regions, it does present councils an opportunity 

He says with the current economic downturn it's ironically a good time to invest in infrastructure. 

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Labour's anticipating many Kiwi police officers will take up New South Wales' incentivised offer. 

The state is 1500 officers short and has announced it'll fast-track New Zealand officers as recruits. 

Training requirements will be shortened and Kiwis with at least seven years' experience can keep their current rank, up to senior constable. 

Labour's Spokesperson on Police, Ginny Andersen told Roman Travers that this offers more than other poaching attempts from Australian states. 

She says they know that a lot will go, and Police Association President Chris Cahill's said 20 have gone in the last week. 

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With any promise there’s always an element of wiggle room, misinterpretation, or perhaps reversing out at high speed. 

Although I have huge admiration for anyone who keeps their word and sticks to a promise verbatim, the coalition government’s promise of tax cuts isn’t a promise I’m happy for them to keep. 

Anyone who only heard that promise in the runup to the election and based their voting decision upon that one fiscal soundbite possibly has a dubious voting history. But then again, it’s promises like that which ultimately attract the low hanging fruit pickers to any party. 

Yesterday, we heard Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reiterate his governments promise of tax cuts, as we head closer to this month’s budget announcement. 

He made the comments in a speech to the Auckland Business Chamber yesterday afternoon; and used the opportunity to bat away criticism of the coalition's promised tax cuts, saying "the squeezed middle" deserved support given the tough cost-of-living. 

The ‘squeezed middle’ he refers to must now be equivalent to the area under a bell curve: To the extreme left and right of the squeezed middle must now surely be only poverty and extreme wealth. 

It’s demonstrably obvious to anyone living in New Zealand that there are more and more of us tracking the finances daily, and really thinking hard about how on earth to further reduce the already relatively mediocre lives the ‘squeezed middle’ live. 

Even those whose only focus at the voting booth was the promise of tax cuts can see that New Zealand cannot afford to receive them. 

Of course, it’s admirable to see The Prime Minister reinforcing his fiscal promise and sticking to his word; but I don’t think there would be many of us who’d complain if he came out today and told us that —under the dire current economic climate, with so many things to fix— the promise of tax cuts is off the table for now. 

Defer tax cuts. Use that whopping, dangling carrot at the next election. 

No doubt it’ll still be appealing – and no doubt, a promise of tax relief will be even more welcome come the general election of 2026. 

The truth isn’t always what we want to hear. Sometimes the pain of a promise broken isn’t as painful as one you’re determined to stick to. 

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A UK study has found that obesity jabs could reduce health risks. 

Researchers looked at semaglutide, otherwise known as Wegovy and Ozempic, and found that the weekly shots could reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. 

It was found to benefit cardiovascular health even if the user didn’t lose much weight. 

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Roman Travers that it’s too early to say that it’s definitely working and definitely a side effect, but the potential is fascinating. 

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If you feel as though you’ve been living in some kind of whack job, futuristic Netflix series when it comes to this country’s deplorable attitude to crime and our increasingly farcical judicial system you were probably suitably blown away by yesterday’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. 

Finally, there is good news. Finally, there’s hope that we’ll get to re-establish more than a modicum of control over the growing numbers of gangs and gang members. 

Police are establishing a national gang unit, supported by 'district gang disruption teams', to target crime, harm, and intimidation caused by patched gang members. All I can say is it’s about time. 

It’s about time that someone took this feral issue by the nostrils and led it out and beyond the growing levels of complacency and the general acceptance we’ve been conditioned and subjected to – for far too long.   

The all-new police national team, will work with police districts across the country, drawing on joint operations to gang funerals and other acts of general criminal nuisance and stupidity. Hopefully this will also mean that the police aren’t lagging behind in gang related intelligence. 

What we’ve seen in the past have been poorly funded strategies that the gangs know are flawed from the outset, allowing them to keep their criminal wheels turning, or spinning and burning out as is more often the case. 

The Police Commissioner, Andrew Coster says there’ll be 25 to 30 staff forming the new national unit while the smaller district teams will be about seven officers. 

Andrew Coster also believes there’ll be a reduction in gang numbers, once they get the units up and running and get the tools the government was providing through brand new legislation. 

Not only have we seen this huge change in political direction, the general law-abiding public has been demanding big change like this for a very long time. 

It’s utterly inconceivable that we haven’t made this move until now, and it’s a complete blight on all previous politicians who failed to let things get to this stage. 

There are 9000 pathed gang members in New Zealand today; the same numbers as the population of Queenstown. 

Here’s hoping those gang member numbers head to zero at speed before we get another change of government who do a U turn on this overdue policy. Congratulations Andew Coster and Police Minister Mark Mitchell. 

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It's thought the Christchurch Call's refresh is in-line with technology's rapid evolution. 

The call —designed to battle online extremism and hate content— is becoming a foundation. 

Taxpayer funding ends in July. 

Dame Jacinda Ardern will become patron, rather than New Zealand's special envoy. 

Gorilla Tech Chief Executive Paul Spain told Roman Travers that the tech world is a different place since the call began, particularly with AI. 

He says the tools available now are far better and more powerful than in 2019. 

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Some police officers are sceptical about the Government's new crackdown on gangs. 

The Police Minister and Police Commissioner have announced the establishment of a new National Gang Unit. 

It'll have around 30 people and up to seven ring-fenced officers in each police district. 

Police Association President Chris Cahill told Roman Travers that if it doesn't have more funding, you're just asking staff to do more work. 

He says officers are pretty keen to get into these gangs, but they're bogged down with the amount of work they've got at the moment. 

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There are concerns the Government's charter schools plan could be a political football. 

Associate Education Minister David Seymour's announced more than $150 million to set up 15 new charter schools in the next four years and convert 35 state school in the next two. 

