Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

An advocacy charity would love Continuous Glucose Monitors to be funded for the thousands of Kiwis with type 2 diabetes.  A Waikato University Māori-led international study shows wider and earlier use of monitors, could help people live longer - and reduce risks of serious complications including blindness and kidney failure.  Diabetes NZ Chief Executive Heather Verry told Heather du Ple...

The principal of the first state school to become charter isn't worried about Labour's pledge to scrap the model.  Northland's Pakaraka School has a roll of about 70 - and will now be governed by a charitable trust, set up by parents.  Party Leader Chris Hipkins has argued the autonomous schools don't add anything - and if elected, it'd transition them back into the public education syst...

An economist wonders if some political parties are too relaxed about the growing pension bill.  National's confirmed it's not campaigning on raising the Super age -- an issue it's campaigned on for the past three elections. ACT is the only other party with the same goal. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's concerned some politicians are blind to the i...

Qiulae Wong fired a truth torpedo at the National Party didn't she? She says she doesn't believe Christopher Luxon when he tries to pretend he's not going to be calling her after the election. And she's right because of course he's going to call her after the election. He knows it as well, which is why he wouldn't say no when Jack Tame kept questioning him about whether he would call her on Novemb...

Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong thinks Christopher Luxon is bluffing when he says he has ruled out working with her party. National's leader has been consistently saying he wouldn't form a coalition that included Opportunity after the vote in November.  That's despite many polls that have the party in the kingmaker position.  Barry Soper broke down the story with Heather du Plessis-Allan....

The Wiggles are returning to New Zealand for the first time in two years. The Australian children's entertainment superstars remain one of the biggest names in family entertainment, dominating streaming charts and winning over new generations of fans. Among the current line-up is Lachlan Gillespie, better known as Lachy Wiggle, who has become one of the group's most popular performers. He joined H...

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 9 October. 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.

It's hard to know whether Pete Hegseth thought it through before he said it, but he said it, didn't he? And now the Pentagon has doubled down on it, and the execution of the Fort Hood shooter will be livestreamed on the internet like some sort of sporting spectacle. Personally, I find this abhorrent because we're supposed to be a more civilised society in modern liberal democracies than one that w...

A Yale law professor says making a spectacle of firing squad execution is inappropriate but not that surprising from the Trump administration.  The Pentagon says it will live stream Nidal Hasan's death in December, the first US military execution in 65 years.  The army psychiatrist killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009.   Lawyer Eugene R Fidell told Heather du Plessis-Allan executio...

The All Blacks are putting their unbeaten record at Eden Park on the line again.  They take on the Wallabies at the Fortress tomorrow night - with many expecting the Wallabies to put up a fight.  Under Les Kiss - Australia are on a six match winning streak.  But Newstalk ZB's Jason Pine told Heather du Plessis-Allan he can't see the All Blacks folding.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystu...

Ngati Whatua Orakei says international supercar firm McLaren should have a korero, over its moves to trademark Remuera and Muriwai.  The company's applied to the UK's Intellectual Property Office to trademark the names of the two Auckland suburbs, associated with Kiwi racing legend Bruce McLaren. Mana whenua say no one's spoken to them. Auckland University Business School's Alex Sims told Hea...

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has launched legal action against UK police following his arrest in connection to the Epstein files.   The former Duke of York is reportedly challenging the lawfulness of search warrants related to the arrest.  UK correspondent Enda Brady explained further.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talks are underway between McDonald’s and New Zealand's arable industry to encourage the fast food giant to use locally grown grain for its burger buns. The New Zealand branch of McDonald’s currently uses grain sourced from imported Australian wheat - which then gets processed in Auckland. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

The US mid-term elections are set to take place in four weeks, and experts are speculating about what this means for the economy. Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen - and it's increased the likelihood that the Democrats could take the House. Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explained what this could all mean for investors.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute and Property Investors Federation Advocacy Manager Matt Ball joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!   Labour's promising automatic refunds for cancelled flights - where do we sit on this?    Off the back of the debate - what's with all the hate on billionaires? Why are we so quick to...

Thank goodness for Sir John Key speaking some sense about billionaires, am I right? I don't think anybody expected billionaires to become a topic of discussion in this election but here we are. It started, of course, with Jack Tame's question to the Chris' during the leaders' debate on whether it was basically morally offensive for someone to be a billionaire. Then John Key raised it again during...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 9 October, 2026, Louise Upston on why she's cracking down on beneficiaries doing drugs. Who wants to be a billionaire? Why a film crew's been following around All Black Anton Segner. Plus, on The Huddle, why Matt Ball and Tim Wilson say  Arena Williams could be the next Labour Party leader. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan...

In last night's debate, politicians and influential business leaders outlined their visions for the future of New Zealand's economy.    The future of growth is top of mind for many, and one expert has outlined a plan for how the nation could grow its GDP. Growth NZ co-chair Bowen Pan says New Zealand needs to focus on the sectors where it can be 'world-class' - as it can't be good at eve...

Consumer NZ worries Labour's promise to require automatic ticket refunds from big airlines for cancelled flights could rob customers of choice. The party has announced policies aiming to make air travel prices more transparent, and targeting anti-competitive behaviour. It's promising smaller lines fair access to airport infrastructure. Chief executive Jon Duffy says they're concerned automatic ref...

An epidemiologist says a plague bacteria suspected of killing a Russian lab worker in Siberia is unlikely to be a bio-weapon. The woman died within days of contracting a pneumonia of unknown origin.  Hundreds of close contacts are being monitored - and the World Health Organisation is demanding details from Russia. Professor Michael Baker says the lab's known to handle plague bacteria as a re...

New Zealand Rugby is filing in the High Court to protect its Chiefs trademark as Australian rugby league bosses push ahead with calling the NRL's 19th team the Papua New Guinea Chiefs.    The new team is set to join the competition in 2028, with the official launch intended for October 21.   Chiefs chief executive Simon Graafhuis says there's been 30 years of growth and develop...

National's social development spokesperson says drugs are preventing jobseekers getting off the benefit. The party's promising to randomly drug test people on the Jobseeker benefit, doing 10,000 in the first year.  Louise Upston says the number of tests would expand depending on how many beneficiaries test positive. She says it's about getting them work ready.  "Employers will say they'r...

Leader Chris Luxon says National  wants the welfare system to be fair - and affordable for taxpayers. The party is pledging to randomly drug test people on the Jobseeker benefit and reduce payments after people have drawn on it for more than two years. National expects it would save just under $600 million. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained further. LISTEN ABOVE...

James Vlassakis was one of the perpetrators involved in the Snowtown serial killings between 1992 and 1999 - and he's now on parole.  He was spotted leaving Adelaide's Pre-release Centre, having been held in a South Australian prison for his role in the killings.  Australian correspondent Murray Olds says he's living under strict conditions - including consistent supervision, a curfew an...

The All Blacks are hoping to shake off their loss against South Africa as they stare down the barrel of the Bledisloe Cup opener this Saturday at Eden Park. Dave Rennie has described this squad as 'the hardest side we've had to pick' - with some late-season injuries forcing some tough choices. All Blacks loose forward Anton Segner made the squad, and he's feeling hopeful about the Kiwi side's odds...