Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

So, Fire and Emergency New Zealand has launched an investigation into the firefighter in the video with the Prime Minister. You’ll know what I’m talking about, you’ve probably seen it already. It’s been doing the rounds since Friday. It’s the video of the PM touring the devastation on the East Coast last week. As he’s walking back to a Defence Force helicopter, he stops to talk to a volunteer fire...

AA Insurance's decision to stop offering new home insurance policies in Westport due to flood risks has prompted discussion about the future of climate-based buyouts. There's been debate over whether the Government will fund buyouts for homeowners living in areas at risk for weather damage, with many experts ruling the move as unlikely.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis says there's a Natural H...

The head of a mineral extraction company says New Zealand's rich in some of these sought-after critical minerals.  New Zealand and the United States are reportedly discussing a 'non-binding' framework relating to critical minerals as the US looks to reduce reliance on China.  Geo40 CEO John Worth says there's silica, lithium and antimony to name a few.  "I think we're relatively sma...

An employment law expert says a firefighter who used an obscene gesture about the Prime Minister brought Fire and Emergency into disrepute.  A clip posted on social media shows Chris Luxon speaking with a person before heading towards a Defence Force helicopter. The volunteer firefighter then turns to the camera and makes an obscene gesture. Fire and Emergency is now investigating.  Empl...

The Education Minister says new nationwide school reporting will give teachers and parents clearer data on how students are performing. Nationally consistent assessments in reading, writing and maths will roll out this year, with students ranked against one of five progress indicators twice a year. Erica Stanford says parent reports already exist - but they’re inconsistent across schools. "You get...

There'll be a wait until we learn the outcome of today's court case between expelled Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and her former party. The High Court at Wellington today heard arguments relating to the MP's expulsion from the party last year, which followed allegations she misused party funds. Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths says Kapa-Kingi's lawyers suggest the party was...

A change in student progress reports, with schools now required to give parents more clearer information about how their child is progressing. Nationally consistent assessment and reporting will be implemented in primary and intermediate schools for the first time this year. The new system replaces a 20-year-old framework and provides parents of Years 0-to-10 students with progress markers and twi...

Over in Australia,  the former Coalition parties are trying to get their numbers back up amid ongoing leadership struggles. Support for Pauline Hanson's One Nation party is growing, while support for the Liberal Party and Nationals has continued to drop. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is looking to make some changes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/...

Teenage running sensation Sam Ruthe is confident his record-breaking mile in Boston only marks the beginning of his capability. The 16-year-old's broken Sir John Walker's overall national mark by two tenths of a second with a three minute 48.88 dash indoors. Ruthe races again in North Carolina this weekend. Sportstalk host Jason Pine speculated about Ruthe's athletic future. LISTEN ABOVE See omnys...

Running phenom Sam Ruthe set another middle distance record - and there's belief it could go deeper than good genetics. The 16-year-old broke Sir John Walker's overall national mile mark set at Oslo in 1982 at an indoor meet in Boston. Ruthe's grandfather, Trevor Wright, is also a skilled runner, but he says genetics only contribute to a small part of the teen's success. "I put it down to dedicati...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 30 January, 2026, police say they're drawing a line on protests across the Auckland Harbour Bridge. A Westport life-time resident and real estate agent tells us about the struggle to get house insurance. Why a company that sells dung beetles to clean up water on farms is in trouble. And on the Sports Huddle, Paul Allison and Darcy...

Now, listen — I think it’s a little early in the year to be making too many predictions about election year. But having said that, I do think there is a very strong chance that Winston Peters might be the story of the year. If he carries on the way he is in the polls, he could well be in the double digits — well into the double digits — by the time November’s election rolls around. He’s already si...

The stench emitting from a faulty wastewater treatment plant in Christchurch has gotten worse in recent weeks.  The smell, nicknamed, 'The Big Stink,' has been affecting Bromley for nearly 4 years, resulting in locals having to check wind direction before socialising outside or hanging washing.  Community Advocate Stephen McPaike told Heather du Plessis-Allan that, 'It's just as bad as w...

Tough times in the dung beetle business have prompted a call for a dump of funding from the  Government. Dung Beetle Innovations was launched in 2014 in Auckland's Whenuapai.  Co-Founder Shaun Forgie says the dung beetles can be used to clear manure from farms, preventing it from sliding into rivers.  He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that his sector receiving funding will benefit ot...

An international relations expert says it would've been hypocritical for New Zealand to sit on Donald Trump's peace board.   The  Prime Minister and Foreign Minister announced this morning that New Zealand won't be accepting Trump's invitation to join the board.  The denial comes days after the Government signalled it was considering the offer.  Otago University Professor Rober...

Brian Tamaki says he is still planning to protest by walking across Auckland's harbour Bridge tomorrow despite a police promise to stop it. He's urging crowds to meet him at Victoria Park in the central city tomorrow for a protest in opposition to the COVID-19 restrictions. Police Superintendent Naila Hassan told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the police are unsure if the march will actually go ahe...

According to Westport residents the AA insurance announcement yesterday is not the start of their troubles at all. They've been having trouble with insurance for ages even before AA decided to stop issuing new cover. Westport resident Glenys Elley told Heather du Plessis-Allan that, "Even if a company has a policy, it doesn't guarantee that they will continue that policy on." She says that some pe...

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing today. The two leaders met to repair relations between the nations, as it's been over 8 years since a UK Prime Minister visited China. UK correspondent Enda Brady says concerns were raised before the visit, but the meeting appeared to go smoothly. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meta and Microsoft are among the big tech companies that just released their quarterly results after the stock market closed, and there's more results to come. Meta shares were up 9 percent, but Microsoft stock was down about 5 percent. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds unpacked the data further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The storm that lashed Canterbury, Otago and Southland with severe winds in October has resulted in the second-most claims for an event in rural insurer FMG’s 120-year history. New Zealand’s largest rural insurer has already paid out $20 million, but expects that figure to rise to about $50 million. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

Tonight on The Huddle, Thomas Scrimgeour from the Maxim Institute and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Winston Peters has raised concerns with the Government's new trade agreement with India, and he's claimed the agreement will see more migrants taking jobs off Kiwis. What do we make of this?  AA Insurance has paused new policie...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 29 January, 2026, a major insurer's put a halt on new home policies in Westport because of the flood risk - is it temporary or permanent? Why your morning school run is the most dangerous time of the day on the roads. We talk to investor and influencer Simon Squibb about making Kiwis' dreams come true - and learn about the Pink...

Simon Squibb has always been committed to encouraging people to fulfil their dreams, and as a multi-millionaire entrepreneur, he's in a position to make real change.  He's invested in startups, used his professional insight to write a book - What’s Your Dream? Find Your Passion. Love Your Work. Build a Richer Life -  and he's committed to inspiring people to take risks. Squibb's in New Z...

The thing we’d been warned about with climate change has now happened - AA Insurance has stopped offering new insurance policies for Westport because of the risk of flooding. At the very end of last year, AA Insurance wrote to the Buller District mayor advising that the company would be putting a - what they call temporary - stop to new insurance policies for properties in the 7825 postcode, which...

Winston Peters claims our proposed trade agreement with India would let visa holders bring family members with them.  The Trade Minister denies the FTA could allow 20,000 to 25,000 more immigrant arrivals. Peters says Todd McClay admitted the loophole himself to a select committee.   "He had to concede that there were those people who had the right to bring their spouses and their childr...