Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Noted historian and former Former UK Supreme Court Justice Lord Sumption is adamant free speech is under threat in liberal democracies.

The Free Speech Union has brought Lord Sumption to New Zealand as the keynote speaker for their AGM and conference- and as part of a wider speaking tour.

Lord Sumption says people are no longer inclined to accept dissent or opposing opinions on various issues.

"The willingness to accept dissent, to accept the possibility that most people may think that you're wrong, that you may not succeed in getting your own ideas accepted by democratic Governments and parliaments- the inclination to accept these things is diminishing."

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Seven rising female-led New Zealand businesses are set to receive funding, resources and mentorship from Coralus.

Coralus, formerly known as SheEO, has announced its 2023 Ventures today- expanding their outreach by two more businesses than in previous years.

Among this selection is Kiwi Launch Pad, an employer-funded digital platform for new migrants designed to help them successfully settle in Aotearoa.

Founder Bridget Romanes says this service has attracted several major employers, from Deloitte, KPMG, TVNZ and KiwiRail.

"There's 100,000 migrants who've come to New Zealand since the borders opened, roughly, in July last year. The demand is certainly out there."

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National's deputy leader won't put a timeframe on how quickly a new Government will form after the final results are in.

The party holds the slimmest of majorities if it partners with ACT - but there's still some half-a-million-special ballots to be counted.

The official election figures are due out on Friday, and could see the pair needing New Zealand First.

Nicola Willis says she knows New Zealanders want them to get on with it.

"There's a big job ahead of us to turn the economy around and get things back on track, so we'll be trying to do that in a responsible way- as efficiently as possible." 

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A World Cup final full of controversial calls ended in disappointment for New Zealand and elation for South Africa.

The game saw four yellow cards during the contest - two to each team - with the most prominent being All Blacks captain Sam Cane's card being upgraded to red for direct contact to the head when making a tackle.

Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Paul Allison says fans were quick to unload their criticisms onto the officials- which he argues isn't fair.

"I don't think we should be blaming the referees or the officials for the end result, I think the All Blacks had their opportunity and they weren't able to take them- the South Africans were."

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A senior architecture lecturer says the future of Wellington's Town Hall should be considered - along with its heritage.

Mayor Tory Whanau wants to consider changing heritage laws, now the building's earthquake rebuild has blown out to a potential cost of $330 million.

Dr Elizabeth Aitken-Rose says sometimes buildings are saved that shouldn't be.

But she says New Zealand also tends to knock everything down and start again.

"If you think about the Wellington Town Hall, it's not just what it is or what it was- but the purpose it actually serves in the community going on."

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Friends cast-mates haven't yet spoken publicly about the death of Matthew Perry, known to millions as Chandler Bing.

The 54 year old was found dead yesterday in the hot tub at his LA home.

LA entertainment correspondent Sean Mandell says the only reactions reported so far come from sources close to Lisa Kudrow.

"Sources close to Kudrow have expressed that Kudrow is allegedly confused and baffled, believing that Perry was in good health recently, that certainly he had been sober."

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A promising challenger to the supermarket duopoly has dropped out of the race.

Online grocer Supie has entered voluntary administration- owing an estimated $3 million.

Analyst Nick Hogendijk says the start-up battled from day one.

"The big pressure point will be the significant amount of investment in resources she was going to need to have from day one- it was always going to be difficult against a duopoly that was so well set up, so well-geared."

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Australia's free trade deal with the EU has collapsed.

Australian correspondent Oliver Petersen says negotiations had been going on for five years, but the final deal wasn't good enough for either side.

He says it's to do with access - or lack thereof - that Australian beef producers can get to the EU.

"They didn't even get to the table to say- let's sign this off. What's going to happen here- we're going to just look at New Zealand's model and ask if we can do the same thing. But at this stage, no deal."

New Zealand signed its own Free Trade Agreement with the EU last year.

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Winston Peters has accused the media of having warped priorities.

Speaking to The Platform this morning, he took aim at the coverage New Zealand First received on the campaign trail.

He says it seemed sausage rolls were more important than public meetings, and standing on the side of the road waving banners was a substitute for policies.

ZB political editor Jason Walls says Winston Peters is concerned about establishing a Government as soon as possible.

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A hotly-anticipated final ended in disappointment for New Zealand, after the Springboks won the World Cup.

The Springboks went scoreless in the second half but managed to hold out a 14-man New Zealand 12-11.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine weighs in on the nation's reaction- as some fans are taking the loss out on referee Wayne Barnes.

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