Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Monthly food prices fell 0.9 percent in October compared with September, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. The largest contributor to the fall was vegetables, down 7.2 percent. But a rise in fruit prices, up 0.6 percent, partly offsets that. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains what this means for the state of the economy - and inflation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio...

Farmers at this morning's Fonterra AGM took the opportunity to probe the company around their reasons to sell off the company's consumer brands.  Fonterra is looking to sell key brands such as Anchor and Mainland - and the farmers have expressed disappointment with this choice. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland Councillor Richard Hills and Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! A lot of drama in the House as Te Pāti Māori disrupted the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill with a haka. What do we make of this?  The IRD is cracking down on overseas student debtors - and called in the collecto...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 14 November 2024, dramatic scenes in Parliament this afternoon during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill. Labour MP Willie Jackson got thrown out of the house, and Maori Party MPs staged a huge haka that saw Parliament suspended. Senior political correspondent Barry Soper says he's never seen scenes like that and NZ...

NZ First Minister Shane Jones has been quick to lambast the haka by Te Pāti Māori that disrupted the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill. Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee named Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke as the instigator - and the House has voted to suspend her. Shane Jones is not surprised Te Pāti Māori undermined the discussions happening in Parliament. "I'm not surpr...

Air New Zealand's head is defending splashing out on a new safety video, as airfares rise. Kiwi NBA player Steven Adams features in the airline's first safety video in two years, alongside cameos by other notable Kiwis. Chief executive Greg Foran says this is a worthwhile investment. "It's an important part of the brand, it's a bit like the mangōpare on the tail or the uniforms - and we're doing a...

There's reassurance from the Government that Kiwis will be treated more fairly by insurers. A bill designed to better safeguard insurance consumers has passed its third reading in the House.  Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says the bill gives insurance companies clarity around their responsibilities - and better protects policy holders filling out a claim application.&nbs...

There's outrage among Melbourne commuters as Extinction Rebellion climate activists blocked traffic during peak hour. The activists were protesting this year's climate summit, COP29, which is set to take place in the city of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says the group occupied a busy freeway in Melbourne's East, delaying drivers for as long as 30 minute...

The National Party is standing by their choice to go against ACT's controversial Treaty Principles Bill. A haka by Te Pāti Māori MPs interrupted the first reading of the contentious bill today, causing Parliament to be briefly suspended. Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says National believes the bill is no way to deal with a difficult and sensitive topic.  "Our view is - yes, addr...

Inland Revenue is cracking down on outstanding student loans - and has doubled its team working on overseas collections. It's also putting more money into collecting debt in Australia and the UK. The number of borrowers has risen by more than 5,000 The IRD's project lead Andrew Stott says about 150 people could face an arrest warrant. "It's really about whether they're engaging with us or not. So...

A Te Pati Māori MP has been suspended from Parliament for kicking off a deafening haka in protest of the Treaty Principles Bill.  Opposition MPs and people in the public gallery joined in, interrupting a vote on the legislation and forcing the Speaker to clear the House. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says today's events were a mess. "I've never seen anything like it i...

The All Blacks name their team to face France overnight tonight, with a few intriguing decisions to make.  Codie Taylor's a likely swap for Asafo Aumua at hooker, while Beauden Barrett could replace Damien McKenzie at 10. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave outlined his predictions ahead of the match. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump is continuing to appoint high-profile Republicans to his team. The president-elect is making former 2016 rival, Senator Marco Rubio, his Secretary of State. His former Chief of Staff, Matt Terrill, says he'll lean into negotiations with Trump.  "On the foreign policy front - Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Iran - those are going to be key themes and key issues that are going to pop up h...

Well, here’s some good news if you don't like the idea of people freeloading on other taxpayers - the IRD has finally started properly cracking down on people who don't want to pay back their student loans. They have doubled the size of the team that chases Kiwis living overseas to pay the money back, they've got the debt collectors in Australia involved and when any of these people with debt over...

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, confirmed he was resigning following a damning report that concluded the Church of England covered up a serial abuse case. Welby was facing growing pressure to quit after the independent probe found he 'could and should' have reported decades of abuse by a church-linked lawyer to authorities in 2013. UK correspondent Gail Downey says several figures...

It's been a week since Donald Trump won the US election - and the markets underwent a shift once the results became clear.  Small to medium-sized businesses have picked up - and they're expecting to see a boost driven by proposed tax cuts and fewer regulations. Milford Asset Management's Stephanie Batchelor unpacked the results further. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insurance has been a hot topic of late, as premiums are continuing to shoot up while general inflation abates. Findings of a Treasury survey show owners of apartments and other multi-unit buildings (MUB) are being hit extra hard. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny revealed how much insurance premiums had gone up - and how that impacted owners. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/lis...

There's outrage from Auckland commuters, as a hīkoi working its way down to Parliament marched over the Harbour Bridge and added to traffic issues. NZTA was forced to close some lanes on the bridge and people were delayed in their morning commutes.  Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacks the political causes that inspired the hīkoi.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.co...

Tonight on The Huddle, Nick Mills from ZB's Wellington Mornings and Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  The hīkoi working its way through New Zealand has disrupted the commutes of thousands of Aucklanders today. Is this the right move? Will they lose favour from the public if they keep negatively impacting people?...

42 members of the King's Counsel, some of New Zealand's most senior legal minds, are calling on the Government to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill. The group has written a letter to the Prime Minister and attorney-general Judith Collins outlining their 'grave concerns' about the bill - claiming it 'seeks to rewrite the Treaty itself'. One of the signatories is Karen Feint KC, and she says the bi...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 13 November 2024, the big hikoi to Parliament has disrupted thousands of Auckland commuters' day - and Heather is wondering whether this really is the best way to get the general public on board the cause. Lifetime Black Power member Denis O'Reilly speaks to Heather after the police launched Operation "Nickel" to enforce the ga...

The Government has launched a new online tool designed to help businesses address their gender pay gaps. The online calculator is now live on Ministry for Women’s website, meaning businesses can calculate their gaps and take action. Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says it's unlikely this tool will drive companies away from hiring more women - despite recent concerns. "I think they're going to see...

It's the end of an era for Kiwi rock fans - as iconic band Shihad are set to call it quits after their last tour. After nearly 40 years, the group has confirmed they will split up for good, with demand for this final tour causing their website to crash. Shihad frontman Jon Toogood says the group's priorities have changed - as all the members have children and families now. "Everyone's busy all the...

ACT leader David Seymour is warning principals they're technically public servants - and must display political neutrality.  The Associate Education Minister is hitting out at schools who've marked absences by students attending a national  hīkoi as 'justified'.  Thousands marched through Auckland today on the pilgrimage to Parliament, protesting the Treaty Principles Bill.  Se...

Coldplay is set to hit the stage at Auckland's Eden Park later tonight, with over 50,000 people being expected to attend. Extra public transport services are scheduled and fans will have the option to walk down a trail from the CBD - but traffic will be heavy. Auckland Unlimited's head of major events, Michelle Hooper, says the headliners are expected to start about 8.15pm. "They are absolutely gl...