From today, New Zealanders will be able to get prescriptions that won't need to be renewed through their GPs for a whole year.

The change will impact those with long-term conditions like asthma and epilepsy.

GPs will decide on a case by case basis whether it's safe to prescribe a medication for the full 12 months, and patients will no longer have to see their GP every 3 months for a new script.

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It's Waitangi Day this Friday and after opting to spend the day at a marae in Akaroa last year, this year Christopher Luxon will be in town to meet with iwi.

A recent RNZ-Reid poll found 62% of kiwis think it's important for the prime minister to be in Waitangi for Waitangi Day, but previous PMs have all had different approaches.

Ngapuhi chairperson Mane Tahere joins to preview the week ahead.

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A man who snatched a 3-year-old girl from a Rotorua daycare centre with the intention to rape her will be released from jail in just over six weeks after serving one year in jail.

His release comes under strict conditions including six months of standard release conditions, and he must adhere to other special conditions set out in his probation report.

This case has raised questioins around sentencing discounts going too far, and Criminal Lawyer Steve Cullen told Tim Beveridge that it's a difficult task to balance sentencing discounts with maintaining a streamlined judicial system.

He also added that any moves from the government to limit the discretion of Judges is not helpful for the system.

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Associate Education Minister David Seymour has welcomed provisional Term 4 attendance data, which shows attendance rates were higher than any Term 4 since 2022.

Data shows that in Term 4 of 2025, 57.3% of students attended school regularly, which is an increase from 56.4% in Term 4 of 2024.

He told Tim Beveridge that although the numbers are promising, there is still more work to be done.

He said that it's not just about getting students back to the school gates, but also reintegrating them into the education system so students don't feel behind on their education.

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The victims of an unprovoked attack on an Auckland train line late last year are speaking out, describing injuries and a lingering fear of using public transport.

It’s yet another reminder of the safety concerns many New Zealanders have at the back of their minds the next time they step onto a bus or train.

Auckland Transport data shows hundreds of violent incidents across public transport services in the two years to November 2025 - and based on headlines, there’s little sign that trend is easing.

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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is set to give his State of the Nation Address tomorrow and being an election year, it'll be an important one.

The National Party will be trying to recover from their recent polling, while kiwis will be looking for some desperately needed economic recovery.

Health may also be one to keep an ear out for, after Finance Minister Nicola Willis said she'll be looking to shake up funding in the next budget.

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This year's international politics have been unstable to say the least.Trump's Tariffs, Gaza, Ukraine and the Epstein Files have been gifts that keep giving...or not.

But closer to home we've managed to dodge declarations of war. However, there's still lots to reflect on and discuss.

Former Speaker of the House Sir Lockwood Smith and Auckland Councilman Richard Hills join Tim Beveridge to wrap the year's politics, and give an insight into what to expect next year.

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Nato chief Mark Rutte warns Western allies to prepare for war with Russia.

He said that within the next five years, Nato countries will need to be prepared for a scale of war that hasn't been seen since our grandparents or great-grandparents.

Donald Trump is due to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy shortly regarding a peace deal.

And the U.S. is keeping very busy as they've also seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela this week.

The tanker went off course two days after its departure, listed to head for a Cuban port but rather off-loading part of its load to another ship before heading toward Asia.

It was seized shortly after this.

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