Good evening. It’s been a day of coalition negotiations, a warning about the danger of mall car parks, and one very sad farewell.
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1 'Significant milestone': New coalition government finishes policy negotiations - Luxon
It's now been just over five weeks since Kiwis went to the polls but negotiations to form a government between National, ACT, and New Zealand First are still dragging on.
At least they seem to be finally getting somewhere.
Incoming prime minister Christopher Luxon said this afternoon that the parties had agreed to their policy programme going forward.
Talks will now shift focus to ministerial portfolios. 1News' Anna Murray takes a look at just how long the parties have left to reach agreement.
2 Father describes recognising daughter in Hamas attack video
The father of a woman killed in the Hamas' attack on Israel last month has described the horror of recognising his daughter in videos online. Nissim Louk told Breakfast he was "totally shocked" at the news.
It comes as the war in Gaza continues and the incoming National government has been asked about its position on the conflict. Chris Hipkins, who said he was speaking as Labour leader, called for a ceasefire yesterday.
In the past day, 31 "very sick" premature babies have been moved from Gaza's main hospital to another in the south, as scores of other critically wounded patients remained stranded there days after Israeli forces entered the compound.
3 Auckland shopping mall traffic jam 'a perfect storm'
Shoppers hoping to kick off early Christmas shopping were left irate after getting stuck in a carpark traffic jam in Auckland's Newmarket over the weekend. Does this foreshadow a painful spending season ahead?
Perhaps not, according to Newmarket Business Association's Mark Knoff-Thomas, who said it had been "a perfect storm" for congestion on Saturday.
4 NZ rhino activist's fight inspires Margot Robbie-produced film
Hollywood superstar Margot Robbie is swapping the glamour of Barbie-mania for a hard-hitting action thriller movie.
The film highlights the life of Zimbabwe-born New Zealand resident Jamie Joseph and her crusade to stop rhino poaching in South Africa.
5 Major bank lifts mortgage rates
Kiwibank has announced it will be putting up its interest rates for a number of home loans. Starting today, customers on six-month and one-year fixed home loans will see a slight increase to their rates.
ONE PERSPECTIVE ON THE ARDERN YEARS
When journalist Michelle Duff wrote a biography of Jacinda Ardern in 2019, the term "Jacindamania" had been coined but Covid-19 was unheard of.
Over the next two years, the world – and New Zealand – would change drastically and the young prime minister would be deified, then demonised.
Duff, who last week released an updated version of her book, writes on how she believes imported culture wars helped to distort our political landscape – at the expense of women.
ONE VERY SAD FAREWELL
Breakfast host Matty McLean has announced he is leaving the show and TVNZ in December, revealing a move to a "wonderful new job".
"I'm really excited but also very sad to be leaving this team, which I adore, and you, our wonderful, incredible, beautiful, brilliant audience," he tearfully said on air this morning.
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