Massey University's John O'Neill told Roman Travers that since the last government's disestablished them, it can't be considered a settled policy. 

He says the possibility of converting or privatising existing state schools and moving them out of the state sector would be the major new bone of contention. 

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Australia’s federal budget is due today. 

With gross debt predicted to rise above $1 trillion by 2026, Treasurer Jim Chalmers is walking a tightrope between offering cost-of-living relief without fuelling inflation. 

Repayments on Government debt have become the fastest growing expense in the budget, and Dr Chalmers is facing calls to continue cutting spending. 

Australian Correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that they’re hearing that inflation could be under control a year earlier than expected. 

The early relief could result in interest rate cuts, and there has been talk of energy bill relief for students and welfare recipients, she said. 

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All Blacks Captain Sam Cane has announced his retirement from the international stage. 

From next year he’ll take up a three-year contract with Suntory in Japan, where he spent this season’s sabbatical.  

Elliott Smith, Newstalk ZB’s rugby commentator, told Mike Hosking that it isn’t quite the bombshell people are calling it, but it is still earlier than expected. 

He said that Cane was still in the mix to continue the captaincy after he led the team to the World Cup final last year. 

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There are calls for the government to better regulate salt content in our processed foods. 

Research from Otago and Auckland universities reveals about two thirds of packaged foods on supermarket shelves exceed the World Health Organisation benchmark. 

Stroke Foundation General Manager Jess Winchester says one fifth of New Zealanders already have high blood pressure. 

She told Mike Hosking that the government needs to begin holding food manufacturers to the WHO sodium benchmarks. 

Winchester says people shouldn't be risking their lives every time they bite into their favourite pie. 

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It's thought a Court of Appeal decision finding the Waitangi Tribunal could summon ACT MP Karen Chhour doesn't set a precedent for future cases. 

The decision overturned a High Court ruling which found the Children's Minister did not have to front with her reasoning for removing Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act. 

Massey University Law Professor Chris Gallavin told Mike Hosking that lots of ministers have given evidence before the tribunal in the past. 

He says it's a bit of a storm in a teacup. 

Gallavin says there's lot of agreement between the High Court and Court of Appeal, and they just took different views on one point. 

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New teachers across the country are not being set up to succeed, according to the Education Review Office (ERO). 

Two thirds of principals are reporting new teachers coming into the role are unprepared, and a third of new primary teachers claim they are unprepared to teach science. 

The ERO is calling for more to be done. 

Ruth Shinoda, Head of ERO’s Education Evaluation Centre, tells Mike Hosking the combination of teachers themselves saying they don’t feel prepared, and their principals reiterating this is concerning. 

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A new proposal could see protest groups in the UK banned in a similar way to terrorist organisations. 

Extracts of an upcoming report show recommendations will be made for a new category proscribing “extreme protest groups”, defining these as those which routinely use criminal tactics to try to achieve their aims. Protest groups such as Just Stop Oil and Palestine Action could have sanctions that restrict the groups’ ability to fundraise and rights to assembly in the UK. 

Plus, a new device might cut down hospital time for cancer patients. 

The Liberty has been given regulatory approval. The device allows patients to take blood tests and upload the results at home without supervision. 

Europe correspondent Gavin Grey tells Mike Hosking the device has only been tested on a small number of types of cancer. 

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In the A-League semi-finals, the Wellington Phoenix had a nil-all draw against the Melbourne Victory. The Phoenix return home this Saturday for the second leg of the semi. 

The Warriors suffered another loss, going down 38-18 to the Roosters in Sydney. The game brought on injury concerns as Shaun Johnson left the field in the second half. 

And, Aimee Fisher has beaten Dame Lisa Carrington in the K1 500 canoe sprint final at the canoeing World Cup in Hungary. 

ZB Sports Andrew Alderson wraps the latest from the weekend in sport. 

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Big changes are coming to parking in Auckland’s CBD. 

Auckland CBD residents and visitors will be stung with new 24-hour parking charges covering overnight, at weekends and on public holidays from July – as Auckland Transport seeks to collect more money. 

Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck tells Mike Hosking news of the parking charges is out of the blue and “completely out of step” with the normal procedures. 

AT’s approach to parking is based on demand. Auckland CBD has high demand for daytime parking, but information for outside of this has not been supplied. 

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Unlike the US, the UK is not withholding arms to Israel. 

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that their position is not comparable with that of the US, since the UK is not a large state-to-state arms supplier to Israel. 

However, they don’t support a large-scale invasion of Rafah unless there is a plan to protect civilians in place. 

UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking that what the UK provides is export licenses for UK weapons manufacturers to export to Israel. 

He said that it’s a very different situation, and the UK is not going to retract those licenses. 

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There's doubts a potential raising of the international visitor levy will impact tourism numbers. 

Overseas visitors pay $35 collected through visa applications, which is evenly split between conservation and tourism. 

Speaking at the TRENZ conference, Tourism Minister Matt Doocey says that advice he's received shows it would have to rise to about $42 in today's market. 

Backpacker Youth Adventure Tourism Association chair Haydn Marriner told Mike Hosking that's just the cost of business. 

He says to expect the same value from that $35 today is to ignore everything we've always had. 

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Archives New Zealand's shutting down its digital archiving programme. 

It's part of an initiative to digitise historically significant images and documents. 

But the agency says it's been unable to secure further funding, and it will have to cut at least three jobs. 

Historian Paul Moon told Mike Hosking that this is important work and should remain. 

He says the Government should cobble together the small amount of funding needed to keep it going. 

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A potential power outage is looming in the chilly air. 

Many parts of the country have seen temperatures dropping below zero with an early season cold snap. 

Electricity grid operator Transpower's warning households to limit power use between 7 and 9 Friday morning where possible. 

