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
Things are heating up in the world of UK politics, as Manchester mayor Andy Burnham backs away from Brexit stance.
Burnham's supporters say it’s unhelpful the debate has centred around the UK re-joining the EU after his main opponent for the job said he’d prioritise binning Brexit.
UK correspondent Gavin Grey explained further.
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The BNZ-BusinessNZ Performance of Services Index (PSI) rose 2.7 points to 48.9, up from 46.2 in March.
A reading below 50 indicates the sector - which accounts for nearly three-quarters of the economy - is contracting.
Harbour Asset Management expert Shane Solly explained further.
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Ukraine has approached New Zealand about a deal to build military drones, in a new push to sell its Russian-killing technology around the world.
Ukraine has 20 countries interested and four signed agreements on drones, including Germany, Canada, Norway and Japan.
Otago University's Robert Patman explains why Ukraine is looking to move forward in this area.
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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!
Luxon's comments about immigration have raised a few eyebrows, especially from Labour's Chris Hipkins. What do we make of this?
Winston Peters has expressed interest in buying back BNZ. Do we think this is a good idea? Will this really fix our economic issues?
Is Nat...
Here’s a question for you: if you really like Winston Peters’ idea of buying back the BNZ - why? What problem do you think will be solved by buying it back?
Do you think the banks are ripping you off because they’re owned by Australians, and that if only one of them were owned by us again, they wouldn’t?
Take a look at the home loan rates Kiwibank is offering right now. They’re basically the same as - if not higher than -those offe...
On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 18 May, 2026, former Finance Minister Ruth Richardson on why we can't buy back the BNZ as Winston Peters suggests.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis reveals part of her pre-Budget speech will be on setting a target of reducing the number of public servants to 1% of the workforce.
We talk to chief victims adviser Ruth Money about why removing character references for s...
Ahead of Budget 2026, the Finance Minister has hinted towards incoming changes for certain Government departments.
Nicola Willis says she's planning to tell ministries and departments to come up with plans for amalgamation, with more details to be revealed tomorrow.
Willis went on to explain that the Government's agreed that there's too many ministries and that they need to amalgamate agencies.
"Just as every business a...
New research shows anxiety is spiking during downpours, as more weather disasters threaten people's property and safety.
A new survey shows 73 percent of respondents in the Hawke’s Bay region feel anxious about the weather and 57 percent of respondents nationwide are concerned.
Professor Holly Thorpe from the University of Waikato says people in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, who were hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, reported impa...
Some people have turned to an unexpected source to help boost their workouts.
A piece in the New York Times claims people in pot-friendly US states have turned to marijuana ahead of their workouts - to treat energy levels, anxiety and pain.
Health advocate and activist Dave Letele raised questions over these claims, but he phoned a friend to see if there's anything to this.
"Apparently, it's a thing...apparently, it's the gummies, ...
Ahead of Budget 2026, there's a promise of $131 million for education - which includes taking on students falling behind.
The pre-Budget funding announcement pledges to give schools more maths and literacy resources and 36 extra maths intervention teachers.
Education Minister Erica Stanford says educators and principals have already voiced their excitement about the additional funding to her.
"My focus is on parents and...
A former Finance Minister once forced to bail out BNZ says buying it back would be lunacy.
New Zealand First is proposed re-nationalising the bank, buying it back from Australia's NAB and merging it with Kiwibank.
Leader Winston Peters says bank profits should remain in New Zealand.
But Ruth Richardson says the idea has no weight.
"It makes New Zealand look like a tinpot country, where populist politicians feel fr...
A $131 million education boost aiming to lift maths results and teachers' confidence teaching it has been revealed.
Funding's going to new workbooks and digital tools, as well as a Year Two literacy check and Year Five maths check.
Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Erica Stanford's responding to the needs of teachers, and ideally they'll support these changes.
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The first round of polls following the Australian federal Budget are out, and the Albanese-led Government is taking a hit.
New data shows Opposition leader Angus Taylor is in front as the preferred Prime Minister, and One Nation's support is on the up.
Australian correspondent says this Budget has sparked backlash among business owners and older Australians - but it's too early to say what this means for a future election.
LI...
The Warriors have dismissed a Brisbane NRL hoodoo with a convincing 42-12 win over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium for Magic Round.
It's the first time the Warriors have beaten the Broncos at Brisbane since 2018.
Sportstalk host Jason Pine recapped the action.
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A survivors' advocate is welcoming the Government's proposal to scrap 'good character' sentencing considerations for sexual offenders.
National's Justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith has announced the party will prohibit the practice at sentencing.
He says the assessments only serve the interests of offenders and rarely the victims.
Chief Victims Advisor Ruth Money says it's a problem for victims to sit in court and hear...
We need to talk about what Chris Hipkins has said about immigration.
First of all, Labour can frankly shut up accusing the Nats of anti-migrant rhetoric because this is a party that hasn’t got a leg to stand on when it comes to migration.
This is the party - and some of the very same people are still there - that campaigned on reducing immigration by up to 30,000 people in 2017, produced a list of Chinese-sounding names two y...
On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 15 May, 2026, we talk to a constitutional lawyer about the Waitangi Tribunal finding the Government breached treaty principles with education changes.
B416 co-chair Cecilia Robinson tells us why she's still confident there'll be a social media ban on under-16s before the election.
We hear from the controversial Dunedin City Councillor who's become known ...
The Wellington Phoenix Women's team might be the sports story of the year.
They've gone from a wooden spoon team to making the grand final tomorrow, making them the first kiwi team to ever make the A League final.
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Maori Queen Te Arikini Kuini Nga Wai Hono I Te Po is in London visiting Buckingham Palace, where she met with King Charles and Prince William.
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A social media ban on children under the age of 16 is on hold.
Education Minister Erica Stanford says the Government is undertaking a wider programme of work on it.
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