Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 13 May 2025, even more details have come to light about the kind of pornographic material that Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming allegedly had on his work device. NZ Herald investigative reporter Jared Savage tells Heather the details. Auckland Council's Justine Haves defends the little food rubbish bins, after Minister...

Why has it taken us so long to get serious about forcing people to pay back their student loans? Last month, IRD had someone arrested at the border. They have now paid back their loan. Isn't that amazing? They had been chased and chased and chased and chased - and you know that they had, because the IRD only arrest you at the border as an absolute last resort, but suddenly they were arrested at th...

The Public Service Minister has confirmed she's committed to cutting public service diversity requirements. Minister Judith Collins is looking to bring a draft bill to Cabinet in July, to remove diversity requirements when hiring chief executives. It would also remove their responsibilities to promote diversity.  Collins says these requirements are holding the public service back - and she's...

An Auckland Councillor is apologising for voting to progress a joint-management approach for the Waitākere Ranges.  The proposal allows Te Kawerau a Maki to be represented on the joint iwi, Crown and Council board. Waitākere Ward Councillor Ken Turner says he doesn't support it - but voted for it so it would go to public consultation. He says he was under the false impression more diverse opt...

A Hollywood-backed football club is coming to play in Wellington. Welsh side Wrexham AFC's taking on Wellington Phoenix FC at Sky Stadium in July - one of three Australasian matches set to take place. It's owned by movie stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. WellingtonNZ's Heidi Morton says she expects the game will sell out. "Not only because this is going to be a fantastic, friendly football m...

There's belief that injecting taxpayer dollars into venture capital comes with high risks. The Government's putting $100 million into the Elevate fund - which supports small business start-ups.  It's diverting $61 million from its yearly Super Fund contribution, topped up with $39 million from the Budget. The Taxpayers Union's James Ross says commercially viable businesses wouldn't need propp...

Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming could face charges if pornography allegedly found on his work computer is deemed objectionable.  He'd been suspended on full pay since December during a separate criminal investigation, during which it's understood porn was allegedly discovered on a device.  McSkimming has now resigned. NZ Herald investigative reporter Jared Savage says the ter...

Chris Luxon says Labour is spreading lies about Government pay equity changes. Legislation rushed through under urgency last week cancels ongoing claims of gender-inequity in pay - and raised the bar for applying. Opposition leader Chris Hipkins spoke on social media saying the Prime Minister's taking money out of women's pay packets. Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls says Chris Hipkins has...

Sussan Ley has been appointed the new leader of Australia's Liberal Party - making her the first woman to take on the role. She beat out rival Angus Taylor 29 votes to 25 in a tight contest. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says she's got decades of political experience to her name, but certain sections of the voting bloc might not be too enthusiastic.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/lis...

A pair of key Warriors are in line to return for Saturday's NRL clash against the Dolphins in Brisbane. Co-captain James Fisher-Harris is set to come back from a pectoral injury, while Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's recovered from a hamstring issue. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland won't be scrapping its green food scrap bins any time soon. Whanganui District Council is dropping its kerbside service to save a 1.5 percent rate increase. Local Government Minister Simeon Brown believes Auckland could do the same. It costs much more to offset carbon with food waste bins - than the carbon credits system. Auckland Council Waste Solutions general manager Justine Haves says...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is ready to personally meet with Vladimir Putin on Thursday to discuss ending the war. This comes after Donald Trump demanded Ukraine agree to Putin's offer of direct talks between the two countries in Turkey. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US and China have agreed to slash their reciprocal tariffs by 115 percent for 90 days. Washington imposed a 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports at the start of the year - and Beijing responded with a 125 percent levy on some US goods. But this weekend's trade negotiations between US and Chinese officials in Switzerland appear to have gone well.  Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly ex...

Time is running out for businesses who took out a Covid Small Business Cashflow Scheme. It's five years today since Inland Revenue introduced the loans. They were issued to more than 129,000 businesses and totalled $2.4 billion. The IRD says they're now reaching their cut-off point, and default loans not paid in full will be enforced. ABC Business Sales managing director unveils how many businesse...

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Josie Pagani from Child Fund joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day -  and more! Andrea Vance's piece in the Sunday Star Times calling female Government MPs the c-word and accusing Nicola Willis of 'girl math' has copped some backlash. What did we think when we read that? Erica Stanford has been brought o...

There are a lot of remarkable things about that C-word column yesterday, and one of them is that it is still up online, and apparently no one is sorry for this. If you haven't seen this column, let me get you up to speed on this: Yesterday, Sunday Star Times columnist Andrea Vance did something that I would venture no other mainstream columnist has ever done in this country - she called a minister...

The Finance Minister's keeping a cool head, despite being the subject of some colourful language in yesterday's papers.  The Post's Andrea Vance wrote a column on Sunday levelling the c-word at Nicola Willis - as well as Judith Collins, Louise Upston, Nicola Grigg, Brooke van Velden and Erica Stanford in response to the Government's pay equity changes.  Nicola Willis says she's used to c...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 12 May 2025, Finance Minister Nicola Willis responds to a Stuff journalist who called her the c-word and accused her of doing "girl maths". Act and National are squabbling in public again - this time over the proposed ban of social media for under 16s. Heather asks David Seymour whether he would ever support a ban if it was techni...

Auckland's mayor is calling for more leadership - and labelling the city's innovation and tech sector 'random'.  Wayne Brown has laid out a to-do list for central Government before it releases its Budget this month.   He wants a tourist bed tax, looser transit visas, and more preparations for major population growth.  Brown says a bed tax would fund bigger projects he has planned fo...

It's been a big day in the world of New Zealand golf, as Ryan Fox walks away with another sporting achievement. A playoff victory at the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina makes the 38-year-old just the ninth Kiwi to win on the Tour - and first in a decade. NZ Open tournament director Michael Glading says this is a 'game-changing' moment for Fox. "It's just fantastic for him - he was in a posi...

David Seymour's denying the Coalition's back in choppy waters over National's proposed social media ban.  Education Minister Erica Stanford is looking into ways to restrict access for under-16s. Prime Minister Chris Luxon claimed Seymour's on the same page, despite the ACT leader calling it unworkable.  Seymour says he still has questions about how it's possible.  He says within day...

The Education Minister says she's excited to expand maths tutoring - after a pilot with 3,000 children launched. About $40 million will go into small-group tutoring in years seven and eight.  It's part of a $100 million boost in maths funding over four years, announced as part of Budget 2025.  Erica Stanford says just 20 hours of tutoring is already producing a marked improvement. ...

The Prime Minister won't comment on the resignation of New Zealand's second most powerful cop, Jevon McSkimming. The Deputy Police Commissioner had been on suspension since December - but Police Minister Mark Mitchell has now confirmed he's resigned with immediate effect after new serious allegations. Mitchell says the Prime Minister had already been considering recommending the Governor General i...

Australian Liberal Party MPs will meet tomorrow to vote in replacing defeated opposition leader Peter Dutton. As well decisively losing to Labor's Anthony Albanese - Dutton also lost his long-held Queensland seat.  Deputy leader Sussan Ley, shadow treasurer and immigration minister Angus Taylor and Dan Tehan are among the leading Liberal party contenders. Australian correspondent Oliver Peter...

A hectic few hours for Ryan Fox in the wake of one of the biggest triumphs of his golfing career. He's won on the PGA Tour for the first time - chipping in from off the green to win a three-way playoff at the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.