The panel discusses the Prime Minister's annual pre-Budget speech, plus should children be allowed to take home leftovers from the school lunch programme.

United Kingdom correspondent Grace Thomas spoke to Lisa Owen about how British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has managed to hang on for another day and how Te Ariki-nui Kuini Nga Wai hono i te po, the Maori Queen, has met Prince William at Windsor Castle during her trip to the United Kingdom. She also spoke about how the Eurovision semi-finals have kicked off in Vienna, despite controversy over Israel's participation.

A Reserve Bank survey indicates inflation expectations are on the rise. And small aged-care service providers remain under pressure, while big operators appear to be doing well. Business reporter Nona Pelletier spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Wellington Phoenix Women flew to Melbourne today ahead of their first A-league football grand final. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.

Grammy winning pop star Dua Lipa refuses to be put in a box or actually anywhere on the box, when it comes to selling TVs. The singer is suing the electronic giant Samsung for $15 million us-dollars for allegedly using her photo to sell televisions in the US. The pop star's face is plastered across the packaging of Samsung's TVs. Auckland University senior law lecturer Joshua Yuvaraj has been following the action and spoke to Lisa Owen.

Storme Turany, the mother of a 16-week-old Canterbury baby that died from catastrophic head injuries in 2014, says she was not involved in the infant's death. Soul Turany's skull was fractured in two places and he was bleeding in one eye and across a large area of his brain. Police believe Soul's fatal injuries must have been caused by either Ms Turany, or her then-partner, Tony Farmer. Reporter Timothy Brown has more.

A call tonight for a full independent review of a privately owned Southland lab service, after doctors twice missed signs a woman had cancer, delaying her treatment. She died a year later. Awanui labs failed to detect the 74 year old retired nurse had stomach cancer, despite analysing multiple biopsies, with cancer cells present. The lab is privately owned but is contracted by Health New Zealand to provide medical laboratory and pathology services. Advocacy group, Patient Voice Aotearoa wants an urgent wide ranging of the lab service, it's chair Malcolm Mulholland spoke to Lisa Owen.

All the top stories and other headlines from the day

For the past 20 years Annette Hall has been the voice of a vital maritime radio service, checking in on fishermen, providing forecasts, and coordinating rescues. For those on the water in the Far North, she's seen as something of a guardian angel. At 6pm tonight, however, the long-serving volunteer with an infectious laugh will hang up her handpiece for the last time and the channel will fall silent. Reporter Peter de Graaf has more.

A proposal to run a floating sauna in a popular Te Anau reserve has run out of steam, for now. The plan was for people to sweat it out on a floating pontoon on Lake Henry, with the option to finish with a cold plunge. Floating Sauna Limited had already been granted resource consent for the proposal, today was about considering submissions for and against the idea. Tess Brunton has more.