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!

There's growing calls among educators to make learning a second language compulsory for schoolkids - do we agree with this?

Foreign buyers can now buy homes in New Zealand - if they have invested over $5 million, they can buy a home worth $5 million or more. Has the ...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 1 September 2025, the $5 million dollar rule. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford tells Heather why foreign investors will soon be able to buy expensive homes in New Zealand.  

Should we make learning a second language compulsory? Juliet Kennedy from the NZ association of language teachers tells Heather why we should.

Heather asks Associate Finance Minister Ch...

We've got to talk about Cornwall Park.

So over the weekend, it was quite windy in Auckland. If you're in Auckland, you know what I mean - that was some crazy-ass wind that was going on out there, definitely found the drafts of my house.

If you're out of Auckland, it was kind of like a day in Wellington, but in Auckland. So it was unusual for us.

Now, I don't know where we got to in the end, but the forecast was for gusts ...

There's plenty of solutions being suggested to clear up the current energy crisis - and the former head of Mercury Energy has just unveiled a potential idea.

Fraser Whineray recently suggested the time has come to drop the carbon price that we've put on coal through the ETS in order to bring power prices down. 

He says the ETS is designed to encourage people to use green alternatives, but there isn't a green alternative applic...

Former New Zealand Prime Ministers John Key and Helen Clark will attend a large Chinese military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Chinese victory against Japan in World War Two.

The ceremony in Tiananmen Square on Wednesday will also feature leaders like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. 

National Minister Chris Bishop says he thinks the invitation reflects the historical circumstances of their Governments.

"Helen Clar...

New research has found fewer students are studying languages now than in the 1930s - and educators are calling for a solution.

The report, Language Learning for New Zealand’s Future, says second language learning should be a core requirement for students from years seven to ten.

President of the New Zealand Association of Language Teachers, Juliet Kennedy, says it's important for Kiwi students to learn another language.

"It's also ...

New Zealand has risen two spots to third place in this year's Global Peace Index. 

Countries are ranked based on measures including societal safety and security, and the degree of militarisation. 

We currently sit behind Iceland and Ireland, and ahead of Austria and Switzerland. 

Otago University Emeritus Peace and Conflict Studies professor Kevin Clements says recent defence purchases could count against us next yea...

The Immigration Minister hopes allowing people on the Golden Visa to buy a home here will boost the economy in the long-run.

The coalition's come to an agreement - allowing people on Active Investor Plus visas to buy or build one home, worth at least $5 million - if they invest at least another $5 million into the economy.

Erica Stanford says she didn't want anything to skew the market - and $5 million seemed like a good figure.

"I...

There's hopes from one electricity retailer that the Government may underwrite generation projects. 

The Government is expected to make decisions this month on reforming the energy sector - after it asked global consultancy company Frontier Economics to report back on what's needed. 

Octopus Energy chief executive Margaret Cooney says underwriting's worked in the past with the ultra-fast broadband rollout. 

"You can ...

The coalition's confident allowing certain wealthy foreign buyers to buy a home won't drive up house prices.

It's agreed to pass changes, allowing people on an Active Investor Plus visa to buy or build one home in New Zealand - worth a minimum of $5 million.

The visa requires an additional investment of at least $5 million, on top of the price of the home.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says these changes ma...

The wife of a gunman who allegedly killed two police officers in rural Victoria last week has urged her husband to surrender. 

Dezi Freeman is accused of opening fire on police officers, who were carrying out a raid at property in Porepunkah.

Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says the police have been dealing with adverse weather conditions as the manhunt enters its seventh day.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener f...

There's relief for regional airlines, as they receive help to battle soaring costs.

The Government's offering up to $30 million in loans from the Regional Infrastructure Fund. 

It's also approved funding to allow digital upgrades to be made in order to integrate regional bookings with the platforms of major carriers.

Air Chathams CEO Duane Emeny says this is good news for the sector.

"We're looking to hopefully roll out a dome...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 29 August 2025, Reserve Bank chair Neil Quigley has quit with immediate effect. Finance Minister Nicola Willis tells Heather if he hadn't left voluntarily, she would have sacked him.

The Marokopa fugitive dad and his kids have burgled a dairy this week - but police don't sound like they're actively trying to find them.

Why did Heather have to apologise to TVNZ CEO ...

Now, I've got a huge amount of respect for the police, and I very much, almost weakly appreciate what it is that they do for us, but I think we have to call it.

Tom Phillips is embarrassing them.

I mean, the fact that he is still out there with his kids coming up 4 years now is embarrassing for the police because it looks like they're having rings run around them by a skinny guy from Mara Koppa.

He makes a mockery of them every sin...

The British court of appeal is set to make a decision on the 'asylum hotels' around the country. 

Asylum seekers have been staying in hotels at the taxpayers expense, and the government is expected to make an announcement later today.

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey says that tension around these hotels is rising and protests outside these hotels are getting 'pretty fraught.'

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

More than 25,000 visitors from around Australasia are headed to Tauranga for the AIMS games this weekend.

Around 14,000 kids from across the continent will be competing in 27 different sports.

AIMS Games tournament director Kelly Schischka told Heather duPlessis-Allan that there are 431 schools being represented, including new competitors from Fiji and the Cook Islands. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

Reserve Bank board chairman Neil Quigley has resigned “with immediate effect” in the wake of the shambolic handling of Adrian Orr’s resignation as Governor.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis made the announcement just before 6pm on Friday - the day after the Reserve Bank revealed Orr temporarily stepped down as Governor a week before the public was told he resigned

The Finance Minister says she did not ask the Reserve Bank Chair to qu...