Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Outrage in the UK as Lucy Letby refused to appear in court for sentencing after she murdered 7 babies.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak labelled her a 'coward' and confirmed the Government plans to change the law to compel convicts to attend sentencing.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says this trial has lasted 10 months, and experts should have guessed Letby would do this.

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Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

Labour has dropped to 29 percent in the latest 1News Verian poll. National is up 2 points to 37 percent- and can form a coalition with ACT's 13 percent. How low can Labour go before the election? Can they turn their luck around?

Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has defected to help the Wallabies, shocking rugby fans across the country. Is this a wise move on his part- or is he betraying New Zealand?

Labour are under fire for modifying the bright-line test, against advice from a select committee at the time. Someone who leaves their house more than a year could get taxed, even if their kids or spouse stay in the home. Was this deliberate? 

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US sheep farmers are calling for further tariffs to be imposed on New Zealand sheep meat imports in order to save their industry.

Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor has expressed concern over this bid, and the ministry has approached the relevant US agencies.

The Country's Jamie Mackay says domestic lamb and mutton production is down 60 percent in the US, and farmers have been taking a hit.

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On the other side of the Tasman, Australians are wondering how much further interest rates can rise.

Australia's current OCR is sitting at 4.10 percent, and economists are predicting the RBA will hike interest rates again before the year is out.

HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says inflation is likely to persist longer, and the Reserve Bank will have to lift interest rates by the fourth quarter of 2023.

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Villa Maria’s Māngere operations will start shutting down this October and will affect a total of 14 roles, owner Indevin announced today.

Indevin Group, who acquired Villa Maria in 2021, said the decision follows a three-month review into its Māngere operations after the company announced it will move half of Villa Maria’s bottling to the UK next February.

The Māngere plant will start decommissioning in October and is expected to continue until next April, the company announced.

BusinessDesk managing editor, Pattrick Smellie, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss the move.

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Labour and Chris Hipkins took a significant tumble in a recent political poll.

The 1News Verian poll puts the incumbent party down 4 points to 29 percent, while National gained 2 points to 37 percent.

National could now form a winning coalition with ACT's 13 percent.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this is part of a wider trend, as Labour has descended in the last several political polls.

"Polling at 29 percent- it's a follow on from a number of political polls. Roy Morgan put them on 26 percent, the Guardian Essential poll had them on 29, the Curia poll had them on 27 percent."

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Kiwi entrepreneur and Zuru co-founder Anna Mowbray has launched a new app designed for the younger wave of job-seekers.

Dubbed as 'Tinder for jobs', ZEIL allows candidates to easily browse through and save jobs they're interested in applying for.

Mowbray explains that the app will connect job-seekers and employers in a more engaging, enjoyable and intuitive way. 

"What's really incredible as well is that organisations can showcase themselves in a completely different light. Rather than Seek or Trademe being the heroes when you advertise a job, it's the organisation."

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Police have admitted that the information they released following the disappearance of a 12-year-old girl was 'inappropriate'.

The girl went missing from Auckland's Bucklands Beach on August 11, and turned up safe 8 days later.

Independent victim advocate Ruth Money criticised the police releasing her name and picture, saying the public release of this information will affect her re-integration into society. 

"She's not done anything wrong, the alleged person who'd allegedly taken her or encouraged her, manipulated her, coerced her to leave or remove herself from her family environment may well have committed a crime."

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Backlash throughout New Zealand's rugby community as Sir Steve Hansen takes on a role across the ditch.

The former All Blacks coach has joined the Australians in France as the Wallabies gear up to complete their tournament preparation against the World Cup hosts this weekend.

Former All Black Josh Kronfeld says it's common for coaches to offer their services across the world once their time is up.

"My understanding is- Steve and Eddie have always kept up a bit of a relationship outside of their rugby warfare. It seems kind of logical, in a lot of respects, for Steve to go over and give him a helping hand- and feed his pockets."

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A tax expert says the Government changed the bright line test, against advice from a select committee at the time.

Under the bright-line test, people could have to pay a capital gains tax on their family home if they leave it for more than a year.

It was changed by Labour in 2021.

OliverShaw Tax Partner Robin Oliver says the Government did this deliberately.

"They weren't prepared to listen to people who said- this is wrong. The minister at the time was David Parker, but this is the law."

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