Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

New GDP figures are set to be unveiled tomorrow, and there's concerns from experts that the economy is struggling. The upcoming GDP data is projected to show an economy under pressure, as earlier forecasts of an incoming rebound look less and less likely. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the Finance Minister is trying to soften the blow and put things in perspective. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Kirk's murder accused allegedly told his roommate about the fatal shooting. 22-year-old Tyler Robinson is facing seven charges including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. US prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. US correspondent Charles Feldman says Robinson exchanged a series of texts and left a note for his roommate reportedly confessing to the murder. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The return of Cam Roigard from a foot fracture headlines 13 players released by the All Blacks to NPC duty this weekend. Roigard hasn't played since the second test against France in Wellington in July. He'll come off the bench for Counties-Manukau as they face Auckland on Saturday in Pukekohe, with the visitors from the other side of the Bombays facing an injury crisis and delaying their official team naming. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump has landed in the UK for his second state visit. The US president and the first lady, Melania Trump, were greeted UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and royal representatives at Stansted Airport, before being transported to Windsor Castle to meet King and Queen. British historian and biographer Robert Lacey says Trump is expected to take part in a significant series of events over the next couple of days. "Donald Trump's mother was Scottish, he's got this sentimental fondness for the monarchy and Britain's using that, frankly, as part of our modern soft power." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump is set to make his second state visit to the UK, and he's due to arrive in a matter of hours. Trump is expected to visit Windsor Castle and Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country home. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the pressures on for Starmer to secure a better trade deal. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog's David Farrar and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Māori Party president John Tamihere has backed up Tākuta Ferris, saying the substance of his controversial race comments is right.. and it's "wrong for other folk to politic in Maori seats". What do we make of this? A new poll shows more Kiwi voters are blaming the current state of the economy on the current coalition Government. Should they be worried about this? Do we care where our peaches come from?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Herrick from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns over Environment Southland’s 'heavy-handed' approach to compliance. Herrick says these standards are creating unprecedented stress and financial pressure for farmers. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concern South Waikato's Tokoroa is facing another factory closure, with more than 100 jobs on the chopping block. Carter Holt Harvey is looking at closing its plywood manufacturing plant, the company has told staff. South Waikato mayor Gary Petley says he doesn't know all the details, but it's another blow for the region. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The influence of the New Zealand-made label appears to be decreasing as more consumers prioritise price.  Wattie's is ending some of its contracts with Hawke's Bay peach growers and says more people are choosing imported alternatives.  It says the demand for New Zealand-grown peaches has seen a steady decline in recent years. Consumer NZ Acting Head of Research and Advocacy Jessica Walker says less and less consumers are prioritising locally-sourced products. "At the same time, we're seeing concerns about price, cost of food and groceries ratchet up...more people are cutting back on fruit and veg altogether, so I'm not surprised." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First of all, can I start by offering an apology to TVNZ? I gave them a bit of grief last night for starting the news bulletin with the peaches, but it turns out I was wrong and they were right. This has sparked a flurry of debate over whether we prefer our Wattie's peaches from Hawke's Bay or whether we don't really care if it comes from China or not.  It's also prompted a statement from Wattie's asking us to support local growers. In other words, can we please buy New Zealand made? Now, that is a very nice sentiment, but let's be honest, that's all it is. It is a sentiment and it's not going to work. I mean, this is me, this is not me being cavalier about how hard this must be for the Hawke's Bay peach growers who are losing their Wattie's contracts. For them, this must be absolutely devastating and I feel terrible for them. But this is me being realistic about the prospect of any 'Buy New Zealand Made' campaign working. Wattie's New Zealand peaches, according to Pak’nSave's online store, are $3.90 a can. Pam's cheap peaches are 99 cents a can. That's a no-brainer, you're gonna buy the 99 cent can. Who is buying the $3.90 can? Grey Lynn? That makes no sense whatsoever. I mean - look, maybe if I thought about it a little bit, which I don't, but if I did, maybe I would pay 10, 20 cents, 40 cents at a push, more for a New Zealand made product. But I would not pay four times as much, it's far too expensive. And I wouldn't even do it in the first place because buying New Zealand made never works, does it? It never has. If it did, we would still be wearing Bata Bullets and buying Juliet Hogan and eating Sanitarium peanut butter. We wouldn't be reading about the closure of manufacturing businesses every other month, which today, by the way, is the Carter Holt Harvey mill in Tokoroa. I do the shopping in our house 90 percent of the time and I don't even know the provenance of the food I'm buying. I do not know where the canned food comes from, I absolutely do not know where the dried goods come from. And often, I'm not even really looking where the fresh fruit comes from. Yep, I know where the meat comes from, but that's basically a given, isn't it? It's simple economics, it always will be. And even if Wattie's has this tiny little hope that there might be a last-minute public rally for the New Zealand grown peaches, I think they already know the outcome, which is why they've already cut the contracts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.