Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The 160th annual Hawke's Bay A & P Show is underway at the Tomoana Showgrounds in Hastings.

The event has undergone several key changes, including a recent focus on the horticulture sector and active rural sports.

The Country's Rowena Duncum says Great Raihania Shears shearing and woolhandling is expected to happen tomorrow.

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Speculation hints that the post-pandemic imbalances in the economy could be working themselves out.

Since mid-September, the economic numbers have started to beat the expectations of economists and markets.

NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says inflation is still running rampant- but unless something bad happens, the economy is moving in a positive direction.

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Chris Luxon has confirmed his National-led government isn't keen on Auckland's Light Rail project.

The incoming Prime Minister labelled the project a 'white elephant' and said the billions spent could be better put towards other transport priorities.

ZB political editor Jason Walls says Luxon has been consistent about scrapping Light Rail from the beginning of the campaign.

"If he had turned around and said- we're going to go ahead with this, he would have had a mutiny on his hands led by Simeon Brown."

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Australia's High Court has struck down Victoria's tax on electric vehicles, in a move labelled 'contentious'.

Victoria had previously established a distance-based charge for electric and hydrogen vehicle owners for each kilometre they travel.

Two EV drivers filed a challenge in the High Court, arguing that it was 'unconstitutional' for individual states to impose these taxes.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says establishing more taxes would be a controversial decision. 

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The All Blacks have welcomed protocol-breacher Mark Telea back into the fold ahead of their World Cup semi-final.

Coach Ian Foster unveiled two key changes to his starting line-up, and record-breaking Sam Whitelock will be part of the new first fifteen.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further.

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A word of caution from the Five Eyes leaders, as they detail fears of cyber espionage.

The head of MI5 revealed more than 20,000 Brits have been approached covertly online by Chinese spies.

Australia also recently deported a Chinese national recruited to spy on a research institution.

Massey University security expert John Battersby says New Zealand has reason to be concerned, as the nation can be naïve about potential threats. 

"The Chinese are definitely doing it, among a range of others. And a number of countries are doing it in order to get security secrets- but they're also looking for R&D tech secrets."

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A Wellington City Councillor is defending his comments on a commercially-sensitive Council deal.

The Post reports Council is looking to buy the site where Reading Cinema stands, for $32 million dollars.

The boarded up Courtenay Place complex has been closed for years.

Councillor Ray Chung is one of five people under a code of conduct investigation, around alleged breaches of confidentiality.

He's reiterating his feelings about the deal.

"I don't believe that this is a good thing for the city council to be getting into, getting a commercial proposal. Because we don't have any money to even fix our own buildings."

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Controversy over a proposal to restrict residential fence heights in Napier.

The City Council's proposed District Plan includes suggesting limits as low as 1.2 metres - for fencing new properties.

Fences would be allowed up to 1.8 metres if at least half is visually open, or half of it is only 1.2 metres tall.

Mayor Kirsten Wise says there's evidence shorter fences make people feel safer.

"People on the street or in neighbouring properties can see what's happening, as opposed to these big fences which totally block off a property- and anybody could be jumping over that fence and doing who knows what."

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An international relations expert warns 20 trucks of humanitarian aid won't be much help for stricken Palestinians.

The US President has helped secure an agreement from Egypt to open a humanitarian corridor to Gaza.

More will follow - if Hamas doesn't confiscate the food and medical supplies from civilians.

Auckland University's Stephen Hoadley says the aid's going to help more than two million people.

"Imagine if they only have one litre of water a day- imagine how many trucks the UN is estimating. 100 trucks a day have gone in to Gaza previous to this conflict."

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The father of one of five teens killed in a crash near Timaru, at Washdyke, has spoken about the driver responsible.

Tyreese Fleming, now 21, was on a restricted licence and had been drinking.

Although sentenced in June last year to two-and-a-half years in prison, he walked free yesterday.

He'll live in Christchurch, with conditions including not entering Timaru and Temuka.

Stephen Drummond, whose son Javarney, died in the crash, says there's nothing he can do about it.

"It's the police system, it's the way it is. He only served less than three months for each kid, basically."

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