Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

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...

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.

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!

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...

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,...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 11 May, 2026, we ask a Māori political commentator if others will join Mariameno Kapa-Kingi in leaving Te Pati Māori to start their own party.

A school principal tells us why he'll defy an order to not let children take home leftover lunches.

Don Mackinnon on how much of a blow it is in delaying NZ20 for a year.

And on The Huddle, Josie Pagani and Trish Sherson dis...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The Ministry of Education has told schools receiving free lunches to not let children take home leftover meals.

The Ministry has cited food safety concerns - and says uneaten meals should be returned to the supplier to avoid extra risks. 

Hora Hora school principal Pat Newman says his school's seen no incidents of any students getting ill from leftover food. 

"There's no proof - the only lunches that anyone's gotten ill f...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 8 May, 2026, Winston Peters insists he won't support efforts by the National Party to raise the retirement age.

We talk to one of the women who's accused Sir Rod Drury of inappropriate conduct about him handing back his New Zealander of the Year award.  

The New Zealand Herald's media insider Shayne Currie on who should succeed Maiki Sherman as TVNZ's politica...

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon plans to start lifting the pension age if National get back into government after the coming election.

Bipartisan support will most likely be needed to make this happen as parties, like NZ First, are staunchly against the reform.

"Please do not attack grandmother and grandmother's savings to try and disguise for a brief time your economic incompetence," Winston Peters said to Heather du Plessis-Alla...

If it’s not already obvious to you, the fact that Maiki Sherman has lost her job should now make it very clear: the media—especially the state broadcasters, both of them—are about to find out what it means not just to make and report the news but to be the news.

Just look at what’s happened this week alone. And this is only a sample—this has been building for some time.
In one week, TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman has lost h...

Opportunity Party, previously TOP, are coming in hot this election with a brand new leader Qiulae Wong. 

Wong joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss the party's campaign policies including universal basic income.

She says the Opportunity Party is appealing to dissatisfied Green, National, and Labour voters. 

"We are certainly seeing people from across the political spectrum coming to Opportunity."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omny...

Over in the UK, Labour's bracing itself for a set of local, Scottish and Welsh election results.

Reports claim a poor showing in these elections could bring about the end of Keir Starmer’s prime ministership, and significant losses are projected. 

UK correspondent Enda Brady says there's growing calls for Starmer's resignation already - and people are losing confidence as Reform gets more attention. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnys...