Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Tonight on the Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

Te Pati Māori managed to raise a few eyebrows over their comments about Children's Minister Karen Chhour, with the party accusing her of having disdain for her own people. Was this out of line? What can we do about Te Pati Māori's comments?

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The Reserve Bank left the OCR unchanged today - but people may have to hold out for rate cuts.

RBNZ Governor Adrian Orr revealed the bank considered hiking rates past 5.5 percent, and there's still scope for a potential hike this year.

The committee also pushed out its projected timeframe for its first OCR cut from mid-2025 to around September 2025.

NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says today's update marked...

Te Pati Māori managed to raise a few eyebrows over their comments about the Children's Minister.

Karen Chhour's bill to remove section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act passed its first reading yesterday.

Responding to the Bill, Te Pati Māori has said since Chhour was raised by Pakeha, she has a disconnection and a disdain for her own people.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Te Pati Māori's behaviour towards Min...

Fireworks as the defence wraps up in Donald Trump's hush money case.

The former president is facing charges of falsifying business documents after allegedly paying off porn star Stormy Daniels.

Trump's decided not to take the stand, and jurors will now prepare for deliberations.

US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says unless any significant news breaks, the jury will deliberate the verdict for a week. 

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 22 May 2024, the Reserve Bank has delivered a "hawkish shock" today. Kiwibank Chief Economist tells Heather the RBNZ even considered hiking the Official Cash Rate, with cuts now further into the distance.

Children's Minister Karen Chhour is hitting back at Te Pati Maori which questioned her whakapapa.

After another shocking incident of mid-flight turbulence, w...

One expert has warned flights with severe turbulence could become more common, due to climate change.

Overnight, one person was killed and several were injured after a Singapore Airlines flight hit turbulence and descended 1,800 meters in three minutes.

Former airline pilot and safety consultant Doug Moss says clear air turbulence is difficult to detect - and it often catches pilots by surprise.

"For the passengers, it'll feel l...

One former International Criminal Court prosecutor says the US was 'out of line' by attacking the court for seeking arrest warrants for Israel's PM. 

The ICC's is looking to get an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

Sir Geoffrey Nice says the US is 'very unwise' to oppose the actions of the Court.

"The US has been hostile to international criminal justice, for fear of it ultim...

The Government says scrapping the First Home Grant scheme is another example of tough decisions it has to make this Budget.

It has also announced $140 million in new funding for 1500 new social housing places.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop says everyone sympathises with first home buyers, but they have to focus on a more vulnerable group of people.

"We are doing the right thing, but I'm not pretending to you it's going to be a p...

The Children's Minister says the word racism is chucked around too much in Parliament.

A Bill by Karen Chhour that removes some Treaty obligations from the Oranga Tamariki Act passed its first reading yesterday.

It's prompted fiery and emotional speeches in the House, and Labour's Children's Spokesperson called Chhour a 'sell out'.

On social media, Te Pati Māori's said Chhour's Pakeha upbringing has given her disdain for her own...

The founder of I Am Hope says every cent of a funding boost will go into mental health counsellors.

The Government has announced the Budget will include $24 million going into Mike King's Gumboot Friday initiative over four years.

It gives under-25s free counselling.

King says kids often take on the stress of adults around them.

"It's huge for the mental health of the kids in New Zealand - they can get timely and quick service....

Now, on this decision by the Government to cut the First Home Buyers Grant in order to put the money into social housing instead- 

I've got to be honest, on principle, it's not the kind of thing I love. Because I'd personally much rather the Government give a helping hand to Kiwis trying to do the right thing rather than constantly bailing out the delinquents.

But in this one respect, I think they’re prioritising th...

An economist says there's a risk the Reserve Bank won't cut the OCR until next year.

It's kept the Official Cash Rate at 5.5 percent today, unchanged over a year with seven consecutive holds.

Kiwibank's, Jarrod Kerr says there is worry it won't be cut until February.

However, his bank's outlook remains the same.

"Our forecast has inflation dropping below 3 percent by the end of the year, and I think that could still push them t...

The New Zealand Rugby Players' Association have outlined a plan to replace the governing body if the vote at next week's special general meeting goes against them.

Last year's independent review formed the basis of a proposal to overhaul the governance structure.

Canterbury Rugby chair Pete Winchester says this eleventh-hour update is likely to galvanize people.

"We've been dealing with this for months and months, and it's the f...

It's been predicted over £10 billion could be given to the victims impacted by Britain's infected blood scandal.

More than 30,000 people received infected blood and products in the 1970s and 80s, from the state-funded National Health Service.

3,000 people died, and thousands more contracted hepatitis or HIV.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says Prime Minister Sunak has pledged financial compensation for those impacted.

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The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has applied for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top Hamas leaders.

Prosecutor Karim Khan says these warrants have been put forward for alleged crimes committed during the Hamas-led October 7 attack and the subsequent war on Gaza.

Geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller says it's extremely likely that these warrants will be issued.

"The ba...