Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

A West Auckland butcher says a lot of shoplifting is too small to bother reporting.  A Retail NZ survey has found 40 percent of retail crime goes unreported.  Butcher Reuben Sharples says for small amounts it's not worth the hassle to get CCTV footage together to send police.  He says they only report on bigger robberies, which get a bigger police response.  "We've had break-in...

After Albo’s massive win across the ditch on Saturday, I can see a lot of commentators are tempted to blame it on Trumpism - in the same way they blamed the Canadian election upset on Trumpism. But I'm not convinced they’re right - at least not in the way they think they are.    What these commentators are saying is that Trump has given Canadians and Australians the ick so badly that the...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 2 May 2025, Heather and Deborah Coddington pay tribute to their good friend, Sir Bob Jones. Jones passed away today after decades as one of the great characters of NZ politics and business for many decades.  There's speculation that Shortland Street might not be coming back next year with TVNZ refusing to confirm that its fut...

David Seymour is calling for culling of the government.  He’s floated a policy that would reduce the number of ministers and government departments, calling into question the necessity of some.  Racing, Hunting and Fishing, Hospitality, Space, and Child Poverty Reduction were a few he named.  Jan Tinetti is the former Minister for Women and Child Poverty Reduction, and she told Heat...

Court's adjourned for the weekend after day four of the accused mushroom killer trial in Melbourne.  Erin Patterson's estranged husband took the stand once again, presenting a series of texts demonstrating a strained relationship between the accused and his late parents.  Herald Sun reporter Brooke Grebert-Craig told Heather du Plessis-Allan the messages also highlighted the pair's on an...

A short term as US National Security Advisor for Mike Waltz, who's been removed from the role by Donald Trump.  Current Secretary of State Marco Rubio will take over the job in the interim, as Waltz has been nominated for Ambassador to the UN.  This comes after he says he inadvertently added a journalist to a Signal group chat, where officials planned military strikes in Yemen.  US...

A passionate author and a man with a sharp wit and unapologetically colourful personality who shaped New Zealand politics.  Sir Bob Jones is being remembered by friends, former MPs, and current political leaders.  The property investor, ex politician, and boxing aficionado died at his Wellington home today at 85, surrounded by family.  Sir Bob grew up in a state house and made his r...

Speculation's flying around about the future of Shortland Street.   The prime-time soap opera's lost its head writer to the UK and other staff have reportedly been told to find new jobs.   TVNZ hasn't confirmed the show will return next year.   Former South Pacific Pictures managing director John Barnett says the show scaled back its set and storylines when it transitioned from five...

Politicians are among those paying tribute to prominent businessman, author, and former politician Sir Bob Jones.   The 85-year-old, who launched the New Zealand Party in the 1980s, has died peacefully at his Wellington home.   Labour Leader Chris Hipkins described him as a colourful character, saying there’s no doubt he impacted the political landscape, while Christopher Luxon described...

Napier residents will still be able to dance the night away.  The City Council has rejected a proposal that would force bars to close an hour earlier – at 2am instead of 3.  It was part of the city’s draft Local Alcohol Policy.  Councillor Richard McGrath told Heather du Plessis-Allan that though they had evidence that connected alcohol and trouble, there didn’t seem to be a correla...

Very sad news this afternoon that Bob Jones has passed away.  It's not altogether a surprise – he was getting on in age, and he had been feeling unwell and slowing down for at least a couple of years.  But still, it is the passing of a great, colourful, larger than life character.  I can’t remember when I first met Bob, but I've known him for close to twenty years.  He was actu...

Voters across the UK are set to vote for a new lawmaker, councillors and mayors in the coming days in the local elections. This local election is predicted to favour the right-wing populist Reform UK party - led by Nigel Farage. UK correspondent Enda Brady says people are divided about Starmer's performance as Prime Minister - and Farage has managed to attract plenty of coverage in the lead-up. LI...

The US has signed a deal with Kyiv to share profits from the future sale of Ukraine's mineral reserves - after months of tense negotiations and an infamous meeting in the White House. The two countries have agreed to establish a reconstruction investment fund to spur Ukraine's economic recovery from its war with Russia. New Voice of Ukraine editor says this is a better deal than the previous one o...

The next set of unemployment figures are due to be released next week - and speculation indicates they'll go up even higher. Unemployment was sitting at 5.1 percent at the end of last year, according to the data. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann speculates ahead of next week's release. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 1 May 2025, the Health Minister has called striking doctors back to negotiating table. Doctors union boss Sarah Dalton speaks to Heather. ACT leader David Seymour wants to cut a significant number of Ministries to save more money but he won't say which ones he would cut. The ComCom explains why it won't do a market study into th...

Tonight on The Huddle, CTU economist Craig Renney and journalist Clare de Lore joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  David Seymour has made some suggestions about the ministries he would cut down or scrap altogether. What do we think? Do we agree with this idea? The Greens have unveiled a plan to create 40,000 new 'green jobs' as part of their alternativ...

Now, I've done a bit of an exercise today. I started reading the news this morning, and I was really quickly struck by how many opinion pieces and comments of outrage there were over the Government removing the voting rights from prisoners. There was, just by my account, two full opinion pieces by academics, a newsletter that landed in my inbox, a left-wing blog post, outrage from Labour, and outr...

Air New Zealand wants to tap into more sustainable aviation fuel - to meet net zero emissions by 2050.  It's aiming to cut well-to-wake jet fuel greenhouse gas emissions by 20-to-25-percent in five years, compared to pre-Covid.  Air New Zealand's Kiri Hannifin says this is the main way airlines can de-carbonise.  She says sustainable fuel is costly, but there's ongoing work looking...

New research has confirmed there is an unmistakeable link between vaping and irreversible lung disease. The study published by Johns Hopkins University tracked 250,000 people - and discovered that e-cigarette use is associated with increased new diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in New Zealand. Respiratory physician and Asthma and Respira...

The Greens are revealing parts of their alternative budget - set to cost about $8 billion over four years. It's calling for a Ministry of Green Works, a Government agency supporting sustainable infrastructure - including regional forestry. The party estimates it would create 40,000 jobs. Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick won't release more details - but says their costed independent budget will be release...

ACT's leader says now is a good time for the Government to think about its organisation. David Seymour wants a limit on Cabinet Minister numbers - with none outside Cabinet, and only one associate minister for finance. Seymour says there are currently ministers with seven different departments, and departments answering to 19 ministers.  He says he doesn't expect change pre-election - but bel...

The senior doctor's union says a pay increase offered in negotiations with Health New Zealand doesn't seem to have changed.  About 5,000 senior doctors have been striking today, after eight months of failed bargaining.  Health Minister Simeon Brown is urging members to resume talks. Salaried Medical Specialists Association executive director, Sarah Dalton, says what's being offered won't...

The Health Minister is making it clear he's not criticising doctors over pay - but their union.  More than $5,000 senior doctors in the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists union have been striking today.  Simeon Brown's urging them back to the negotiating table, saying thousands of surgeries - such as hip operations and knee replacements - have had to be delayed.  NZ Herald...

The estranged husband of killer-accused, Erin Patterson, has taken the stand today - revealing a series of texts. Patterson's charged with murdering his parents and aunt with a beef wellington lunch laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the ex-husband, Simon Patterson, was invited to the lunch - but declined.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/liste...

The Indian Panthers are out of the NBL basketball competition for the foreseeable future. The NBL commission has suspended the overseas first-year entrant amid claims of payment issues and poor treatment of players. The club will be indefinitely suspended until certain conditions laid out by the Commission are met. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystud...