Scotland's come to the rescue and offered to host a scaled-down version of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The event has been adrift after the Victorian Government pulled out of hosting, citing spiralling costs that blew the budget out to $6.6 billion.

NZ Olympic Committee CEO Nicki Nicol says cutting down the Commonwealth Games will be a big change - but this is unprecedented territory. 

"On the back of that very disappointing decision from our friends across the ditch - we have had to pivot. I have huge gratitude and support for what Scotland have done."

LISTEN ABOVE

Scotland's come to the rescue and offered to host a scaled-down version of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The event has been adrift after the Victorian Government pulled out of hosting, citing spiralling costs that blew the budget out to $6.6 billion.
NZ Olympic Committee CEO Nicki Nicol says cutting down the Commonwealth Games will be a big change - but this is unprecedented territory. 
"On the back of that very disappointing decision from our friends across the ditch - we have had to pivot. I have huge gratitude and support for what Scotland have done."
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

Nicki Nicol: NZ Olympic Committee CEO on Glasgow hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/feff2840-120d-4eb3-8f95-b1ef0075ebf1/transcript

I think the hardest news story to read today is of the kindergarten teacher in Victoria who died yesterday afternoon saving children from a truck that smashed into the kindy.  

The truck driver lost control, the truck ploughed into the kindy, the teacher pushed the kids out of the way, but died herself. 

The speed limit outside that kindergarten was supposed to be dropped from 50 to 40 kph – but hadn’t been.  

A similar thing happened a few weeks ago in Melbourne.  

An SUV crashed into a primary school, killing an 11-year-old boy and hurting 4 other children.  

I don't love speed reductions.  

All too often they’re done in stupid places like open roads. But when it comes to places where kids are, I've completely 180’d on this.  

I read the book ‘The Anxious Generation’ a few weeks ago. The book tracks why kids are having mental crises en masse lately.  

One of the reasons, particularly for boys, is that since the 1970s parents have increasingly stopped their kids from just playing around the neighbourhood on their bikes, or running around with other kids - because parents are scared of fast traffic.  

And with good reason... cars go fast in our suburbs.  

I live on a road that’s 30kph. No one does 30kph – I don't do 30kph.  

The good news is that because of recent rule changes here, Auckland schools should have lower speed limits during school hours by the end of 2027. But, I wouldn’t mind if that was pretty much everywhere where kids are.  

I get that would drive people bonkers, having to slow down all the time around houses and parks and schools...  

It would require us sacrificing our time.  

But, for the benefit of going as fast as we do around kids... we are sacrificing quite a lot.  

Their best childhoods. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

I think the hardest news story to read today is of the kindergarten teacher in Victoria who died yesterday afternoon saving children from a truck that smashed into the kindy. &nbsp;
The truck driver lost control, the truck ploughed into the kindy, the teacher pushed the kids out of the way, but died herself.&nbsp;
The speed limit outside that kindergarten was supposed to be dropped from 50 to 40 kph – but hadn’t been. &nbsp;
A similar thing happened a few weeks ago in Melbourne. &nbsp;
An SUV crashed into a primary school, killing an 11-year-old boy and hurting 4 other children. &nbsp;
I don't love speed reductions. &nbsp;
All too often they’re done in stupid places like open roads. But when it comes to places where kids are, I've completely 180’d on this. &nbsp;
I read the book ‘The Anxious Generation’ a few weeks ago. The book tracks why kids are having mental crises en masse lately. &nbsp;
One of the reasons, particularly for boys, is that since the 1970s parents have increasingly stopped their kids from just playing around the neighbourhood on their bikes, or running around with other kids - because parents are scared of fast traffic. &nbsp;
And with good reason... cars go fast in our suburbs. &nbsp;
I live on a road that’s 30kph. No one does 30kph – I don't do 30kph. &nbsp;
The good news is that because of recent rule changes here, Auckland schools should have lower speed limits during school hours by the end of 2027. But, I wouldn’t mind if that was pretty much everywhere where kids are. &nbsp;
I get that would drive people bonkers, having to slow down all the time around houses and parks and schools... &nbsp;
It would require us sacrificing our time. &nbsp;
But, for the benefit of going as fast as we do around kids... we are sacrificing quite a lot. &nbsp;
Their best childhoods.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Heather du Plessis-Allan: All schools in this country should have lower speed limits

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/4e17059d-e6ea-4be7-9a6a-b2260074e5f7/transcript

Keir Starmer will be the first UK Prime Minister to join Armistice Day commemorations in France since Winston Churchill in 1944. 

UK correspondent Enda Brady tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the British leader was there to get private time with Macron in order to discuss Trump’s re-election. 

Meanwhile, cold case detectives in Ireland have made a breakthrough in the notorious case of a young woman who had been missing for 21 years. 

And, BBC’s top sports presenter Gary Lineker will leave Match of the Day after 25 years. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Keir Starmer will be the first UK Prime Minister to join Armistice Day commemorations in France since Winston Churchill in 1944.&nbsp;
UK correspondent Enda Brady tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the British leader was there to get private time with Macron in order to discuss Trump’s re-election.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, cold case detectives in Ireland have made a breakthrough in the notorious case of a young woman who had been missing for 21 years.&nbsp;
And, BBC’s top sports presenter Gary Lineker will leave Match of the Day after 25 years.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Enda Brady: UK correspondent on Keir Starmer in Paris, cold case breakthrough and Gary Lineker to leave Match of the Day

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/933ad590-d01a-44b9-81b6-b2260072caa5/transcript

Retailers continue to struggle along as many watch every penny spent. 

Electronic card spending data showed a 1.1% fall in October compared to last year. September was down 5.6%. 

As retailers brace for the most important season of the year, Chief Executive at Retail NZ Carolyn Young tells Heather du Plessis-Allan it may be a tough period of time. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Retailers continue to struggle along as many watch every penny spent.&nbsp;
Electronic card spending data showed a 1.1% fall in October compared to last year. September was down 5.6%.&nbsp;
As retailers brace for the most important season of the year, Chief Executive at Retail NZ Carolyn Young tells Heather du Plessis-Allan it may be a tough period of time.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Carolyn Young: Chief Executive at Retail NZ on slump in retail spending

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/410bb0b5-8876-48e8-8634-b226007068de/transcript

Nicki Nicol: NZ Olympic Committee CEO on Glasgow hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games

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