Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

I'll tell you what's going to be really telling tomorrow with those Te Pāti Māori protests- it's how big they are.

It's basically going to be an indication of how much pushback and resistance the new Government's going to get on its plan to roll back the Treaty out of law like they plan to do.

I reckon for tomorrow, every single party in Parliament is going to be interested in that crowd size. Te Pāti Māori will obviously want it to be big, because it shows that they're onto something- that they have support for their resistance.  

ACT, on completely the opposite side, is also going to want it to be big, because the bigger those protests are tomorrow, the more it's going to annoy motorists and people trying to get on with their jobs. 

This will drive more support to ACT, for what they're planning to do. Plus, it's also going to draw more attention to the things ACT are arguing for- which they won't be unhappy about.

National, out of all of the parties in Parliament, is going to be packing itself if those protests are big. Because that is the very thing National has been trying to avoid when they said no to ACT's Treaty principles referendum. 

National does not want to have a race relations debate while they're in Government, it would reflect really badly for them.

Remember the 2005 election, which they lost, with Don Brash's infamous billboards. They are still haunted by that stuff, they are still haunted by the fact that they are labelled racists over that- they hate it.

But it seems to me that regardless of what they do, simply because ACT is around- they're going to get it anyway because of all the other stuff.

To be fair, along with ACT and New Zealand First, they're repealing co-governance, they're taking the Māori wards on the councils back to referenda, they're removing the Treaty principles legislation, they're removing the Iwi clause from Oranga Tamariki, they're switching Government names- and that's just a taste.

And that seems to be enough to give Te Pāti Māori reason to start campaigning already and going hard already.

If tomorrow's crowds are small, maybe this won't be a thing, and it'll be an indication people don't care as much as Te Pāti Māori thinks they do. But if those crowds are big- strap yourself in.

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New Zealand has won the first Fossil of the Day award at COP-28 in Dubai.

It's been awarded for the National-led Government’s campaign promise it'll revoke the last Government’s ban on offshore oil exploration.

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says Labour got the same award last year.

He says it's just a distraction from the summit's real business.

"We're focused on the things that really matter, and that's engaging with our national partners when we get over there on the ground. It's something that happens, but it's in the background."

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Huge support for a Te Whatu Ora employee accused of taking bulk Covid vaccination data.

Barry Young appeared in Wellington District Court today, after data was posted on a conspiracy website.

The 56-year-old appeared this morning, then returned to the dock this afternoon, and was granted bail so long as he's released by 1pm tomorrow.

Herald Open Justice reporter Ethan Griffiths says Young was cheered inside and outside the the court.

"The public gallery was absolutely packed to the brim with supporters who gave Young a standing ovation when he emerged from the cells. Outside court, there were a handful of supporters with signs as well."

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Protesters vowing to cause gridlock on highways tomorrow say they aren't fearful it'll alienate people.

Te Pāti Māori are asking supporters to take to the streets in a nationwide day of action.

It says the Government's policy programmes are an assault on tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Te Runanga o Ngai Te Rangi Iwi Trust's Paora Stanley says regardless what Maori do, people will be annoyed at them.

"There's a lot of hate going around as it is. People were going against Three Waters not because of what it stood for, but because it was pro-Māori in their view."

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The allure of the All Blacks jersey remains strong.

That's the view out of New Zealand Rugby after Beauden Barrett's call to re-sign through to the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

He'll be available for test matches next year and the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific from 2025 after his sabbatical in Japan.

NZR's General Manger of Professional Rugby, Chris Lendrum is 'stoked' to have Barrett re-joining them for the foreseeable future.

"He's played 123 tests for New Zealand, he's been World Player of the Year on a couple of occasions, he's one of our greatest All Blacks." 

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Australia's biggest supermarkets are set to be scrutinised in a Senate inquiry investigating their prices.

Coles and Woolworths have been accused of profiteering during an inflationary period marked by increased food costs.

Australia correspondent Oliver Peterson says the supermarket duopoly dominate the market- and people are feeling ripped off.

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New Zealand Rugby have welcomed the coveted signature of Beauden Barrett for another four years.

The hybrid playmaker's resisted the temptation of further lucrative overseas deals and will remain available to the All Blacks and the Blues until the end of the 2027 World Cup.

He'll be available for test matches next year after a season with the Toyota Verblitz in Japan.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further.

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Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with a bill of roughly $220 million each year to run the City Rail Link - once it opens.

Chief executive Sean Sweeney says the project is 80 percent complete, but there's no guarantee the November 2025 deadline will be met.

Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges says there's no excuse for these extended cost blowouts and delays.

"It's created a huge amount of problems. Just by the cost blowouts, the fact that this has taken too long and there doesn't seem to be a particularly good end in sight."

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The Taxpayers Union has offered themselves up to re-brand Government departments on the cheap.

The organisation wants to redesign logos at no cost, for departments required to be renamed under the new Government.

Campaigns Manager Connor Molloy told Heather du Plessis-Allan that they don't want tax payers money spent unnecessarily, when agencies use the change as an excuse to do a full brand refresh - even though they have no competition.

Molloy says the union will also create better brand guidelines and consistency across the public service.

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Former Prime Minister Helen Clark doesn't understand why the coalition government is yet to accept amendments to the World Health Organisation's regulations.

The W-H-O is reassessing its guidelines for how countries should act in public health events, such as during a pandemic.

Chris Luxon says he wants to make sure the amendments align with New Zealand's interests.

Clark told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that she believes New Zealand First may be influencing the Prime Minister.

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