Larry Williams Drive

President Emmanuel Macron has won the first round of the French election and far-right rival Marine Le Pen will fight him for the presidency for a second time. However, opinion polls put the race in the second round to be neck and neck. The British are battling the worst cost-of-living crisis in 50 years. UK energy firm Ineos says it wants to build a fracking test site to show how to become independent from Russian gas. UK correspondent Gavin Grey joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Construction booms have seen apprenticeships skyrocket.The Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation has seen a 77 percent increase in apprentices in the past two years.Director Jason Hungerford told Andrew Dickens the average age of apprentices has risen – as people change careers."But we're also seeing those that have been part of the construction sector for some time now, choosing to get involved in formal training and that's a really great outcome too in terms of upskilling our workforce."LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prime minister is off on her first trade mission since the pandemic... what can we expect from this? The latest Roy Morgan poll has a change in government for the fourth poll in a row... how much do you trust this? NZME business commentator Fran O’Sullivan joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grant Robertson's defending the Government's latest support for Ukraine. New Zealand is sending a Defence Force Hercules Aircraft to Europe, supported by 50 personnel.  They'll help transport and distribute donated military aid across Europe, but will not engage directly with the war in Ukraine.  The Deputy Prime Minister told Andrew Dickens the support is adequate. “We’ve honestly been working through this for some considerable time and it’s about the most meaningful contribution that New Zealand can make, you know, we are geographically very distant from this conflict.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Louisa Wall will leave parliament this week... But she wasn't going to go quietly.  Instead, she lobbed this bombshell on Q&A over the weekend. Forced to respond this morning, Jacinda Ardern did her best to shut the questions down. Political commentator Bryce Edwards from Victoria University of Wellington joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Play was stopped temporarily during the Gold Coast-Parramatta match after a streaker ran onto the field – but she was stopped quite definitively herself when a security guard tackled her. The incident has prompted a debate about whether the security guard's tackle was excessive, or fair play. Phil Rothfield, sports editor-at-large for the Daily Telegraph, joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Kiwibank data says New Zealanders have proven reluctant to open their wallets over the last few months. Household electronic card spending fell 9.1% in the first quarter of this year. While it's not unusual for consumer spending to slow down after the holidays, the bank says this was still a noticeably weak result. Kiwibank’s chief economist, Jarrod Kerr joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No New Zealand soldiers or aircraft will go into Ukraine or its airspace. Chief of Defence, Air Marshal Kevin Short, told Andrew Dickens he would struggle to identify any nation doing that. “It’s been agreed through NATO, primarily, and other contributing nations that we would assist through the countries around Ukraine in whatever means they need.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Post Cab defence/traffic light announcements. The prime minister told Louisa Wall she wouldn't be in her Cabinet. Foreign Affairs select committee wanting to hear from the Russian ambassador. Political editor Barry Soper joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Election called, and this time it's personal! Seriously though, Anthony Albanese is attacking Scott Morrison’s character, while Morrison is defending his decisions. Bus driver strike causes commuter chaos in Sydney. More than half a million Aussies hopping on planes over easter – but they might have quite a wait at check-in. 6PR Perth Live presenter, Oliver Peterson joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Results are out from the Black Ferns cultural and environmental review. Scottie Scheffler wins the Masters with a four-putt double bogey on the last hole. The rolling Maul is ruining rugby. Phil Gifford joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Landlords making clauses after the tenancy agreement's signed is on the rise. And the Citizens Advice Bureau says what people try to include is pretty shocking.  The Tenancy Tribunal has just awarded tenants $400 after their landlord added clauses of no trampolines, no parties and no candles – after they'd signed.  National Advisor of the Citizens Advice Bureau, Sacha Green joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, surprise surprise, it seems the Queen of kind is not so nice after all. Estranged MP Louisa Wall mounted a media offensive over the weekend, speaking out on her resignation from the Labour Party and appointment to a cushy ambassadorial style job that was created just for her. At the weekend, Luisa Wall told media that as long as Jacinda Ardern is leader she would never be appointed to cabinet or have influence. She told Jack Tame that she fell out with the party's leadership and felt that she wasn't welcome in the caucus. Today Jacinda Ardern said she was offered a good list position and she was indeed in the caucus. Until she wasn't, of course. Jacinda Ardern also said that as leader of a parliamentary party it is important to have an inclusive and united team. So, from this we can take it that Louisa was not considered a team player and so was firstly depowered and then ignored. The reasons that the leadership and Ms Wall fell out are between them but it appears to date right back to the time that Dav