It suggests turning off lights and heaters and delaying use of appliances. 

Contact Energy Chief Executive Mike Fuge told Mike Hosking that there are lots of plans and investment in growing generation capacity. 

He says Tauhara —the sixth geothermal power station near Taupo— is being commissioned, which would provide another 160-170 megawatts. 

Fuge says the cold's come a bit earlier and the project's running a bit late. 

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Another pro-Palestine encampment was cleared by Police, resulting in the arrest of 33 protestors. 

Hundreds of police stormed the grounds at Washington’s George Washington University early this morning, using pepper spray to clear the encampment. 

This came just hours before city officials were due to appear before Congress to justify their actions, or lack thereof, regarding the protest. 

US Correspondent Katherine Firkin told Mike Hosking that at least 50 campuses are now involved in the protests. 

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Air New Zealand's reliability has fallen, and it's trailing Jetstar in figures for last month as it grapples with engine problems. 

Only 77% of its domestic flights arrived within 15 minutes of scheduled times last month, down from 88% in January. 

Jetstar reported no domestic cancellations last month and almost 79% of flights were on time. 

Aviation Commentator Irene King told Mike Hosking that Jetstar is an insignificant airline in comparison to Air NZ’s operations. 

She said that they only have five planes, all of the same type, so you’d think they’d get it right every time. 

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A Wellington City Councillor says the fight isn't over to remove the heritage listing from derelict buildings. 

RMA Minister Chris Bishop has signed off on the council's housing recommendations, unlocking the potential for up-zoning across the city. 

But an amendment to de-list 10 buildings to allow for demolition wasn't approved due to legal constraints. 

Councillor Ben McNulty told Mike Hosking he believes Bishop wanted to approve the changes but was constrained by the legal framework. 

McNulty says they'll keep trying. 

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A public health academic says David Seymour's claims he can reduce funding for the school lunch programme while delivering the same results is a big call to make. 

The Associate Health Minister's unveiled a slimmed down version of the programme he says will save $107 million a year. 

He says they'll reduce costs by bulk buying and serving simple items. 

But Health Coalition Aotearoa Co-Chair Boyd Swinburn told Mike Hosking that what's being called savings is really a withdrawal of investment in childhood nutrition. 

He says we're doing nothing otherwise about problems we have with childhood obesity, rotten teeth, poor mental health, and so on. 

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Israeli tanks have now entered Rafah, taking control of the border. 

Yesterday saw Hamas agree to a ceasefire proposal, but Israel believes the terms do not go far enough and as such, are continuing their mission. 

Despite this, a delegation is being sent to negotiate, trying to reach an agreement. 

Former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan-Nahoum told Mike Hosking the ceasefire discussion has been quite confusing. 

She said that they’d previously presented five ceasefire deals, all of which were rejected by Hamas. 

As soon as they sent out warning leaflets to the residents of Rafah, Hassan-Nahoum said, suddenly they come back with an approved deal on an offer that was never made. 

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There are lessons to be learned from the Auditor-General's review of last year's election. 

The report's found the final check of the official election results was done within a few hours on the day it was announced. 

The rushed assessment failed to identify multiple errors. 

It also recommends improvements to controls, quality assurance, recruitment, training, and risk management 

Political commentator Grant Duncan told Mike Hosking that people at the polling stations seemed to be under a lot of pressure. 

But, he says, it's good to see a systematic approach taken by the Auditor-General and robust recommendations. 

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More coal's being burned to keep up with energy demand. 

The Gas Industry Company has revealed there was a 12.5% reduction in gas production last year. 

It's also found nearly 30% less gas was produced in the first three months of this year than projected. 

Energy Minister Simeon Brown says it's because the last Government's disincentivised gas production. 

He told Mike Hosking that the low production's threatening our energy security. 

He says news from Genesis Energy shows they're burning a lot more coal to meet that need, which is twice as carbon intensive than burning gas. 

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An Australian pilot operating in international waters was forced to take evasive action. 

A Chinese military jet detonated flares close to the Navy helicopter as it flew above the Yellow Sea near South Korea. 

The Defence Department has described the actions of the Chinese Air Force plane as “unsafe and unprofessional”. 

Australian Correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that there were thankfully no injuries or damage. 

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The OECD is pointing to an economic hangover in our economy in its biennial report. 

It's advising the Government to gradually get the books back into surplus, with economic growth still sluggish and productivity waning. 

The OECD also supports cutting government spending but warns of unintended consequences from doing so. 

Independent economist Cameron Bagrie told Mike Hosking that there was one issue in the report for the Government to be especially aware of. 

He says it's expected poor education outcomes will take a bit of an economic hit to our productivity over the coming years. 

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The Government's throwing $1.9 billion at Corrections with a pledge to restore law and order. 

It will add more than 800 extra beds at Waikeria Prison and recruit 685 more frontline Corrections staff. 

Criminal defence lawyer John Munro says more beds will result in more people in prison. 

He told Mike Hosking that we need to be careful we don't end up following in the footsteps of the United States. 

Munro says we still need to get the balance of rehabilitation and recidivism right, so the community is kept safe but people leaving prison don't go back to crime. 

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The Government has made its first move in itsLocal Water Done Wellreforms – the replacement for Three Waters. 

A deal has been brokered with Auckland Council which will allow Watercare to borrow 1.9 billion over the next ten years for long-term infrastructure. The deal will stop the proposed 25.8 percent water rates increase this year, bringing it down to 7.2 percent. 

Water NZ CEO Gillian Blythe tells Mike Hosking that ultimately, the challenge comes down to balancing local accountability with affordability. 

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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing down his critics after another set of poor election results. 

