Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Following the launch of the clean car rebate in April 2022, Tesla buyers have been reaping the benefits of the scheme. Tesla buyers have been paid out $35 million in subsidies since the rebate was established, and gas consuming vehicles such as utes are taxed more. This has been regarded as a 'reverse Robin Hood' scheme, where farmers and tradies of limited means are disproportionately taxed as th...

Canterbury Museum is undergoing a $200 million dollar development. That means there's 2.3 million things to relocate, including a blue whale. Transporting this out will be difficult, given the weight of the bones in question. That's before we get to the elephant in the room… the 150 year old stuffed Asian elephant stuck in the attic, to be precise. Canterbury Museum Director Anthony Wright talked...

60 percent of Christchurch businesses say immigration changes by the Government have made no difference. 9 out of 10 businesses say the Government isn't doing enough to fix the labour shortage. This comes from the Quartely Canterbury Business survey. Canterbury Chamber of Commerce CEO Leann Watson joined us to discuss how the recent crop of immigration rule changes have impacted the Canterbury bus...

An aim to do more than rid the health system of its patient backlog. The Planned Care Taskforce has released 101 recommendations for improving equity, increasing access and reducing waiting times. Chair Andrew Connolly says Covid is one of the main drivers for the expanding wait lists. He says the recommendations are more long term than just fixing the current patient buildup. Connolly says they'r...

There's been a fair amount of speculation as to whether or not Jacinda Ardern will quit her role as Prime Minister before the 2023 election. There's no official word as to whether or not Jacinda Ardern will step down, but it's generated plenty of discussion. Barry Soper, political editor, joined us today to point out that it may be bold to officially state that Jacinda Ardern will quit, but it's n...

Over in Australia, the new federal budget is set to be officially be revealed to the wider public. This budget announcement holds significance as the first Labour-backed budget in over a decade. Speculation indicates that the budget will take the public's mass spending in commodities into account, as more people are working and generating income tax. Aged care and healthcare are set to be big prio...

Ahead of 2023's Rugby World Cup, the All Blacks will play against South Africa in a test match in Twickenham. This test match will happen next August, two weeks before the 2023 World Cup is set to kick off. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained the significance of the test match and the appeal it held for fans here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Employment Court win for four New Zealand Uber drivers. First Union and E Tu sought declaration the drivers were employees- and entitled to things like the minimum wage, guaranteed hours, sick leave and the right to unionise. First Union's Anita Rosentreter says the court only has the power to declare them employees - but they hope that will bring wider change. She says the judge indicated ther...

Formal consultations began on Thursday aimed at giving Italy a new government within days, but feuding between right-wing campaign allies over Russia and Ukraine risks undermining the prospective governing coalition's pro-NATO, pro-Europe pledges. President Sergio Mattarella invited party leaders for talks at the Quirinal Palace before he gives a formal mandate to a premier-designate following the...

China has abruptly delayed the publication of key economic data, one day before its scheduled release, as the ruling Communist Party gathers at a major political meeting against the backdrop of a faltering economy. The country's National Bureau of Statistics updated its schedule on Monday, with the dates for a series of economic indicators -- including the closely-watched GDP growth -- marked as "...

The markets are breathing a sigh of relief as British Prime Minister Liz Truss calls it quits. Truss was in the job for only 44 days, making her the third to resign in as many years, and the shortest Prime Minister in history. Her tax cut plan proved to be her downfall, with the British economy tanking before rebounding after a dramatic U-turn earlier in the week. It's expected the markets will re...

Mainfreight says its estimated profit before tax has improved nearly 66 per cent to $301.7 million after 26 weeks of trading. Estimated revenue after 26 weeks trading had improved 32.5 per cent to $3.01 billion, the international transport and logistics company said in a market update during an investor day presentation. The NZX-listed company will post its half year results on November 10. It out...

