Economic growth in the UK has reached 0.1%, despite construction and retail being hit by a slow start to the year.

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Heather du Plessis Allan that the government has said their economic reforms are beginning to come good. However, the opposition is saying “you’ve been in power for more than a decade and it’s not looking good.”

Grey said “The general election is beginning to focus on the economy; and asylum seekers (which is very much unresolved)”.

LISTEN ABOVE.

Economic growth in the UK has reached 0.1%, despite construction and retail being hit by a slow start to the year. 
UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Heather du Plessis Allan that the government has said their economic reforms are beginning to come good. However, the opposition is saying “you’ve been in power for more than a decade and it’s not looking good.” 
Grey said “The general election is beginning to focus on the economy; and asylum seekers (which is very much unresolved)”. 
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

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey: The UK is out of its recession.

There's hope WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be back in Australia by the week's end.

Wikileaks says the 52-year-old has left a UK prison, after reaching a deal with US authorities.

The BBC is reporting Assange was likely to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy to obtain and disclose US national defence information, in a deal giving him freedom.

Australian Greens Senator, David Shoebridge, says people across the country's political spectrum have been demanding his release.

"We want him to be dipping his feet in the sand of an Australian beach before the week is out."

LISTEN ABOVE

There's hope WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be back in Australia by the week's end.
Wikileaks says the 52-year-old has left a UK prison, after reaching a deal with US authorities.
The BBC is reporting Assange was likely to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy to obtain and disclose US national defence information, in a deal giving him freedom.
Australian Greens Senator, David Shoebridge, says people across the country's political spectrum have been demanding his release.
"We want him to be dipping his feet in the sand of an Australian beach before the week is out."
LISTEN ABOVE

David Shoebridge: Australian Green Party senator ahead of Julian Assange's return to the country

Key figures in our Covid-19 response could have to give evidence publicly for phase two of the Government inquiry.

Its focus is vaccine efficacy and safety, Auckland and Northland's extended lockdowns and the disruption to health, education, and business. 

Phase One examined the lessons learned from the pandemic.

Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says it's possible Dame Jacinda Ardern and Sir Ashley Bloomfield could be among those needing to appear.

"It could be a range of different people. Like I say, I can't give a guarantee on what that will look like, because that's up to the Commission at the end of the day."

LISTEN ABOVE

Key figures in our Covid-19 response could have to give evidence publicly for phase two of the Government inquiry.
Its focus is vaccine efficacy and safety, Auckland and Northland's extended lockdowns and the disruption to health, education, and business. Phase One examined the lessons learned from the pandemic.
Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says it's possible Dame Jacinda Ardern and Sir Ashley Bloomfield could be among those needing to appear.
"It could be a range of different people. Like I say, I can't give a guarantee on what that will look like, because that's up to the Commission at the end of the day."
LISTEN ABOVE

Brooke van Velden: Internal Affairs Minister on the Government's planned second phase of the Covid-19 inquiry

I think we can all see the Nats stuffed up the 13 cancer drugs announcement on so many levels.

They should never have promised specific drugs, that's Pharmac's job.

But having promised them for the first year, they shouldn't have then broken that promise by leaving them out of the Budget. 

And then, it's never really a good look if you finally get dragged to delivering on your promise because of public outrage.

But having said all of that - sometimes I think we get a little too caught up on the political shenanigans and not focus enough on the end point.

And how good is the end point? 

We have just had the single biggest injection of cash into Pharmac ever, we've had more cancer drugs than ever promised to be delivered in one go.

That announcement yesterday of 54 new drugs wiped more a third off Pharmac’s wishlist.

Between the $600 million yesterday and the $1.7 billion announced in the Budget, this Government - which hasn’t even been in power for 9 months - has pumped $2.3 billion into Pharmac.

Now, I'm of the view that Pharmac is one of the most important things any Government funds, because it is literally the difference for some people between life and death.

And those people are people who, more often that not, have paid their taxes diligently and just been good people.

And good, normal, law-abiding Kiwis, I think, deserve access to as many drugs to save their lives as other people in the western world.

I will never complain about Pharmac getting more money, however we end up in that situation.

So in the end, I'm weirdly grateful for National stuffing this up, because we’ve ended up funding 54 new drugs we didn't have funded a couple of days ago. And that's the thing that really matters, isn’t it?

LISTEN ABOVE

I think we can all see the Nats stuffed up the 13 cancer drugs announcement on so many levels. They should never have promised specific drugs, that's Pharmac's job.
But having promised them for the first year, they shouldn't have then broken that promise by leaving them out of the Budget. 
And then, it's never really a good look if you finally get dragged to delivering on your promise because of public outrage. But having said all of that - sometimes I think we get a little too caught up on the political shenanigans and not focus enough on the end point. And how good is the end point? We have just had the single biggest injection of cash into Pharmac ever, we've had more cancer drugs than ever promised to be delivered in one go. That announcement yesterday of 54 new drugs wiped more a third off Pharmac’s wishlist. Between the $600 million yesterday and the $1.7 billion announced in the Budget, this Government - which hasn’t even been in power for 9 months - has pumped $2.3 billion into Pharmac. Now, I'm of the view that Pharmac is one of the most important things any Government funds, because it is literally the difference for some people between life and death.
And those people are people who, more often that not, have paid their taxes diligently and just been good people.
And good, normal, law-abiding Kiwis, I think, deserve access to as many drugs to save their lives as other people in the western world. I will never complain about Pharmac getting more money, however we end up in that situation. So in the end, I'm weirdly grateful for National stuffing this up, because we’ve ended up funding 54 new drugs we didn't have funded a couple of days ago. And that's the thing that really matters, isn’t it?
LISTEN ABOVE

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey: The UK is out of its recession.

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