Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

National’s transport policy is my favourite policy of this election campaign so far.

Because we are taking the mickey with the state of our roads, and we need to get smart about this fast.

We have a $210 billion dollar infrastructure deficit in this country, and if we want to keep our young people here, we need to get back to looking and feeling like a first world country, and no first world country would put up with the state of our infrastructure.

You shouldn’t hit two lane roads only 1.5 hours out of our biggest cities. 

Depending on where you live, you will have your views on the most important roads announced by the Nats today. But for me, the big ones that are incredibly important to our efficiency and productivity are: 

Turning Mill Road into a highway so motorists heading south of Auckland have an alternative to State Highway 1.

Adding the Warkworth to Wellsford chunk onto the new highway heading north of Auckland. 

Building a second Mt Vic tunnel to relieve the gridlocked traffic in Wellington.

I do not care what these roads cost.

Labour’s trying to throw shade, saying National’s got its numbers wrong. For example, saying Warkworth to Wellsford will cost $4 billion instead of National’s $2.2 billion.

I don’t care. Frankly, they’re probably both wrong 

National’s incentivised to price low so it doesn’t look extravagant and Labour's incentivised to price high so it can justify not building the road.

As far as I'm concerned, we need the roads, so build them. I don’t care what it costs. We will never regret it.

And how to pay for it seems pretty simple to me:

Cancel the Light Rail stupidity. Just getting rid of the Auckland project saves $28 billion, and I'm not even counting the cost from the Wellington project. 

I don’t about you, but I've had absolutely enough of dropping speed limits, of being told to walk, of dodging potholes and of driving windy backroads when we should be and could be on world class highways. 

This is ambitious and it’s building New Zealand for future generations.

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The Football Ferns are out of the World Cup after drawing nil-all with round-of-16-bound Switzerland in Group A.

Norway's 6-nil victory over the Philippines boosted goal difference in their favour after they finished level on 4 points with New Zealand.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains the factors behind the loss here.

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Tāmati Coffey says he's ready to fight for the East Coast.

He's taken back his political resignation, and has been selected to contest the electorate seat, replacing Kiri Allan.

She's not standing, after her mental health struggles culminated in a car crash last Sunday.

Coffey says he previously thought he didn't have enough gas in the tank, but that's changed.

"The people of the East Coast want some leadership, they started this year with two senior Labour MPs- they've now got none. And I think that that's what the people of the East Coast need."

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An online supermarket says removing GST from fruit and vegetables wouldn't be reflected at the checkout.

National says Labour is poised to announce that as policy, and it's been leaked the information.

The Prime Minister and his MP's will neither confirm nor deny the idea.
Supie Founder Sarah Balle told Heather du Plessis-Allan that if it were to go ahead, consumers would see a one-time sugar hit.

She says then the normal market pricing mechanisms of supply and demand would kick back, and then those involved would look to cover the costs of the extra administration.

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A suggestion that long workouts aren't essential for those looking to improve their health. 

Australian researchers have discovered three or four minutes of incidental high intensity movement a day is enough to reduce cancer risk.

Sydney University Physical Activity Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it can be small every day activities that will help.

He says that can be things like power walking, carrying groceries, and climbing the stairs.

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A psychiatric expert has told a jury Lauren Dickason was "out of touch with reality" when she killed her three daughters.

Dickason is on trial at the High Court in Christchurch accused of murdering her three young children in Timaru.

Doctor Susan Hatters-Friedman who focuses on why parents kill, has given evidence in support of Dickason's defence of insanity and infanticide.

The Herald's Anna Leask told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the court heard Dickason killed her children 'out of love.'

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A climate change professor says we should focus more on physics than on feelings.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the era of global boiling has arrived, after scientists confirmed July was on track to be the hottest month ever.

New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute's Adrian Macey told Heather du Plessis-Allan that these statements stoke fear and guilt but often not action.

He says we should focus on shifting to clean energy, which isn't up for debate because this would create some confidence in people, rather than simply despair. 

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First thing I thought when I saw the ad that Scott Robertson took out in the paper today thanking fans was that Razor is a bigger asset to the All Blacks next year than I think the rugby bosses realise.

Simply because he understands something they don’t seem to, which is the importance of talking directly to the fans.

When was the last time you can recall a departing coach doing that when he didn’t have to? 

Would’ve been much easier to post a short message on Instagram, but instead he took the time to write a long message and then get it printed in the paper. 

If you think about it, he's actually always taken a similar approach in communicating with fans. 

He actually tells fans what’s going on, sometimes he tells them too much and lands himself in trouble like he did with the AB's coaching drama.

And that is the polar opposite of what we get from the Rugby Union, who definitely do not put fans anywhere close to the centre of what they’re doing.

I mean, remember what happened after that awful loss to the Irish last year? 

They cancelled the press conference Sam Cane and Fozzie were supposed to hold, because they obviously didn’t think they needed to give fans an explanation of what went wrong.

Same thing happened this year after the then dominant Chiefs lost the Super Rugby final to the Crusaders, Sam cane didn’t front up. 

Doesn't matter who was to blame for that, either Sam or the coach made the call that he didn’t need to turn up and talk to the fans.

For the longest time the fans have been forgotten. 

Whether it’s putting on more rugby games than the fans can, or want to watch or putting them on in the evening when plenty of fans say they want to watch in the afternoon, or just not answering question.

The word has been that the reason it took so long for the rugby bosses to hire Razor as the AB’s coach is that they were worried about his unconventional antics: saying too much, breakdancing, all that kind of stuff.

I think they’ve got it wrong. 

I think that’s what they need.  

I think they need someone who does consider the fans, and Razor is clearly is that guy. 

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Acclaimed Irish singer and activist Sinéad O'Connor has died at the age of 56.

She released 10 studio albums across her career, but she's best known for her 1990 cover of Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says tributes have been flooding in, with Irish President Michael D Higgins praising O'Connor's 'authenticity' and 'unique voice'.

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Tonight on The Huddle, Ben Thomas from Ben Thomas PR and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

National's Nicola Willis revealed Labour may be planning to take GST off fruit and vegetables and Te Pati Maori plans to create a tax-free threshold of $30,000. Will these new policies make it even harder for Labour to win?

New developments surrounding the circumstances of Kiri Allan's arrest- today, it was revealed she was found by police dogs 500 metres from the site of the crashed car. Do we need more insight into this case, or should it rest?

Kevin Spacey has been acquitted- should he get the chance to make a comeback?

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