This could be possibly the best pivot to come out of Covid – the most remarkable business case. And it works. Dunedin tourism operates Bex and Paul Tobin lost their income during the pandemic, so they got creative. They started offering a bus trip to Invercargill – a six-hour return trip. And it went off. Bex Tobin joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

Finally from 2024, we will have a nationwide public transport card, replacing regional varieties. An agreement's been struck with Auckland Transport, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Environment Canterbury, and ten smaller councils. The card will be called NTS. Which is not the snappiest of names, but who cares? But here's the even bigger news. If you don't have a card you can just jump on a b...

Our old friend the ozone hole is back. So slip, slop, slap and wrap will be even more important this summer due to climbing UV radiation levels. NIWA data says they're 5 percent higher on average than last year in Auckland and up to 10 percent higher over the last month. The Cancer Society is now calling for people to be extra cautious as a result. Cancer Society spokesperson Hazel Potterton joine...

British Prime Minister Liz Truss took office last month with hopes and promises of reinvigorating the British economy and putting it on the path to long-term success. It didn't go to plan. Instead, Truss’ tenure was scarred by turmoil as her economic policies threatened the country’s financial stability, driving the pound to record lows, sparking chaos on bond markets and increasing mortgage costs...

The Transport Minister says changes to the way Kiwis pay for public transport will help boost patronage. Michael Wood announced this morning that from 2024, people in some parts of the country will be able to pay for bus, ferry and train rides with an EFTPOS or credit card. There's been some criticism this is too long of a wait for many. But Wood told Andrew Dickens that's because there's a lot of...

A federal judge rejected a lawsuit brought by six Republican-led states challenging President Joe Biden's student debt relief program. US District Judge Henry Edward Autrey said Thursday he was dismissing the case because the states had not overcome the procedural threshold known as standing, which requires that plaintiffs show that a policy is causing them direct and traceable harm. Student loan...

Former Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard is challenging resigned former Labour MP Dr Gaurav Sharma to release the full recording of a prior conversation between the pair which Mallard claims will prove Sharma breached privilege. Sharma, who announced his shock resignation from Parliament on Tuesday, yesterday released a 54-second audio clip on social media of a conversation he'd had with Mallard...

The Sky Sport Breakers have crashed back down to earth after a thrashing from South East Melbourne Phoenix. The Phoenix scored 38 as they cruised to a 99-77 victory in Trusts Arena at in Waitakere last night. Meanwhile, it's a big weekend of sports ahead for New Zealand, but there might be a few dampeners on the weekend's entertainment. The Black Caps will hope to kick off their T20 World Cup agai...

As benefit numbers fall, the Green Party says keeping that support going is vital. There are more than 13,000 fewer people on a benefit compared to September last year. But the money being given out for one-off payments has increased to nearly $100 million dollars. Green Party Social Development spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March told Andrew Dickens we need to remember that people on benefits can...

Over in the UK, the current situation going on with the Government has been described as 'chaos'. Home secretary Suella Braverman has recently resigned, and multiple Labour MPs are claiming that Tory MPs were manhandling rebel MPs into voting with the Government on fracking bills. UK correspondent Enda Brady joined us to explain the situation and speculate that Liz Truss's days as Prime Minister w...

Most people believe it's a good time to buy a house, according to Trademe data out today. Meanwhile, the national median weekly rent increased by 7.5 per cent year on year, whereas inflation was 7.3 percent. Gavin Lloyd, Trademe's property sales director joined us to put this into context. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Groundswell protests happened today, where farmers across the country got in their vehicles and drove to New Zealand cities to spread a message. The farming community aren't happy with Jacinda Ardern and Labour's plan to tax methane emissions generated by farms and livestock. Jamie Mackay, host of The Country, joined us to talk about the turnout in rural communities and what the protest accomp...

Today's the 35th anniversary of Black Monday, the day in 1987 where the world experienced a brief, but violent stock market crash. The odds of a crash on this level happening again are extremely low, but we've had plenty of smaller-scale stock crashes happen since that day. New Zealand Herald business editor Liam Dann joined us to weigh up the risks of this happening again. LISTEN ABOVE See omnyst...