Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Ruapehu-based attraction Blue Duck Station is begging people to take their wool- free of charge.

The company took to social media to explain their 'wool woes', claiming production was no longer sustainable.

The Country's Jamie Mackay says wool was once the driving force behind the biggest economic boom in New Zealand's history.

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Tim Mathieson, ex-partner of former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, has plead guilty to sexual assault charges.

Mathieson was charged with sexual assault by Victoria Police earlier this year, and is scheduled to face court again in August.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Mathieson agreed to plead guilty in exchange for two other charges being dropped- and details are still coming to light.

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Labour's staying tight-lipped on its tax policy- despite the Opposition claiming they've figured it out.

National's Nicola Willis claims Labour's planning to dump GST from fruit and vegetables.

Hipkins hit back, saying Willis will have to wait for Labour's tax proposals like everybody else.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says he remembers this issue being discussed 12 years ago- and still believes it's a ridiculous solution. 

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There's been nothing to separate the USA and the Netherlands, with their Football World Cup group game in Wellington ending in a 1-all draw.

In what was a rematch of the 2019 final, the Dutch took a surprising 1-nil lead into halftime- until the US levelled off a corner kick in the 62nd minute.

Both teams remain tied atop group E.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further.

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Cautious optimism prevails throughout small and medium businesses, a new report finds.

My HR data reveals almost two thirds of companies expect revenue to improve in next year and 60 percent of businesses expect to raise salaries in the coming months.

My HR chief executive Jason Ennor says many of these businesses feel that they've reached rock bottom- and it's all up from here.

"We have seen an alarmingly high number of businesses go to the wall, but those that have survived, those that are still there, those that we surveyed and spoke to- they're quite optimistic." 

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Te Pāti Māori has unveiled their 'radical' new tax policy ahead of the upcoming election.

These reforms include a net wealth tax, the removal of GST from food prices, a levy on empty homes and a $30,000 tax-free threshold.

Glenn Barclay from the Fair Tax Coalition says this plan is comprehensive and bold with 'innovative' taxes.

"Having said, these are really good ideas, they need to be fully explored and tested. That's the way it should be."

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Aucklanders hit by extreme weather events are in for some financial relief.

The Council has voted to completely remove rates for property owners whose homes are 'uninhabitable' after this year's flooding events.

West Auckland is Flooding chairman Lyall Carter says this is something that several community groups and residents throughout the region have been advocating for.

"Real victory for common sense and for advocacy and people democracy. So yeah, great news."

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Oranga Tamariki have sought legal resolution over a dispute about who should care for a 3-year-old girl.

The organisation believes the child should be placed with Māori caregivers within her wider family, but the girl's father identifies her as NZ European and Aboriginal- not Māori.

ACT spokesperson for Children and Social Development Karen Chhour says children deserve stable loving homes, and identity shouldn't be the ultimate factor.

"The best interests of the child should be first and foremost, and this looks like just another case of having to go to court over heritage- it seems absolutely insane to me."

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Tears rolled down Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey's face as he was handed a NOT guilty verdict.

The 64-year-old was acquitted of charges against four men in London.

KTLA entertainment reporter, Sam Rubin, says the big question is- can Spacey go back to work?

"I think it is an open question. And I don't know, I think it's less likely in America than it might be elsewhere."

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National is picking apart a policy it's predicting Labour is about to announce.

The Opposition claims Labour will remove GST from fruit and vegetables.

Deputy Leader Nicola Willis says Labour is good at promising things that sound good on the tin.

But she says it's terrible at delivering, especially anything complicated.

"Inevitably, the problem is if you don't do it right, none of the money actually ends up in the back pocket of the people we all want to help."

Chris Hipkins says Willis will have to wait for Labour's proposals to be announced, like everyone else.

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