Football New Zealand will find it hard to argue against the pay equity proposal it's currently facing.

The Footballers Association is trying to negotiate a single collective agreement for all international players.

AUT Professor of Sports Management, Geoff Dickson said it would be hard to reach pay equity in sports such as golf and tennis, where men and women play for different organisations.

But he told Mike Hosking that's not the case with Football New Zealand.

"When you have the male and female working essentially within the same organisation, essentially on behalf of a national sports organisation, the argument for gender equity gets much, much stronger."

LISTEN ABOVE AS GEOFF DICKSON SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

One supermarket chain is taking things a step further than others to stop the use of plastic bags.

Commonsense Organics is phasing out its biodegradable corn-starch plastic bags in favour of reusable bags, cardboard boxes, and bags customers can borrow.

It's encouraging customers to bring reusable bags or take cardboard boxes.

It follows moves by Countdown and New World to phase out plastic bags at most stores by the end of next year.

But co-owner Marion Woods said they're also letting customers borrow bags if they need them.

"They can borrow one of our bags and bring them back next time they shop. We trust our customers and by and large that works."

Woods can't believe how quickly plastic bags are becoming a thing of the past.

"I'm gobsmacked at the speed of which this whole issue is moving, and it's been driven by customers which is fantastic!"

A New Zealand jockey, who is preparing to ride in today's prestigious Melbourne Cup, said he's on cloud nine.

Cory Parish won this year's Caulfield Cup riding 50-to-one shot and last-minute entry Boom Time in an upset win.

READ MORE: Melbourne Cup day: All you need to know

It hasn't been an easy journey to the top for the 28-year-old, he was struggling to make ends meet in 2013.

The kiwi jockey said he's pinching himself to have made it this far in his career.

"Coming up through the ranks, you think 'I'd just love to ride in the Melbourne Cup', and that dreams now coming true for me so it's quite amazing."

LISTEN ABOVE AS CORY PARISH SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

The Paid Parental Leave Bill vetoed by then-Finance Minister Bill English last year will be one of the first things through under the new Government.

Labour's raising a new parent's leave entitlement from 18 to 22 weeks in July next year, and to 26 from July 2020.

It will introduce the legislation to pass that as soon as the House resumes this week.

Former Labour MP, Sue Moroney wrote the Bill, and said it's something the Labour caucus has always been strong in support of.

"It's already been through a proper Select Committee process twice and I can't think of any other Bill that has had the amount of scrutiny on it that this one has, so it's the perfect one for the government to start off with."

She said it was an unprecedented move by National to cut her Bill down.

"After all of the processes that we've gone through in Parliament proved that it was the right thing to do and the best thing to do to support families.

LISTEN ABOVE AS SUE MORONEY SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

Singer, Ed Sheeran speaks with Mike Hosking about recovering after his cycling accident, his songwriting process, how he stays motivated, and his upcoming tour to NZ.

LISTEN ABOVE AS ED SHEERAN SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

The Queen's offshore investments in tax havens are being downplayed in Britain.

A major investigation into offshore trusts and tax havens, dubbed the Paradise Papers, shows the Queen has millions of pounds invested in the Cayman Islands.

UK correspondent, Rod Liddle, said people realise the Queen's investments are hands-off, and she probably has no idea where the money is.

He told Mike Hosking revelations Bono was implicated in similar things was more of a scandal.

"I think the reaction to Bono is worse than the reaction the Queen ... the Queen sort of gets a free pass."

LISTEN ABOVE AS ROD LIDDLE SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

Parisian workers are blocking traffic over the decision to cancel this year's Christmas market.

Protesters caused up to 10 kilometres of traffic to back up on highways into the city-centre of the French capital.

France correspondent Catherine Field said it comes after the city's mayor put an end to the traditional Champs-Elysées market.

"She said that there's too much of this 'stuff', she called it, being sold there is just tat - it's made abroad, it's brought in cheap and the tourists don't really like it."

LISTEN ABOVE AS CATHERINE FIELD SPEAK WITH MIKE HOSKING

Football New Zealand will find it hard to argue against the pay equity proposal it's currently facing.

The Footballers Association is trying to negotiate a single collective agreement for all international players.

AUT Professor of Sports Management, Geoff Dickson said it would be hard to reach pay equity in sports such as golf and tennis, where men and women play for different organisations.

But he told Mike Hosking that's not the case with Football New Zealand.

"When you have the male and female working essentially within the same organisation, essentially on behalf of a national sports organisation, the argument for gender equity gets much, much stronger."

LISTEN ABOVE AS GEOFF DICKSON SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

One supermarket chain is taking things a step further than others to stop the use of plastic bags.

Commonsense Organics is phasing out its biodegradable corn-starch plastic bags in favour of reusable bags, cardboard boxes, and bags customers can borrow.

It's encouraging customers to bring reusable bags or take cardboard boxes.

It follows moves by Countdown and New World to phase out plastic bags at most stores by the end of next year.

But co-owner Marion Woods said they're also letting customers borrow bags if they need them.

"They can borrow one of our bags and bring them back next time they shop. We trust our customers and by and large that works."

Woods can't believe how quickly plastic bags are becoming a thing of the past.

"I'm gobsmacked at the speed of which this whole issue is moving, and it's been driven by customers which is fantastic!"

A New Zealand jockey, who is preparing to ride in today's prestigious Melbourne Cup, said he's on cloud nine.

Cory Parish won this year's Caulfield Cup riding 50-to-one shot and last-minute entry Boom Time in an upset win.

READ MORE: Melbourne Cup day: All you need to know

It hasn't been an easy journey to the top for the 28-year-old, he was struggling to make ends meet in 2013.

The kiwi jockey said he's pinching himself to have made it this far in his career.

"Coming up through the ranks, you think 'I'd just love to ride in the Melbourne Cup', and that dreams now coming true for me so it's quite amazing."

LISTEN ABOVE AS CORY PARISH SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING