Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The White Ferns' ODI Cricket World Cup campaign gets underway tonight as they confront defending champions Australia in Indore. Central Hinds’ Flora Devonshire, Otago Sparks’ Polly Inglis and Bella James and Auckland Hearts’ Bree Illing will all make their World Cup debuts in the tournament. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave speaks ahead of tonight's clash. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener...

Fire and Emergency's new trucks don't have enough space for firefighter gear.  It has spent millions of dollars on the 28 vehicles, but crews say the lockers are about 20 percent smaller than before. Their union says workers are considering cutting holes to make more room.  Fire and Emergency Deputy National Commander, Megan Stiffler, says inventory lists weren't accurate.  "There w...

Christian Brueckner, a suspect linked to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been released from prison - and he's calling for the 'witch hunt' against him to stop. Brueckner was recently released after serving a seven-year rape sentence, and he had to surrender his passport and wear an ankle monitor upon release. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the suspect hit out at the prosecutor who accu...

The Australian Reserve Bank will keep the Official Cash Rate on hold at at 3.6 percent. The RBA's Governor, Michele Bullock, says Australia is in a 'difficult position', but they're committed to addressing inflation. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra's making the case to shareholders in a bid to sell off its iconic brands. French dairy giant Lactalis has agreed to pay $4.2 billion for the consumer business. The Country's Hamish McKay explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Auckland mayor Phil Goff and  Conor English from Government relations firm Silvereye joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! US president Donald Trump recently unveiled a 20-point peace plan for Gaza. Do we think Hamas will agree to this? Could this be a gamechanger - or just another plan that goes nowhere?  Should Kāinga...

Now, we need to talk about the Reserve Bank's excuses for how it completely stuffed up its job and let inflation get away on it during Covid. We spoke about this on the show yesterday, it's done the review and it says, quote, - "in hindsight, an earlier and more aggressive tightening might have reduced inflation sooner." Yeah. Really, Sherlock?  But this would have been difficult given t...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 30 September 2025, former Tony Blair adviser John Mcternan speaks to Heather about Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza - and whether it will lead to peace. The Government is celebrating getting closer to meeting some health targets but postcode lottery is still alive and well. Malcolm Mulholland from Patient Voice Aotearoa reveale...

There's a feeling Donald Trump's threat to impose a 100 percent tariff on any and all movies made outside the United States is unworkable. The US president didn't specify when or how it could be enacted in his post on social media - which followed an initial threat on foreign-produced movies in May. Screen Production and Development Association President Irene Gardiner says there's confusion about...

The CTU's head says excessive dividends for shareholders are stopping power companies investing more in generation.  The union says the partially Government-owned gentailers should re-nationalise.  Energy Minister Simon Watts will make an announcement tomorrow on sector reform.  Richard Wagstaff says gentailers have their priorities wrong.  "Between 2016 and 2020, there's 1.2 b...

Horse riders in the lower North Island have raised concerns over safe road access. A shared path along the Ōtaki to North of Levin Expressway - a project currently under construction - prompted concern after horse riders were excluded from the path. NZ Equestrian Advocacy Network chairperson Shelly Warwick says the group's lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, citing concerns over e...

There's concerns the figures given on Government health targets don't give the whole picture. Numbers on cancer treatment access, childhood immunisation, ED stays and wait times improved in the latest quarter. But Patient Voice Aotearoa's Malcolm Mulholland says the data doesn't reflect things like when patients leave ED. He says there are also questions around the cancer target - which asks for 9...

US President Donald Trump has unveiled a new 20-point-plan to end the war in Gaza - and one former British Prime Minister is set to play a key role. If Hamas agrees to the deal, the war will end immediately, with Israeli troops withdrawing and Hamas releasing all hostages. Donald Trump will head the Gaza transitional Government, made up of Palestinians and experts, including former British Prime M...

There's pressure on Hamas to agree to a US-led Gaza peace plan.  The proposed deal includes ending the war, returning hostages, and pulling out Israeli troops. An interim Palestinian Government would be led by Donald Trump and include experts like former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.  A number of western and gulf state leaders have welcomed the deal. Newstalk ZB senior political correspo...

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently confirmed he invited LuLu Hypermarket to set up in Australia while on a visit to the United Arab Emirates. This comes as Australia looks to develop a new free trade agreement with the Middle Eastern nation.  Australian correspondent Murray Olds says a new player in the grocery market would help break up the current duopoly.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnys...

There's cautious optimism within the Black Caps about the prospect of a New Zealand team in cricket's Big Bash T20 league. NZ Cricket are investigating whether joining the Australian competition is viable. Sports commentator Nick Bewley revealed what we know so far. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kāinga Ora is under fire after Wellington's Dixon Street Flats were re-sold for almost triple the price. The Government housing agency initially sold the flats to Taranaki Whanui earlier this year for just over $1 million. Nearly three weeks later, the flats had been re-sold to a prominent Wellington developer for $3 million - a move Kāinga Ora has gone on to defend. Wellington City Councillor Ben...

The organisation behind the Eurovision Song Contest has confirmed it will hold a vote to determine whether Israel will participate next year. The European Broadcasting Union confirmed it will invite 68 member countries to give their view at a general assembly meeting in November. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says other countries - including Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland and Spain have...

Synlait has confirmed the sale of its loss-making factory at Pōkeno to US company, Abbott. The infant-formula company is selling the site and related assets for $307 million, and will use the proceeds to pay down debt. Harbour Asset Management expert Shane Solly unpacks the data further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government recently confirmed they were going to overhaul the assessment of earthquake-prone buildings - a move welcomed by property owners and building engineers alike. The changes will leave just 80 buildings needing full retrofits and 1500 buildings will still need some remediation - many of them in Wellington. Property Institute CEO Leonie Freeman has welcomed these changes and c...

Tonight on the Huddle, Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  A big shake-up of our earthquake strengthening laws that's said to reduce significant costs for building owners was announced today. Do we think these changes are the way to go?  Did the Government make the right decision...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 29 September 2025, Building Minister Chris Penk reveals how his huge overhaul of earthquake building rules is going to re-balance risk and practicality. Labour leader Chris Hipkins says a Government he leads would recognise the state of Palestine. Silver Ferns star Grace Nweke has publicly called for coach Dame Noeline Taurua's re...

Can I just come to the defence of Winston Peters for a minute? Winston has been labelled a coward for the position that he took on Palestine on Saturday, which I do not think is fair because it appears to me that what he's done is actually the opposite of cowardice. The easy thing would have actually been for him to just go with the crowd, just say, yep, we recognize the Palestinian state, because...

Over the weekend, the Government confirmed it wouldn't recognise Palestinian statehood - for the time being. Winston Peters made the announcement at the UN General Assembly, saying conditions weren't yet right.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis has defended this move - and says no matter what happened, one side would have taken issue with their choice. "We, as a Cabinet, decided to do what we b...

A New World worker's taken to social media to complain about an incoming water bottle ban.  A Reddit user made a post stating their store's banning staff from having their bottles at checkout, with management telling them they can drink during breaks.  Rudd Hughes from the Workers First Union says this isn't the first time they've seen this, and might stem from customer service concerns....