Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

What's next for former Green MP Golriz Ghahraman's legal career is not yet determined - after being convicted on shoplifting charges today. Judge June Jelas has ordered her to pay $1600 in fines, plus $260 in court costs, and isn't requiring supervision. The Herald's Craig Kapitan says nothing's stopping her applying for her law licence again. He says her lawyer had insistently argued a conviction...

The number of people reporting serious misconduct in their workplace is on the rise. So far this financial year, the Chief Ombudsman has received 203 protected disclosures - up 58 percent on the year before. Peter Boshier says more people believe it's the right thing to do if they spot wrongdoing. "When there's serious wrongdoing - things like sexual harassment - I think there's more willingness t...

Healthcare leaders warn patients face major disruption in England this week, as the latest junior doctors' strike coincides with the hottest week of the year. British Medical Association members will stage a five-day walkout from Thursday - the 11th in the long-running pay dispute. It comes with a heat-health warning in many parts of the country with London potentially hitting 30C. UK corresponden...

Meridian Energy's Investor Day data indicates more power companies are looking to embrace growth in a changing market. New Zealand's electricity demand is expected to grow between 50 percent and 75 percent, meaning the sector needs new methods of generation. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton unpacks the results and announcements. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

Gloriavale has taken a knock in its battle to maintain access to banking services. BNZ has been trying to close Gloriavale's accounts for the last two years, and the Court of Appeal is allowing BNZ to challenge that injunction. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains what comes next in this case. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tougher sentencing laws are on the way for offenders. The Justice Minister has outlined a suite of reforms to be introduced into Parliament in the next few months. Situations where victims are working alone, including dairies, will now be considered an aggravating factor in sentencing, and reductions for mitigating factors will be capped at 40 percent. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper...

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will land in Canberra this evening a free man, having pleaded guilty and being sentenced for espionage with no more time to serve. It related to a single charge of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US National Defence documents. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Assange will likely come out of this with a book deal and a few talk show appearances. LIS...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 26 June 2024, people in Hawke's Bay are again being hit by "catastrophic" flooding. Civil Defence Minister Mark Mitchell , and the mayors of Wairoa and Hastings speak with Heather. Triple murderer Lauren Dickason has today been sentenced to 18 years for killing her three daughters. But Heather still has doubts whether it really...

Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Lauren Dickason has been sentenced for 18 years after admitting responsibility for killing her three daughters. Was this a fair outcome? Justice Mininster Paul Goldsmith has unveiled some new sentencing reforms - meaning judges have less room to be...

New Zealand's business sector seems to be taking a turn for the optimistic, according to new data from 2degrees. The latest Shaping Business Study says 18 percent of business leaders feel like their companies are thriving, 34 percent feel more optimistic about the future and 53 percent anticipate revenue growth.  2degrees Chief Business Officer Andrew Fairgray says the change in Government and imp...

New Zealand's business sector seems to be taking a turn for the optimistic, according to new data from 2degrees. The latest Shaping Business Study says 18 percent of business leaders feel like their companies are thriving, 34 percent feel more optimistic about the future and 53 percent anticipate revenue growth.  2degrees Chief Business Officer Andrew Fairgray says the change in Government and imp...

Labour's environment spokesperson has called for the Government to front up about the kinds of projects aiming to be fast-tracked under new legislation. Under the new legislation, anyone who wanted to get a project fast-tracked had the opportunity to submit an application by the end of April 2024.  Labour's Rachel Brooking says the public deserves to have a say on the types of projects that get ap...

The Justice Minister has announced a suite of changes designed to clamp down on criminals. These measures include capping sentence discounts at 40 percent, making serious retail crime an aggravating factor, and encouraging cumulative sentencing for offences committed on bail or parole. Minister Paul Goldsmith says more judges have applied discounts to sentences - diminishing the consequences of cr...

Lauren Dickason could be freed this decade after murdering her three daughters in Timaru in September 2021. She's been given three concurrent 18-year sentences today, with no minimum non-parole period. She'll be eligible for parole in six years. ZB court reporter Blake Benny says Dickason will begin her sentence in a secure mental health facility. "There, she'll undergo compulsory treatment - in f...

The Energy Minister says there are clear signs of a communications failure at Transpower. Simeon Brown's given officials 12-weeks to report back on investigations into a transmission tower toppling last week leaving thousands in Northland without power. Brown says there was a significant lack of information last Thursday after the pylon fell. "There was no explanation given, publicly, by this enti...

Heavy rain and high tides are set to tear through the East Coast, and locals have been warned to take cover. States of local emergency continue for the Wairoa District and the Hastings Heretaunga Ward, after torrential rain has closed roads across Hawke's Bay and Tairawhiti. Wairoa looks to have fared the worst, with 100 homes flooded and 130 people evacuated, and warnings of heavy weather will st...

Officials say Wairoa has had the worst of the storm battering the East Coast. States of emergency have been declared in the Wairoa District and Heretaunga Ward, with torrential rain closing roads and caused hundreds of evacuations overnight. Heavy rain warnings have lifted for Tairawhiti, but continue until 11pm in Hawke's Bay. Wairoa is cut off by slips - and the Emergency Response Minister Mark...

Princess Anne is the latest royal with a health issue after suffering minor head injuries thought to be caused by a horse. It's believed the Princess was kicked by a horse while walking on her Gloucestershire estate on Sunday night. UK correspondent Enda Brady says she's been hospitalised - but she's in good spirits. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concerns that the Warehouse's top level salaries don't match the company's declining performance.  The Warehouse Group's shares fell to a record low of $0.97 after forecasting earnings would fall at least 64 percent year-on-year. Former chief executive Nick Grayston was paid $2.79 million, out-earning his retail counterparts in the 2023 financial year. Shareholders' Association Chief Execu...

Struggling dairy manufacturer Synlait has asked shareholders to vote in favour of a $130 million lifeline from Chinese shareholder Bright Dairy. The company said a2′s vote would be influential in deciding if the critical shareholder loan needed to pay off bank debt due July 15 went ahead. The Country's Rowena Duncum says the situation's looking dire for Synlait. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/lis...

Kiwis’ confidence in the job market took a dive over the past three months, according to a survey conducted for Westpac. The bank reported its confidence index, which measures responses to five questions related to employment prospects, fell by 13 points to 91.4 in the June quarter. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen explains why less people are feeling optimistic. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystu...

A political blame game around Cook Strait ferries. KiwiRail, Maritime New Zealand, and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission are all investigating Interislander's Aratere, which ran aground on Friday after experiencing steering issues. The Government pulled the plug on new mega-ferries and upgraded portside infrastructure, soon after taking power. ZB senior political correspondent Barry...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 25 June 2024, the Government will extend its Covid inquiry to cover lockdowns, vaccine mandates and efficacy. Things get heated when Associate Minister Nicole McKee tells Heather why she had to water down her Three Strikes bill so much. NZ Rugby has posted a $8.9 million dollar net loss for the last year. CEO Mark Robinson speaks...

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Government relations consultant Kaine Thompson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Government has announced a second Covid inquiry into the economic and societal impacts of lockdowns, restrictions and vaccine mandates. Is this necessary?  The new Three Strikes reigime has been introduce...

New Zealand Rugby has posted an $8.9 million dollar net loss for 2023 - the second deficit in a row. Although spending was reduced from the year prior, a drop in broadcast and match day revenue in a World Cup year saw income fall by $3 million to $268 million dollars. NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson says there's work to be done for the future. "What we're spending more time on is looking at our strateg...