Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

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!

A pair of Aussie comedians have taken a satirical look at the annoying aspects of the workplace in their book 'Wankernomics'. Are we guilty of using annoying phrases and spending too much time on LinkedIn.

Donald Trump surprised New Zealand with a 15 percent tariff l...

Genesis Energy and the three other big power generators have signed agreements to establish a strategic energy reserve centred on Genesis’ Huntly Power Station.

The deals - aimed at supporting national security of power supply - have been settled by Genesis, Meridian Energy, Mercury NZ and Contact Energy.

The parties intend for the agreements to take effect from January 1, 2026.

Genesis Energy chief executive Malcolm Johns says the...

The Finance Minister reckons New Zealand will eventually be able to work out a better deal with the Trump administration following last week's shock announcement.

President Donald Trump has unveiled a surprise 15 percent tariff on New Zealand - higher than that for both the UK and Australia. 

Finance Minister Nicola Willis says there's a possibility things could improve, given the changing trading relationship between both nat...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 4 August 2025, Education Minister Erica Stanford explains why she's scrapping NCEA and how our school kids will be assessed in the future.

Former top cop Jevon McSkimming appeared in the Wellington High Court today after being charged with possession of objectionable material. Herald Investigations Journalist Jared Savage tells Heather he allegedly had child exploi...

You can't accuse Erica Stanford of mucking around, can you?

NCEA is gone. Marks out of 100 are back, grades from A to E are back, needing to pass 4 subjects at least in order to get the qualification is back.

Now, how long have we been talking about the need to do this? About the fact that NCEA is rubbish, that it's been gamed, that it's not respected by employers, that it's not understood by parents? How long have we tal...

White-collar workers will be familiar with workplace annoyances - including unnecessary meetings, corporate acronyms and an overuse of LinkedIn - and it's all been observed by a pair of Aussie comedians.

The duo put modern workplace culture under the microscope in their book - 'Wankernomics'.

Co-author James Schloeffel says he's spent a long time in the corporate world and he's used this book to discuss the issues he's observed ove...

The Prime Minister has claimed it's 'unlikely' that New Zealand will be able to make Trump change his mind about the tariffs - and many experts agree with that sentiment.

Trump recently raised New Zealand's tariff rate to 15 percent, while keeping Australia and the UK at 10 percent.

Trade Minister Todd McClay will head to Washington in the coming weeks to argue our case, but Felicity Roxburgh from the International Business Forum a...

The Government's proposing to entirely phase out NCEA within five years - saying New Zealand needs a schooling system that sets students up for success.

It wants to scrap NCEA over the next five years, in favour of a literacy and numeracy test in year 11 - and certificates the next two years.

Education Minister Erica Stanford says it's worth creating something New Zealand can stand behind, rather than leaning on systems like the Ca...

Former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming might have struggled to hold on to his suppression order.

He faces eight charges of possessing objectionable material containing child exploitation and bestiality. 

A gag order lapsed today. 

NZ Herald investigative reporter Jared Savage revealed major media companies had joined to oppose the order continuing.

"Given the significant public interest in this, I think it wou...

The Government's pushed forward in overhauling NCEA, and it's sparked debate among experts.

The Government wants to phase out the school qualification system in five years, replacing level one with a literacy and numeracy test, and level two and three with Education Certificates. 

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacks these changes - and reveals why a change to the system is overdue.

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The Premier of the Australian state of Victoria has announced plans to enshrine working from home into law.

Under Jacinta Allan’s plan, workers would be entitled to work from home at least two days per week - if the role allows for it.

Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says business groups have since hit out at this move - and claimed this would decimate CBD spending.

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A glass half-full mindset from All Blacks coach Scott Robertson after naming a group of six players as injury cover for the start of their Rugby Championship campaign.

Uncapped trio Kyle Preston, Leroy Carter and Tevita Mafileo - along with Finlay Christie, George Bower and Josh Lord - comprise the back-up unit in the 42-strong wider squad.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further.

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Auckland's North Shore Hospital has a 20-bed ward full of people, with no medical reason to be there.

It was created in May for medically discharged patients who still require lower-level help from places like an aged-care facility, who have nowhere appropriate to go.

Some stay for weeks, looked after by nurses and allied staff such as physiotherapists and social workers.

Sarah Dalton from the Association of Salaried Medical Specia...

NZ on Air has its fingers crossed its financial support of Shortland St won't be forever. 

New Zealand's longest-running drama's been granted 2.5 million in funding for its 2026 season, to help the show transition to the audience's preference of online viewing. 

NZ on Air CEO Cam Harland told Heather du Plessis-Allan that they also provided funding last year, but hoped it would assist the show moving to a more financially...

New South Wales is celebrating its new programme - poaching cops from other states - and abroad. 

21 experienced, poached, officers are graduating in the Australian state today - seven of them from New Zealand. 

The New South Wales Police Minister, Yasmin Catley, is attributing it to a historic pay rise last year - making them the best paid officers in Australia. 

Catley told Heather du Plessis-Allan she makes no apo...

So, was our government too relaxed about the tariffs then?  

Cause this is a shock today – isn't it? To find out that we’ve just been bumped up to 15% while Australia and dozens of other countries have stayed on 10%. 

Now, it seems to be related, most likely, to our balance of trade and that the US has a trade deficit with us. So we get 15%, but then a trade surplus with Australia, so they get 10%. So perhaps it was inevi...