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
A quarter of a million demonstrators took to the streets across France - calling for better learning conditions in protests that descended into clashes with security forces.
Rights groups, unions, students and teachers have voiced disapproval with staffing levels, overloaded timetables, dilapidated classrooms and buildings that cannot cope with rising temperatures.
UK correspondent Gavin Grey says thousands of schools have be...
The 2026 election campaign is a big topic for Kiwis, but it's not the only political topic impacting the economy.
France and the US are facing their own mid-terms and the results are likely to have wide-reaching economic implications.
Milford Asset Management expert Brendan Larsen explained further.
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Labour has suggested that if elected, everyone in the public service would be paid the living wage of $29.90 an hour - $6 more than the current minimum wage.
Economists have raised concerns with this proposal and claimed this could likely lead to inflation going up.
NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further.
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Tonight on The Huddle, NZ Herald senior reporter Katie Bradford and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
The first leaders debate of the 2026 election campaign took place last night - who do we think spoke better? Who won - Chris or Chris?
The Crown has cited troubles with evidence in deciding not to retry David Tamihere for the mur...
On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 7 October, 2026, cricket bosses finally front on the NZ20 debacle - five days after Sir Richard Hadlee asked what's going on?
Erica Stanford trumpets a 40 percent rise in teacher enrolments.
Barbara Edmonds defends Labour's fiscal mis-steps.
And on The Huddle, Katie Bradford and Jack Tame on who won the leaders' debate: Chris ... or Chris?
Get the Heather du Ple...
The Labour Party says their prospective Government won't be making similar cuts to National, as it outlines its plan for the books.
Last week's pre-election look at the Government books shows the planned 2028/29 surplus will be nearly $2 billion dollars bigger than forecast, and the Crown will borrow less.
Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds says cutting out the tobacco excise tax cut will free up more money to be spent els...
So I reckon there was one moment in that leaders' debate that would have worried parents up and down this country, and it was this one.
Chris Hipkins conceded that, if Labour were to win the election, he would scrap the one hour of reading, writing and maths for primary school kids.
It's weird to me that Labour wants to do this because, anecdotally, I keep hearing from parents that they can see the difference Erica Stanford's refor...
The Education Minister says Labour's plan to ditch the mandated hour of reading, writing and maths is just 'ridiculous'.
Chris Hipkins revealed he'd leave it up to the schools to decide - at last night's TVNZ leaders debate.
But Erica Stanford says the policy was based on a recommendation in the 2021 Royal Society Maths Report that Hipkins commissioned himself.
She says it's not political or ideological, it's what the experts...
New Zealand Cricket's certain ditching any talk of joining Australia's Big Bash League is the right move.
NZC has chosen to set up its own privatised T20 competition, rather than attach itself to a league that is facing its own challenges.
Australian states are divided on whether to embrace private equity or continue controlling the BBL teams themselves.
NZ Cricket board chair Diana Puketapu-Lyndon says the NZ20 league will offer a...
A new app is helping restaurants offer dynamic pricing.
EatClub lets businesses with empty tables offer impromptu discounts on the app, to bring in customers.
The French Cafe, Cassia, Eden Noodles and Joe's Garage are among restaurants signed up.
Chief marketing officer Louis Esther says in the case of a cancellation, it lets them still book customers.
"We operate at scale across Australia and the UK already, and the space is 30 mi...
The Crown has cited troubles with evidence - in deciding not to retry David Tamihere for the murders of Swedish backpackers Urban Hoglin and Heidi Paakkonen.
He served 20 years in prison - but in March the Supreme Court ruled his original 1990 trial was unfair.
The court didn't allow a full exoneration, and Prosecutor Claire Paterson says there's no longer sufficient evidence for a retrial.
Tamihere's lawyer Murray Gibson say...
President Donald Trump is on the campaign trail ahead of the US mid-term elections, and he's prompted some backlash amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Speaking at a rally in Nebraska, the US President suggested Iran could potentially 'take out' an American city, and used Los Angeles and San Diego as examples.
US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says this has raised questions over whether Trump was j...
National's Chris Luxon and Labour's Chris Hipkins went head-to-head last night in the first main leaders debate of the campaign.
Taxes, education, health, the cost of living, and crime were among the issues discussed in front of a studio audience of undecided voters.
Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper recapped the debate and noted that Luxon ruled out working with Opportunity again - but it's unclear how it coul...
The Cricket Players Association firmly believes having a New Zealand side in Australia's Big Bash League would not grow the domestic game.
NZ Cricket has explained why it decided to go with a franchise T20 competition instead - saying it was the superior option to bolster the amateur game and provides better pathways for players.
That's despite a recommendation from consultancy firm Deloitte to join Australia's BBL.
Sportstal...
The union for public servants says morale is low, with the axe hovering over more IRD jobs.
Chief executive Peter Mersi has told Inland Revenue staff by the 2028/29 financial year, the baseline budget will have been cut 20 percent.
They've been told cost-slashing will include considering reducing jobs.
PSA spokesperson Duane Leo says the future is uncertain and staff have endured years of cuts.
"We have had a Government, for the la...
Bestselling author and disgraced Conservative UK politician Lord Jeffrey Archer has died, aged 86.
His death was reportedly 'peaceful' and his final book, Adam and Eve will be available in New Zealand in the coming days.
UK correspondent Enda Brady looked back on Archer's legacy.
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The election campaign is in full swing and the newest polls are out - but which direction is New Zealand's rural community going to vote in?
Both Labour and National are looking to appeal to the rural community, but Kiwi farmers are more likely to lean centre-right according to recent data.
The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further.
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Kiwis head coach Stacey Jones has revealed his 23-man squad for the Rugby League World Cup ahead of the event kicking off next week.
The squad is a mix of players from the 2025 Pacific Championships-winning side, alongside a handful of new faces set to make their Kiwis debut.
Warriors star Tanner Stowers-Smith is among the new faces on the squad, and he says he's 'aways dreamed' of wearing this jersey.
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Businesses could be spending more increasing staff next year.
The latest NZIER Quarterly Business Survey shows a net 40 percent of companies expect general economics to improve.
NZIER Principal Economist Christina Leung says businesses are finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, despite domestic concerns.
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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 6 October, 2026, Barbara Edmonds admits to a mistake on Labour's fiscal plan - and then makes another "clarification".
Tanner Stowers-Smith on what it means to him to emulate his great-grandfather in the Kiwis jersey.
A top British broadcaster tells us all about Lord Jeffrey Archer's legacy.
And Maurice Williamson and Mark Sainsbury both tell tales on the fiction ...
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