Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Apprehension for a New Zealand-European Union trade deal don't bode well. The Prime Minister is heading to Brussels tomorrow after Nato meetings in Madrid, and will hold talks with EU trade negotiators. Despite discussions continuing for roughly four years, there's been no win yet. Democracy Project international analyst Geoffrey Miller told Heather du Plessis-Allan the rumours around the deal are...

Nick Kyrgios has been causing trouble again. In his first round victory over Britain’s Paul Judd, Kyrgios called a line judge a “snitch” and spat in the direction of rowdy spectators. Elsewhere, Serena Williams’ singles comeback was over very quickly. The 23-time Grand Slam winner found herself crashing out in the first round to French player Harmony Tan. Sportstalk host D’Arcy Waldegrave joined H...

The Government has today announced a new light rail project in Wellington from the city to Island Bay. The project has been costed at $7.4 billion. A new multipurpose tunnel under Mt Victoria is also being built with two lanes each for cars and public transport. Transport Minister Michael Wood joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Little has got to be having a laugh if he’s trying to pretend he didn’t know our health system was going to melt down like it is at the moment. Because that’s essentially what his office is trying to do.  They’re claiming they didn’t know about a letter that was sent a year ago warning of exactly this. In that letter, the DHBs asked the Government to fix the immigration system so they could...

Concerns for children having to grow up in emergency accommodation. Our newsroom has revealed the Government has spent over $1 billion on emergency housing since 2017. However, the waiting list continues to grow upwards of 27,000 people, with 8000 households currently living in temporary accommodation. Monte Cecilia Trust Chief Executive Bernie Smith told Heather du Plessis-Allan the children are...

Labour has doomed attempts to repeal Easter Trading laws before even reaching its first vote by forcing all its MPs to oppose. Labour, which has a parliamentary majority, is voting as a caucus on the issue, which other parties are treating as a "conscience" issue allowing politicians to make personal votes. The private members' bill, put forth by Act Party small business spokesman Chris Baillee, s...

A fiery Nick Kyrgios has narrowly survived a five-set scare as he battled through his first round match at Wimbledon. The Aussie tennis star beat Brit Paul Jubb 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, 7-6, 7-5 in a match that was more notable for his astonishing sprays at the umpire and a line judge than the tennis itself. Kyrgios branded the line judge a "snitch" who "has no fans" in the opening minutes of the highly-cha...

A new bombshell in the timeline of the US Capitol insurrection. Former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson has accused the former US President of trying to grab the steering wheel while he was being driven away from the scene. She's been testifying before a US congressional panel on the deadly riot. US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Heather du Plessis-Allan she's also made big claims about the rally...

The driver in the horror car crash that killed five teenagers has today been jailed for two and a half years. Tyreese Fleming has admitted to dangerous driving causing the deaths last August. NZ Herald reporter Kurt Bayer told Heather du Plessis Allan there was anger and heartbreak in the High Court public gallery in Timaru. “We heard harrowing and emotional victim impact statements which were rea...

It turns out that these stories of repeat burglaries are true. The latest crime stats from the Ministry of Justice show that more houses are being retargeted for burglaries nowadays. The chances of being burgled again are around 12 to 15 percent higher. Victoria University senior lecturer on criminology Trevor Bradley joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

The FTA agreements with the EU are going down to the wire. Jacinda Ardern and Trade Minister Damien O'Connor are in Europe to meet with EU leaders to secure a good deal. New Zealand already has a positive FTA with the UK, but the EU aren't offering us much of a great deal with dairy and meat. The Country host joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

King Salmon is closing down 3 of its 4 fish farms in Marlborough Sounds. Warming sea temperatures is the reason behind this, which have become a growing issue for the company for the past 4-5 years. Over the last few summers, sea temperatures off the New Zealand coast have been around 5 to 6 degrees warmer than normal. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie joined Heather du Plessis-Allan....

