Midday Report Essentials for Wednesday 28 January 2026

Attorney General and Defence Minister Judith Collins, a former leader of the National Party, will retire from politics and not stand again aver the November election; Judith Collins was first elected to Parliament to represent the seat of Clevedon in 2002 - one of her peers was Sir John Key. He spoke to Guyon Espiner; Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale has pledged to get to the bottom of what was done and when; Political commentator Ben Thomas spoke to Guyon Espiner about the retirement of Judith Collins.