Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

We owe our kids an apology. School students of all ages in this country have been used as guinea pigs in failed experiments that have been demonstrably bad for their learning. We've had two announcements from the Government this week that prove this. First, the latest NCEA maths results from low decile schools. They improved by around 70 percent. 19.8 percent passed the co-requisite test last year...

The winter season means higher power bills will impact Kiwi households, but the Electricity Authority has promised changes are on the way. The nation's largest power companies will be required to offer 'time of use' plans that make it cheaper to use power at off-peak times. Electricity Authority Chair Anna Kominik says there's no silver bullet for bringing prices down, but these changes are import...

Australia may have turned a corner on youth vaping, according to new reports. A new study has found the country's rates have fallen among 14 to 17-year-olds, from 17.5 percent at the start of 2023 to 14.6 percent this April.  It's putting it down to banning disposable vapes last year.  Lead study investigator Becky Freeman says the rate's still worryingly high - but it seems to have peak...

Labour's taken quick action on demands from thousands of Kiwi teens to counter modern slavery. The students today delivered letters to Parliament - written at World Vision NZ Youth Conferences and universities. Labour's Camilla Belich announced a draft bill today to set up an anti-slavery Commissioner. National put a similar bill to the ballot this year.  Belich says nothing currently address...

Open-plan classrooms will soon be a thing of the past, according to a new directive from the Government. Education Minister Erica Stanford's announced plans to build all new classrooms with standardised designs. Rangiora High School's already spent one and a half million dollars removing its open-plan style classes. Principal Bruce Kearney says it ended up being distracting. "They tend to be noisi...

A rare little spotted kiwi has been spotted in the wild on the mainland for the first time in nearly 50 years.  The bird was seen in March in the remote Adams Wilderness Area on the West Coast. It's estimated only 2000 remain, and were thought to be only on offshore islands or in fenced predator-free sites. DoC diversity ranger Iain Graham discovered the bird - and says they're more vulnerabl...

Mike Johnson, the US Speaker of the House, has called for the Justice Department to release the files of deceased sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein. President Donald Trump has been facing increased backlash from fellow Republicans for not properly handling the case - which Trump campaigned on getting to the bottom of.  US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says the White House has been trying to shift p...

More accusations are being slung across the House, with the Greens indicating it's the Government that's forcing people across the ditch. At today's Question Time, Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick asked the Prime Minister about the conditions making young Kiwis head to Australia. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says there's a number of factors behind the brain drain - and th...

Sonny Bill Williams is over the chatter and is ready to let his hands do the talking in tonight's boxing bout against Paul Gallen in Sydney. It'll be the first time in three years either fighter has stepped inside the ring, with both acknowledging it's their final dance in the squared circle.  Sportstalk host Elliott Smith explains further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

The head of a local Government lobby group has raised concerns about the Government's newest bill aimed at local councils. An amendment bill being moved through Parliament would require councils financially prioritise its core services.  The Government wants councils to give more value to ratepayers.  Local Government New Zealand President Sam Broughton says many people and councils want...

Britain has lost more billionaires than any other nation over the past two years, and there's fears a tougher wealth tax could drive these figures up. New research has found the UK lost nearly a quarter of its billionaires between 2023 and 2024, with many of the UK's wealthiest individuals moving their tax residency to low-tax jurisdictions.  UK correspondent Enda Brady says many of these ric...

As the summer barbecue season continues in the US, Americans are paying record-setting prices for their beef.  The price for New Zealand-produced beef has surged amid ongoing demand among US consumers. The Country's Jamie Mackay reveals what this news could mean for Kiwi farmers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research from the Financial Services Council reveals that New Zealanders are quick to insure their cars, homes, and gadgets - but they're far less likely to protect their health, income, and lives. The report, titled Money & You: Valuing Belongings Over Ourselves, shows New Zealanders are twice as likely to have car insurance over life or health insurance. FSC CEO Kirk Hope says expan...

