Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 12 May, 2026, we ask Transport Minister Chris Bishop how we can afford a second Auckland Harbour crossing. The Police Association president tells us how angry officers are about a pay offer. We hear from Sir Graham Henry on how happy he is to come out of retirement to be an All Blacks selector. And on The Huddle, Maurice Williams...

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m taking this latest talk of a second Auckland Harbour crossing with a gigantic grain of salt. The development today is that Chris Bishop has revealed the Government will announce its preferred option for a second crossing by mid-year - so I suppose you could say June-ish or July-ish - and they will decide between a tunnel or a bridge. And while I really want to...

New research shows some surveys might not be as accurate as we all think. Researchers asked Kiwis if they believed the Canadian Government was secretly training genetically enhanced raccoons for warfare, with 7.2 percent of respondents - or 300,000 people - saying they believed it. University of Otago psychology expert on Dr John Kerr says it's extremely unlikely all these respondents believed thi...

Sir Graham Henry is keen to offer his perspective to the All Blacks selection roundtable. The 2011 World Cup-winning coach will join the panel as an independent selector, alongside head coach Dave Rennie and assistant Neil Barnes. Sir Graham says everyone has an opinion on what's right and wrong in rugby. "I think that sure, when people are watching my team win when I was a coach, they felt probab...

The Warriors are prepared to let Luke Metcalf negotiate with other clubs. A club statement says they will allow last year's first choice halfback to look for a new home, after falling down the pecking order following injuries over the last 12 months. It comes with Tanah Boyd poised to re-sign until 2029. Former Kiwis player Richie Barnett says it's a stunning turn of events. "Obviously, we've seen...

There's assurance scoping work on a second Auckland Harbour crossing is still under way, with plans expected mid-year. Two Transport Agency reports have detailed defects in the 67 year-old bridge, and warn it's at risk of failure. It says without long-term strengthening work, month-long lane closures, truck limits, and more wind-related restrictions are on the cards. Chris Bishop says he won't be...

A new poll has the coalition returning to power - despite a drop in support for the minor Government parties.  The latest Taxpayers' Union Curia poll has National up slightly to 30 percent and Labour down to 31.9 percent. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the minor parties have taken a hit, with ACT and NZ First looking less solid than they did in earlier polls.&nbsp...

The Australian federal budget is set to be delivered tonight, and it's promising big changes. Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the budget will feature 'more than the usual amount of savings and more than the usual amount of reform'. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says this will appeal to younger voters, as concerns have been raised about intergenerational inequality and the housing market. ...

Luke Metcalf is poised to leave the Warriors. The NRL club have confirmed they have agreed to a request from Metcalf's management to talk with other clubs. It's unclear whether they would allow an immediate release for the halfback, who only re-signed until 2028 late last year. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Association says a new pay offer doesn't meet struggling officers' needs. The union says they'd effectively get a 0.6 percent bump, with nothing for managers. Police Association President Steve Watt says the impacted officers have found this offer 'tough' to accept, given the demands of the job.  "We've asked for five percent, we understand that CPI is still to come out, but we und...

The pressure on Sir Keir Starmer keeps ramping up in the UK. Labour had a disastrous showing in local elections at the end of last week - a reflection of the Prime Minister's growing unpopularity. The party lost a total 1500 councillors across England, with Nigel Farage's Reform UK party picking up steam. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Starmer is set to give a speech addressing the situation, bu...

The Green Party's written to Government ministers asking them to use their majority owner status to pressure major gentailers to reduce power prices. Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says shareholding ministers, Simeon Brown and Nicola Willis, can write to the gentailers and require them to do more on energy hardship programmes.  She suggests they could also call for retail prices not to surpass inf...

Oil prices have jumped more than three percent on the back of another snag in negotiations between the US and Iran.  Donald Trump has taken to social media to call Iran's response to a US 14-point memorandum 'totally unacceptable'.  Brent crude is now trading at more than 104 US dollars a barrel.  Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio....

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Mariameno Kapa-Kingi has left Te Pāti Māori to start a new party. Is this the beginning of the end for them? What do we think?  Does New Zealand have to worry about far-right populism sweeping through the nation? Between Reform...

We’re never going to know for sure what tipped the Government into finally cutting the fees-free policy but I would like to take some credit for this show’s part in it. We have harped on about the need to get rid of that policy for so long that it actually started to get boring, even for me. But as with everything: persevere and you will succeed. And finally, the policy is gone. We had it confirme...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 11 May, 2026, we ask a Māori political commentator if others will join Mariameno Kapa-Kingi in leaving Te Pati Māori to start their own party. A school principal tells us why he'll defy an order to not let children take home leftover lunches. Don Mackinnon on how much of a blow it is in delaying NZ20 for a year. And on The Huddle,...

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has backed the decision to scrap the fees-free scheme for good. Last week, Winston Peters revealed to Newstalk ZB on Friday the Government's doing away with the free final year of tertiary education. Nicola Willis says it's important for the Government to invest in things that Kiwis really need and want - not a failed policy that didn't achieve any of the goals it ai...

There's a view Government attacks on public service workers are driving them out of the country.  New Public Service Commission data finds a quarter are considering quitting the country for better pay overseas.  Health and public service department workers are most likely to pack their bags. PSA National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, says workers want to build a future here, but they're s...

The proposed privately-backed NZ20 competition will be readjusted for a 2028 launch instead, NZ Cricket confirmed.  Organisers have pushed back the launch by a full year, abandoning plans to mark out their run-up in January 2027. NZ20 establishment committee chair Don Mackinnon says it's a shared decision between the organisation and NZ Cricket - and it's important to get things right. "Unfor...

There's confidence from some that the hantavirus outbreak won't turn into another worldwide pandemic. Passengers are being evacuated and returning to home countries, including one New Zealander. Authorities say one of five French passengers developed symptoms flying to Paris, and will isolate until further notice.  Otago University epidemiologist, Michael Baker, says person to person transmis...

A political science lecturer says party affiliation isn't everything in Māori seats, as Mariameno Kapa-Kingi breaks away. She's cut ties with Te Pati Māori to create the Te Tai Tokerau Party and run in the seat of the same name. Te Pati Māori's wished her well - but is promising to put up another candidate to take her on.  Victoria University's Lara Greaves says it's an open race for all seve...

The coalition appears to have good odds of winning the next election, largely thanks to New Zealand First.  The NZ Herald - Motu Research Poll of Polls suggests there is an 88.3 percent probability the coalition will win a second term.  The model shows it's extended its lead over the opposition by two points in the last 12 months. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper ex...

The right wing One Nation party is uprooting Australia's status quo - scoring a seat that had long been a conservative stronghold. Candidate David Farley won more than 57 percent of the vote in the regional Farrer by-election, triggered by former Liberals leader Sussan Ley's ousting.  Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says One Nation is eyeing off seats in other areas, and it's unclear...

The chairman of the NZ20 accepts it became an inevitability that they would need to delay the launch of the franchise cricket competition until 2028. Don Mackinnon says they reached the point that it couldn't be done properly this summer with the Black Caps touring Australia and then welcoming Sri Lanka soon after. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/liste...

The Ministry of Education has told schools receiving free lunches to not let children take home leftover meals. The Ministry has cited food safety concerns - and says uneaten meals should be returned to the supplier to avoid extra risks.  Hora Hora school principal Pat Newman says his school's seen no incidents of any students getting ill from leftover food.  "There's no proof - the only...