Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 5 March, 2026, we ask Transport Minister Chris Bishop why the government's looking at scrapping the clean car standard altogether. A Gisborne farmer tells us why he's got a beef with changes to the rural school bus service. Black Cap Cole McConchie on what it was like having a front-row seat to Finn Allen's blistering century -...

So the latest climate drama involving this Government is that they’re being accused of lining up to scrap the Clean Car Standards altogether. And I would say to the EV lobby group pushing this line that they may want to just settle down. Even those of us -and I’m looking straight at myself here - who want to see the standards dropped altogether do not think it’s going to happen. That would take po...

People will have to pay with cash after a Trade Me sale if they want to avoid a fee. The company's removing its 7.9 percent 'success fee' for casual selling - keeping only a small service fee. Along with Afterpay and cash, Trade Me uses its own payment system, Ping - taking just over two percent from every sale.  Trade Me’s Head of Marketplace Lisa Stewart says bank transfers will now be agai...

The Black Caps have been launched into the T20 World Cup final, and the Kiwi side's thrilled. New Zealand have thrashed previously unbeaten South Africa by nine wickets in the first semifinal, with Finn Allen smashing 100 not out from 33 balls. Black Caps player Cole McConchie says Allen gave a 'world-class' performance. "That was some innings, he had to put out a performance like that in a semi-f...

The Minister for Transport says scrapping the Clean Car Standard's being considered.  The standard imposes fees on importers bringing high emitting vehicles into the country. A Transport Ministry-led review recently involved consultations with the vehicle industry, where they were asked for their thoughts on possible abolishment.  Chris Bishop says this type of review, by definition, mus...

Young men are increasingly the focus of our security agencies - as they're captured by extremist content online.  That's according to the boss of the Security Intelligence Service, who fronted MPs at Parliament yesterday.  Massey University Senior Fellow at the Centre for Defence and Security Studies, John Battersby, says many of those being radicalised are isolated.  "I think we're...

It's still unclear when our Defence Force will be able to evacuate New Zealanders out of war-afflicted areas in the Middle East. Kiwis there are being urged to alert SafeTravel, with 3000 already registered in the region. Defence Minister Judith Collins says our planes will leave in the coming days and will take people to safer nearby areas, when conditions allow. She says they're prepared to take...

Broadcasting minister Paul Goldsmith says he may have' grunted' at TVNZ's board chair after Andrew Barclay raised a crime story with him. Goldsmith was quizzed about the exchange by Labour's Reuben Davidson in Question Time on Thursday afternoon. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney joined his Australian counterpart to call for international co-operation following 'consecutive crises'.  Carney says Canada and Australia should work together as 'strategic cousins' and team up to boost  sovereign capabilities including in the areas of critical minerals, defence and AI. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Carney called for small...

The Black Caps have reaped the rewards of preparation at cricket's T20 World Cup, reaching their second final at the tournament. That came courtesy of the fastest century in the tournament's history. Finn Allen's 100 not out off 33 balls resulted after an opening stand of 117 in 9.1 overs with Tim Seifert, who also took 33 deliveries to make 58. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave recapped the actio...

Concerns have been raised in Gisborne, where rural school bus routes have been altered or cut. Over 100 Gisborne students could be affected by these changes, and parents are calling for a new solution to be found. Gisborne farmer Toby Williams says parents in these rural areas won't be able to get their kids to school efficiently anymore.  "For me, that'd be a hour journey each way to get the...

The UK Government is bolstering air defences and deploying  a Royal Navy warship to the eastern Mediterranean to improve security in Cyprus. This comes a day after runway of the British air base in Cyprus, RAF Akrotiri, was hit by a drone, prompting security concerns. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A record portion of new bank lending to first-home buyers is going to those with small deposits. More than half of the $1.1 billion lent to first-home buyers in January went to borrowers with deposits of less than 20 percent, according to the latest Reserve Bank figures. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

There's been growing concerns about what the ongoing crisis in the Middle East could do for petrol prices. There's fears Kiwi motorists will soon pay the price at the pump over the escalating conflict, and retailers have been warned not to take advantage of the conflict.  Milford Asset Management expert Jeremy Hutton explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

The Independent Children's Monitor says Oranga Tamariki still isn't measuring up to national care standards. The percent of young people in OT care suffering abuse has increased from 8 percent to 10 percent in the year to July last year.  The report says a third of those in care aren't seeing social workers enough and only 11 percent had been given an assessment of their life skills. Independ...

Auckland's mayor's adamant he won't be drawing up housing maps and plans for the Minister just yet.  Housing Minister Chris Bishop's recently backed down on Auckland’s housing density plans, cutting the city’s theoretical capacity from two million homes to 1.6 million. He's asked Auckland Council to send an updated summary on provisional zoning changes by March 17. But mayor Wayne Brown says...

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 4 March. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The man appointed today as the coach to take the All Blacks to next year's Rugby World Cup is Dave Rennie. And he's got his work cut out for him.  He can’t start fulltime with the All Blacks until June - he has to finish his contract in Japan first. That wraps up in May, which means there’s a very tight turnaround before the first test against the French in early July. Then he’s got the Itali...

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Dave Rennie has been confirmed as the new head coach of the All Blacks. What do we think of this? Do we think this was the right choice? US and Israeli forces have killed close to 800 people in Iran, struck about 2000 Iranian targets and d...

The Dave Rennie era is upon the All Blacks, and the new head coach is determined to make some tactical shifts for the All Blacks ahead of their upcoming matches. The pressure's on for Rennie to make a difference, with 122 days to go until his first test against France in Christchurch. Former All Black and Sky Sport commentator, Jeff Wilson, says Rennie's contract lasts until the end of the men's R...

One of Australia's biggest radio shows has come to an explosive end after an infamous on-air spat. Kyle Sandilands and Jacqueline ‘Jackie O’ Henderson will no longer present the KIIS FM breakfast program together after Sandilands berated Henderson during a live broadcast last week.  TV producer and host of The Beefing podcast, Alexandria Funnell, is questioning why this particular incident en...

Top-tier experience and a systematic approach to rugby have won Dave Rennie the All Blacks' head coach job. After nine years offshore, the former Chiefs mentor will return home - appointed Scott Robertson's successor. New Zealand Rugby chair David Kirk has outlined what ultimately gave Rennie the edge. "The game is very global at the moment, innovation's coming from lots of different parts of the...

There's growing speculation as Labour appears to be mulling over their Reserve Bank policy ahead of the election.  The previous Labour Government changed the bank's remit, ordering it to focus on keeping inflation low - and ensuring maximum employment.  The current Government scrapped the changes. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan explained what Labour finance spokesperson Barba...

An escalating war is shaking the entire Middle East, with no sign of easing. US and Israeli forces have bombed more than 2000 targets and killed close to 800 people in Iran, since first launching attacks on Saturday.  Iran's retaliated with drone attacks US infrastructure in surrounding Gulf States. The UK, France and Greece are strengthening capabilities around Cyprus, where a British air ba...

New All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has no doubt New Zealand can win next year's Rugby World Cup in Australia. The two-time Super Rugby-winning coach is taking over from Scott Robertson less than a year and a half before the showpiece tournament. Rennie says it will take a power of work and alignment in a short amount of time, but the All Blacks have the goods. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave...