Podcasts about newstalk zb

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper talked to Heather du Plessis-Allan about today's political hot topics. Ex-Police Commissioner Andrew Coster resigned from his role as the CEO of the Social Investment Agency amid an inquiry into his involvement in the McSkimming case. The Treasury is over halfway through a review of state asset ownership, but they say the review is not driven by hope of asset sales. And, Donald Trump says he can abolish income tax because of how successful the tariffs are. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Caps performed well on day two of their test match against the West Indies. After their batting innings was wrapped up on the third ball of the day they bowled well, dismissing the West Indies for 167. The Black Caps managed to tack on another 32 without loss before the end of the day. Andrew Alderson, Newstalk ZB sport reader joined D'Arcy to wrap the day. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief support for first-time principals is falling short. Newstalk ZB analysis has found 970 principals quit in the past three years – one in five within their first year. Retirements jumped 26% over the same period. Secondary Principals' Council Chair Kate Gainsford told Mike Hosking other countries have solid systems to prepare principals, but we don't. She says part of the role teachers can get used to while they're middle and senior leaders, but part can't be learnt until you're actually in the role. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper chats to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the Andrew Coster inquiry, and Tamatha Paul calling for the defunding of NZ Police. Soper denies Paul's concerns over race bias in arrests made by NZ Police. "I don't think there's racism in the Police at all," he said. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first day of the cricket test match between the Black Caps and the West Indies has concluded. The Black Caps currently sit at 231/9 after being put into bat first. Andrew Alderson, Newstalk ZB Sport Newsreader is at the ground and he joined D'Arcy to discuss the first days play. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle: Sports Commentator Nicky Styris and NewstalkZB's own D'arcy Waldegrave join Heather duPlessis-Allan to discuss the latest sports news. NZ Cricket CEO Scott Weenink is in hot water over his stance on the proposed T20 league, will it cost him his job? The international Judo Federation has allowed Russian athletes to compete again, breaking away from many global sports organisations who banned Russia after their invasion of Ukraine. And when will we finally get confirmation about Liam Lawson's future in F1? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party could join coalition partner NZ First and campaign on repealing the Regulatory Standards Act at the next election, deputy leader Nicola Willis says. This is despite the law, which was pushed by the Act Party during coalition talks, being less than a month old, and having been passed into law with votes from both National and NZ First. Speaking to Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills on Newstalk ZB, Willis said National had not “come up with what our party position will be after the election”. “We haven't ruled out repealing it either. We haven't taken a position yet, but it's not impossible that we would go to the campaign trail saying, ‘yes, we met our coalition commitment, we supported that into law, but actually we agree with the concerns of some people, it hasn't operated as we'd hoped and we want to repeal it'. “We haven't come to a position yet, but we haven't ruled it out.” NZ First leader Winston Peters shocked the coalition last week when he said his party would campaign on repealing the law it had just helped to pass. His position is that the coalition obliged his party to pass the law, but his party is free to repeal it in the next Parliament. Willis said she was “comfortable” with this position. “They joined the Cabinet, they used their votes to ensure it is passed into law – they did their bit,” Willis said. Willis is not the only National MP to float repealing the law. Last week, when her colleague Chris Bishop was asked what the party was thinking, he replied, “you'll see our policy going into the election”. “I'm not going to give you a commitment on National policy,” he said. All three opposition parties say they will repeal the law if they have the numbers next term. Labour MP Duncan Webb has even submitted a member's bill to the ballot which, if drawn, would give NZ First the opportunity to repeal the law this term of parliament. Peters, however, described this as game-playing and said he would not be supporting the effort. Act leader David Seymour attacked Peters' about-turn on the law, saying it looked as though Peters was gearing up to join another Labour-led coalition, something Peters has said he would not do while Chris Hipkins was leader of the party. The Regulatory Standards Act is designed to improve the quality of government regulation by establishing a set of principles for what constitutes “good regulation”. Part of the controversy surrounding the law is the fact these principles are closely aligned to Act's political worldview and do not constitute more universally recognised principles of good regulation. The act is also controversial for the creation of a regulations board that acts as an assessor of compliance against these principles, although power to act on what the board says ultimately still rests with ministers and Parliament. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Captain Scott Barrett is praising the fresh faces for injecting some enthusiasm into the All Blacks for the season-ending 52-26 win over Wales in Cardiff. Barrett says the 12 changes to the starting line-up ensured there was no baggage carried over from the England loss. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith says the All Blacks can head home happy for the end of the year, but there's still some lingering questions about the team. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First is denying claims the party's lining up to work with Labour next election, despite David Seymour suggesting the idea. Seymour made the claim after New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters announced he'd campaign on repealing the Regulatory Standards Bill. Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell says it's unclear where this will go from here, given how Seymour championed the bill. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A revamped All Blacks side has been tasked with maintaining an almost 72-year unbeaten legacy against Wales on Sunday morning in Cardiff. Three players —captain and lock Scott Barrett, flanker Simon Parker and Will Jordan, who shifts to the right wing— remain in the run-on side from last week's loss to England. Ardie Savea and Codie Taylor are among the players rested...along with Cam Roigard and Beauden Barrett. Newstalk ZB Rugby Commentator Elliott Smith told Mike Hosking much like the bronze medal match at the Rugby World Cup, no one really wants to play it. He says it feels more like a box ticking exercise, but they've got to get through it, come home with a win, and then face what comes over the course of the summer. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing speculation Chris Luxon is at risk of being rolled ahead of the election, with Chris Bishop being touted as a potential replacement. An opinion piece by Audrey Young was released today, and it claimed that Labour was going extra hard on Bishop over the cycleway project because he was likely to take over the party by 2026. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says National's taking a hit in the polls and there's discussions about Luxon's leadership abilities taking place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Smokefree 2025 goal was created in 2010 with the hope that fewer than 5 percent of Kiwis will smoke by 2025, but that's looking unlikely. The annual New Zealand Health survey's confirmed rates are stagnating just below 7 percent - and vaping rates growing. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's pointing to market changes and consumer costs as motivation for changing 2023's Clean Vehicle Standard. It gave importers credits for meeting carbon targets, and charged them if they missed. But Transport Minister Chris Bishop says charges are falling on the consumer, which will now be slashed nearly 80 percent. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the Government's wasted no time getting this through. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newstalk ZB senior political reporter Azaria Howell joins Nick Mills for Beehive Buzz this week discussing the latest poll results on capital gains tax and the rebrand of The Opportunities Party. Will their new name and leader be enough to hit 5%? For the latest insight into parliament, it's Beehive Buzz with Azaria Howell LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

England is celebrating a first home win over the All Blacks in 13 years. The hosts won 33-19 at Twickenham, despite being 12 points down within the first 20 minutes. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith says the team made a strong start, but they couldn't keep up the momentum. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Sunday Panel, editor and journalist Jo McCarroll and Newstalk ZB host Roman Travers joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! A damning police watchdog report from last week found numerous failures in how police handled complaints a staff member made against disgraced former deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. How bad does this look for the police? It's been a big week for Te Pāti Māori, with Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris being ousted. Is this a bad look ahead of the election? The All Blacks got trounced in their latest match against England in Twickenham. What do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I hate carrying my wallet. Not because I'm a prickle pockets —I swear I'll always buy my round!— but because at heart, I'm an optimiser. I don't want something else to remember, a bulge in my back pocket. I want to be able to do everything with the least baggage possible. My wallet has four cards. Just four. Bank card, credit card, driver's license, and my TVNZ access card. Until two weeks ago, I needed a card to get into the Newstalk ZB offices as well, but not anymore. We've moved to a digital swipe system, an app on our phones. Very 2025. I don't carry cash. My wallet has nowhere to put it. Except for the $2.40 in change in the centre console of the family Corolla, I don't have any cash whatsoever. I barely use my physical debit and credit cards; I just pay for everything with my phone. For the best price I still need a real card for the bus, although they've recently changed the system so that in a pinch I can pay with my phone. My library card is digital. Concert tickets are digital. Auckland FC, Air New Zealand – it's all on my phone. If all goes well with the Government's rollout, in a few months we should be able to access digital driver's licenses. In the US they've now gone one step further. As of this week, American citizens with either Google or Apple phones can upload their passports to their devices and store them in digital wallets. The systems scan your passport and then read the little chip. They compare the photo page with a biometric scan of your face. You can use it as ID for domestic travel and although you still need a physical passport for international flights, surely it won't be long until your digital ID does that too. I know what you're thinking. Digital passports, bank cards, driver's licenses. Digital swipe cards for getting into the office. What could possibly go wrong?! And I agree with you! The more that our vital ID and payment systems go digital, the more vulnerable many of these systems might be to failure, power outages, coding errors, or hacking. At least for the near future, there will be traditional options. They're not scrapping plastic driver's licences just yet. But all things being equal, I reckon 2026 might be the last year of my life in which I actually need to carry a wallet. I'm going to be first in line for a digital driver's licence. A year from now, everything I need from my cards I should be able to do my phone. And while I know there are risks, I know it's a single point of failure, I know it'll be even more of a disaster if I accidentally lose my phone. Truthfully my concerns are drowned out by an even stronger impulse. Sure, there are security concerns. But man, just think of the convenience. