Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

A man has been charged with attempted murder, over an apparent attempt to assassinate Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. 

Fico remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital after being shot several times during a walkabout. 

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Heather du Plessis Allan there’s been reports that the suspect is a 71-year-old, but other than that not much is known. 

Grey said “Others are saying his motive was the Slovak government’s stance on the media – they are cracking down on Newspapers.” 

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Vladimir Putin has arrived at Harbin, China’s ‘Little Russia’. 

He is visiting a China-Russia trade fair today to highlight the strong economic ties between the superpowers. 

Asia Business Correspondent Peter Lewis told Heather du Plessis Allan “Putin wants ongoing support from China, and access to China’s financial system.” 

Lewis said Putin needs to pay for things in other than USD, because Russia doesn’t have access to that system. 

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Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper wraps the political week. 

We’re two weeks away from the Budget, the deadline by which government agency chief executives were asked to find 6.5 percent in savings. 

But Chris Luxon says it doesn't end with the Budget -- he wants it to be the start of a permanent culture shift within ministries. 

Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis Allan “Chris Luxon’s budget speech didn’t tell us much, except not to expect a lolly scramble.” 

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Donald Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen has been accused of lying about phone call at Trump hush-money trial. 

Trump has been charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for allegedly paying off film star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had sex with him.

US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Heather du Plessis Allan “They were throwing everything they could against him - to try paint his entire testimony as a giant lie.” 

Mitchinson said “I think this was one of the few times that Trump actually opened his eyes in court.” 

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All White Clayton Lewis reportedly among three A-League players arrested by New South Wales Police for match-fixing.  

This comes as the A-League’s finals rapidly approach - Wellington's Sky Stadium has sold out Saturday’s semi-final between the Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Victory. 

Weekend Sport Host Elliott Smith told Heather du Plessis Allan “They couldn’t have picked a worse time for this to come to light.” 

Smith said “It’s cast a shadow over the game.” 

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All White Clayton Lewis is reportedly among three A-League players arrested by New South Wales Police for match-fixing.

According to Australian media, all three play for Macarthur FC. Lewis was arrested alongsidecaptain Ulises Davila and midfielder Kearyn Baccus.

Australian Correspondent Murray Olds told Heather du Plessis Allan “Davila was possibly taking instructions from a Mexican cartel.” 

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Air New Zealand has confirmed Nouméa airport in New Caledonia is closed until Tuesday, as civil unrest continues. 

Air New Zealand says it will only resume services when it can guarantee safety for ground staff and customers. 

Air New Zealand’s Captain Hugh Pearce told Heather du Plessis Allan that it’s one thing for the airfield to be opened and operating, but it’s another thing for people to safely get to and from the airfield. 

Pearce said “Our thoughts are with those people on the ground.” 

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Green MP Julie Anne Genter has publicly promised her outburst will not happen again. 

The Rongotai MP is facing formal complaints after shouting in Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey's face. 

Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis Allan “Today she was laying it on with a trowel.” 

Soper said “She’s trying to circumvent what she could face before the Privileges Committee when parliament begins next week.” 

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The Wellington Phoenix will face the Melbourne Victory tomorrow night in the A-League semi-final. 

Meanwhile, the captain of Macarthur FC has been accused of paying two teammates up to $10,905 NZD to deliberately receive yellow cards. 

Newstalk ZB sportsreader Andrew Alderson told Heather du Plessis Allan “You’re asking for trouble” - regarding the involvement of sponsorship and betting companies being involved in football leagues. 

Alderson said “You take your reputation and integrity into your hands, if you go down that path.” 

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Coastguard and Surf Life Saving New Zealand will get an extra 63.6 million dollars in funding over the next four years. 

The money would be divided as $19m for Coastguard and $44m for Surf Life Saving NZ. 

Coastguard CEO Callum Gillespie told Heather du Plessis Allan “We’re going to spend it on our volunteers.” 

Gillespie said “We’ve got 2,200 amazing volunteers across the country – they give vast amounts of their time and energy to keeping New Zealanders safe.” 

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The Warehouse CEO Nick Grayston has quit, effective immediately. 

The board is looking for a replacement, and Board Chair Joan Withers said fresh energy is needed. 

Devon Funds Head of Retail, Greg Smith told heather du Plessis Allan “It’s not a surprise, truth be told it hasn’t been working for some time.” 

Smith said “It’s tough out there for retailers. 

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Wellington's Sky Stadium is officially a sell-out for tomorrow’s A-League football semi-final between the Phoenix and Melbourne Victory. 

The Nix may make their first-ever A-League final in the club’s history. 

Former Wellington Phoenix player Paul Ifill told Heather du Plessis Allan “They’ve been doubting all season by everybody, but now they’ve found themselves one game away.” 

Ifill said “On the day, anything can happen, and it may go to penalties.” 

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Te Huia, the Waikato to Auckland commuter train will continue to be funded by NZTA at reduced rate. 

Waikato councils will soon be deciding how they will help fund the Te Huia train service between Hamilton and Auckland. 

NZTA's committed around 12 million dollars from the National Land Transport fund to extend the service until April 2026. 

NZTA Chief Executive Nicole Rosie told Heather du Plessis Allan “The service is slightly under its passenger numbers, and punctuality.” 

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Over one million trays of kiwifruit found on a Zespri shipment with a mouse infestation will be destroyed.

After mice were found on the company's first shipment to Europe for the season, the company worked to salvage what they could.

The Country's Jamie Mackay explains the extent of the damage. 

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ASB is the latest major New Zealand bank to drop their mortgage interest rates for three and four year terms.

