Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

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."

LISTEN AB...

Tonight on The Sports Huddle sports journalist Nathan Limm and Jeff McTainsh from Sky Sport joined in on a discussion about the sports issues of the week - and more!

TVNZ cricket commentator Scotty Stevenson called Christ College students 'syrup suckers' on live TV. Was he out of line?

A proposed cricket league is causing a stir. Are former cricketers right to be concerned about the NZ20 league?

And, should Etzebeth have to miss in...

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper talked to Heather du Plessis-Allan about today's political hot topics.

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi has been reinstated to Te Pāti Māori, for now, after she took her expulsion from the party to court.

A leaked phone call between European leaders shows confidence in Trump's loyalty to Ukraine is not strong.

And, ten years ago we voted against changing the flag.

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Mariameno Kapa-Kingi’s membership of Te Pāti Māori has been reinstated after she took her expulsion from the party to court.

Although, the decision is an interim measure ahead of a substantive hearing on February 2, where legal expert Graeme Edgler believes her reinstatement will be reversed. 

Edgler told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "ultimately, if Te Pāti Māori wants to get rid of this person from their party, they'll probably ...

In 2021, the night before the infamous January 6 insurrection, bombs were placed at Democratic National Convention and Republican headquarters.

Police were able to deactivate the bombs, but, until now, the culprit was a mystery. 

On December 4, the FBI arrested a 30-year-old Virginia man, Brian Cole Jr., for the crime.

And, the US continues to target alleged drug boats, yesterday killing four people in the pacific. 

LISTE...

Here's a question for you... is our summer holiday too long?

Are we going to the beach and staying away from the office for too long?

There's a chap called Toss Grumley who thinks so, he's written a column about it. He's a young mover and shaker, business advisor, director, investor in multiple New Zealand entities.

He reckons that our summer breaks are so long now that we're pretty much winding down from November and then we're on...

German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier is currently visiting the UK, marking the first UK state visit by a German head of state in decades.

"The overriding two themes from this state visit is the brilliant relationship between Berlin and London now, and strength and solidarity for Ukraine from these two countries," UK Correspondent Edna Brady told Heather du Plessis-Allan. 

Brady also touches on the large sum of seized Russi...

Tonight on The Huddle broadcaster Mark Sainsbury and Thomas Scrimgeour from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

We could be looking at the next Netball scandal... at NZ Cricket. A bunch of ex Black Caps have signed an open letter highly critical of a new independent T20 competition. What do you make of their concerns?

Ikea is open, and people either hate the hysteria or ar...