Europe correspondent Gavin Grey tells Mike Hosking the infighting has begun within Sunak’s party following local council, Mayoral and Police Commissioner elections as well as on by-election all delivering huge losses for conservatives. 

And, security is being tightened in Sweden ahead of the Eurovision song contest this week. 

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The Warriors have suffered their third defeat in a row, falling 14-8 to the Newcastle Knights. 

The men’s and women’s New Zealand sevens-teams have completed back-to-back victories to finish the world series regular season. The series-leading women defeated Australia 31-21 to win the Singapore leg, while the men pipped Ireland 17-14 to move into third in the standings. Both sides advance to a finale in Madrid. 

And, the Wellington Phoenix now know who they will face in their A-League semi final. 

ZB Sports Andrew Alderson tells Mike Hosking the latest in sport. 

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Auckland Council is launching a new campaign to drive down dog attacks. 

Research reveals around 2700 related injuries each year, with just under 300 of those to babies and children under 14 years old. 

The campaign will include radio advertising, street posters and community papers promoting ways people can keep themselves safe around dogs. 

Auckland Council’s Animal Management Manager Elly Waitoa tells Mike Hosking there has been a 28 percent increase in attacks in the past year – compared to the 6 percent increase to the dog population. 

Waitoa says the problem comes down to irresponsible dog owners being complacent. 

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UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney brings us the latest on the UK local elections and from London’s fatal sword attack. 

McAviney told Mike Hosking “If things are really bad for the Prime Minister, it could see a mutiny on his back benches.” 

McAviney said Rishi Sunak is expected to lose around half of their councillors in England and Wales. 

McAviney says the only thing that might stop his party from replacing him is that the British public don't want a sixth conservative Prime Minister in fourteen years. 

In other news, a man has been charged with murder for the sword attack on a fourteen-year-old boy. 

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Is it time to review the attitudes of MPs inside parliament? 

Political commentator Brigette Morten told Mike Hosking that in a week with MP pay rises and James Shaw’s exit - it has become all about her outburst. 

“It looks like there’s been a pattern of behaviour,” Morten said. 

House Speaker Gerry Brownlee said there’s a justice process, during which Genter can make representations to the Speaker by midday Monday. 

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson told reporters that Genter was currently working from home. 

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Are kiwis uninterested in New Zealand Fashion? 

New Zealand Fashion Week has been cancelled this August and has decided to shift into a two-yearly schedule. 

Owner Feroz Ali says there weren't enough designers to commit to the weeklong event because they're focused on the survival of their businesses. 

Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young told Mike Hosking that it's not that people don't want to buy local. 

She says the biggest factor is that people don't have disposable income to spend on discretionary items. 

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There's hopes a new policy around education won't be a one-size-fits-all approach. 

The Government's committing $67 million in the upcoming Budget for teacher training and resources on what's called structured literacy. 

It aims to go 'back to basics', teaching kids how to read with sounds and phonics. 

Auckland Primary Principals' Association President Kyle Brewerton told Mike Hosking that this approach works well for underachievers but it's not helpful to those who already can read. 

He says we want to make sure we continue to extend and grow their performance. 

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Economic pain is being felt in the latest employment numbers. 

The unemployment rate is 4.3%, an increase of 0.3 percentage points from the December quarter. 

ANZ economist Henry Russell told Mike Hosking that we've come out of a period of intense labour shortages, with migration doing the heavy lifting. 

He says skill shortages remain and that's why we continue to import people into New Zealand. 

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Patience has run out for the authorities cracking down on student protests across the United States. 

Pro-Palestinian protests at multiple colleges have broken out into violence and property destruction. 

US correspondent Mitch McCann told Mike Hosking that police were called to clear out students in New York’s Columbia University. 

He says up to 300 people were arrested as a result. 

This morning there have been violent clashes between pro-Palestine and pro-Israel demonstrators at UCLA, with reports of fireworks, projectiles, and physical violence. 

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The Government's continuing discussions around potential future cooperation with AUKUS but it's still a long way off. 

Foreign Minister Winston Peters outlined New Zealand's position to the Institute of International Affairs at Parliament last night. 

He says we should be considering exploring Pillar 2 —the technology leg— but we'd first need to be invited to join. 

Former Defence Minister Wayne Mapp agrees, telling Mike Hosking that if we didn't join, we'd be turning our back on our traditional allies.

He said it's a pretty deep decision to make.

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It's been found the blame lies at NZQA’s feet for a number of digital exam assessment glitches. 

An independent review found last year's issues —which included trouble saving exam work and lagging— was down to a number of safeguards failing. 

Avonside Girls' High School Principal Catherine Law told Mike Hosking that it wasn't catastrophic from their perspective, but some students would've felt that way. 

She says the vision for going digital is great but current issues make it difficult. 

Law says she's unsure whether we're as prepared for it as previously thought. 

NZQA's accepted the findings and apologised. 

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Unemployment is continuing to rise. 

New figures from Stats NZ show the unemployment rate was 4.3% in the March quarter, up 0.3 percentage points from 4% in the December quarter. 

The unemployment rate has been steadily rising since reaching a record low of 3.2% in the December 2021 quarter. 

Business NZ Director of Advocacy Catherine Beard told Mike Hosking that the biggest problems businesses are seeing is a slowdown in demand from consumers as opposed to unemployment. 

It’s a bit of a crunchy time we’re going through, she said. 

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Questions are arising around the Police response to a fatal sword attack in London. 

A 36-year-old man has been arrested after a 14-year-old boy was killed in the incident near the suburb of Hainault. 

Four other people were injured including two officers. 

UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that the Police's response time will likely be looked at. 

He says it took officers 22 minutes to arrive at the scene and taser the man.

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It’s unfortunate but hardly surprising. 

Around 10km of highway through Northland's Brynderwyn Hills has been closed since February for repair work. 

