Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Carpet maker Bremworth has reversed its wool only policy - and will soon start making synthetic carpets again.

The NZX-listed company, which stopped producing synthetic carpets in 2020 in favour of a wool-only policy, will restart production of synthetic carpets at its Auckland facility in the next financial year.

The Country's Jamie Mackay unpacked the market reactions to this.

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Tonight on The Huddle, CTU economist Craig Renney and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  

Why has the CTU been excluded from the Budget lock-up?

The green bins debate- do they need to go? Simeon Brown suggested Aucklanders could shave 2 percent off their rates bills if they went away. What do we make of this?

The IRD is cracking down on chasing ...

Inland Revenue has collected more than $207 million in repayments since July last year from student loan borrowers living overseas in the past 9 months.

This is a 43 percent increase on the same period from the previous year.

Currently, 71 percent of overseas student loan borrowers are in default - and together, they owe about $2.3 billion in loans, penalties and interest.

Deloitte tax partner Robyn Walker explains why the IRD is s...

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 13 May 2025, even more details have come to light about the kind of pornographic material that Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming allegedly had on his work device. NZ Herald investigative reporter Jared Savage tells Heather the details.

Auckland Council's Justine Haves defends the little food rubbish bins, after Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown claimed ...

Why has it taken us so long to get serious about forcing people to pay back their student loans?

Last month, IRD had someone arrested at the border. They have now paid back their loan.

Isn't that amazing?

They had been chased and chased and chased and chased - and you know that they had, because the IRD only arrest you at the border as an absolute last resort, but suddenly they were arrested at the border and despite presumably yea...

The Public Service Minister has confirmed she's committed to cutting public service diversity requirements.

Minister Judith Collins is looking to bring a draft bill to Cabinet in July, to remove diversity requirements when hiring chief executives.

It would also remove their responsibilities to promote diversity. 

Collins says these requirements are holding the public service back - and she's looking to ensure the right people ...

An Auckland Councillor is apologising for voting to progress a joint-management approach for the Waitākere Ranges. 

The proposal allows Te Kawerau a Maki to be represented on the joint iwi, Crown and Council board.

Waitākere Ward Councillor Ken Turner says he doesn't support it - but voted for it so it would go to public consultation.

He says he was under the false impression more diverse options would be included. 

"They...

A Hollywood-backed football club is coming to play in Wellington.

Welsh side Wrexham AFC's taking on Wellington Phoenix FC at Sky Stadium in July - one of three Australasian matches set to take place.

It's owned by movie stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.

WellingtonNZ's Heidi Morton says she expects the game will sell out.

"Not only because this is going to be a fantastic, friendly football match, but also the entertainment dr...

There's belief that injecting taxpayer dollars into venture capital comes with high risks.

The Government's putting $100 million into the Elevate fund - which supports small business start-ups. 

It's diverting $61 million from its yearly Super Fund contribution, topped up with $39 million from the Budget.

The Taxpayers Union's James Ross says commercially viable businesses wouldn't need propping up by the Government.

"The fact...

Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming could face charges if pornography allegedly found on his work computer is deemed objectionable. 

He'd been suspended on full pay since December during a separate criminal investigation, during which it's understood porn was allegedly discovered on a device. 

McSkimming has now resigned.

NZ Herald investigative reporter Jared Savage says the term 'objectionable material' is subje...

Chris Luxon says Labour is spreading lies about Government pay equity changes.

Legislation rushed through under urgency last week cancels ongoing claims of gender-inequity in pay - and raised the bar for applying.

Opposition leader Chris Hipkins spoke on social media saying the Prime Minister's taking money out of women's pay packets.

Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls says Chris Hipkins has dug his heels in over his position...

Auckland won't be scrapping its green food scrap bins any time soon.

Whanganui District Council is dropping its kerbside service to save a 1.5 percent rate increase.

Local Government Minister Simeon Brown believes Auckland could do the same.

It costs much more to offset carbon with food waste bins - than the carbon credits system.

Auckland Council Waste Solutions general manager Justine Haves says the service reduces landfill waste...

The US and China have agreed to slash their reciprocal tariffs by 115 percent for 90 days.

Washington imposed a 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports at the start of the year - and Beijing responded with a 125 percent levy on some US goods.

But this weekend's trade negotiations between US and Chinese officials in Switzerland appear to have gone well. 

Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explains further.

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Time is running out for businesses who took out a Covid Small Business Cashflow Scheme.

It's five years today since Inland Revenue introduced the loans.

They were issued to more than 129,000 businesses and totalled $2.4 billion.

The IRD says they're now reaching their cut-off point, and default loans not paid in full will be enforced.

ABC Business Sales managing director unveils how many businesses are still owing - and by how much...

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Josie Pagani from Child Fund joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day -  and more!

Andrea Vance's piece in the Sunday Star Times calling female Government MPs the c-word and accusing Nicola Willis of 'girl math' has copped some backlash. What did we think when we read that?

Erica Stanford has been brought on board to figure out how to ban un...