New Zealand Rugby CFO Chris Kinraid has drop kicked suggestions Moana Pasifika was a failure.

Super Rugby will reduce to ten teams next season as NZR have knocked back the four legitimate bids to buy the Moana license. 

The franchise fizzles out owing millions on a loan from the Government, but Kinraid says NZR's open to Moana making a return beyond 2027.

"We remain pretty open to opportunities in the competition - '28 remains a possibility, but it still could be a challenge."

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New Zealand Rugby CFO Chris Kinraid has drop kicked suggestions Moana Pasifika was a failure.
Super Rugby will reduce to ten teams next season as NZR have knocked back the four legitimate bids to buy the Moana license.&nbsp;
The franchise fizzles out owing millions on a loan from the Government, but Kinraid says NZR's open to Moana making a return beyond 2027.
"We remain pretty open to opportunities in the competition - '28 remains a possibility, but it still could be a challenge."
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Chris Kinraid: NZ Rugby's CFO on the future of the Moana Pasifika franchise

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/44efb9cc-8044-4b9e-83b5-b473006264f2/transcript

I can imagine there will be some disappointed fans out there but in the end, common sense does seem to have prevailed, doesn’t it?

In the last-minute Hail Mary dash to try to save Moana Pasifika, NZ Rugby, it turns out, have ended up being the grown-ups in the room - simply saying no. This is not going to work; this is taking too long.

Apparently, it’s predominantly because of the money. The people trying to save Moana Pasifika just could not pony up enough to support the team - not up front because you need heaps of money to get something like this off the ground (and that’s essentially what would have been happening), and not enough from ongoing revenue.

Which, when you think about it, is exactly the same situation we’ve just been through with Moana Pasifika. We did not need to repeat this. The people behind the existing team ended up running out of money - and who ended up carrying the can? The long-suffering New Zealand taxpayer, to the tune of at least $2.7 million. And when you add it all together, it was a lot more than that.

Now, fans of the Moana Pasifika idea don’t need to lose heart altogether because I think the prediction we made on the show might yet bear out: Moana Pasifika may be dead for 2027 but not necessarily for 2028.

I’m hearing there is still a willingness to grant a licence for a team like this based somewhere in the Pacific. It could be a Samoan–Tongan concept, with those Governments coming together to resuscitate the team. Maybe it’s based out of those islands. Maybe it could even be a team based out of Hawaii, where there is apparently quite a bit of money, a lack of professional teams and a favourable time zone for us.

So the dream is not dead.

And actually, it’s not a bad dream - because apparently the Fijian Drua are the most commercially successful team in the Super Rugby competition, given that they essentially have a monopoly on Fijian sponsorship and audience.

The dream is a good one, as long as the New Zealand taxpayer isn't the one always funding it. So thank goodness we've averted that.

LISTEN ABOVE

I can imagine there will be some disappointed fans out there but in the end, common sense does seem to have prevailed, doesn’t it?
In the last-minute Hail Mary dash to try to save Moana Pasifika, NZ Rugby, it turns out, have ended up being the grown-ups in the room - simply saying no. This is not going to work; this is taking too long.
Apparently, it’s predominantly because of the money. The people trying to save Moana Pasifika just could not pony up enough to support the team - not up front because you need heaps of money to get something like this off the ground (and that’s essentially what would have been happening), and not enough from ongoing revenue.
Which, when you think about it, is exactly the same situation we’ve just been through with Moana Pasifika. We did not need to repeat this. The people behind the existing team ended up running out of money - and who ended up carrying the can? The long-suffering New Zealand taxpayer, to the tune of at least $2.7 million. And when you add it all together, it was a lot more than that.
Now, fans of the Moana Pasifika idea don’t need to lose heart altogether because I think the prediction we made on the show might yet bear out: Moana Pasifika may be dead for 2027 but not necessarily for 2028.
I’m hearing there is still a willingness to grant a licence for a team like this based somewhere in the Pacific. It could be a Samoan–Tongan concept, with those Governments coming together to resuscitate the team. Maybe it’s based out of those islands. Maybe it could even be a team based out of Hawaii, where there is apparently quite a bit of money, a lack of professional teams and a favourable time zone for us.
So the dream is not dead.
And actually, it’s not a bad dream - because apparently the Fijian Drua are the most commercially successful team in the Super Rugby competition, given that they essentially have a monopoly on Fijian sponsorship and audience.
The dream is a good one, as long as the New Zealand taxpayer isn't the one always funding it. So thank goodness we've averted that.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Is the Moana Pasifika dream really dead?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/d2818e2b-af15-4254-8492-b47300783f15/transcript

NZ First leader Winston Peters wants overseas tech giants to pay more tax - as Government agencies send millions offshore.

Stuff reports public service departments spent $18 million dollars on advertising with offshore tech companies last year, mainly Google and Meta. 

Peters says the Government needs to revisit the idea of hitting major tech firms with targeted taxes. 

"Other countries are looking at the heart of this as well, including the European Union, including countries like France, we should be part of the process and trying to get ourselves on board, even when we can apply it."  

LISTEN ABOVE

NZ First leader Winston Peters wants overseas tech giants to pay more tax - as Government agencies send millions offshore.
Stuff reports public service departments spent $18 million dollars on advertising with offshore tech companies last year, mainly Google and Meta.&nbsp;
Peters says the Government needs to revisit the idea of hitting major tech firms with targeted taxes.&nbsp;
"Other countries are looking at the heart of this as well, including the European Union, including countries like France, we should be part of the process and trying to get ourselves on board, even when we can apply it."&nbsp;&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Winston Peters: NZ First leader calls for overseas tech giants to pay more taxes

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/2d3e196f-b406-483f-84a8-b47300760bf2/transcript

The Journal of the New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists recently retracted a peer-reviewed article and it's raised concerns among free speech advocates.

The article questioned whether there's evidence of systemic racism in New Zealand's mental health sector - and the removal has attracted attention from around the globe.

Clinical psychologist Dr Kumari Valentine says the removal of the article was 'unprecedented'. 

"There's a difference between retraction and censorship. Retractions have an important role when there is fraud, plagiarism, major error or ethical misconduct. And that is usually identified earlier on in the peer review process. This is an article that has been peer reviewed and has been in the public domain for over a year." 

LISTEN ABOVE

The Journal of the New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists recently retracted a peer-reviewed article and it's raised concerns among free speech advocates.
The article questioned whether there's evidence of systemic racism in New Zealand's mental health sector - and the removal has attracted attention from around the globe.
Clinical psychologist Dr Kumari Valentine says the removal of the article was 'unprecedented'.&nbsp;
"There's a difference between retraction and censorship. Retractions have an important role when there is fraud, plagiarism, major error or ethical misconduct. And that is usually identified earlier on in the peer review process. This is an article that has been peer reviewed and has been in the public domain for over a year."&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Dr Kumari Valentine: clinical psychologist raises concerns with NZ psychology journal retracting paper

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/31499b17-f1f3-4bab-b2ce-b47300736380/transcript

Chris Kinraid: NZ Rugby's CFO on the future of the Moana Pasifika franchise

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