It had been due to reopen in a couple of weeks, but a slip has put paid to that. 

Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo told Mike Hosking that delays had to be expected. 

He says around 40-thousand cubic metres of soil will now have to be moved, and it's currently moving as if it was sand. 

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It's looking like an MP pay rise is going ahead this time around. 

The Remuneration Authority's set to increase salaries 2.8% backdated to October, followed by further increases out to 2026. 

Ministers inside Cabinet will take home just over $304k a year and those outside Cabinet, nearly $257k. 

Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls told Mike Hosking there hasn't been a pay rise since 2017 - because Parliament can overrule it. 

He says the last time MPs were in line for a pay rise, former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern decided to freeze salaries due to the cost of living at the time. 

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Queensland’s abuse support services are receiving a financial boost. 

The state government has announced an additional $36 million in funding that will go to frontline domestic, family, and sexual violence support services over the next 12 months. 

Premier Steven Miles said the figure was an increase of 20% of the current funding, calling on the federal government to match it. 

Donna Demaio, Australian Correspondent, told Mike Hosking that the Prime Minister has called a national Cabinet meeting tomorrow to discuss the call to action. 

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Household spending seems to be rising faster than inflation. 

Data from Stats NZ showed that it rose an average of 6.2% in the year to March, reflecting the average person’s overall costs across the board. 

Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Mike Hosking that part of the big difference between inflation sitting at 4% and this figure is that inflation doesn’t include interest rates. 

He said that interest rates have gone up about 28% over the last year, which households are seeing a lot more. 

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Pharmac's record funding-boost will fill a fiscal hole to ensure it can keep funding the treatments currently on offer. 

The drug-buying agency is being promised an additional $1.7 billion over four years in the upcoming Budget. 

Medicines NZ Chief Executive, Graeme Jarvis told Mike Hosking that without it, some patients would have lost out on medicines paid for by time-limited funding. 

He says while it sounds like a lot of money, it's being spread over four years and simply keeps things as they are. 

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The Government may need to re-consider its stance on healthcare in the upcoming budget. 

An OIA has discovered the current health minister’s initial surgery wait list targets are estimated to have a $723 million price tag, over two years. 

Christchurch colorectal surgeon Chris Wakeman tells Mike Hosking the biggest hurdle is the lack of people and facilities. 

“This is a much bigger picture problem than just a budgetary allotment.” 

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British troops could be deployed on the ground in Gaza to help deliver aid via a new sea route.

The US has said no American forces would go ashore from a floating pontoon – a “third party” will drive trucks along a causeway onto the beach. Britain has been closely involved in planning the sea-bourne aid operation. 

Europe correspondent Gavin Grey tells Mike Hosking the task is risky due to the accidental killings of aid workers by Israel Defence Forces. 

Meanwhile, the UK’s largest cider maker has chopped down a huge orchard, sparking fears for wildlife. 

Lower demand for cider meant Bulmer’s Cider, owned by Heineken, had an excess of apples and uprooted thousands of trees. 

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Super Rugby fans saw some high quality action over the weekend. 

The Blues v Reds clash was decided dramatically after the siren and the Hurricanes had their unbeaten streak ended, being smothered into submission by the Brumbies. 

Meanwhile, Scott McLaughlin took pole position for Monday morning’s IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama. 

And, crowds are flocking to LIV Golf across the Tasman. 

ZB Sport’s Elliott Smith wraps the weekend in sport. 

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Professional driving instructors are suffering an unexpected consequence of last year’s change to free re-sits for driving tests. 

Since fees for re-sitting practical driving tests were scrapped in October, delays to licence booking times have grown as a result of a surge in demand. 

There were 2000 booked no-shows last month alone through VTNZ. 

President of the New Zealand Institute of Driving Educators Mark Revill-Johnson tells Mike Hosking that funding training gets better outcomes as people are well prepared when turning up for tests. 

Instead, people are using the test as an opportunity for a free lesson, affecting business for professional instructors across the country. 

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Horses and people are still hospitalised after a number of animals belonging to the Household Cavalry ran through the streets of London. 

Four of the seven horses threw off their riders after being spooked by a loud noise yesterday. 

UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Andrew Dickens that they were right by Buckingham Palace, running through some of the busiest streets in the city. 

He said that it frightened a lot of people, one horse crashing into a cyclist, another into a taxi, and a third into a double decker bus. 

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Some of New Zealand's biggest tech names have sent a letter to the Government as millions of public funding is set to expire in the cloud software sector. 

The letter sent to Tech Minister Judith Collins includes executives from Xero, Datacom, and Gallagher. 

Serko Chief Marketing Officer Nick Whitehead says they want "engagement' not just to talk "funding". 

He told Francesca Rudkin that they want to understand what the Government’s plans are for the sector going forward, so they don’t lose all the work put into growing the community. 

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The economic value of cruise-ships is on full-display as the season draws to a close. 

They've brought in 350,000 visitors, with an estimated value of $540 million. 

Newmarket Business Association Chief Executive Mark Knoff-Thomas told Francesca Rudkin they've seen a 30% rise in international visitor spending this season. 

But the bounce-back may be short-lived, a 20% decline in port visits is projected for next season as rising costs bite the market. 

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A barrister says the High Court's decision to overturn the Waitangi Tribunal summons of the Children's Minister was a good and clear decision. 

It ruled Karen Chhour could not be compelled to appear before the Tribunal over her plans to repeal part of the Oranga Tamariki Act. 

Treaty activist and lawyer Annette Sykes has lodged an appeal. 

Marie Dyhrberg KC told Francesca Rudkin it doesn't set a precedent, as there's already a law. 

She says the judge said had the evidence not been available in other forms, he would not have quashed the summons. 

