Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Winston Peters could be the one benefiting most from Labour and National's coalition squabbles.

In last night's Leaders Debate, Labour's Chris Hipkins dug into National's Chris Luxon over his plans to work with New Zealand First, if needed.

Newstalk ZB Editor Jason Walls says the more Peters is discussed, the more his vote share will increase.

He says this could leak votes from National and Act, who need to step up.

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Damian McKenzie will come off the All Blacks bench for the first time this year as coach Ian Foster moulds his side to play Italy on Saturday morning.

The run-on team is close to full strength, especially with the returns of Shannon Frizell and Jordie Barrett from injury.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what we can expect from this World Cup match.

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Campaigners for one of the nation's deadliest cancers feel like their cause is being ignored this election.

At last night's debate, Luxon and Hipkins both promised to lower the age for free bowel cancer screenings going forward.

Prostate Cancer Foundation President Danny Bedingfield says the Government has show it cares about people's lives- but their cause needs more support.

"What we're looking for is actually a trial of a prostate cancer screening program. We've had to do a lot of this background work ourselves, we've gone to the NZIER and asked them- what would it cost?"

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From Saturday, a Kiwi breakfast staple will be removed from The Warehouse's cereal aisle.

Sanitarium is no longer providing Weet-Bix products to any Warehouse stores, citing 'supply constraints'.

The Warehouse headed straight to the Commerce Commission for a solution- after they discovered they were the only retailer affected.

Chief Product Officer Tania Benyon says it's 'very strange' that Sanitarium chose to cut off supply from The Warehouse instead of reducing output for all cereal retailers.

"From our perspective, it's just very strange that in this time when there's so much intent to open up equitable access to groceries for New Zealanders- we're not able to do that."

Sanitarium issued a statement refusing to comment on their production capacities and stock levels.

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Auckland restaurant The Grove has been named the 11th best fine dining eatery in the world, according to Tripadvisor. 

Tripadvisor's list measures traveller ratings and reviews- and only the most favourably ranked restaurants make the cut.

Co-owner Michael Dearth says this is amazing news, following years of uncertainty for Kiwi businesses after the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Anyone who owns a business- over the last couple of years, it's been a really wild ride to say the least."

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Waka Kotahi has given e-scooters another legal exemption for five years.

It allows them to be used without being classified as motor vehicles- meaning no need to meet vehicle standards, be registered, or have number plates.

Riders don't need driver's licenses and they can be used on footpaths.

Living Streets President Tim Jones says he's gutted.

"We think that the profit of these e-scooter companies has pushed the rights of pedestrians aside. Having this thing renewed is the worst possible outcome for pedestrians."

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The cyclone clean-up in Hawkes Bay has been given a cash injection, but officials say it's not enough.

The Government's announced another $10 million in funding for the region, on top of the $130 million already given.

After the cyclone, local officials told the Government it's going to be a $200 million dollar job, at least.

Hawkes Bay Regional Council's Hinewai Ormsby says there's still a lot of silt to clean up.

"In terms of getting the job done, completed and getting our economy back to the state it was - being the fruit bowl of New Zealand - we're going to need far more support to get the job finished."

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The Property Investors Federation welcomes ACT's proposed housing policy changes- but tenant advocacy groups are sceptical.

The plan includes reinstating mortgage interest deductibility, abolishing the bright-line test and allowing no fault evictions.

Federation President Sue Harrison says these changes will make it easier for landlords and tenants alike.

"No one wants to evict good tenants, no one wants to get rid of their best people in their homes- but we need tools in our toolbox if we're to take on risky tenants."

Renters United President Geordie Rogers says there are rules in place that allow landlords to remove unruly renters.

"The return of no-cause evictions is really just a matter of hiding the reasons, because people are scared to say them out loud- or they don't fit a list."

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I don’t quite know how we’re back here, but we are- Winston's back in Government, isn’t he? 

I think all the signs now point to the fact that National can’t do it without him.

The Herald’s Poll of Polls says National and ACT have a 40 percent chance of forming Government alone. With Winston, it’s a 99.7 percent chance.

The big donors are backing him, he’s pulling in more money right now than in any other election beforehand- and it’s coming from the big end of town.

He wasn’t in the debate last night, but Paddy Gower dedicated an entire section to talking about him. And out of the parties on the right, NZ First is the only one going up in the polls.

National looks like it might actually have peaked already. The party hit its highest point a couple of weeks ago and it’s been falling slightly in the polls since then.

ACT is kind of hard to judge, but it’s either stable or falling slightly- it’s certainly not climbing.

NZ First? That one is going up.

I think those donations are significant, by the way. The rank group, which is connected to Graham Hart, the richest man in New Zealand, gave Winston Peters $100,000.

And they did that more than two weeks before donating to ACT and National.

Winston’s getting money from the same rich-listers donating to ACT and National. These guys know how to sniff the breeze, that’s why they’re wealthy- because they read things before they happen. 

And they’re backing Winnie.

I'm baffled.

This is the guy who earned the wrath of centre-right voters only 6 years ago for choosing Jacinda when Bill English had earned more vote.

And yet, here we are- there are centre-right voters who are backing him, who are trusting him to not make them angry again. 

Watch what’s about to happen. We're gonna talk a lot about Winston between now and election night, because he’s relevant again.

NZ First was 6 percent in the One News/Verian poll last night, so book them in for a possible 7 or 8 on election night. Because the more we talk about them, the more they climb.

And if these trends continue, you ain’t getting a change of Government without Uncle Winston in there.

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The UN has slapped down the UK for seeking changes to the UN’s Refugee Convention. 

Home Secretary Suella Braverman says fearing discrimination for being gay or a woman should not be enough to qualify for international refugee protection.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Braverman is being accused of 'dog-whistle politics', as several nations have criminalised homosexuality. 

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