Holiday Breakfast

The ACT party is proposing a Carbon Tax Refund.

The refund would provide families of four a payment of $1558, to help Kiwis lower their day to day emissions.

The aim is also to take money from the Emissions Trading Scheme and pump it back into the local economy.

ACT party deputy leader, Brooke van Velden says it provides Kiwis with a choice while benefiting the climate.

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Former Crusader and All Blacks player Richie Mo'unga has signed a three year deal with Japanese rugby club Toshiba, starting in 2024.

Richie Mo'unga will finish out the 2023 season, but Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge says that he's been wanting to make the move to Japan for a while before the deal was officially confirmed.

Colin Mansbridge also says that many former Crusaders, including Matt Todd, Tom Taylor, Seta Tamanivalu and Jack Stratton have been drawn to Japan following their run on the team.

"We set ourselves as a development-based organisation, so you're always going to try and grow people and see them kick on, and hopefully have someone else coming through to fill their space and do their bit for the club as well. That's the mindset of the place."

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Kiwis have set up a Givealittle page to raise money for Janak Patel's family following his tragic death. 

After Auckland dairy worker Janak Patel was fatally stabbed in Sandringham following a man who stole cash from Rose Cottage Superette in November, over $100,000 has been donated to the family. 

Dairy and Business Owners Group chair Sunny Kaushal says that the family is grateful to everyone who donated to the Givealittle fund, and the public support draws attention to crime being out of control.

"This needs to be dealt with with urgency and force, and it starts with admitting we have a problem. The crime is not some academic issue, it impacts real people. So that's what the feeling is across the nation."

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The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance claims switching to a public transport National Ticketing Solution will cost Auckland ratepayers at least $237.2 million.

Auckland Transport signed up to the system back in October, which will see the AT HOP Card replaced with a national card, as well as other added payment methods.

Using figures obtained under the Official Information Act, the alliance estimates the IT upgrade will cost Aucklanders $136.9-million, with ongoing costs of $100.3 over the next decade.

Spokesperson Josh Van Veen says the system is an unnecessary expenditure at a time when ratepayers can least afford it.

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King Charles III delivered his first Christmas address from St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle yesterday.

The speech paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II and her legacy as a ruler, as this was the first Christmas address not delivered by the former monarch since her first in 1957.

King Charles also touched on the hardships being endured in the rest of the world, focusing on the war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis being felt around the world.

UK correspondent Rod Liddle says King Charles's first Christmas broadcast had the highest viewing figures in recent memory.

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The Paris gunman has admitted he wanted to kill "non-European foreigners".

A 69-year-old retired train driver is accused of opening fire at a Kurdish cultural centre, killing three people and wounding another three.

He told police his hatred of foreigners had "become totally pathological".

Paris correspondent Catherine Field says they're finding out more and more about his racist motives.

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The next region being highlighted on ZB's Summer with the Mayors is the Western Bay of Plenty, which has plenty to offer this time of year.

The Western Bay of Plenty is home to famous New Zealand beaches, such as Waihi beach, Omokoroa, Anzac Bay and Pukehina. 

Tauranga's town centre has also been undergoing some growth in the last few years, so tourists don't have to pick between the beach and their favourite city activities for the day.

Western Bay of Plenty James Denyer says the region is popular with international and domestic tourists and the open borders are helping the region back to post-Covid visitor figures.

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ACT's David Seymour is getting ready for a turbulent 2023 election.

The ACT party have added an extra 9 MPs to parliament between the 2020 election and now, and  support for ACT has gone up over the course of 2022, with polling figures putting their approval rating at 10-11 percent. 

Party leader David Seymour knows that the political climate for 2023 is set to be turbulent, with dropping school attendance figures, youth crime and rising inflation being significant issues.

David Seymour says that the current Labour Government have only worsened these issues during thier term and voters are fed up.

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Today is set to be a big one for cricket, with Boxing Day test matches happening in Australia and Pakistan.

Australia will be playing against South Africa and Pakistan will be playing against New Zealand. The match against Pakistan is set to be important for the Black Caps, as it's the first match of Tim Southee's captaincy.

Cricket commentator Garth Galloway says the fact that none of these Boxing Day test matches are happening in New Zealand is unusual, but New Zealand are evenly matched for their overseas game against Pakistan at 6pm NZT.

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The 77th edition of the  Rolex Sydney-Hobart yacht race is set to get started December 26th, at 3pm NZT. 

Predictions involve some sailing records being broken, and the forecast of strong northerly winds from the Sydney Harbour are expected to improve the conditions. 

Kiwi sailor Phil Jamieson is on the crew for 100 ft super yacht Andoo Comanche today, and he says that this yacht is designed to withstand high speeds and potentially break sailing records.

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