Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Question marks over an American soldier who went into North Korea without authority.

He crossed the border as he was being escorted back to the US for disciplinary action.

He's the first American detained in the North in nearly five years.

Asia Political Risk Analyst Ross Feingold says they don't know what consequences he'll face.

"Whether or not North Korea's going to treat him as some crazy tourist that they want to toss back to the other side, or they're going to charge him with a crime, or even potentially welcome him."

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Well, the Consumer Price Index is 6 percent.

The numbers were out this morning and I think with 6 percent, we can say with confidence that, barring disaster, headline inflation in New Zealand has peaked.

From the post-pandemic high of 7.3 percent a year ago, we’ve now recorded 3 successive quarters of data heading in the right direction. I think we can call it a trend.

Today’s number isn’t surprising though, given the majority of mortgage holders have now moved off those all-time low interest rates.

But 6 percent is still a long way from the Reserve Bank’s target band of 1-3 percent.

And both the Reserve Bank and the big bank economists- who were all pretty close in their forecasts today- reckon it’s going to be a real slog to make the progress required in order to halve inflation from its current point.

What does it mean for the election? Well, the next CPI data isn’t out until October 17th, so this is it- the last set of data we’re going to get out of Stats NZ before Kiwis go to the polls.

But I think any sense of relief that Grant Robertson and Chris Hipkins have today will be nullified by the food inflation figures.

All sorts of metrics make up the CPI. But apart from buying petrol, there are few activities in which consumers regularly confront prices and price increases like the weekly supermarket run.

Yes, the cost of housing and construction is going up, but there is nothing like a trip to the supermarket to have the reality of rising prices literally in your face.

According to last week’s Food Price Index, fruit and vegetable prices are up 22 percent on June 2022. 22 percent! Meat, fish and poultry are up 11 percent, it’s brutal.

Today’s numbers don’t make it any likelier the Reserve Bank will cut interest rates before the election. If anything, they’re more likely to raise the OCR.

If the food price increases don’t cool down, it’s going to be very hard for the Government to argue that it’s actually winning the cost of living battle in a way that is meaningful for New Zealand voters.

They can point to that headline number, but sentiment is the thing that really matters.

And if voters don't feel like inflation is being brought under control and every time they go to the supermarket they get a nasty surprise- the CPI data isn’t worth much come the campaign.

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The summer holidays have begun in England and Wales- and many travellers are staring down the barrel of huge queues at Dover.

Cross-Channel ferry passengers are expected to endure waiting times of two and a half hours between 6am and 1pm.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says this is due to post-Brexit passport checking measures lengthening expected delays.

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Tonight on The Huddle, Taxpayers' Union Executive Director Jordan Williams and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

Victoria has pulled the plug on hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with Premier Daniel Andrews citing ballooning costs as the reason for terminating the contract. Is this the beginning of the end for the Games? Are they worth preserving?

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced the Government will build two new youth justice centres with more safety and security measures built in. Is the Government finally listening to collective concerns about increasing crime- or is this a bid for more votes? 

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Rural economists are less than optimistic about the expected results in the GDT auction.

Falling global dairy prices, adverse weather conditions and surging grain prices following Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Initiative are contributing to a negative outlook.

The Country's Jamie Mackay says all agricultural commodity prices are taking a hit- including meat, milk, and horticulture.

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ACT co-founder Roger Douglas has turned his back on his former party, claiming they “represent only the wealthy”.

Douglas voiced opposition for ACT's reluctance to end 'bracket creep'- which increases tax paid by average wage and salary earners because doing so would require higher taxes on wealthier people.

BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie says Roger Douglas had a clear libertarian view for ACT, and recent policies go against that vision.

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The Victorian Government is under fire after pulling the pin on hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The state has withdrawn after cost estimates blew out to at least $6 billion from an initial $2.6 billion estimate.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds suspects that Daniel Andrews may have backed out to alleviate the Victorian cost-of-living crisis.

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Another chapter in the saga of former Labour Minister Michael Wood and his failure to disclose shareholdings.

Speaker Adrian Rurawhe today referred Wood to the Privileges Committee.

Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls says it comes after a damning report on Wood's actions.

"It says his conduct 'cast a shadow over the trust and confidence that the public are entitles to expect of their elected representatives because he did not adequately declare his financial interests to Parliament'."

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The Green Party plans to table an amendment to the Therapeutic Products Bill to ban advertising for prescription medicines.

New Zealand and the United States are the only two countries that allow unrestricted advertising of branded prescription medication.

Green Party health spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March says pharmaceutical advertisements do not equip the public with the information that they need.

"The medical professionals themselves are making a call for us to put an end to this type of advertisements, because all it does is clog up our healthcare system- and most countries have acknowledged it does not lead to better outcomes."  

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Netball NZ's Chief Executive has expressed disappointment over Victoria's withdrawal from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth games.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews informed the Commonwealth Games authorities that the estimated $6 billion cost was too prohibitively expensive.

CEO Jennie Wyllie says the Commonwealth Games are a unique and special experience for the New Zealand team. 

"Normally when we go to our pinnacle events- and we're off to South Africa in 10 days- we travel as our own team with our supporters. Which is great, but for the Commonwealth Games, we travel with the New Zealand team."

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