Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

University of California professor and political analyst Dan Schnur talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan on the realities of doing international trade with the US in Trump's America. He explained that leaders must remember that Trump is first-and-foremost a businessman. "The city of San Francisco ... when they were worried that the Trump administration was going to send the Department of Homeland Sec...

The woman at the centre of the Jevon McSkimming scandal has called for an inquiry into Police culture.  Commissioner Richard Chambers denied that the Police have culture issues. Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Heather du Plessis-Allan that although a lack of values was shown by the previous commissioner, "you also had four very senior police officers that stood up with bravery and stuck to...

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 2 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.

The big health news today is that the WHO is essentially calling for the funding of weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic for people who would otherwise not be able to afford it. So basically, make it not just for the rich, but for the poor as well. The WHO doesn't actually say governments should be the ones funding the drugs. An alternative interpretation of what they've said is that the peop...

The UK Government has announced plans to restrict the right to a jury trial in England and Wales to solve a backlog of 80,000 cases. Serious crimes like murder and rape will continue to be sent to jury trial, but minor crimes like shoplifting will be dealt with directly by a judge or magistrate.  UK Correspondent Edna Brady has seen the need for reform first hand. "I've spent three decades go...

Tonight on The Huddle host of Q&A and Saturday Mornings Jake Tame and Iron Duke Partners managing director Phil O'Reilly joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! New South Wales is considering a plan to halve the power and top speed of e-bikes after a rider died in a collision with a garbage truck. Are e-bikes and e-scooters too fast? The World Health Organiz...

Australia’s drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has added two new safety warnings about mental health and contraception  for people taking weightloss drugs. The TGA said that suicidal behaviour and ideation have been reported with these relatively new GLP-1 receptor agonists and, despite no proven causal association, they feel awareness and caution is needed.  Aus...

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper chats to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the Andrew Coster inquiry, and Tamatha Paul calling for the defunding of NZ Police. Soper denies Paul's concerns over race bias in arrests made by NZ Police. "I don't think there's racism in the Police at all," he said.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced the details on its plan for rates caps - councils will be capped at 4%. They will not be able to raise their rates by more than 4%, and the plan will start being implemented in a couple of years' time, sort of mid 27, and then will be fully in place by mid 2029. There will be exemptions to the rate cap. The high growth councils will be exempt from the cap. Council...

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday 1 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.

As expected, the Reserve Bank cut the OCR to 2.25% last week - but an unexpected side effect has been a lack of effect. The Reserve Bank announced that this would be the end of cuts, sending the wholesale market into a panic and, therefore, seeing no change in interest rates.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "my message to the banks is always the same, which is p...

Last weeks OCR cut brought hope of lower interest rates but the wholesale market seems to have been spooked by the Reserve Bank ruling out further cuts.  The term wholesale interest rates have jumped in response. ASB Chief Economist told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "we certainly put the the cost of wholesale borrowing up a bit higher as a result of this." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listene...

On Monday the Government announced an annual 2-4% rates cap range will be fully implemented by 2029. The cap applies to all rates, including general rates, targeted rates and uniform annual charges, but excludes water charges and other non-rates revenue like fees and charges. Local Government Minister Simon Watts told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "it's going to be tough Heather, but guess what, it's...

Over the last week four men have been arrested in Sydney for allegations of involvement in a Sydney-based international paedophile network. The network is said to distribute and facilitate child sex abuse material through a website administered internationally. This was uncovered in an investigation into the online distribution of child sexual abuse material involving ritualistic and Satanic theme...

A survey of more than 30,000 of New Zealand’s Year 10 students shows that the number of teens who vape regularly has dropped by half since it's peak in 2021.  The number of teenagers who vape on a daily basis has also dropped from “peak vape” of 10.1% in 2022, to 7.1%. Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O'Connor says he has noticed the shift but doesn't know what it can be attributed to. "I don'...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 28 November 2025, police have arrested more people in relation to a huge drug smuggling ring at Auckland Airport. A trial to only collect rubbish from Aucklanders every two weeks is off to a bad start. The council has revealed that almost 80% of the feedback has been negative. Consumer NZ has revealed the worst deals you can buy f...

I've reached the conclusion that when it comes to the banks and mortgage rates, the only option you've got left is to hustle. You're on your own here. It has been 2 days since the Reserve Bank cut the official cash rate, and by how much do you think the big banks have cut their fixed rates? No, not a jot. Not, not a single basis point. Absolutely nothing has come off their fixed rates. It's not pa...

A three-month long investigation has revealed that many of the offers available this Black Friday are not the bargain they may seem to be.  Consumer NZ conducted an investigation into Briscoes, Noel Leeming, Farmers and Harvey Norman, and found that customers could have picked up the same items at a similar or lower price over the three-month investigation.  Consumer NZ's Head of Researc...

Tonight on the Huddle: Sports Commentator Nicky Styris and NewstalkZB's own D'arcy Waldegrave join Heather duPlessis-Allan to discuss the latest sports news. NZ Cricket CEO Scott Weenink is in hot water over his stance on the proposed T20 league, will it cost him his job? The international Judo Federation has allowed Russian athletes to compete again, breaking away from many global sports organisa...

A new plan to make Auckland safer is being welcomed by the city's main business association.  Today Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown unveiled their action plan - including boosting outreach teams to connect rough sleepers with support, and a review of bylaws.  Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck told Heather du-Plessis Allan that the plan is broad.  She says...

A prediction we haven't seen the last of a transnational crime syndicate operating out of Auckland airport. Operation Matata's seen 43 arrests since February, including 20 border workers - allegedly involved with smuggling large quantities of meth and cocaine.  It's thought the group were exploiting baggage handlers at the airport.  Chair of the ministerial advisory group on organised cr...

Labour is hosting a conference in Auckland this weekend, with speculation rising around the potential for new policy announcements from the opposition.  And expelled Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris has called on Labour to show 'strategic restraint' in Māori electorates, as he believes it's the best way to unseat the current government.  Thomas Coughland told Heather duPlessis-Allan that i...

Aucklanders are strongly rejecting a proposed fortnightly rubbish collection trial in select suburbs. The six month trial would start in February, and involve 10-thousand homes in Te Atatu Peninsula, Panmure, Tamaki, Clendon Park and Weymouth. Of the more than five thousand submissions, 78 percent were opposed. Auckland Council's Waste Solutions General Manager Justine Haves told Heather du Plessi...

The UK’s embattled Labour Government has unveiled a tax-raising budget - after its full contents were leaked half an hour early. The plan's designed to lift economic growth and ease cost-of-living pressures. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Chancellor Rachel Reeves acknowledged ordinary people would have to pay more, and it's prompted backlash. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

There's growing concerns from experts about the risks surrounding AI investments. Investors believe AI is at risk of forming a stock market bubble, and some analysts are worried about the risks coming home to roost. Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.