Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Episodes

May 12, 2026 2 mins

The Warriors are prepared to let Luke Metcalf negotiate with other clubs.

A club statement says they will allow last year's first choice halfback to look for a new home, after falling down the pecking order following injuries over the last 12 months.

It comes with Tanah Boyd poised to re-sign until 2029.

Former Kiwis player Richie Barnett says it's a stunning turn of events.

"Obviously, we've seen through the year that he doesn't l...

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There's assurance scoping work on a second Auckland Harbour crossing is still under way, with plans expected mid-year.

Two Transport Agency reports have detailed defects in the 67 year-old bridge, and warn it's at risk of failure.

It says without long-term strengthening work, month-long lane closures, truck limits, and more wind-related restrictions are on the cards.

Chris Bishop says he won't be the Transport Minister who produces...

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A new poll has the coalition returning to power - despite a drop in support for the minor Government parties. 

The latest Taxpayers' Union Curia poll has National up slightly to 30 percent and Labour down to 31.9 percent.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the minor parties have taken a hit, with ACT and NZ First looking less solid than they did in earlier polls. 

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The Australian federal budget is set to be delivered tonight, and it's promising big changes.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the budget will feature 'more than the usual amount of savings and more than the usual amount of reform'.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says this will appeal to younger voters, as concerns have been raised about intergenerational inequality and the housing market. 

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Luke Metcalf is poised to leave the Warriors.

The NRL club have confirmed they have agreed to a request from Metcalf's management to talk with other clubs.

It's unclear whether they would allow an immediate release for the halfback, who only re-signed until 2028 late last year.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further.

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The Police Association says a new pay offer doesn't meet struggling officers' needs.

The union says they'd effectively get a 0.6 percent bump, with nothing for managers.

Police Association President Steve Watt says the impacted officers have found this offer 'tough' to accept, given the demands of the job. 

"We've asked for five percent, we understand that CPI is still to come out, but we understand that the CPI figure is goin...

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The pressure on Sir Keir Starmer keeps ramping up in the UK.

Labour had a disastrous showing in local elections at the end of last week - a reflection of the Prime Minister's growing unpopularity.

The party lost a total 1500 councillors across England, with Nigel Farage's Reform UK party picking up steam.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Starmer is set to give a speech addressing the situation, but there's growing calls to replace ...

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The Green Party's written to Government ministers asking them to use their majority owner status to pressure major gentailers to reduce power prices.

Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says shareholding ministers, Simeon Brown and Nicola Willis, can write to the gentailers and require them to do more on energy hardship programmes. 

She suggests they could also call for retail prices not to surpass inflation.

Energy economist Geoff Bert...

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Oil prices have jumped more than three percent on the back of another snag in negotiations between the US and Iran. 

Donald Trump has taken to social media to call Iran's response to a US 14-point memorandum 'totally unacceptable'. 

Brent crude is now trading at more than 104 US dollars a barrel. 

Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explained further.

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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!

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi has left Te Pāti Māori to start a new party. Is this the beginning of the end for them? What do we think? 

Does New Zealand have to worry about far-right populism sweeping through the nation? Between Reform and One Nation, do we see New Zeal...

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We’re never going to know for sure what tipped the Government into finally cutting the fees-free policy but I would like to take some credit for this show’s part in it.

We have harped on about the need to get rid of that policy for so long that it actually started to get boring, even for me.

But as with everything: persevere and you will succeed. And finally, the policy is gone. We had it confirmed by Winston Peters on Friday.

Now,...

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May 11, 2026 100 mins
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Finance Minister Nicola Willis has backed the decision to scrap the fees-free scheme for good.

Last week, Winston Peters revealed to Newstalk ZB on Friday the Government's doing away with the free final year of tertiary education.

Nicola Willis says it's important for the Government to invest in things that Kiwis really need and want - not a failed policy that didn't achieve any of the goals it aimed to accomplish.

"New Zealand has...

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There's a view Government attacks on public service workers are driving them out of the country. 

New Public Service Commission data finds a quarter are considering quitting the country for better pay overseas. 

Health and public service department workers are most likely to pack their bags.

PSA National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, says workers want to build a future here, but they're seeing an 'onslaught' of measures th...

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The proposed privately-backed NZ20 competition will be readjusted for a 2028 launch instead, NZ Cricket confirmed. 

Organisers have pushed back the launch by a full year, abandoning plans to mark out their run-up in January 2027.

NZ20 establishment committee chair Don Mackinnon says it's a shared decision between the organisation and NZ Cricket - and it's important to get things right.

"Unfortunately, the window that we've got...

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There's confidence from some that the hantavirus outbreak won't turn into another worldwide pandemic.

Passengers are being evacuated and returning to home countries, including one New Zealander.

Authorities say one of five French passengers developed symptoms flying to Paris, and will isolate until further notice. 

Otago University epidemiologist, Michael Baker, says person to person transmission is very unusual for this virus...

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A political science lecturer says party affiliation isn't everything in Māori seats, as Mariameno Kapa-Kingi breaks away.

She's cut ties with Te Pati Māori to create the Te Tai Tokerau Party and run in the seat of the same name.

Te Pati Māori's wished her well - but is promising to put up another candidate to take her on. 

Victoria University's Lara Greaves says it's an open race for all seven seats. 

"They're hyper-local...

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The coalition appears to have good odds of winning the next election, largely thanks to New Zealand First. 

The NZ Herald - Motu Research Poll of Polls suggests there is an 88.3 percent probability the coalition will win a second term. 

The model shows it's extended its lead over the opposition by two points in the last 12 months.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained how this data is calculated...

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The right wing One Nation party is uprooting Australia's status quo - scoring a seat that had long been a conservative stronghold.

Candidate David Farley won more than 57 percent of the vote in the regional Farrer by-election, triggered by former Liberals leader Sussan Ley's ousting. 

Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says One Nation is eyeing off seats in other areas, and it's unclear what this could mean for Labor ahe...

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The chairman of the NZ20 accepts it became an inevitability that they would need to delay the launch of the franchise cricket competition until 2028.

Don Mackinnon says they reached the point that it couldn't be done properly this summer with the Black Caps touring Australia and then welcoming Sri Lanka soon after.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine explained further.

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