The Commerce Commission is taking Foodstuffs North Island and its subsidiary Gilmours Wholesale to court, citing what it labels 'cartel conduct'. The regulator has alleged that the retailers pressured a supplier into an agreement to redirect supply through them. Competition lawyer Andy Matthews says it's all allegations at this stage, but New Zealand has very 'broad' cartel laws. "What it means is...

Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour Minister Stuart Nash and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!   David Seymour's rebuttal letter to the UN has ended in an awkward walkback after Prime Minister Chris Luxon told him off. What do we make of this? Australia is debating whether or not to put cancer warnings on alco...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 15 July 2025, the Government is changing the law to force councils to focus on their core business. But the Minister for Local Government is struggling to explain to Ryan what councils have been doing that is nice-to-have. Former Australian ambassador to Russia, Peter Tesch, is not convinced that Donald Trump's ultimatum to Vladi...

The Government's introduced a bill today to get local Government back focused on the basics. But the fact they've strayed so far from potholes, rubbish and waste water is as much our fault as the councillors and mayors running the budgets. The Government's bill contains the wildly controversial stuff like: "Prioritising core services when managing finances and setting rates." And "new financial pe...

David Seymour is standing by his letter to the UN - now withdrawn. He wrote responding to an official who'd expressed concerns about the impact of Seymour's Regulatory Standards Bill on Māori. The Prime Minister says that's a job for the Foreign Minister and Seymour's conceded it's better to a have a single Government response, led by Winston Peters. Seymour says he still needs to work out how to...

TRA’s latest New Zealand’s Favourite Ads survey for June 2025 has revealed what ads Kiwis are loving the most - and one of the top contenders is powered by AI. Skinny's new ad campaign starring a digitally cloned 64-year-old Liz Wright - chosen from hundreds of entries in a nationwide search - rounded out the top 10 in a list including Tux, One NZ, KFC and Turners.  Spark's marketing and data...

A significant moment for Ukraine - as the US falls into line with NATO.  President Donald Trump's pledged billions of dollars of weapons to Ukraine, through a sale to NATO.  He's also threatening Russia with 100 percent secondary tariffs if the Kremlin doesn't make a ceasefire deal within 50 days.  Former Australian ambassador to Russia, Peter Tesch says US policy is too fickle to m...

The Local Government Minister says new legislation in the works will give councils clarity.  An amendment bill's been introduced to Parliament to make local bodies focus on core services.  It also demands regular public progress reports - and disclosure on the cost of consultants and contractors.  Simon Watts says it's a return to bread and butter duties.  "Previously, terms li...

David Seymour's withdrawn a letter he sent to the United Nations after being called out by the Prime Minister.  A United Nations' official's letter was critical of the Regulatory Standards Bill, saying it excluded Māori traditions. Seymour, the Minister responsible for the bill, replied that as an indigenous New Zealander himself, he's deeply aggrieved by the UN's audacity in presuming to spe...

Anthony Albanese and Xi Jinping have met in Beijing, kicking off high-level talks as Australia and China strive to focus on economic co-operation rather than their increasingly militaristic regional rivalry. With the Australian and Chinese national flags adorning the walls, it was a welcome befitting the charm offensive waged on the Australian Prime Minister since landing over the weekend. Austral...

The Blues’ contract with Eden Park is drawing to a close, and a decision on where they will move their home games to is yet to be made. In a survey sent to supporters, the franchise asked fans whether they would be more likely to attend Blues matches if they were moved to Mt Smart instead of Eden Park next Super Rugby season. Sportstalk host Jason Pine weighs in on the discussion. LISTEN ABOVE See...

New data shows that house prices have dropped for the fourth consecutive month in June. The Real Estate Institute of NZ shows that across the entire country, the HPI declined by 0.8 percent in June compared to May. Property commentator Ashley Church says the cause of this downturn goes all the way back to 2021, when Covid impacted interest rates. "The Reserve Bank, as a result of that, recognized...