Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

A business spokesperson is encouraging Northland retailers to keep contacting police over smaller crimes. 

The Northland Chamber of Commerce says business owners across the region aren't calling in shoplifting because they don't think police will turn up. 

But CEO Leah McKerrow explained that even if officers can't respond - the data still goes into the system. 

"And while each incidence in its own right feels small,...

European leaders are flocking to the White House to present an iron-clad defence of Ukraine's interests. 

The US is scaling up pressure for the war-battered Ukraine to agree to terms with Russia for ending the war, after this past weekend's Alaska summit. 

This could involve ceding territory to Russia, including Crimea - and ending its pursuit of NATO membership.  

Ukraine's ambassador to New Zealand, Vasyl Myroshnyc...

The Government's aiming to lift the burden of covering the costs of defective building work from councils.

It plans to replace the consent framework with a scheme making each party only responsible for their share of work.

Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk claims councils fearing liability for defects are hesitant to sign off on consents and inspections.

He says this follows discussions with the sector.

"Now we'll be ab...

The Prime Minister's justifying his noted absence from a global meeting on Ukraine, due to the time difference. 

Coalition of the Willing members gathered for virtual talks overnight, to embolden President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of a meeting at the White House, for a number of them. 

Many leaders attended, including Australia, France and the UK.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Luxon was invi...

A cyclist group says it's worth looking into changing helmet laws, following the release of a new report.

Newstalk ZB has revealed the Regulation Ministry has advised its Minister the risks of not requiring the protective measures would outweigh any benefits.

David Seymour asked it to look into dumping the rule.

Cycling Advocates Network spokesperson Patrick Morgan says Seymour made the wrong call to drop this, as helmets put peopl...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 15 August 2025, Rail Minister Winston Peters speaks to Heather about the eye-watering cost of breaking our ferry contract with Hyundai.

Heather gets hot under the collar about the new rules for hospital cafeterias.

Can we actually expect a deal to be struck when Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet tomorrow? Former chief of staff to Marco Rubio, Matt Terrill, speak...

Donald Trump has once again extended the deadline to reach a trade deal with China. 

The deadline that was due to end today has now been pushed back by 3 months. 

Asia Business Correspondent Peter Lewis told Heather duPlessis-Allan that this extension is, ‘kicking the can down the road.’  

He says that the two countries' trade principles are making it harder to find a middle ground.

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Donald Trump is due to meet with Vladimir Putin at 7:30am NZST to discuss the war in Ukraine. 

This will be the first time the pair have met since Helsinki in 2018, and the first time the Russian President has visited the States in more than a decade. 

Marco Rubio’s former chief of staff and managing partner of Firehouse Strategies Matt Terrill told Heather duPlessis-Allan that this meeting is a ‘major step’ towards a cea...

Auckland council wants to go ahead with its plans to cut Takapuna Golf Course in half - turning it into a 9-hole course.

This plan will transform half of the club into a wetland to help with any future floods. 

Despite opposition from big-name members at the club such as Lydia Ko and Ryan Fox, alternative options to this plan have been rejected.

Takapuna Golf Club member Phil Jaggard says the club will, 'take a moment to diges...

Well, I don't know what kind of psychosis has taken hold of the bureaucrats at Health New Zealand, but you want to see these rules that they've put out about the food and what food is allowed and what food is banned from the hospital cafeterias. It is ridiculously, ridiculously prescriptive.

So what they've done is they, they, they put out, because they like wasting their time on nonsense, they've put out their new national food an...

Health New Zealand's changing up hospital cafe menus in the name of a good diet. 

Its fresh National Food and Drink policy reduces processed foods, and the portion sizes for things like slices and scones. 

Food will need lower saturated fats and added sugar - examples include skinless chicken and fish. 

Public Health Service Director Doctor Nick Chamberlain says it would be a bad look if hospitals didn't have healthy...

Stats NZ says food inflation was back up five-percent for the year to July.

The heftiest increases include butter rising 42-percent, cheese 29, and produce climbing more than seven.

Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says other essentials like milk, steak, and mince are also going up.

Olsen says food price inflation probably won't impact next week's Reserve Bank announcement, but it is uncomfortable for households. 

LI...

Rail Minister Winston Peters is disputing the reported final cost of dumping the mega-ferries project which sits at $671million dollars. 

Peters argues the 449-million for infrastructure, project management, and wind-down costs isn't all lost, with elements still being used. 

Settlement for cancelling the contract with a Hyundai shipyard for the two new inter-island ferries cost 144-million-dollars. 

It brings the to...

The government has begun looking in to allowing more foreign investors to by homes in New Zealand. 

Currently in discussion is the proposal to loosen the active investor visa and allow investors to purchase a property. 

Although discussion is in early days, ...

US President Donald Trump is due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska tomorrow. 

This is the first time a Russian leader has been on US soil in more than a decade.  

Donald Trump has made it clear on many occasions that he wants to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine. 

US Correspondent Jonathan Kearsley  told Heather duPlessis-Allan that, “He wants to be seen as a peacemaker president.”&nb...

The Justice Minister's promising the right to protest is being protected - as the Government moves to outlaw action outside people's homes.

Its new Bill would create a new offence for engaging in a targeted and disruptive demonstration outside a residence.

It would carry a maximum fine of two-thousand dollars, or three months in jail. 

Paul Goldsmith says New Zealanders value the right to protest, and also value privacy

He say...