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At least five are dead only hours after the passing of the UK’s controversial migrant deportation bill. 

Approximately 100 migrants were rescued while crossing the English Channel, placed abroad a French Navy ship to be taken to the port of Boulogne. 

The approved bill aims to deter situations like this, deporting illegal immigrants to Rwanda as a deterrent to those seeking asylum. 

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that so far, some 52,000 people have been earmarked for deportation, Rwanda looking to take in only a few hundred. 

He said that if the deterrent works, this will be good for the UK, however, there is a backlog and time is running out for Rishi Sunak. 

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There are calls for harsher punishments for repeat distracted driving. 

New Ipsos research commissioned by AMI found 55% of drivers admit to driving distracted, with 21% admitting to driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. 

The top distractions were mobile phones, other drivers, other passengers, and daydreaming. 

Road safety advocate Greg Murphy told Mike Hosking that fines have gone up for distracted driving, but it's still not enough to deter people. 

He says it's one of those things where a stiff penalty would prevent them from doing it again, but we don't have that. 

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A health recruiter is giving assurances that practices are in place to help migrant doctors. 

An Otago University study has found international doctors are struggling with cultural integration and New Zealand is at risk of losing them unless practices improve. 

Accent Health Recruiter Prudence Thomson told Mike Hosking that she's been recruiting for 25 years, and migrating is always a challenge. 

She says if a good orientation and induction are in place —which the Medical Council has in writing— people adapt pretty well. 

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Chinese business travellers are first priority Auckland tourism for a first-of-its-kind alliance. 

Since travel resumed last year, 6% of the 210,000 Chinese tourists were here for business. 

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Auckland Airport will work with China Southern Airlines to market their daily non-stop flights from their main hub in Guangzhou to business travellers. 

Auckland Unlimited Destination Director, Annie Dundas, told Mike Hosking that this is the first collaboration they've had with a Chinese airline. 

She says we hosted five thousand people from Amway China last year, and this is the kind of business they're looking for. 

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There are fears health worker strikes could become common place as conditions worsen. 

Two and a half thousand resident doctors will strike next month over pay and conditions. 

Former Health New Zealand chairman Rob Campbell told Mike Hosking that it could be the first of many more health worker strikes. 

He said workers are feeling increasingly disaffected and unheard. 

Campbell said that the agency needs to do better to prevent the strikes, it’s not good management for the issue to be hashed out in public. 

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An American comedian is defending his decision to kick a breast-feeding mother out of his Melbourne comedy show. 

Flight of the Concords star Arj Barker asked breastfeeding mother Trish Faranda to leave his Melbourne show on Saturday, claiming her baby was disrupting his performance. 

Faranda says it was humiliating to be publicly called out. 

Australia correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that Barker "feels bad for any upset involved", but says he was thinking of the hundreds of other ticketholders hoping to hear his show. 

He says it was a 15-plus show, and the 700 others in attendance needed to be able to enjoy the event. 

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Women's Refuge says it will be a waiting game as to whether Three Strikes legislation is effective. 

The Government is preparing to reintroduce mandatory prison sentences for violent and sexual criminals committing a third offence, this time only applying to sentences above 24 months. 

Women's Refuge Chief Executive Ang Jury told Mike Hosking that in some instances incarceration is the one way to ensure safety. 

But she says they need to be getting help while they're in there to change their behaviour, and that's what's missing from this equation. 

Jury says there was no indication it worked last time, but something needs to be done. 

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A British lawmaker who allegedly used campaign funds to pay off people who were holding him hostage said Sunday that he wouldn't seek reelection after the governing Conservative Party found his behaviour fell below the standard expected of members of Parliament.

Mark Menzies' downfall is the latest in a series of scandals to hit the Conservatives, undermining support for a party that has been in power for the past 14 years as it prepares for a general election later this year.

The Times of London recently reported that Menzies called a 78-year-old aide at 3 a.m. in December asking for funds to pay off “bad people” who had locked him in an apartment and were demanding money for his release. Menzies' office manager ultimately paid 6,500 pounds ($8,100) from her personal bank account, which was reimbursed from funds donated by political backers, the newspaper said.

Menzies, who denies the allegations, has represented the seat of Fylde in northwest England since 2010.

“Due to the pressures on myself and my elderly mother, I have decided to resign from the Conservative Party and will not stand at the forthcoming general election," he said. “This has been a very difficult week for me, and I request that my family’s privacy is respected.”

Menzies' announcement came after the Conservatives announced the findings of an internal investigation into the matter.

The inquiry concluded that the payment had been authorized by two members of a local donors group that sits outside the Conservative Party, and therefore Menzies hadn't misused party funds.

“However, we do believe that there has been a pattern of behavior that falls below the standards expected of MPs and individuals looking after donations to local campaign funds which lie outside the direct jurisdiction of the Conservative Party,” the party said.

The opposition Labour Party has called for a police investigation into the matter. The Conservatives said they would share information with police if they decide to investigate.

The Conservatives have been in power since 2010, but they are trailing in opinion polls amid crumbling public services, high prices that are squeezing consumers and the corrosive effect of ethics scandals.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who led the party to a landslide victory in 2019, resigned from the House of Commons after an investigation found that he deliberately misled Parliament about parties held at his Downing Street offices during lockdowns imposed to control the spread of COVID-19.

Other scandals include a lawmaker who was caught looking at porn in the House of Commons, another who reportedly offered to lobby on behalf of gambling firms and another alleged to have drunkenly groped strangers at a private club in London.

But ethical questions are also being asked of opposition politicians as the country prepares for an election that must be called by the end of this year.

Conservatives accuse Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, of dodging taxes on the sale of a house sale years ago by falsely claiming it was her primary residence. Police say they are investigating. Rayner denies wrongdoing and hasn't been suspended by her party.

