Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The UK has announced it will enact its own teen social media ban, with regulations expected to pass later in the year. Prime Minister Starmer confirmed TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram are among the apps soon to be banned for under-16s, with the PM saying this move was 'the right choice' for young people. UK correspondnet Gavin Grey explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

The US and Iran have agreed to a peace deal, and the news has brought some hope into the economy. Oil prices have fallen about 4 percent since the countries announced an agreement to halt hostilities. Brent crude is now trading at US$84 ($143) a barrel, off the back of a similar drop in prices on Friday. Shane Solly from Harbour Asset Management unpacked the market reactions. LISTEN ABOVE See omny...

A coalition of mayors and independent financial experts are urging the Government to greenlight an alternative scheme to rates caps. They're proposing allowing ratepayers to defer the increased payments and instead lodging the debt against the properties they own once the houses are sold. Nelson mayor Nick Smith unpacked the scheme further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 15 June, 2026, a Middle East analyst tells us why mines remain a big barrier to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The Opportunity Party leader on why she'd be stricter with entitlements for MPs. Rich-lister Nick Mowbray gives us his advice for young up and comers. And on The Huddle, Trish Sherson and Josie Pagani on what they make o...

Okay, so we’ve had the first little parry of the election campaign, with Nicola Willis calling a news conference to accuse Labour of numbers that don’t add up, and then Barbara Edmonds responding. I’m going to call this - by the slimmest of margins - for Edmonds. I think she actually won this exchange purely by holding her ground, sounding confident and pointing out that she doesn’t actually have...

News of a peace agreement to be signed this between Iran and the US is prompting optimism about fuel prices and the global economy, but the Finance Minister is staying cautious. Both sides have agreed a deal, to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday - and it's understood the the Strait of Hormuz will reopen and 60 days of nuclear negotiations will commence. Nicola Willis says there's been br...

The country's richest man is passing on some advice. Zuru founders Nick and Mat Mowbray have retained the top spot on the annual NBR rich-list, with an estimated net worth of $20 billion. The rich-list's collective value has increased 26 percent in the past year to $129 billion - and the number of billionaires has also risen from 18 to 26. Nick Mowbray says there are some keys to success. "It just...

There's fears Israel and Hezbollah could be the sticking point for this week's US Iran peace agreement.  Both sides have agreed a deal, to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday. The text is yet to be released, but it's understood the Strait of Hormuz will reopen and 60 days of nuclear negotiations will commence.  US journalist and analyst Gordon Robison says it supposedly includes...

An economist says it won't be long until 91 petrol is consistently back down at $2.80. The US and Iran peace agreement to cease hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is sending positive signals for the global oil industry.  Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold says prices will stay low, once ships are moving normally.  "We know that there's pretty low inventories out there around...

A group of Wellington residents are preparing for a month of broken sleep while a pipe's being fixed, at night time only. Wellington Water's repairing Aro Valley's Holloway Road wastewater pipe. The narrow road must fully close - so to maintain access, works are being done overnight. Local, Derek Thunder, says that doesn't stack up.  "There's not a lot of traffic on our streets, there's about...

The Prime Minister assures the Government won't get ahead of itself at news of a Middle East peace deal.  The US says it's reached agreement with Iran, under which military action will end, naval blockades will lift and the Strait of Hormuz will reopen.  It's scheduled for signing this week, but there are conflicting messages on what's next.  Newstalk ZB senior political corresponde...

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has joined the calls for a shark cull following the recent attack in New South Wales. A 35-year-old woman was left with serious arm and leg injuries after she was bitten by a shark at Sydney's Coogee Beach over the weekend. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says the former Prime Minister claimed it was time Australia 'put people before sharks'.  LISTEN...

New Zealand's first group game is being seen as pivotal to their chances of making Football World Cup history. The All Whites face Iran in Los Angeles tomorrow - before matches against Egypt and Belgium in Vancouver. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains what fans can expect ahead of the match. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Opportunity Party is challenging other parties to give up their 'excessive' MP housing entitlements, and has confirmed their members won't take advantage of these political perks. This statement follows renewed scrutiny of MPs claiming taxpayer-funded accommodation allowances while living in their own mortgage-free Wellington homes. Party leader Qiulae Wong says these perks need to be at 'arms...

The biggest story of the week hit on Wednesday. And no, the biggest story of the week wasn’t fare caps on public transport. I mean, that was - they say - a $65 million policy that I reckon is three times that, but it wasn’t the big one. It wasn’t whether or not Labour had a tent at Fieldays either. I mean, hello - come on. It was when Christopher Luxon released a $51 million policy to accelerate t...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Friday, 12 June, 2026, Mike Angove from the Walk Without Fear Charitable Trust tells us how disappointed he is at the watering down of "coward punch" legislation. A Field-good story. Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen on the success of this year's Fieldays. Hamilton mayor Tim Macindoe on why he's excited about plan...

Elon Musk is set to become the world's first trillionaire as SpaceX finally hits the US stock market.  Max Rashbrooke, senior research fellow of economic inequality at Victoria University of Wellington told Andrew Dickens, "we live in a world where a lot of people have got nothing or they're may be worth a dollar and it's sort of hard to think that someone is 1 trillion times more worthy or h...

The FIFA World Cup kicked off today with co-host Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening match with performances by Shakira and Burna Boy. Although, entertainment journalist Karl Puschmann was not a fan of the festivities. He told Andrew Dickens he wished he'd stayed in bed as the show "was flatter than a day old soft drink." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A proposed new hotel set on the banks of the Waikato River could be Hamilton's first skyscraper standing at 25 storeys high. Kiwi high-rise developer Templeton Group presented the preliminary design for the Victoria Street Tower to Hamilton City Council on Thursday. Hamilton Mayor Tim Macindoe told Andrew Dickens he is 'fully on board' with the development. "There are all sorts of wonderful things...

ACT and New Zealand First are in favour of a minimum non-parole period of 8 years for offenders who commit manslaughter by a strike to the head or the neck - the coward punch. But, National and the opposition parties are not keen. Board member of the Walk Without Fear Trust, Mike Angove, told Andrew Dickens he is disappointed in National's lack of support. "National have indicated that they're goi...

So, it’s been more than two months since the president announced what he described as a ceasefire with Iran and suggested a major deal was just days away. This was back on April 7. The president said on social media that the two sides were “very far along”, adding that they just needed two weeks for the agreement to be finalised and consummated. But of course, that never happened. And yet, in the...

A large structure has appeared on the White House Lawn as the UFC match approaches on June 14 to mark 250 years of American independence. US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson called the structure 'tacky' as Trump says he may keep it as a permanent feature.  Mitchinson also discusses updates in the war with Iran and a mass exodus of American citizens willingly giving up their citizenship. He told A...

Police in Northern Ireland are patrolling Belfast to prevent escalation after violent unrest.  Masked rioters took torched houses and cars yesterday, after a Sudanese refugee allegedly stabbed a man. UK correspondent Enda Brady says police have turned to using water cannons to keeping rioters at bay. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of investor attention on Wall Street - with Space X heading to market on Saturday. The debut of Elon Musk's rocket, satellite and data centre company will be one of the most-watched in years. A chunk of shares will be available in a company that up to now, was exclusive to Musk and a select group of rich private institutions. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See o...

Another Fieldays is taking place, with farmers and rural experts coming together from across the country. The major rural event's run across this week in Hamilton's Mystery Creek, attracting experts from across the board. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.