Holiday Breakfast

The All Blacks are scheduled to play against Italy on Saturday in Wellington for a Round 2 Nations Championship test match.

Dave Rennie has announced a raft of changes for the run on team including two new rookies. 

Newstalk ZB's lead rugby commentator Elliott Smith told Andrew Dickens, "he's probably retained the skeleton, I guess you'd say, of the team that won this week against France in Christchurch, but also brought in so...

National has confirmed they're in talks with Labour as ACT and New Zealand First refuse to back a social media ban for under-16s 

National is saying protecting children should be above politics.

Psychology PHD student and advisor to B416 Claire Reid says she is in support of the ban as 'a first step'. 

"I'm not a politician, I'm a scientist, but what I'm really clear about is that the harms to the children are real," she ...

The New Zealand Government is formally exploring the idea of joining the Ocean of Peace Alliance signed by Fiji and Australia on July 6

The treaty commits each country to come to the other's aid in the event of an armed attack in the Pacific.

Retired Major General and Senior Fellow of the New Zealand Initiative, John G. Howard, told Andrew Dickens "with the rising complexity that we see in the geopolitical domain, it would make sen...

It is a historic day for New Zealand's international relations as one of the world's most powerful leaders, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is set to touch down in Auckland, the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 40 years.

Modi's visit comes off the back of the landmark FTA deal.

Trade Minister Todd McClay joined Andrew Dickens to discuss the visit. 

"You know, the wider business community is going to be turning ...

One of Newstalk ZB's most familiar voices has been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours, two decades after first being sounded out.

Barry Soper's been named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to journalism, recognising 43 years in the parliamentary press gallery.

He says he considered the honour 20 years ago while serving as political editor, on the advice of senior colleagues.

"And asked their opinion o...

More people are wanting to give up vaping, for a variety of reasons. 

Almost 16,000 people reached out to Quitline last year, with a quarter enrolled in the Quit Vaping programme. 

Māori make up 23 percent of those seeking support.

Auckland University Public Health Professor Chris Bullen says vaping is less harmful than smoking, but also has negative impacts.

He explained people are considering costs, potential long-term ...

Suzie Bates intends to distance herself from the White Ferns once she retires from the international game following the upcoming women's T20 Cricket World Cup in England.

Bates has been awarded a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to cricket and basketball, following a two-decade career where she also played for the Tall Ferns at the 2008 Olympics.

The 38-year-old Bates has ruled out staying on with the Wh...

Caution's being urged as automated decision-making moves a step closer to use in welfare services.

A bill aimed at improving efficiencies passed its third reading under urgency in Parliament on Friday. 

Social Development Minister Louise Upston says it will modernise the system and reduce unnecessary manual processing, but won't use generative AI.

Gorilla Technology's Paul Spain says it will do exactly what it's asked.

"This r...

Some of the key architects of our education system are being recognised in the 2026 King's Birthday Honours.

Elizabeth Rata has been made a Dame for her services to education, including her work on the senior English curriculum over a career spanning five decades.

She's among three education leaders to receive the top honour, alongside Susan Hassall and Professor Emeritus James Chapman.

Rata says she was thrilled to see other educa...

A former Defence Minister says our geographical separation should negate the need to up our defence spending.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's accused New Zealand of freeloading off the US military by spending 2 percent of GDP on defence. 

He's revealed expectations that US allies spend 3.5 percent of GDP, at a global security summit in Singapore. 

But Wayne Mapp says the Pacific isn't facing threats of invasion, the sa...

A star-studded musical celebration is in the works for the United States' 250th birthday, but more big acts have been backing away.

Trump's administration had publicised multiple headliners for a 'Freedom 250' concert series between 25 June and 10 July, but Bret Michaels, Martina McBride, Young MC and the Commodores all confirmed they were pulling out.

This leaves Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, and Flo Rida in the lineup, but Trump is...

New polling data shows One Nation is gaining more of a political foothold in Australia.

The latest The Australian Financial Review/Redbridge Group/Accent Research poll says that support for One Nation has jumped four percentage points to 31, while Labor's vote is on 28 percent.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says leader Pauline Hanson is proving popular among prospective voters, with many dissatisfied with the Labor party.&nb...

Oil prices fell significantly throughout last week as discussions regarding an Iran deal continued to take place.

Prices are down around 8 percent for the week with Brent crude around $91 a barrel.

Westpac Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold says rumours regarding an imminent Hormuz opening agreement caused prices to drop on Friday, but things aren't fully stable.

"Mediators had sent a proposal to Trump for an agreement and then noted on...

A group of four women and nine children have secured flights to Australia from Damascus over the weekend, re-sparking conversations about ISIS brides returning to their home countries. 

Additionally, associates of a recently disbanded neo-Nazi group were removed from an ANZAC ceremony for booing and heckling the speaker.

Despite the group officially disbanding in January due to hate speech laws, Australian correspondent Murray...

In an effort to make newborn hearing checks a more comfortable process for babies and parents Christchurch Hospital has developed an innovation to replace cool gels. 

"Exhausted mothers after breastfeeding all night would be anxious that we'd wake the baby up when we were screening in the maternity units," Christchurch Hospital's Newborn Hearing Screening Programme co-ordinator Angela Deken told Andrew Dickens.

"And so, the ku...

Australian comedian Elouise Eftos fights against the culture of self-deprecation with her tongue-in-cheek self-dubbed title of Australia's first attractive comedian.

Eftos spoke to Dickens about the discomfort people display when someone is outwardly confident and secure. 

"Why is being a confident woman that knows she's funny and attractive and smart, why is that so confronting to people?", she asked.

Eftos is performing 'Aph...

Todd McClay will sign the free trade deal with India in Delhi today following uncertainty as New Zealand First pulled support and Labour held out until the last minute.

Earlier this month some of New Zealand’s top exporters and business associations signed an open letter calling on all political parties to back the agreement. 

India New Zealand Business Council deputy chair Tony Martin told Andrew Dickens, "I think deep ...

Christchurch’s new One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha officially opened this weekend with a sold out match between the Crusaders and Waratahs on Friday night.

The All Blacks’ first test at the venue on July 4, and the Warriors’ first NRL match at the stadium in June both quickly sold out, while Robbie Williams and the Foo Fighters are set to perform in late 2026 / early 2027. 

Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge s...

The government is putting funds towards repairs needed on New Zealand's great bike trails due to storm damage.

It is expected that the Hauraki Rail Trail, that's been shut since January, the Waikato River Trail, and a connecting track on the Tasman Great Taste Trail will need approximately $800,000 to fix. 

"If you think about the Hauraki Rail Trail, it is absolutely spectacular, but it does mean that it is vulnerable to weath...