- by Danica Kirka, AP

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The Government’s cutting more red tape in housing.

They’ve announced changes to ease lending criteria for home and other loans, including reforming financial services and updating the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act.

The time it takes to process loans will lessen and mortgages will be easier to access.

NZ Banking Association chief executive Roger Beaumont joined Mike Hosking.

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The Black Caps have responded in style, as Mark Chapman inspired New Zealand to a series-levelling seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

Just 24 hours after being bowled out for 90 to lose by seven wickets at the same venue, a heavily depleted Black Caps side flipped the script on their hosts, and chased down their target of 179 runs with ease.

That chase was anchored by an unbeaten 87 from Chapman, who continued his love affair with Pakistan after being named man-of-the-series in New Zealand’s 2-2 draw just over a year ago.

Arriving at the crease at 53/2, Chapman scored a 29-ball half-century, and added a 117-run partnership with Dean Foxcroft (31 off 29) to all but get the Black Caps home.

New Zealand’s win was made all the more impressive by the fact the squad was depleted even further, as neither Ben Lister nor Josh Clarkson travelled to the ground after being struck by illness.

As captain Michael Bracewell won the toss and opted to field first, the stand-in skipper would have been forgiven for ruing his decision as Pakistan made 178/4 from their 20 overs.

While no Pakistan batter passed 50, partnerships of 55 between openers Babar Azam (37 off 29) and Saim Ayub (32 off 22) and 62 between Shadab Khan (41 off 20) and Irfan Khan (30 not out off 20) made up the bulk of the total.

Ish Sodhi was the pick of the Kiwi attack, and took 2/25 from his four overs, as the rest of New Zealand’s attack struggled to contain Pakistan. The pair of Zak Foulkes and Will O’Rourke both went wicketless in their first taste of the shortest format at international level.

In reply, New Zealand’s openers got off to their best start of the series, as Tim Seifert (21 off 16) and Tim Robinson (28 off 19) added 42 for the first wicket.

Once they fell, though, the pair of Chapman and Foxcroft took over.

In 42 balls, the pair added a 50 stand, but needed just 17 more to raise their century partnership as Chapman took over. The left-hander plundered nine boundaries and four sixes in his innings, and reached his seventh T20 international fifty in the process.

Once Foxcroft went, though, caught and bowled by Abbas Afridi, New Zealand needed just nine runs from more than three overs.

And after Jimmy Neesham found the rope with the final ball of the 18th over, Chapman sealed the win at the start of the 19th, and at the very least ensured the new-look Black Caps won’t leave Pakistan empty-handed.

Both teams will now enjoy three days off, as the series relocates from Rawalpindi to Lahore for games four and five.

Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.

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An expert says Ukraine needs more than just funding for weapons to get ahead in the war.

The US House of Representatives has voted 311 to 112, in favour of a US $61 billion aid package for Ukraine.

Taiwan and Israel will also receive foreign aid packages, totalling almost US $95 billion in aid for all three countries.

Senior Fellow at Defense Priorities in Washington, D.C. Gil Barndollar told Mike Hosking the funding will help with refilling artillery.

But he says it's not just about weapons.

“The other big piece is manpower and that’s a little bit of a black box because we don’t know the true numbers of Ukrainian and Russian casualties — especially Ukrainian.”

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The Supercar Sprints are kicking off in Taupo this weekend. 

The event is expected to bring up to 70,000 attendees, giving a significant boost to the city and surrounding region. 

Mayor David Trewavas told Mike Hosking that the town is absolutely buzzing. 

He said they had the parade through the CBD last night, and thousands of fans came out to see the cars. 

Taupo has a three-year contract to keep the race in the city Trewavas confirmed, and although Taupo isn’t quite large enough to handle to influx on their own, it’s become a major regional event. 

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Prince William has made his first return to royal duties since Kate's cancer diagnosis went public. 

Last month the Princess of Wales revealed she's been receiving treatment amid wild internet speculation. 

The family has been away from the public eye but the Prince has returned to show support for a homeless food shelter. 

UK correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking the public have been showing him and the Princess support. 

He says someone gave the Prince a 'get well soon' card and told him to look after Kate, which he replied he would. 

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The turn of the economy could make it tricky for those on JobSeekers to find employment. 

New Social Development figures reveal just under 188,000 people are on JobSeeker, up almost 20,000 people from last year. 

Employment specialist Jennifer Mills told Mike Hosking that she's sure many on the benefit are ready to work. 

She says the new work check-in arrangement may sharpen the focus for those who are job ready, but the question is whether those jobs exist in this market. 

Mills says margins are squeezed, profits are down, and businesses are shedding staff. 

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Experts are forecasting more financial pressure for households, continuing into late next year. 

The Infometrics data expects the annual GDP to dip into the negatives mid 2024, meaning slower growth than had previously been expected. 

Infometrics Chief Forecaster Gareth Kiernan told Mike Hosking that with higher interest rates more properties are on the market with no buyers out. 

He says households are showing the signs of all the interest rate rises over the past few years. 

Kiernan says it'll be another 12 months before the worst of the downturn is behind us. 

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Seven jurors have officially been selected for Donald Trump’s ‘hush money’ trial, leaving eleven more still to come. 

Despite the trouble they’re facing, US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Mike Hosking that it is moving faster than people expected. 

He said it could have taken up to 22 weeks to select all 18 jurors, and they already have seven. 

The issue is finding people who don’t have bias for or against Trump, with 96 potential jurors entering court, 50 of which walked out within ten minutes, unable to be impartial. 

Manhattan, McCann said, is in some ways a democrat city as they always vote blue, so he’ll have to “find a few red needles in a blue haystack” as they said in the New York Times. 

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A Christchurch entrepreneur is attempting to break into the dating app market. 