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White House says Democrats are pulling a manufactured hoax following the release of emails by late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, mentioning Donald Trump. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released three email exchanges, followed by the release of 20-thousand pages of documents by Republicans. One email from 2011 claims the US President spent hours at Epstein's house with an unnamed victim. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacked the reactions to this development. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday the 14th of November 2025, Labour says it will repeal the Regulatory Standards bill in their first 100 days if elected next year, Labour regulation spokesperson Duncan Webb tells Ryan why. The All Blacks take on England at Twickenham, Newstalk ZB voice of rugby Elliott Smith has the latest. Pub Choir is a new phenomenon taking the internet by storm, Australian vocalist and conductor Astrid Jorgensen tells Ryan how she came up with the idea and landed herself a feature on America's Got Talent. Plus, UK/ Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on Jeffrey Epstein appearing to confirm Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was photographed with Virginia Giuffre and France marks the 10th anniversary of the Bataclan massacres. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have their captain back as they prepare to face England at Twickenham on Sunday morning. The English haven't beaten the All Blacks at the stadium since 2012, and the All Blacks will be looking to continue that streak and keep their current winning streak alive. Scott Barrett has been cleared to start after a full week of training as his leg gash healed. Newstalk ZB's Voice of Rugby, Elliott Smith, joined Ryan Bridge to preview the clash. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Minister says like many Kiwis, he's disappointed - by a scathing IPCA report highlighting past failures in senior Police management of complaints about one of their own. The police watchdog report has detailed how staff, including then-Commissioner Andrew Coster, didn't investigate allegations when they were made against Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacked the discussions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has responded to Winston Peters' fears over potential asset sales. Chris Luxon has ruled them out this term, but is again suggesting it needs discussion. Meanwhile, the NZ First leader has told RNZ it's a silly argument - and claimed the party will stop the country's assets from being sold. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacked the discussions further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori's co-leaders won't share why their National Council decided to expel Tākuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. The Council met last night to decide on the two MPs' fate. The expulsion comes after weeks of public sparring between the pair and Party President John Tamihere. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained the situation further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Satisfaction for All Blacks coach Scott Robertson in how they wrestled momentum back to clinch a 25-17 win over Scotland in Edinburgh. A late Damian McKenzie try and penalty secured victory after the home side came from 17-nil down to level the scores going into the final quarter. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith says it was a tight game, with Scotland nearly managing to get ahead LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Treasury is nudging the Government to sell state assets that are underperforming or are no longer fit for purpose. It is continuing to sound alarm bells over the Crown's finances being on an 'unsustainable' path forward. Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths explained the situation further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ex-top cop Jevon McSkimming's admitted to having child exploitation and bestiality images on work devices. The former Deputy Police Commissioner's pleaded guilty to three representative charges of possessing objectionable material in Wellington District Court this afternoon. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacked today's verdict. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Significant progress is being made on New Zealand's Free Trade Agreement with India. India's Trade Minister is in the country - discussing our trade relationship over the next few days with Minister Todd McClay and the Prime Minister. India has announced it's looking towards an early conclusion of the FTA. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained that these discussions were why Luxon missed Question Time - prompting criticism from Labour. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori has confirmed they're not ruling out triggering two separate byelections by expelling controversial MPs. Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer aren't backing down from the party's actions as it defers to Te Pāti Māori's national council. This comes as deliberations to oust Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris continue to take place. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper recapped what we know so far. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi says she isn't going anywhere. Te Pāti Māori's President, John Tamihere, has suggested she and Te Tai Tonga MP, Takuta Ferris, should resign from the Party. That's his response to a petition launched by 'Te Tai Tonga Executive' - calling for his resignation. He's accusing the two MPs of avarice and entitlement, referencing Hone Harawira's split from the Party in 2011 - and telling them to do the "honourable thing'. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper recaps the ongoing saga. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Noeline Taurua has broken her silence, following her suspension and reinstatement as Silver Ferns coach. The 57-year-old and her coaching team were stood down in September after player concerns emerged from a Sydney training camp. Interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie is leading the team on next week's Northern Tour. Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking in her first interview since the saga, Taurua says the suspension was horrific, and she feels partly vindicated, but not fully back in the job. She says her happy place is on court, training with the players, so there's still a bit to go until she's really back. LISTEN ABOVE FOR PART 1 AND BELOW FOR PART 2 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Bayly, the MP for Port Waikato, stood down as ACC and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister after allegations of unprofessional behaviour. While speaking to Newstalk ZB yesterday Bayly said he was told the allegations made against him had been corroborated by three other people - he now has evidence it was not. Speaking from Korea overnight Luxon reiterated he would have fired Bayly had he not resigned. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday the 31st of October, Fonterra Chair Miles Hurrell on the sale of their consumer business. All Black Ethan de Groot joins ahead of the Sunday morning game against Ireland in Chicago. Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson make fun of Mike - and celebrate Technical Producer Glenn Hart's 30th anniversary on Newstalk ZB. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Bayly is fighting to clear his name and claims he was misled about the allegations against him before he resigned as a Cabinet Minister. Bayly, the MP for Port Waikato, stood down as ACC and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister after he “placed a hand” on a staff member's arm during what he described as an “animated discussion” in February. Bayley says the fact that no complaint had been made against him was contrary to what he was led to believe at the time - and he's determined to set the record straight. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper confirmed Bayly's now taken legal advice. "There was never a formal complaint laid against Andrew Bayly, but he was led to believe that there was some serious complaints made against him." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has appeared to correct the Prime Minister for taking credit on a trade deal. Chris Luxon has confirmed New Zealand is one of a handful of nations that now has a comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN - and posted that he made a deal with Southeast Asian nations. In a since-deleted tweet, Peters corrected Luxon with one word - 'we'. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper speculated on why Peters deleted the comment. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the latest episode of Great Chats with Francesca Rudkin, we hear from multi award winning and delightful Australian author Trent Dalton on his latest book, Gravity Let Me Go. He also celebrated his theatre production coming to Auckland. Francesca catches up with Kiwi actress Melanie Lynskey. She's taking Hollywood by storm with a starring role in Yellowjackets but came home to star in the new Pike River film. Plus we learn the art of writing historical novels from the iconic Ken Follett. Great Chats with Francesca Rudkin brings you the best interviews from Newstalk ZB's The Sunday Session. Listen on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour was forced to reveal its tax policy early, after details were leaked to media over the long weekend. The party's proposed a 28 percent capital gains tax on all residential and commercial property - but not the family home. It's promising to use the revenue to fund three free GP visits for all Kiwis. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Hipkins has voiced frustration with this leak and confirmed whoever leaked the policy will get booted from the party. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arrests have been made following last week's Louvre heist. Thieves stole an array of valuable jewels, worth $177million NZD, including a crown belonging to the wife of Napoleon III. Newstalk ZB reporter in Paris Catherine Field told Mike Hosking that the thieves arrested were not masterminds, and were known to police. 'They knew that these two were part of the gang, but they knew that they weren't the mastermind.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister heads to Asia today, for crucial meetings on trade and the economy. Chris Luxon's first travelling to Malaysia for the East Asia Summit and mark a milestone of 50 years of diplomatic ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths says Luxon will be meeting with other world leaders at APEC to discuss trade. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori's behaviour is once again a topic of discussion following bill burning and allegations of over-spending this week. Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan that Te Pāti Māori 'shouldn't be anywhere near Government'. Soper identified a possible link between the ongoing party controversies and it's culture of nepotism. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Memories were shared of Jim Bolger as a devout Catholic, masterful farmer, family man and exceptional leader. Colleagues and family shared remembrances of the former Prime Minister, as he was laid to rest in Kapiti today. Former Prime Ministers, Governor-Generals, iwi leaders and the Māori Queen attended the funeral at Bolger's local parish. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper recapped all the tributes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Public Service Commissioner's again sounding a negative note over New Zealand's major health and education strike tomorrow. About 100,000 union members across various sectors will stop work across the day - expressing frustration over pay and working conditions. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this is expected to be the biggest strike in New Zealand's history since the 1970s, with many unions expected to take part. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An unexpected Labour policy announcement was a bit of a shock for leader Chris Hipkins today. Health spokesperson, Ayesha Verrall revealed the policy in an op-ed for New Zealand Doctor magazine. It proposes to create an independent body to estimate and allocate GP funding increases, rather than the Government. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Labour 'botched up' the rollout of this announcement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts now say it's unlikely the jewels, most recently stolen from the Louvre will ever be seen again. The thieves rode a basket lift up the museum's facade, forced a window and fled with France's Crown and Napoleonic jewels - in just seven minutes. The museum had just opened on Sunday - local time. Newstalk ZB's Paris correspondent Catherine Field says it's already been 24 hours, and authorities have no idea who they're looking for. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent data shows inflation reached three percent in the year to September, and it's prompted concerns about the economy. Stats NZ figures out today show the rate rose from 2.7 percent annually to June - hitting the top end of the Reserve Bank's target band. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this is higher than what the Government was hoping for, and it's unclear what this could mean for the Reserve Bank. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health Minister Simeon Brown was met with booing at the senior doctors' annual conference before accusing doctors of "crossing an ethical line" and threatening compulsory arbitration. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters fired off some threats of his own suggesting regulation for Fonterra if the Lactalis sale proceeds. ACT leader David Seymour hit back at Peter's threats saying the decision is for the farmers, not the Government. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says 'politicking' tiffs like Peters and Seymour's will become more common as elections approach next year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A flurry of tributes from current and former politicians for former Prime Minister, Jim Bolger, who died yesterday. The 90-year-old died peacefully, surrounded by family. He served as Prime Minister between 1990 and 1997. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper looked back on some memories with the former leader. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent polls show Prime Minister Chris Luxon's popularity has taken a nosedive, prompting speculation about his future in the National Party. With the election set to take place next year, there's growing speculation Luxon's leadership role might not last. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this discussion is a self-fulfilling prophecy, but it's likely there could be mood for change. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament's Speaker will meet MPs across the House today, as he cracks down on behaviour. Gerry Brownlee's spoken about Te Pati Māori's newest MP, Oriini Kaipara, going over-time in her maiden speech on Thursday, and joining a haka that started in the public gallery. He now says he'll convene Parliament's Business Committee to discuss dress standards, attendance records, leave, and the allocation of questions. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says last week's rule-breaking from Oriini Kaipara was the straw that broke the camel's back. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erica Stanford believes mandated structured literacy is turning reading and writing skills around. The Education Minister's revealed new data showing 58 percent of students are at or above phonics expectations after 20 weeks at school - up from 36 percent in Term One. The number exceeding expectations is more than double Term One's figure. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this data shows the Government's education plan is working. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 200 people have won by default in this weekend's local election, but that's an improvement on decades prior. Newstalk ZB analysis of the thousands of council races over five consecutive elections have found more than one in seven roles have been won by the only person who stood. Unopposed elections have fallen by about a third since 2001. Gisborne Mayor and Local Government NZ Vice-President Rehette Stoltz told Mike Hosking there are two sides to the story. She says that while in some areas the lack of people standing for office may be caused by apathy, it could also be that the people who are already there are believed to be doing a great job. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.