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
One expert is joining the calls to overhaul NCEA after the Government indicated changes were on the way.
A damning report's highlighted major problems with the qualification's credibility, with some schools already withdrawing from Level One.
NZ Initiative Senior Fellow Dr Michael Johnston says NCEA's had a 20-year run and it's time to rethink it.
"I think a lot of teachers and schools have probably had a gutsful of it, to be hones...
Experts have offered reassurance our high inflation isn't a sign of things to come.
Stats NZ figures show the Consumers Price Index reached 2.7 percent for the year to June.
Inflation fell to just 2.2 percent last year - from 7.3 percent three years ago - but has been rising since.
Kiwibank senior economist Mary Jo Vergara says this is likely a spike, so should go back down.
"If you look at domestic inflation, that's really trendin...
Construction will begin this year on a new medical school at Waikato University.
The Government has given it the go ahead - and is providing $83 million dollars towards the project.
Health Minister Simeon Brown says the school will offer a post-graduate degree aimed at other fields, such as nurses or paramedics.
"This is about attracting people from those rural communities working potentially in healthcare or different roles and gi...
Consumer NZ says complaints against Noel Leeming go beyond its price-matching policy.
The tech retailer is facing criminal charges brought by the Commerce Commission - accusing it of making misleading promises.
Noel Leeming's strongly rejecting the claim, and says it will vigorously defend its stance.
But Consumer NZ chief executive, Jon Duffy, says the company's also charged with misleading people about their con...
The Prime Minister has confirmed a Waikato medical school's coming, with construction beginning this year.
The Government's putting $83 million towards the $230-million-dollar project, with the rest coming from Waikato University and philanthropic investors.
It'll offer a graduate-entry programme, focused on primary care and rural health.
Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the ACT Party quickly released a s...
Over in Australia, the opposition isn't faring too well in the months after their election loss.
The first post-election opinion poll has revealed Sussan Ley's coalition is sitting on 29 percent - the lowest figures since 2023.
Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Ley is still trying to appeal to prospective voters as the coalition assesses the damage.
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Finishing chances remains a focus for the All Blacks as they pivot towards the Rugby Championship next month.
The 3-nil win over the French keeps the All Blacks second in the world behind the Springboks.
Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further.
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A win for Kmart workers, whose union says it's secured an industry-leading deal.
Worker First Union says it's ratified a two-year pay deal matching the minimum living wage - and rising alongside its increase next year.
Deputy Secretary of Retail at Workers First Union, Rudd Hughes, says this deal is a 'gold standard' for retail workers - and he hopes other retailers can follow suit.
"It's not that they can't afford not ...
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A flurry of action has occurred over Wellington mayoral hopeful Ray Chung's campaign.
Three council candidates aligned with his ticket, Independent Together, have dropped out in just three days.
This follows criticism of an email Chung wrote, containing salacious rumours about the city's Mayor.
He's since apologised.
But Alistair Boyce from campaign group Better Wellington is standing by him.
He told Ryan Bridge he doesn't expect a...
A recent survey has revealed that Kiwis are more nosy in open homes than many would expect.
The survey found that 72% of participants admitted to snooping through wardrobes, and 69% confessed to looking through drawers and cupboards.
Despite this, real estate agent and Location, Location, Location host Jayne Kiely told Ryan Bridges that she’s never had a missing item reported from an open home.
‘11 years I’ve bee...
The Education Minister is promising a school property agency (taking over management from the Ministry of Education) will pay for itself.
Erica Stanford says using offsite manufacturing and repeatable designs from now, is reducing class build costs.
She's announced plans for 137 new schoolrooms in Auckland.
Stanford told Ryan Bridge cost efficiencies will pay for the new property agency.
Stanford's also today announced plans to bui...
US President Donald Trump is now asking for some of the Epstein documents to be released.
The President, who earlier this week was calling for people to forget about the files, has now changed his approach to the situation.
US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Ryan Bridge, ‘I think he wants to try and get ahead of this, even though he has been trying to divert attention from it.’
These documents are suspected of...
A legal battle has swayed in media's favour - now allowed to report child sex exploitation and bestiality imagery were allegedly discovered on work devices of former Police Deputy Commissioner, Jevon McSkimming.
They were allegedly found while he was under a separate criminal investigation, the details of which can't be legally reported.
He resigned suddenly in May after being suspended on full pay since December. ...
The Police Minister is defending the focus of a new anti-corruption taskforce.
The Serious Fraud Office will aim to understand threats to the public sector.
The six-month pilot will be limited to six Government agencies - Inland Revenue, ACC, Corrections, MSD, Land Information NZ, and Sport NZ.
Mark Mitchell told Ryan Bridge that globally, some of the biggest recent corruption issues - relate to sporting codes.
He...
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will welcome Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, to the UK to sign a new bilateral defence treaty.
The treaty promises tighter action on smuggling gangs, expanded defence exports and closer industrial ties between both regions.
UK correspondent Enda Brady says this treaty sends a clear message to Russia amid escalating global tensions.
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Tonight on The Huddle, former Green MP Gareth Hughes and lawyer and political commentator Liam Hehir joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
Oranga Tamariki won't publish the reoffending rates of future youth bootcamp participants. Shouldn't we know those rates to know whether the camps are working?
Scientists have warned campylobacter is on the rise, and want warning labels on chicken. What do w...
The US earnings season for the second quarter is under way - and one expert has revealed what this means for American households.
Recent data shows households are staying resilient, and there's no sign of a recession as of yet.
Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains further.
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Despite the current geopolitical environment, product prices have strongly recovered from their lows of the past couple of seasons as demand returned from key export markets.
Experts claim tighter global production has contributed to improved demand for meat products.
The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further.
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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 17 July 2025, shocker price hike. Food prices have gone up by 4.6 percent. Economist Brad Olsen says the cost of some food groups including mince makes for grim shopping.
Scientists are warning of the huge rise of people getting hospitalised for campylobacter. But Food Safety's Vincent Arbuckle says the researchers are scaremongering and people are well aware of ...
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