Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

We learnt this week that A New Zealand Navy vessel was followed by 7 Chinese Warships while patrolling Asian waters.

The HMNZS Aotearoa had crossed through the Taiwan Strait, and was patrolling international waters to curb North Korean war programmes. 

Commodore Shane Arndell told Ryan Bridge that this is a routine practice, and communication was open between the HMNZS Aotearoa and the Chinese fleet. 

'We communicate, we ...

The RMA is out and is set to be replaced with two new laws - one based on planning and one based on the environment. 

The new laws are expected to cut the number of consents and permits by 46%, and speed up the ones currently in the pipeline. 

CEO of the Property Council Leonie Freeman told Ryan Bridge she hopes that, "the reduction of 100 plans down to 17 will provide a lot more consistency."

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The Auditor-General has released its annual report on questionable spending by schools - and some stand out more than the rest. 

Sutton Park School spent $11,000 on a staff planning meeting at Sky City, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Mangere spent $22,000 on a boat cruise, and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Tonga o Hokianga spent $6,000 on a trip to Turkey for the principal with 'No clear business purpose.'

The Ministry of Education says...

The length of New Zealand's summer holiday - isn't as bad for the economy as some may think. 

Prime Minister Chris Luxon's weighed in on debate - saying after working overseas, he's used to returning to work about January 3  - which he'll probably do again this summer. 

Infometrics Chief Executive, Brad Olsen, says supermarkets and tourism boom over the period. 

He says the professional services industry shuts d...

ACC has backed down and will continue to let staff work from home three days a week. 

The corporation had proposed cutting that allowance back to two days a week at home - so the public service association then complained to the commerce commission. 

National Secretary of the PSA Fleur Fitzsimmons told Ryan Bridge that there was no problem before the proposed change, and that the staff's strong response contributed to the...

The Resource Management Act is officially bound for the scrapheap.

The Government's replacing the hefty legislation with two new laws - one based around planning, and the other on the environment.

The new laws will cut consent and permit numbers by 46-percent, and speed up those still required.

Barry Soper told Ryan Bridge that he's 'overwhelmed' with the scrapping of the Resource Management Act, and says he agrees with Chris Bisho...

Many aesthetic changes to buildings will no longer need consents - under the Government's Resource Management Act shake-up.

The replacement Planning and Natural Environment Bills are being introduced to Parliament today - and will pass next year. 

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says planners won't be able to block projects because of visual changes - as long as other people aren't affected.

He told Ryan Bridge that planners ...

The Greens are warning student debt is stopping New Zealanders coming home for Christmas.

Its survey of 400 expat Kiwis found 71 percent were overdue on payments - and 82 percent are worried about their loan.

The Green Party's calling for a cross-Parliament inquiry into the repayment scheme for Kiwis living overseas.

Spokesperson Lawrence Xu-Nan told Ryan Bridge that inflexible repayment schemes, interest rates and penalty fees are...

A push to get Kiwis talking about systemic issues leading to child abuse.

The Dear Children campaign has launched today - with a letter to kids and parents countrywide, focusing on preventing all forms of child maltreatment

Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad says child homicide cannot be ignored.

She told Ryan Bridge on average, one child is killed every five weeks, but it's not too late for change, so eventually children will g...

Public transport users in the Capital can start using debit and credit cards and phones on buses and trains - from next March.

Greater Wellington Regional Council will introduce contactless payments - at a cost of 5.5 million dollars. 

It's jumping the gun on the Government National Ticketing System, scheduled for mid-2027. 

Council Chair Daran Ponter told Ryan Bridge they don't trust the timeline. 
 
He s...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 8 December 2025, the EMA's Alan McDonald outlines why tomorrow's RMA overhaul is so desperately needed and why he thinks the Government is coming with the bazooka approach.

Will the big Netflix-Warner Brothers deal lead to fewer films in cinemas? Media commentator Duncan Greive weighs in.

The Children's Commissioner has launched a campaign against child homicide, b...

Smaller electricity retailers and generators are worried impending power market reforms won't create the level playing-field promised. 

The Electricity Authority's proposed a non-discrimination rule that will force gentailers to play fair when deciding to sell electricity to itself or other companies. 

Some smaller players, including Electric Kiwi, have written to the authority saying the rule doesn't go far enough. 

I’ve had it with people running around pretending we’re going to solve big global problems.

Australia’s banning kids from social media on Wednesday. They’re going to lead the world.

Sounds very appealing. Stop the brain rot, etc.

Except kids will be kids and will get around it.

They’ll do this the same way I was able to use Facebook in China—despite the big firewall—by using a VPN. You just log in to an app and piggyback off a...

A geopolitical expert says it's a good thing a New Zealand navy ship was on its own in waters around East Asia - when it was shadowed by seven Chinese warships.

The vessel was patrolling last month as part of international efforts to monitor and restrict North Korea’s nuclear and missile activity.

The Defence Force says the Chinese ships followed at a safe, professional distance.

Geoffrey Miller told Ryan Bridge we'll have to wait ...

Falls for the Greens and Te Pati Maori in the latest 1 News Verian Poll - which gives the coalition more than enough seats to govern.

National is on 36 percent, up two - while Act is also up two to 10 percent, and New Zealand First steady on nine.

In the left bloc, Labour was up three to 35, but the Greens dropped four to seven, and Te Pati Maori - after weeks of infighting - fell two points to one percent.

Finance Minister Nicola ...

The Employers and Manufacturers Association has high hopes for tomorrow's reveal of the Resource Management Act overhaul.

The Government's announcing significant changes tomorrow, foreshadowing it as one of this term's biggest pieces of reform.

It says it'll be introduced this year - and pass before next year's election.

EMA Advocacy Head, Alan McDonald, told Ryan Bridge councils interpret the current RMA for themselves - letting p...

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper talked to Ryan Bridge about today's political hot topics.

Luxon sold the RMA reform we'll see tomorrow from Chris Bishop and Simon Court.

Minister of Police Mark Mitchell is at odds with former police commissioner Andrew Coster over who knew what and when in the McSkimming scandal.

A New Zealand war ship is being shadowed by a Chinese fleet near Taiwan. 

And, Helen Clark's...

Netflix is set to acquire Warner Bros Studios in a Netflix agrees to acquire Warner Bros Studios in a $125B deal including HBO Max. 

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has said theatrical releases will become more limited, as Netflix sees them as not 'consumer friendly'.

Media commentator Duncan Greive told Ryan Bridge: "historically, Netflix has been at best tepid, probably more accurately hostile, towards movie theatres."

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