Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Twenty Sydney beaches have been closed indefinitely, following a third shark attack within 24 hours.  A surfer is in a critical condition with serious leg injuries, after being bitten at North Steyne Beach at Manly in Sydney's north last night. It happened a matter of hours after an 11-year-old surfer had his board bitten by a shark a few kilometres away at Dee Why - and a 13-year-old boy was...

The rumour mill's been in overdrive after Scott Robertson was stood down as All Blacks coach two years into a four-year contract. Jamie Joseph has emerged as the front-runner to step in, but speculation is still growing over who else could be picked for the role. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacks the rumours further.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some schools are scrambling to fill teaching positions before term one. About 450 teaching and principal roles remain vacant - 12 percent more than this time last year. About 75 percent are in the North Island, with 125 in Auckland. The principal of Auckland's Northcote College, Vicki Barrie, says they’ll likely start the year with gaps in carpentry and Māori studies. "We've got some flexibility w...

At least 39 people died and at least 170 more were injured following a deadly train collision near Cordoba in southern Spain. Investigations are ongoing into the extent of the damage, with more still to be recovered. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the train travelling to north to Madrid, partly derailed just over an hour into its journey, hitting an oncoming train.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystu...

US President Donald Trump has warned eight European countries he'll impose and hike tariffs - unless he can take over Danish autonomous territory, Greenland.  Global leaders have held meetings in a bid to address the trans-Atlantic conflict. Harbour Asset Management expert Shane Solly explained the economic impacts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing concerns in the world of air travel, as New Zealand currently lacks a 24/7 backup airport. Ohakea Airbase originally filled that gap, but it hasn't returned to full operation since the Covid-19 pandemic. Board of Airline Representatives NZ executive director Cath O'Brien explained why changes need to be made. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The 2026 election season is starting to get underway, and Prime Minister delivered his State of the Nation speech. What did we make of it? Did we feel inspired?  It's likely we'll find out the election date this week, when do w...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 19 January 2026, the Prime Minister has given his State of the Nation speech but the business community is yet to be convinced. Auckland Chamber of Commerce CEO Simon Bridges tells Ryan Bridge what was missing from the speech. A North Auckland community is calling for action after their rockpools have been stripped of sea life. Fi...

It is election year, of course, and I reckon we should get this thing over and done with quickly. Let's rip the band-aid off - Luxon should go to the polls early. The argument's always been - and we talked about this a lot last year -  that they should wait till November, go late, let the economy recover. Make sure people feel the recovery and not just hear about it and read about it in the n...

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has outlined her goals for the new year, as the Government prepares for the upcoming 2026 election. Willis is hoping Kiwi voters will see the benefits of re-electing a National-led Government so that they can feel rewarded for their hard work. She says the economy grew as a whole last year, and voters can hope to see more in 2026. "So we see more job creation, more o...

Thousands of blue collar and working class New Zealanders have expressed clear disapproval for this Government.  The Council of Trade Unions' Mood of the Workforce survey this month asked more than 3500 people about the past year. More than 90 percent rated the Government performance at one - or two - out of five.  CTU President Sandra Grey says people feel exceptionally let down by the...

Chocolate products could be in for a shake-up, as manufacturers race to develop cocoa alternatives. A Rabobank report shows food companies are looking into new technologies to substitute traditional beans. Climate-related pressures are driving up global cocoa prices, and disrupting supply chains. RaboResearch analyst Paul Joules says companies will look into fermenting plants like oats and seeds f...

New drug data shows a fall in the cost of methamphetamine seems to relate to increased consumption. The New Zealand Drug Trends Survey reveals a gram cost about $334 last year - compared to $563 in 2017.  Over the same period, the proportion of respondents using the drug every week rose from 27 percent to 57. Massey University drug researcher Chris Wilkins says that like with any commodity, p...

Criticism over a lack of detail - as the Prime Minister delivered his State of the Nation address to business leaders in Auckland today at the International Convention Centre's first event. Chris Luxon says two years of hard work by Government and business owners will pay off this year, with more jobs and growing incomes.  Business Chamber head, Simon Bridges, says he'd have liked more vision...

The Prime Minister says voters shouldn't expect any big election promises this year, as the Government looks to keep the books in order. Chris Luxon's given his State of the Nation speech in Auckland before 600 business leaders. Luxon declared the economic recovery is here, and pointed to Kiwisaver, RMA and education reforms as this year's policy planks. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan...

Over in Australia, new polls indicate Pauline Hanson is gaining political momentum. A recent Newspoll claims One Nation’s primary vote has risen seven points to 22 per cent over the past two months, raising questions from experts. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Hanson's overtaken the Coalition on primary votes, according to new data.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

Scott Robertson's axing as All Blacks coach has prompted speculation about who will replace him in the top job. Robertson was relieved of his duties two years into a four-year contract, following a scathing review that found multiple frailties within the team and reports of player unrest. Sportstalk host Jason Pine weighed in on what we know so far, and addressed the rumours that Jamie Joseph &nbs...

There's hopes the Government will slap a two-year ban on collecting shellfish and marine life from rockpools on Auckland's Whangaparāoa Peninsula.  Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says he's seeking advice on protecting the area.  Protect Whangaparāoa Rockpools founder, Mark Lenton, says there's been an increase in people removing sea life from the area over the last couple of y...

First of all, can I start by offering an apology to TVNZ? I gave them a bit of grief last night for starting the news bulletin with the peaches, but it turns out I was wrong and they were right. This has sparked a flurry of debate over whether we prefer our Wattie's peaches from Hawke's Bay or whether we don't really care if it comes from China or not.  It's also prompted a statement fro...

Let's talk about this business with the pension age. Chris Luxon has said twice today that he wants the pension age to go up to 67. He said it once on Kerre’s show this morning, and then at a post-Budget lunch speaking to business leaders, he repeated it and he told them that this is basically going to be election policy for National next year. Now, regardless of how you may feel about this, I mea...

'Rotten, corrupt': Tiki Taane takes aim at Spotify as Kiwi artists boycott platform Many of New Zealand's biggest musicians are boycotting Spotify and ditching the platform amid accusations of exploitation. Tiki Taane and The Bats are among the big names getting behind Boycott Spotify NZ and other Kiwi bands like Carb on Carb, Synthetic Children and Recitals have signed the statement calling for b...

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! There's growing calls to scrap NCEA - and the Government is looking to make some changes to the qualification. What do we make of this? Coldplay's Chris Martin is now warning adulterers to disentangle before the kiss cam comes on. W...

In November China's economy showed clear signs of strain as investment, consumption, and industrial output all weakened more than anticipated.  "I think the most worrying thing is fixed asset investment actually, which has now declined for the 3rd month in a row," Asia business correspondent Peter Lewis told Andrew Dickens "We've never seen that before." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listen...

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 19 December. 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.

France has sentenced a doctor to death after he poisoned 30 patients, killing 12. The EU has agreed to provide Ukraine more money after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged leaders to use frozen Russian assets to fund Kyiv. But, the money may not be enough. "Bit by bit it's getting worse and worse for Ukraine, no matter what support they've got," Gavin Grey told Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABO...