Larry Williams Drive

The Reserve Bank is warning it's looking to go harder and faster than previously thought in its fight against inflation.  Governor Adrian Orr increased the official cash rate by half a percent to 2 percent today... But with a warning that there's much more to come.  Brad Olsen, Infometrics principal economist, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Members of the public got caught up in last night's gang turf-war. How do we deal with this? The Human Rights Commission has issued some guidelines to schools on school uniforms... they say schools should give students the option of gender-neutral uniforms, question some rules (like hair length and nail polish), and make sure affordability of uniforms is top of mind. What do you reckon?  Is our Foreign Minister letting us down? The PM has just had her appearance on Stephen Colbert's show in the US... as much as some may cringe at this, we need this kind of exposure, don't we? Shortland St turns 30 today. Do you ever watch? Trish Sherson and Jack Tame joined Heather du Plessis-Allan on the Huddle. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland has been hit by seven shootings in one night.  Police say they are not aware of any injuries, but several houses have been damaged. The attacks are believed to be part of a feud between two gangs: the Tribesmen and the Killer Beez. Jarrod Gilbert is a sociologist and gang expert, he joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can we all accept now that Nanaia Mahuta is not great at her job? It is astounding that she hasn’t once spoken to our ambassador in Russia since the start of the invasion. Never mind the fact that – apart from one letter – she also hasn’t been in contact with our diplomats in the Solmons since its pact with China. That’s pretty bad as well. But not speaking to our woman in Russia is astounding given the magnitude of the invasion of Ukraine and the impact it’s having on everything from food prices, fuel prices, the security of Europe through to the possibility it emboldens China. If that’s not enough to get the Foreign Affairs Minister on the phone, god only knows what is. Frankly, the fact that Nanaia is not up to the job will not surprise many people. She’s been in parliament for 26 years but what has she achieved? Not a lot. And this term might end and still the answer will likely be 'not a lot'. She’s supposed to get the Three Waters Reform through but don’t hold your breath on that one.   And she’s the on

Shortland Street is turning 30 today.  At 7462 episodes ... if you were to watch every single episode back-to-back without a break, it would take you about 124 days. The longest-serving cast member is Michael Galvin, aka Dr Chris Warner. Michael joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has just wrapped up and Jacinda Ardern was the special guest. Although Jacinda Ardern was in New York – a lot of her focus today was overseas. What did she talk to the UN Secretary-General about? And tomorrow's a big day – Ardern's off to the Capitol.  Newstalk ZB chief political reporter Jason Walls joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has been a school shooting in Texas. Joe Biden wraps up his Asia tour. Jacinda Ardern is in the US... And she turned Dan down for an interview.  US correspondent Dan Mitchinson joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Dixon is looking down the barrel of a lot of records this Indy 500 – and he's joining D’Arcy on Sportstalk after 7! Golden State Warriors coach weighs in on the Texas shooting. Host of Sportstalk D’Arcy Waldegrave joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Official Cash Rate has reached a six-year high at two percent. It rose 50 basis points today. NZIER principal economist Christina Leung told Heather du Plessis-Allan another double hike's likely in July. She says the Reserve Bank has a tricky balancing act as it tries to quell inflation, which is sitting at 6.9 percent.  “There is a risk of a wage-price spiral developing, so that’s when workers seek higher wages to make up for the increase in living costs and businesses start to put up prices in anticipation of that high inflation down the track.” The Reserve Bank expects the OCR to be 3.25 percent by the end of the year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Auckland Councillor says people should feel safe in their own city, after shootings in seven suburbs last night. The shootings are being attributed to rising gang tensions between the Killer Beez and Tribesmen. Josephine Bartley told Heather du Plessis-Allan people have every right to be worried – and it's deeply concerning for everyone. “And we already knew that there were going to be issues with the 501s coming from Australia, it would be good to know if they have been involved in these shootings as well.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