‘Amor’ is trying to bring something fresh, only giving four matches a week and refusing to show profile photos for the first 2024 hours. 

Creator Emily Heazlewood told Mike Hosking that although the market is quite saturated, a lot of them are hook up culture apps. 

She said that they’ve gone down the compatibility route with matchmaking, helping drive people away from the app into meeting in the real world. 

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As inflation cools down, homeowners are starting to hold out for cuts to the OCR. 

The CoreLogic April Housing report shows 56% of new loans taken out in February were on one-year fixed terms compared to 36% in December. 

Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson says that's a pretty strong indication people don't want to lock in for too long in case rates fall. 

He says the report also contains a prediction of general cooling of the previously hot property market.

Davidson's expecting prices to be fairly subdued for the next couple of years, which will be good news for those struggling with affordability. 

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There are concerns the Government's new health guidance for children could impact employer attitudes towards parents. 

The guidelines say kids with a mild cough, headache, or runny nose should go to school, provided they don't have Covid-19 or other symptoms like a fever or vomiting. 

This move is in an effort to improve school attendance numbers. 

But NZEI President Mark Potter told Mike Hosking that parents may be pressured by their employers to go to work, despite their kids being unwell. 

He says there's a growing wave of mental health issues at play, which are often very difficult, and parents are struggling with how to help them. 

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Security guards have no more power than a regular citizen when it comes to a threat of danger. 

They're expected to be more visible in malls around Australia and New Zealand following the stabbing at Bondi Junction in Sydney on Saturday afternoon. 

Forty-year-old Queensland man Joel Cauchi stabbed six people to death, including a security guard. 

Security Association CEO Gary Morrison says they don't carry weapons of any sort. 

He says they're there to assist members of the public around how to escape when something like that happens and to make it as simple as possible. 

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Banks are picking inflation to continue falling. 

ASB is expecting today's figures to show annual inflation falling to 4.1%, the lowest since June 2021. 

ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking that things like rates, rents, and insurance are going the wrong way. 

But, he says, it's still likely to drop because we aren't spending as much on durables, so some of those behavioural impacts should come through. 

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Questions are now being raised after a fire has ravaged one of Copenhagen's oldest buildings. 

Its iconic spire collapsed during the fire, as emergency services and passerbys rushed to save priceless works of art inside and other valuables. 

The 17th century old Stock Exchange building was currently undergoing renovations. 

Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking the building was covered in plastic wrap and scaffolding. 

He says investigators are seeing if the efforts made to save the building are the very thing that caused its downfall. 

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Questions are being raised over how the salvaged Newshub 6pm bulletin will be pulled off in its new format. 

Stuff has signed on to produce and provide a daily bulletin on TV3 from July 6, following Newshub's closure. 

The Spinoff founder and media commentator Duncan Greive told Mike Hosking that the level of scrutiny and quality of performance required to produce 6pm TV news will be challenging.  

He says the Stuff staff he's spoken to were expressing this, adding they just don't have a lot of runway to get to the TVNZ or Newshub standard. 

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There’s hope more landlords will give people with pets a chance in the wake of government changes. 

Pet bonds are being introduced: tenants will be liable for all pet damage beyond fair wear and tear and landlords will only be able to withhold consent on reasonable grounds. 

Pet Refuge Founder Julie Chapman hopes this means people leaving family violence situations will be able to find places for them and their pets more easily. 

Subsequently, Pet Refuge will be able to help more people, sooner. 

She says they've been operating at capacity for the last nine months, on a one in, one out, situation for cats and dogs. 

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The father of the man who killed six people and injured 12 others in a stabbing at Bondi Junction in Sydney says his son was a tormented soul. 

Eight people remain in hospital after 40-year-old Queensland man Joel Cauchi went on a rampage through the mall on Saturday. 

Australia correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that his father, Andrew Cauchi, said he did everything to help his son who was mentally ill. 

Meanwhile, four people are understood to have been injured in a second stabbing attack in Sydney. 

It's understood a teenager entered the Christ the Good Shepard church in Sydney's West before stabbing a bishop in front of his parish. 

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The Government is being advised to invest in immigration data gathering as record levels of arrivals and departures continue. 

In February more than 253,000 migrants arrived and about 122,000 left, putting net migration at almost 131,000. 

Business NZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope told Mike Hosking that where they come from isn't a problem as long as skills meet labour market needs. 

He says this is one the of the big data gaps the Government needs to look at, to find out exactly which people and skills are coming in versus who is leaving. 

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Donald Trump's 'hush money' trial has begun, and it’s the first time a US president has faced a criminal trial. 

He's charged with falsifying business records, accused of trying to cover up a $130-thousand hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. 

Trump has pleaded not guilty and denied the affair. 

LA's KNX news presenter Charles Feldman told Mike Hosking that Trump's already using it as a pulpit for his presidential campaign. 

He says that at rallies Trump talks about how he feels this trial —and others— are politically persecuting him. 

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Iran has launched more than 200 drone missiles on Israel. 

Neighbouring nations are calling for restraint, while Jordan, the US and UK military are intercepting attacks. 

International Relations and Strategic Analyst Paul Buchanan says the strikes are a direct violation of an agreement between the nations. 

Buchanan tells Mike Hosking hard liners want Israel to retaliate but the United States has told Israel they will not support offensive operations against Iran. 

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Five victims have now been identified as among those killed in a stabbing spree at a Sydney shopping centre, which left six dead. 

Australia correspondent Donna Demaio tells Mike Hosking 11 people remain in hospital. Many stories are emerging of near misses with the attacker, and of people who tried to protect others. Sydney lifeguard Andy Reid raced to give CPR to some victims. 

The attacker’s family have released a statement revealing the killer battled with mental health issues. 

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