Leaft Foods has attracted some big global backers this week.They’ve raised money from investors including a Silicon Valley venture.Leaft Foods grow leafy green crops in Canterbury and then extract the protein from them to be used to make other foods.Business commentator Rod Oram joined Andrew Dickens.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warriors CEO Cameron George is not happy about a fixture clash at Mt Smart.NZRL has announced a test match at Mt Smart between the Kiwis and Tonga one week before the Warriors’ own Mt Smart homecoming.Tiger Woods has made his return to the Masters this week after his car accident.After the first day, Woods currently sits in joint 10th and 1 under par.Meanwhile, All Blacks Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown and Stephen Donald have come under fire for their latest business venture.The three are co-founders of Grins, a new RTD brand, and have come under controversy for being involved in an alcohol business as athletes. Phil Gifford and Lavina Good joined Andrew Dickens to discuss the week's sports newsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is pumping $13 million into growing the local organic medicinal cannabis industry.The Beehive reckons cannabis could become the new wine when it comes to exports.The money is going to Marlborough-based organic cannabis growing company Puro.Puro managing director Tim Aldridge joined Andrew Dickens.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Medical and teaching staff have lost a High Court case against the Government over vaccine mandates.The review was brought to the court by New Zealand Teachers Speaking Out with Science and New Zealand Doctors Speaking Out with Science.But in a reserved decision released on Friday, Justice Cooke determined that the mandates were lawful - deemed a demonstrably justified limit on the right to refuse a medical treatment when they were imposed.Meanwhile, Nanaia Mahuta took part in a virtual meeting overnight in NATO.In response, the Russian government has blacklisted 130 officials, including Jacinda Ardern and every single MP among other high-ranking New Zealanders.And Barry Soper explains what the next moves are for himself and wife Heather du Plessis-Allan over the next year.Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper joined Andrew Dickens.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Emmanuel Macron is the clear favorite in France's presidential race, yet a big unknown factor may prove decisive: an unprecedented proportion of people say they are unsure who to vote for or don’t intend to vote at all, bringing a large dose of uncertainty to the election.The pro-European centrist is still comfortably leading 11 other candidates in the polls ahead of Sunday's first-round vote. His main challenger, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, appears on the rise in recent days. Both are in good position to reach the runoff on April 24, which would make them replay the 2017 election that Macron won handily.There’s “no certainty,” Macron warned during his first big rally on Saturday near Paris.“Don’t believe in polls or commentators who would sound definitive and tell you that ... the election is already done, that everything is going to be all right,” he told his supporters. “From Brexit to so many elections, what seems unlikely can happen!”Scenarios for the this year's second-round vote show that

Residents of Shanghai are struggling to get meat, rice and other food supplies under anti-coronavirus controls that confine most of its 25 million people in their homes, fueling frustration as the government tries to contain a spreading outbreak.People in China's business capital complain online grocers often are sold out. Some received government food packages of meat and vegetables for a few days. But with no word on when they will be allowed out, anxiety is rising.Zhang Yu, 33, said her household of eight eats three meals a day but has cut back to noodles for lunch. They received no government supplies.“It’s not easy to keep this up,” said Zhang, who starts shopping online at 7 a.m.“We read on the news there is (food), but we just can’t buy it,” she said. “As soon as you go to the grocery shopping app, it says today’s orders are filled.”The complaints are an embarrassment for the ruling Communist Party during a politically sensitive year when President Xi Jinping is expected to try to break with tradition

Dan Carter is inching ever closer to that 1598th kick after nearly 24 hours.The All Blacks legend is on track to hit that target, averaging 66 kicks an hour. Dan Carter joined Andrew Dickens to provide an update on his progress almost 24 hours after he started yesterday.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.