Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Assurances taxpayers won't bear the brunt of costs from a landslide threatening the new Pūhoi-Warkworth motorway.

Cracks have appeared in concrete barriers and it's possible sections of land are moving under the one-month-old road.

Transport Minister David Parker says he's expecting a briefing, and this could potentially be a safety risk for motorists.

Waka Kotahi has acknowledged it knew the land was unstable.

General manager of transport services Brett Gliddon says the builder reported on how to fix it and they continued with the opening.

"They're responsible to fix it, so they have to maintain and operate it for 30 years. And in 30 years, they hand that back to us, the Crown."

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An irate Rodney ratepayer is firing back against the 'ridiculous' charges laid by Auckland Council consultants.

Dave Crow has identified several inflated costs incurred across two resource consent applications, including a $197.40 bill for forwarding an email.

He says he had an advantage in this situation- and somebody had to take a stand.  

"I'm just a ratepayer for the property, I'm not someone who's dependent on having the good graces of council to make a living as a property developer."

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The High Court at Christchurch has heard evidence from Graham Dickason at his wife's murder trial.

Lauren Dickason admits killing their daughters in Timaru in 2021 - a six-year old and two-year-old twins, but she's mounting a defence of insanity and infanticide.

Her husband told the court via audio visual link from South Africa about his wife’s anxiety, depression and struggles with fertility and motherhood.

The Herald's Anna Leask his testimony was extremely distressing.

"He spoke about the harrowing details of coming home that night and finding his three little girls dead in their beds and how he tried to revive them- and the grief he suffered as a result."

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Victoria withdrawing from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games has sparked debate about the event's future.

The Victorian Government have pulled the pin after cost estimates blew out to at least $6 billion dollars.

Australian sports correspondent Jim Dolan says suggestions this could be the beginning of the end for the Games - may be wrong.

"Craig Phillips has come out very quickly saying the Games will go ahead in the future. There is much interest from other nations to host future events, so they're putting up a brave face."

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Victoria has pulled the pin on hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the state can't afford to host the event after estimated costs ballooned out from $2.6 billion to over $6 billion.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further.

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Countdown will start changing its signage back to the Woolworths name from next month.

The supermarket has announced the $400 million transformation programme will include a rebrand and a refreshed loyalty scheme.

Countdown and Woolworths Group NZ Manging Director Spencer Sonn says this rebrand is a material investment that will transform the business.

"We've got a lot of old stores we need to upgrade, and then an exciting loyalty program, and of course accompanying all of that is a clear signal of our commitment."

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I’m one of these people who every four years, vacillates over the value of the Commonwealth Games.

‘They’re outdated!’ I think, before the competition starts.

‘They’re a relic of the past!’

‘What’s the point in sending our best athletes to a global competition that's missing 130 countries?’

But then, truthfully, the competition begins and inevitably, I lean in. A couple of golds in a couple of unlikely sports, and all of a sudden I’m sold again.

The Commonwealth Games are the Homebrand Olympics. But truthfully, it’s the fact the  Commonwealth Games always seemed a bit budgo that makes them so fun. Our athletes get to experience the bonding and camaraderie of a Games Village without the same intensity and pressure of the Olympics. And for sports like netball, lawn bowls and squash- which aren’t played at the Olympics- it’s a really massive occasion.

That being said, how many of New Zealand’s 20 gold medallists from last year’s games can you name off the top of your head? And how many of us, if unprompted, can even remember where the games were held?

Victoria’s right. Hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games is not worth $6 or $7 billion. It follows in the footsteps of Durban, which pulled out of hosting last year’s games because of financial pressures.

In an age where so many different things compete for our attention, justifying the cost of hosting an event like the Commonwealth Games is going to get more and more difficult. I suspect it’ll get harder and harder for cities to justify all manner of events, even the Olympics. 

That leaves two options, I reckon.

The first is that you could host the games in one city, every four years. London being the obvious choice.

The second is that in 2030- the Centenary Commonwealth Games- the Commonwealth associations pull together for one last great hurrah. Host it in Hamilton, Ontario, the same place as they hosted the very first games in 1930. Put on an almighty show, a Commonwealth Games for the ages. And make it the last.

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Russia has taken control of the Russian subsidiaries of beer company Carlsberg and yoghurt maker Danone.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed the units under "temporary management" of the state, following rule changes from Moscow earlier this year.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says these rules allow Russia to seize assets from "unfriendly" countries- ones that halted support during the invasion of Ukraine.

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Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog contributor and Curia pollster David Farrar and former Labour Chief of Staff and Director at Mike Munro Communications, Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

School leaders are expecting staffing challenges for Term 3 as the teaching staff shortage continues to worsen. Is this going to impact voters come October?

The Green Party have announced their new Hoki Whenua Mai policy. A Commission of Inquiry will investigate land taken through Te Tiriti o Waitangi breaches, end perpetual leases, and reform the Public Works Act to prevent Maori land being taken again. How necessary is this policy? Will Labour consider it if they win the election? 

The Government has announced several changes to the justice system, including making filming ram-raids an aggravating factor in criminal sentencing and cracking down on people who encourage children to commit crimes. Will this fix anything?

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The UK has formally signed up to the CPTPP trade deal this weekend- with China and Ukraine still waiting.

China applied to join in 2021, but NZME business commentator says there are geopolitical factors holding them back.

She says China will bring plenty to the table if they join- but it's unlikely to happen anytime soon.

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