The World Bank is warning of a global economic slowdown. They say many countries are likely to face a recession. A forecast of global growth slowing to 2.9 percent has also been predicted by the World Bank, a drop of 1.2 percentage points from January. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The royal family is facing a row with YouTube after a video it says breaches the Cambridge family's privacy was viewed by tens of thousands of people despite attempts to block it. The video, which was viewed more than 20,000 times on Monday, shows the Duke of Cambridge confronting a photographer after he was filmed on a bike ride with his family near Sandringham, Norfolk. William, 40, is seen remo...

You now no longer need to be vaccinated to visit someone in prison. Corrections has changed its vaccine rules for jails. It's also confirmed that most prison workers soon won't be forced to be vaccinated, but they will have to wait a bit longer for that rule to change. Corrections Deputy National Commissioner Leigh Marsh joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for...

I think a lot of our charities need a good looking over today after the Family First decision. This stuff with Family First doesn’t matter. It’s nothing compared to what is really going on. I reckon the bigger problem with charities is actually how many of them are running businesses and not paying taxes? How is it we have big companies like Sanitarium making tens of millions of dollars in profits...

Simon O'Connor has apologised to his caucus for his Roe v Wade post. Whem facing the media for the first time since deleting the post, he denied being gagged by Christopher Luxon. The Waikato Expressway speed limit has been increased to 110 km/h. The new speed limits will apply to the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway scheduled to open in mid-July, as well as the remaining Hampton Downs,...

The arrival of a dangerous opioid in New Zealand's ignited calls for people to test their drugs. A dozen people in Wairarapa were taken to hospital after consuming fentanyl - likely sold as cocaine or meth. Preliminary tests confirm its fentanyl, although some samples are still being tested. The Drug Foundation's ordered 7000 extra fentanyl test strips, so people can check drugs at home. Chief exe...

From Wednesday July 13 the Waikato Expressway permanent speed limit will increase to 110km/h for a continuous 78km, from Hampton Downs to south of Cambridge. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency today announced the new 110km/h limit on the median divided four lane SH1 Waikato Expressway between Hampton Downs and Tamahere. The new speed limits will apply to the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway...

Family First says it's been deregistered as a charity, but not defeated. The Government and the Charities Board has removed charity status away after a Supreme Court case. It's because Family First's advocacy has been ruled unfair, unbalanced and disrespectful. Chief Executive Bob McCoskrie says other groups have opinions and have been able to keep their status. He told Heather du Plessis Allan th...

Tears welled in the eyes of Labour MPs Jamie Strange and Rino Tirikatene as they spoke of how their respective mothers were urged to have abortions while pregnant with them. The pair were defending their decisions in 2020 to vote against decriminalising abortion in Aotearoa, explaining how personal those decisions were for different people. They were two of nine Labour MPs who voted against the bi...

In a country of 25.5 million people, there are just one million vacant dwellings. Rising cost-of-living pressures have not only pushed Australia’s real estate and rental prices up, but the national vacancy rate is less than 10 per cent. That’s according to the 2021 Census, which has revealed while there were nearly one million new dwellings counted compared with 2016, just over one million of Aust...

Another All Black is out with Covid. Will Jordan is the latest player to get hit with the virus, joining the three coaches and two players already out of the first test. Captain Sam Cane says he might miss the second test as well with the 7-day isolation requirements. Another defeat snatched from the jaws of victory for the Black Caps. This time, England won by 7 wickets at Headingley in Leeds to...

Here’s another take on the Christchurch Stadium. Christchurch resident and former Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright reckons enough is enough when it comes to spending on the stadium. She reckons the Christchurch Stadium has become a giant money pit and it’s time to ditch the multi-use dream. Dr Jan Wright joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

One of the more expensive laundry detergents has been described as "worse than water" in a Consumer NZ test that found it didn't remove any stains. The tropical scented Re.stor Concentrated Laundry Detergent Sheets performed lower in recent tests than a water-only wash and landed the product on the Consumer NZ "do not buy" list. The other laundry liquids not to make the grade included budget brand...