Media company NZME's remaining cautious about the economy despite a positive financial year.

The owner of The Herald and Newstalk ZB reported a $13.1 million net after tax profit - turning around the previous year’s $16 million dollar loss.

Its operating costs were four percent lower annually - reflecting the closure of community publications in December 2024.

CEO Michael Boggs says it's a grind to recovery.

"There's still been inflationary pressures, they're not feeling the best, they're not feeling confident yet to go and invest. And advertising is probably one of the first levers you can pull."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More early childhood education centres are expected to fold under rising costs.

The Household Economic Survey shows the average weekly ECE fee has jumped from $25 in 2007, to $90 in 2023.

Early Childhood Council CEO Simon Laube says pay parity rules have driven 443 centres to shut in the past three years.

He says it drives up teacher salaries.

"But the funding from the Government doesn't follow suit, so as the salaries increase, the providers are paying more and more to pay the teachers - but the funding stays the same."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cost of living is hitting Kiwis hard, with new data showing Aucklanders are more likely to be worse off.

More than a third of New Zealanders have a savings balance of less than $500, according to new data from Westpac.

Westpac's Financial Wellbeing programme manager, Warren Ngan Woo, says Auckland is a big city where things cost more, which eats into people's ability to save money.

"This is just a snapshot in relation to savings, but it certainly doesn't take into account what other people have in options with their savings."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mercury's achieved a strong return to profit. 

BusinessDesk says the energy company's half year earnings before interest to December 31- reached $537 million.

It recorded a net $20 million dollar profit - up from a $67 million loss last year. 

Chief executive Stew Hamilton says they're doing well and don't need to raise capital. 

"We've been disciplined in how we manage our money, how we earn our money and spend it, so we're investing wisely, performing strongly - and I think that gives us options."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Findings claim the Government extinguishing pay-equity claims destroyed an earlier system that was fit for purpose. 

The People's Select Committee - a group of 10 former women MPs - has released its final report on the changes rushed through by the coalition under urgency last year.

It held three months of hearings and almost 1400 submissions.

Group chair and former National MP, Dame Marilyn Waring, raised questions about the 'urgency' that this legislation was rushed under.

"This wasn't an emergency war regulation, it was an equal pay amendment. It's just quite unnecessary, you don't do that. And so, it was all done simply for the Budget."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's calling for caution, while agreeing with National that Auckland needs a new harbour crossing. 

The Infrastructure Commission last week suggested a toll as high as $9 to fund the new crossing - and also tolling the existing bridge. 

But Chris Hipkins ruled out tolling Auckland Harbour Bridge at his State of the Nation speech yesterday. 

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained why this position doesn't quite match Labour's earlier stance on extra costs for road users.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has written to his British counterpart Keir Starmer to confirm Australia would support the removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession.

Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne - despite being stripped of his titles amid pressure over his ties to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Albanese is the first Commonwealth leader to openly voice support for Andrew's removal from the line of succession.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Rugby will open applications for a rescoped high performance director role, to replace Chris Lendrum who is leaving after 20 years.

Lendrum, who is NZR's general manager of professional and performance, will leave at the end of May.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave speculated further.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concerns among experts following the latest medical platform hack that's left an impact on Kiwis.

MediMap is widely used across New Zealand, particularly in aged care, disability, hospice, and community health.

Some users' information had been changed, including altering ages, changing patient's names to Charlie Kirk - and claiming living users were deceased.

CISO Lens Country Manager Nadia Yousef says it's unclear why this happened, and there's nothing hinting towards extortion or blackmail just yet.

"It's not clear who did it, it's very unclear why - there's, I think, a lot more to follow over the next few days."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump recently took to Truth Social to offer to send a hospital boat over to Greenland - an offer Greenland's  prime minister has criticised.

Trump claimed in the post that 'many people' on the island are sick and 'not being taken care of'.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Trump has long coveted Greenland, and it's unusual that Trump would want to send extra medical help to a country with free healthcare.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.