Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Criticism of crowded Auckland school buses from worried North Shore parents.

Video footage has shown a bus meant to carry about 40, appearing packed with about 100 kids.

Some were standing on seat backs, grabbing a handrail.

One mum, Evelyn Araujo, says just braking could be disastrous.

"Students can stand on the bus, that's normal. What is not normal is having over 60 kids standing on the bus, tat's beyond ridiculous." 

Auckland Transport Operations Manager, Rachel Cara, says it's unacceptable - and they are fixing things right now.

"At the moment, we're in conversations with operators around extra-large buses, if available, and looking to put on some extra services, if possible." 

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Parking charges for some SUVs are set to triple, following a recent landmark vote.

This is the latest move by Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo to make the city greener and friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists ahead of the Paris Olympics.

The election had a low turnout - 5.7 percent - but over 54 percent of voters supported the change.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says these increased fees apply to cars weighing over 1.6 tonnes from outside the city.

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Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

It's been a fiery start to the Waitangi Day event, with protestors heckling Winston Peters and David Seymour and the new Government being called 'spiders' and 'a den of lions' by Kelvin Davis. Will this sway anybody in Government from their agenda?

It's come to light that taxpayers paid $340 million to subsidise EV purchases, because the subsidy was so popular and the ute tax didn't bring in enough to pay for it all. Was that a waste of money or reason for celebration?

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Fletcher Building has delivered grim news of a $180 million dollar hit to accounts on two big projects.

Costs for Auckland's International Convention Centre are up another $165 million, and a Wellington car park's tally has risen $15 million.

The company's half-year results are due out next Wednesday.

Jarden's Grant Swanepoel says this is the fourth concerning financial 'surprise' from Fletcher in the last 13 months.

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The Prime Minister's speech seems to have done little to soothe anxieties at Waitangi.

Chris Luxon and his delegation of National, ACT and New Zealand First MPs gave addresses at the Treaty Grounds today.

Tensions are high over ACT's Treaty Principles Bill, which has coalition support to select committee stage.

ZB senior political reporter Sophie Trigger says interestingly - Luxon's speech totally shied away from addressing the legislation.

"I spoke to some attendees afterwards who didn't really feel like their concerns - in terms of threats to Te Tiriti and Te Reo - had been lessened in any way by what was said

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KiwiSaver providers are turning away from controversial companies, instead gravitating towards ethical ones.

Data from Mindful Money shows several of the largest KiwiSaver providers have reduced their investment in companies with a harmful output.

In the six months to September last year, there's been a 72 percent drop in investment in tobacco companies, a 35 percent reduction in weapons, and a 29 percent reduction in gambling.

Mindful Money founder and CEO Barry Coates says most consumers want to make ethical choices.

"Investments in tobacco companies, weapons, gambling, human rights violations, fossil fuels, etc- for most people, they don't want their money to go into those things."

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Finance Minister Nicola Willis is stressing the importance of open discussion on the evening before Waitangi Day.

The Government is facing anger and concern over the proposed Treaty Principles Bill, with David Seymour and Winston Peters being heckled during today's speeches.

Nicola Willis says the gathering in Waitangi left room for a range of approaches- but most people have been peaceful.

"There has been an attempt to understand each other, to listen, and to find those areas where we can make good progress. Over the past few days, I and other ministers have had hui with iwi, with a number of Māori entities." 

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The Grammy's Song of the Year award has gone to Billie Eilish and Finneas - for the Barbie track 'What Was I Made For?'.

Eilish has thanked director Greta Gerwig for making the best movie of the year.

It's the pair's second songwriting award, after winning with 'Bad Guy' in 2020.

KTLA entertainment correspondent Sam Rubin says it was a big night for the entertainment industry.

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Hawke's Bay leaders say they're in the dark on when money from a special Lotto appeal will be dished out.

More than $10 million raised by the draw set up in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle has sat unspent with the Department of Internal Affairs for nearly a year.

It expects there'll be action this month.

Chair of the Hawkes Bay Fruitgrowers' Charitable Trust, Brydon Nisbet, says he didn't even know there was money available until early this morning.

"There's still a huge amount of need out there, we're nearly a year since the cyclone and there's still a massive amount of work to do, there's still people who are displaced, that are homeless."

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Plug-in hybrid owners look to be trying to swerve new Government Road User Charges.

The exemption for electric vehicles ends from April, and light EV owners will pay $76 for every 1000 kilometres travelled.

Owners of plug-in hybrids will pay $53, because they also pay tax on fuel.

One plug-in owner, Peter Garlick, says he wants to remove its electric plug to avoid paying double taxes.

"So, an about 120 kilometre round trip into Nelson- I get 15 of those Ks off the mains power, and the other 105 kilometres I'm using petrol. And I'm paying more road user taxes on that petrol already."

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