School uniforms are back on the agenda. The Human Rights Commission has put out a set of guidelines for schools and boards of trustees urging them to make sure uniforms are consistent with the Bill of Rights and the Treaty of Waitangi.  The commission says affordability of uniforms should be top of mind for schools and schools should consider non-gendered uniform options that are suitable for all students no matter their ethnicity, gender or health condition.  Meng Foon, Race Relations Commissioner, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boris Johnson thought he was clear but then those pictures appeared of him drinking red wine at a party. Now there are fresh calls for him to resign. The Queen uses a buggy to visit the Chelsea Flower Show. A prankster fools passengers landing at London’s Gatwick Airport with fake sign. UK correspondent Enda Brady joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research shows that businesses are losing faith in the Commerce Commission. The New Zealand Initiative has surveyed a number of businesses and found that fewer than thirty per cent of them thought the Commission was meeting the required standard. New Zealand Initiative chair Roger Partridge conducted the study. He joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Gloriavale the new Russia of the NZ Ag Sector? Silver Fern Farms has announced it will no longer be working with the Gloriavale Christian community after the Employment Court found they were making kids work. It's National Lamb Day! Lamb NZ is celebrating 140 years since the first shipment of frozen New Zealand lamb and mutton landed in London, 98 days after embarking from Port Chalmers on 15 February 1882, on the sailing ship Dunedin. Host of the Country Jamie Mackay joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're seeing a bit of a bidding war for Pushpay... The NZ-invented digital collection plate service that's taken off in Evangelical churches in the US. Shares shot up 17 cents ... 13.7 percent after a trading halt was lifted this afternoon. Pattrick Smellie from Businessdesk joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden has warned China is "flirting with danger" when it comes to Taiwan. The US President has warned his country will intervene with military force if China attacks Taiwan.  Biden was speaking from Tokyo at the Quad Summit with the leaders of Australia, Japan and India.  Robert Ayson, professor for Strategic Studies at Victoria University of Wellington, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How refreshing was Ron Mark this morning? He’s been over in Ukraine with a Christian organisation called the Great Commission Society to see the war for himself and try to convince us back home to do more. He thinks we’ve taken too long to start sending military help and it’s not gone down well internationally. First of all, we only wanted to send humanitarian help like blankets. Then we sent it to the wrong places, Ron reckons, because he didn’t see a single UN or Red Cross worker in the time he criss-crossed Ukraine. And then, by the time we got around to sending lethal help, we were already perceived as reluctant. Which Ron Mark reckons is part of what’s made it difficult for the PM to get some meetings in the US, because Ukraine is top of mind for them and we’re not seen to be doing enough. I'm pleased he said this because I've been confused about why we’re still so slow in helping Ukraine. It seems like such a no-brainer to me. They’re a small country, like we are, being invaded by a bigger country. Sure

Joe Biden says the US would intervene if China made a move on Taiwan. Can we trust him despite the White House rowing back? Nanaia Mahuta has decided that China can be trusted when it comes to not torturing a man they want extradited for murder... Kris Faafoi now has to decide whether to extradite him. What do you reckon? Spark is starting to remove phone booths – Is anybody seriously still using them? The country remains at orange – which basically just means you have to wear a mask in shops etc. The Government is now also taking into account the risk of the flu putting pressure on hospitals. Do you have a problem with this, or is it time to ditch all these mandates and make mask use our own responsibility again? David Farrar, Kiwiblog and Pollster, and Hayden Munro, former Labour Party Campaign Manager, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fining commercial landlords over empty shop fronts could be a way to boost life in the city.  38 shops are empty in Auckland's Queen Street. The Herald’s Simon Wilson told Heather du-Plessis Allen a penalty could help.  He says revitalising the city starts with the shops ... which bring people in. “You then have a light in the place, you have less crime you have more commerce, you know, you have more people enjoying themselves. But it has to start with the shops, it can’t start with anything else.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country is to stay at orange. Monkeypox... What does our resident epidemiologist minister Ayesha Verrall say about the risk of this? And the Government has appointed a panel for its Electoral Law Reform. Newstalk ZB political reporter Aaron Dahmen joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.