Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The Education Minister wants standardised teaching of maths, reading and writing across the country.

The Government has announced it plans to legislate on its common practice teaching model.

Jan Tinetti says she plans to change the Education and Training Act, making those core subjects a requirement.

She says the focus is on creating a consistent curriculum.

"At the moment, the order in what somebody might be teaching in oral language - acquisition, for example -  will be different in different schools. We want that to be exactly the same."

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The first national strike from senior doctors and dentists reflects their ongoing frustration.

About 5000 members have announced a strike on September 5.

Salaried Medical Specialists Association director Sarah Dalton says members want raises to help staff keep up with inflation.

"Our members have experienced real pay cuts since 2020, when Covid landed, and they have said enough is enough. We have a known doctor shortage, Te Whatu Ora has put a number on it. They've said it's 1700 doctors, we think it's more."

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The Australian Government has spent $1.7 billion on Tomahawk cruise missiles, making it the third region to have access to this technology.

Defence minister Richard Marles says this investment will hold adversaries further from Australian shores and 'keep Australians safe'.

Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says the region is boosting their defence systems in case of war- but Australia will have to develop technology on their shores as well.

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National's Chris Luxon has promised to put $280 million into funding 13 cancer treatments over the next four years.

This funding will be ring-fenced to Pharmac to cover lung, bowel, kidney, and melanoma cancer treatments- with free prescriptions scrapped to cover costs.

Luxon says New Zealand's cancer mortality rate is 15 percent higher than Australia, and improving access to treatment can bridge the gap.

"Part of that is actually accessing those treatments and those drugs that can extend lives, but also save lives. That's what this is about."

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England have failed to add the women's football World Cup to their cabinet, beaten 1-nil by Spain in the final at Sydney.

The European champions were dominated in the first half, with Spanish captain Olga Carmona driving home the game's goal in the 29th minute.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine breaks down yesterday's victory here.

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Alan Hall's lawyer still holds out hope that Arthur Easton's killer will be found.

Hall's received five million dollars and an apology after being wrongfully convicted of Easton's murder in 1986.

He spent just under 18 years in prison.

Nick Chisnall KC told Heather du-Plessis Allan that he has some confidence that Police will conduct a robust investigation, as should have been done in the 1980s.

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The Agriculture Minister is defending the decision to only give farmers 24-hours’ notice before an announcement on an emissions pricing plan.

Damien O'Connor's unveiled the Government plan to reduce agricultural emissions, shifting reporting requirements to late next year and pricing to late 2025.

Federated Farmers says there wasn't proper collaboration.

Damien O'Connor told Heather du-Plessis Allan that there wasn't a lot of time, with the decision only made at Monday's Cabinet meeting.

He says they gave them as much notice as they could while trying to give as much certainty as possible.

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Donald Trump’s lawyers are seeking a later trial date for his charges of seeking to overturn the 2020 election.

They are asking the judge to reject the government’s proposal for a trial in early January of 2024, instead asking to push it back until April of 2026 – nearly a year and a half after the 2024 election.

US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the trial will likely be pushed back to a certain degree, as Trump’s attorneys can’t be in every courtroom at once.

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There’s pushback on a suggestion that MPs should be able to criticise judges.

In his valedictory speech yesterday, sacked Labour MP Stuart Nash claimed judges need to be held accountable and should face criticism from MPs if their decisions are far from public expectations.

Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen is calling that gutless dribble.

He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it's laughable to claim judges aren't held accountable, and that's what appeals are for.

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Government's transport plan with a hook

Ministry of Pacific Peoples annual review reinforces why it should be scrapped says Act

We're all feeling safer, Ginny Andersen's at it again.

Lowering the voting age will be back before Parliament before it rises for the election in a couple of weeks

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper talked with Heather du Plessis-Allan.

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