Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has now left Taiwan after a controversial stop in Taipei which enraged China. China has now been firing missiles near Taiwan as a result of the trip in what's being called a "live fire training mission". Asia business correspondent Peter Lewis joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian Tamaki, as we know, is planning another protest tomorrow which starts in the Auckland Domain. Protests that start there generally have a tendency to spill over into Newmarket. This especially angers the local business association. Newmarket Business Association CEO Mark Knoff-Thomas joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ian Foster could be out if the All Blacks lose both games in South Africa. An exclusive from the Herald found a meeting between Foster and Mark Robinson and Chris Lendrum, where Foster could go if they don't win one game. One of the changes he laid out in the meeting was axing John Plumtree and Brad Mooar, and bringing in Jason Ryan. Lewis Clareburt just gets better and better. Clareburt won his t...

It's pretty high stakes for Ian Foster for the All Blacks in South Africa. If Foster doesn't win at least one game, he's gone. But the question is whether the All Blacks have the capability to turn it around after the series loss to Ireland. Kiwi-born former Springbok Kevin Putt joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The growth of print books is matching the growth of e-books. The latest book industry report shows paperbacks still accounts for 90 percent of the market. Publishers Association of New Zealand president Graham Cosslett told Heather du Plessis-Allan the report covers bookshops and exports. There's also been a growth in Maori language books. “We've seen in the last year a 40 percent year on growth o...

Kiwi sprinter Eddie Osei-Nketia might've won a Commonwealth Games silver medal if he'd been allowed to go to the Games. This is according to his coach who says Athletics NZ qualification standards are too high. His coach Gary Henley-Smith joined Heather du-Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All eyes will be on Chris Luxon going into his first National Party Conference as party leader. However, it hasn't been a good week for the National Party, with doubts from commentators on his leadership. And the Party President role is up for grabs, with Peter Goodfellow stepping down. It also wasn't a good week for James Shaw. Shaw was the only candidate named for their leadership contest, there...

The boss of Wellington Water accepts more money's needed to fix the city's pipes. It comes amid reports severe water restrictions could be in force this summer largely due to leaks. That may include total residential outdoor water bans. Colin Crampton told Heather Du Plessis-Allan they're fixing water leaks as quickly as they can - but the number is increasing. He says they need some big cash. “At...

A Texas jury has ordered conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay more than US$4 million ($6.35M) in compensatory damages to the parents of a 6-year-old boy who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. Today marks the first time the Infowars host has been held financially liable for repeatedly claiming the deadliest school shooting in US history was a hoax. The Austin jury must still...

The All Blacks head into the first test against South Africa on the back of multiple changes to the team. Caleb Clarke is returning on the pitch, but off the pitch, Jason Ryan has come in to the team with John Plumtree and Brad Mooar out. And in the Commonwealth Games, Tom Walsh has said Jacko Gill may challenge him in the shotput. The Black Sticks Women are also taking on England in the hockey se...

There will be some firefighters on deck to dampen flames when union members strike later this month. All members of the Professional Firefighters Union will walk off the job for an hour on August 19, and again the following week.  They want improved working conditions, better maintenance of equipment and higher wages. Professional Firefighter Union's Wattie Watson told Heather du Plessis-Allan FEN...

If you want to watch ratepayers completely ignore and defy their council, watch the water drama in Wellington unfold. Wellington - as you know - has major water issues.  There are pipes busting in the centre of the city on a regular basis. On the street that I live, we have a regular leak. It plays out like this: The leak starts. We call the council. Nothing happens. Us neighbours talk to each and...

What's going on with National's tax policy? Labour has been raising questions over whether National is going to stick to the policy of indexing the income tax threshold. National MP Chris Bishop joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to explain. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neale Jones and David Farrar joined Heather du Plessis-Allan on The Huddle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just one Accredited Employer Work Visa has been processed in the month since the category opened. The National Party has got hold of a leaked Immigration New Zealand paper, and the Party's calling the log-jam disastrous. Applicants must submit a job-check to obtain the visa - showing the employer couldn't fill the role with a New Zealand worker. Since job-checks opened six weeks ago, three-thousan...

The Government hopes the Commerce Commission drafts report on building supplies will be the first step towards greater competition. It's found it's too difficult for innovative products to enter the market and expand their share of it. Submissions from the public will be open until September, the final report will be delivered in December. Housing Minister Megan Woods says it's the beginning of a...

A counter-protest supporting democracy is planned to go head-to-head with a rally led by Brian Tamaki's Freedoms & Rights Coalition in Auckland this weekend. Counter protest organiser Mark Graham said it was a spur of the moment decision to show up and "save the nation's democracy". "The coalition and Brian Tamaki are not calling for freedom and rights, they want things to be done the way they...

The Department of Conservation has been forced to issue a warning to visitors to national parks after staff found Aucklanders carrying pet cats up Mt Taranaki in backpacks. The extraordinary alert was prompted by a bizarre feline incident but a spokesman said cats are not the only animals straying into some of our most pristine wilderness. DoC senior ranger Dave Rogers said staff saw the cats, who...

Newstalk ZB Political Editor joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. On the agenda was the cost of living payment, today's unemployment figure and Nanaia Mahuta copping criticism over claims councils will continue to own infrastructure in the Three Waters reform. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We now have a got a long-term strategy on how New Zealand will deal with the impacts of climate change. It says climate resilience will be embedded in all government policies from now on. It talks about how entire towns and communities will likely need to abandoned due to climate change - and laws on how to guide that will need to be in place by the end of next year. Questions have been asked as t...

New research has found that gambling is more common in New Zealand’s most deprived communities. According to DOT Loves Data, the poorest ten percent of the country spend almost three times as much on gambling as the richest ten per cent. Pokie machines are also almost ten times as common in deprived areas, and the Problem Gambling Foundation says this causes a lot of harm. Peter Dengate-Thrush is...

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meeting leaders in Taiwan despite warnings from China, said Wednesday that she and other members of Congress in a visiting delegation are showing they will not abandon their commitment to the self-governing island. "Today the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy," she said in a short speech during a meeting with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen. "Ame...

Tiger Woods turned down an offer worth approximately US$700-$800 million to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series, according to the tour's CEO Greg Norman. During an interview on Fox News that aired on Monday, former world No. 1 Norman was asked by Tucker Carlson if it was true that Woods was offered $700-$800 million to join the LIV Golf series. "That number was out there before I became CEO," No...

A top historian believes the Alexander Turnbull Library has another fake on its hands. Paul Moon has been researching British painter Augustus Eearle, who painted scenes of Māori life when visiting New Zealand in 1827. He thinks a painting held by the library called against truth is a forgery. Paul Moon joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Africa is planning to tell the world in three months that they want to start drilling for their vast reserves of oil and gas  Never mind the climate, they need the resources. The Guardian is reporting that the leaders of African countries are planning to make the announcement at COP27, the global climate change meeting in November in Egypt.  If they do this, it apparently makes it close to impossi...