Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Former Defence Minister Ron Mark says if Dominic Abelen's body is with the Russians, it's not pleasant to think about what they could do with it. The New Zealand soldier was on leave from the Defence Force when killed fighting in Ukraine. Mr Mark told Heather du Plessis-Allan from reports he's read, Mr Abelen fought like a lion, saving fellow troops and killing some they were fighting against. Mar...

Christchurch locals are upset a suburban lake has turned lime-green. Water in the pond at Te Korari and Te Rito Streets is covered with a bright green film, but the council has no plans to get rid of it. Residents have now asked local representatives to look into it. Burwood council candidate Kelly Barber told Heather Du Plessis-Allan the lake's condition has deteriorated over the last few years....

Countdown workers say body cameras for staff aren't a silver bullet. The supermarket giant is considering trialling them to discourage verbal and physical abuse from customers. Video and audio from team safety cameras can be legally gathered by the company from tomorrow. First Union retail secretary Ben Peterson told Heather du Plessis Allan they're open to experimenting, but want effective soluti...

Fixed term mortgage rates may already have peaked according to Kiwibank's latest forecasts. It also says the Reserve Bank may start lowering interest rates in the second half of next year. Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philanthropist Sir Ray Avery is packing his bags for Australia. He says he's sick of the tall poppy syndrome here, whereas Australians hold their high achievers in high regard. He also claims the Government refused to listen to his ideas on how to make New Zealand a better place. NZME Business Commentator Fran O'Sullivan joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand is shutting out the public from its monthly board meetings. Chair Rob Campbell has defended the decision, saying the former DHBs were required by legislation to have open meetings but also had private ones. Jan Tinetti has hinted at changes to how kids are taught how to read. Appearing on TVNZ's Q+A, she made clear her support of reverting back to phonics (sounding...

Industrial action in the UK may get even worse this summer. Belgium's energy minister is warning the EU of "terrible winters" if there is no price cap on gas. Enquiries into building solar panels have risen as energy bills soar. UK correspondent Gavin Grey joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New screening measures have been launched ahead of the second cost of living payment. The next $116 payment is due out on Thursday. The Auditor-General says the payment should have been rolled out more carefully to stop ineligible people living overseas getting it again. 31,000 people won't get the second payment until they confirm they're in New Zealand. Finance Minister Grant Robertson told Heat...

If Jan Tinetti changes the way we teach kids to read in the way she's hinting she might do, I will rate her as one of the most important ministers in this Government, just for doing the right thing and for the consequence of that. We’ve been having a debate for years now about what the heck is going wrong with our kids’ ability to read in this country. It used to be that Kiwi kids led the world in...

Former Speaker Trevor Mallard has said he would accept a knighthood if offered one despite his republican leanings. He made the comments in an interview over the weekend when discussing his appointment to Dublin, but Ardern would not say if he would be offered one. The Government has tightened up on the cost of living payments. Ahead of the second payment, Revenue Minister David Parker made change...

Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand chair Rob Campbell is calling complaints over meetings a storm in a teacup. The new centralised health agency is shutting the public out of its monthly board meeting. Campbell says it's not a DHB. He says the former Heath Boards were required by legislation to have open meetings but also had private ones. Campbell told Heather du Plessis-Allan creating access on a n...

An Auckland principal says a pedestrian crossing outside his school is so dangerous he's had to leap onto the road to stop students from getting hit. He's had to take students off road patrol duty and has appealed to Auckland Transport for help. Glenavon School Principal John Hunte joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pressure is on All Blacks coach Ian Foster again. The NZR board had unanimously decided to keep him until the 2023 Rugby World Cup as announced in a press conference two weeks ago. It came after the team beat the Springboks 35-23 in Johannesburg, but since then the All Blacks followed it up by losing to Argentina 25-18 on Saturday. Sky Sport rugby commentator Tony Johnson joined Heather du Ple...

Questions over where the All Blacks go from here after Saturday's defeat to Argentina. The All Blacks go to next weekend's test in Hamilton having dropped back into fifth on the World Rugby rankings. There has also been harsh criticism of the NZR board over their decision to keep Ian Foster until the 2023 World Cup, despite winning 2 of the last 8 tests. The NZR board unanimously decided to keep F...

KEY POINTS: Group of ex-Gloriavale women claiming they were subjected to life of servitude Women seeking ruling in Employment Court that they were not volunteers Case follows similar proceedings by group of ex-Gloriavale men earlier in 2022 Court to hear "scandalous" evidence of forced labour and "abuse" at Christian community The first woman in a group of Gloriavale leavers claiming they were sub...

Sydneysiders are being told they need to change the way they live under a radical new plan to decarbonise the nation’s most populous city. Petrol and diesel cars would be banned in just five years' time and there should be no new gas connections to buildings across the city, a Committee for Sydney proposal suggests. Under the plan, gas connections would be phased out from 2035 and there should be...

Transporting NZ is quietly confident the Government will extend fuel tax relief past January. A litre of diesel is just nine cents a litre cheaper than regular petrol at the moment. New Zealanders have been saving around $276 a week on a 40-litre tank since the tax pause was introduced in April. CEO Nick Leggett told Heather du Plessis-Allan fuel needs to be kept low at the moment. “For us to tran...

One of the country's most well known philanthropists is packing his bags, and leaving for Australia. Sir Ray Avery is ditching New Zealand as he's says he's sick of the tall poppy syndrome, and claims the Government refused to listen to his ideas on how to make the country a better place. He says that's what tends to happen in New Zealand, people tend to break down people who stand up above the pa...

There's no way of knowing how many New Zealand veterans may be fighting in Ukraine. Soldier Dominic Abelen was on leave without pay and not on active duty - when killed in a firefight trying to re-take an enemy trench. The 30-year-old had been fighting with Ukraine's International Legion in the east of the war-torn country. No Duff veteran's trust co-founder Aaron Wood told Heather du Plessis-Alla...

Christchurch City Council has voted to release a controversial draft transport plan to public view. Councillor Aaron Keown and mayoral hopeful Phil Mauger led the bid for its release. It's against the wishes of staff, who feared public release would see its proposals for congestion charges and road tolls taken out of context. Draft developer, councillor Mike Davidson told Heather du Plessis-Allan...

The US earning season is in its busiest week, with the likes of tech giants Microsoft, Apple and Amazon announcing results. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds says we're at a critical juncture and he joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do we want a big country or not? That's the question the Reserve Bank is posing. It comes as data shows there are now two job vacancies per unemployed person and the Government being set to respond to the Productivity Commission's report on immigration. Sense Partners economist Kirdan Lees believes if the Government essentially stepped aside, then firms and households could increase our population...

The latest government move to try and bring down prices at the supermarket checkout has been announced. It will force Countdown and Foodstuffs to sell groceries to rival retailers at regulated prices - if they fail to supply them on the wholesale market "adequately." This rule change wasn't recommended by the commerce commission and questions have been asked as to whether it will actually make a d...

Almost half of all Māori tamariki taken into state care would go on to become adult inmates, a new report has revealed. The report, tabled at the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry today, also highlighted that one out of every three children and young people placed in residential care by the state went on to serve a prison sentence later in life. The report outlined a significant disparity...

Concerns the US is bungling its Monkeypox outbreak. It has 15,000 - and the disease is ripping through cities like San Francisco. 99 percent are in men who have sex with other men. US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Heather du Plessis-Allan health experts are worried not enough preparations are being made. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.