This follows BNZ and Kiwibankbringing down their interest rates, as wholesale rates have trended down.

NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains why these banks are making these moves, despite the RBNZ holding rates steady.

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President Zelenskyy has postponed all foreign trips as Russia launches its' most serious border incursion since the start of the war.

Ukrainian forces have pulled back from two strategic points in the Kharkiv region in order to avoid 'unnecessary' losses, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.

New Voice of Ukraine editor Euan MacDonald says this is the result of US aid being held up over the past six months.

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It's been a couple days after the Australian Budget, and some groups have lucked out after the big day.

Between tax cuts, the energy rebate and the financial boost for renewable energy manufacturing businesses, some feel that the Government has 'splashed the cash'. 

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the Opposition will still have other aspects of the Budget to pick apart.

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 16 May 2024, Green MP Darleen Tana has now been absent from Parliament as many days as she attended this year while her party investigates worker exploitation accusations.But former employees say they're still waiting for their money.

Fonterra is set to make a huge change to its business, looking to sell off large parts of its overseas operations and even well-known brands like Anchor, Mainland and Kapiti.

The Huddle debates whether Kevin Spacey should be hired for acting jobs again after a Hollywood campaign to back him again.

Plus, the best bloopers from a marathon council meeting. Ding ding ding!

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Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

Several Hollywood stars have called for the witch-hunt against Kevin Spacey to stop - so he can return to the screen again. Should he be given a chance? Would we support this?

Following on from Sam Cane's public retirement from the All Blacks - was the media too harsh on him?

Is Te Huia over for good? The meeting to discuss the train service's future happened today - what comes next?

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Auckland councillors have given mayor Wayne Brown's Long Term Plan the green light.

It includes a $50 per week cap for public transport fares and creating an Auckland Future Fund with the Council's remaining airport shares.

Brown says there was a lot of discussion on the airport shares.

"The public we consulted were all very keen to put the airport shares into a growth fund. But some of my councillors were just kind of emotionally attached to them."

The plan will go to the full governing body in June to be rubber-stamped.

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One Nelson woman is the latest to express disappointment with Air New Zealand's conduct.

On April 29, Kerstin Zdzieblik was bumped off her afternoon flight to Auckland - meaning she missed her international connection and was left $800 out of pocket as a result of this mistake.

Her daughter, Anne Thomas, says the airline gave away her seat to relocate a crew member without checking she had an international connection.

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Blacklisted actor Kevin Spacey is fighting to revive his career after being cleared of sexual assault.

Spacey's been acquitted on nine charges - and won a civil lawsuit, where he was accused of an unwanted sexual advance.

Now big industry names, including Sharon Stone and Liam Neeson, are speaking up for the 64-year-old's Hollywood return.

US reporter Anthony Davis says victims' stories seem to be missing.

"In all the coverage that I've seen, including the right of reply opportunities that Kevin Spacey has had, there's no mention of these 10 people who have placed the latest allegations."

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There's uncertainty around Fonterra's plan to sell well-known brand Anchor.

The diary giant has signalled its intent to divest some or all of its global consumer business, including Fonterra Oceania and Fonterra Sri Lanka.

Dairy NZ deputy chair Jacqueline Rowarth says Anchor is synonymous with New Zealand.

"Anchor was sold at one point, and then they brought it back. So let's not do that again, it would have to be a very, very good offer in order to actually compensate for that."

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A lawyer involved in a case affecting an investigation into a Green MP understands it's not close to wrapping up.

MP Darleen Tana's been stood down for the past two months during investigation of allegations of migrant exploitation at the business of her husband, Christian Hoff-Nielson.

Lawyer Alex Kersjes represents some of Hoff-Nielson's former workers.

He says both his clients were interviewed last week.

"It would seem there's still very much in the investigative phase, the last query I had was trying to find an email trail between Tana and our clients."

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Labour's Chris Hipkins has taken a crack at the Government's scheme for school lunches.

Hipkins visited a primary school in Christchurch - and warned that kids would receive less nutrition under David Seymour's cost-cutting plan.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says little has been mentioned about the wastage coming from school lunches under Labour.

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Wolverhampton have lodged a motion to scrap the use of VAR in football's Premier League.

ESPN reports a vote will be held at next month's meeting of the 20 clubs.

The team will need the backing of 13 others to pass the resolution, which would see the video assistant referee removed from the English top flight with immediate effect.

Sportstalk's D'Arcy Waldegrave explains the implications of this debate.

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There's growing debate mortgage advisors need more regulation - alongside a Commerce Commission bid to make it easier to take out a home loan.

Discussions at a banking conference centred on concerns brokers don't encourage mortgage rate competition.

Simplicity CEO, Sam Stubbs, says they provide a valuable service, but commissions are a worry.

"What CommComm are concerned about is - are they actually acting in the best interests of the clients, or are they acting in the best interests of themselves to try and maximise their commission?"

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Well, it’s D-day for Te Huia.

Today's the day that NZTA has met and has decided whether or not to keep funding the train past the end of June. Unless NZTA gives them more money, it’s all over by the first of July.

And come on, it’s gotta be all over right? Because the case for this thing has never actually stacked up.

We subsidise every single passenger on that train to the tune of at least $92 per trip. Compare that to the other commuter train that runs in the North Island between Palmerston North and Wellington, the Capital Connection. The subsidy there is $26 per passenger, that's almost a quarter.

80,000 are estimated to catch Te Huia this year. By contrast, it's 110,000 for the Capital train. Can you explain to me how fewer people are catching a train into Auckland, a considerably bigger city?

Because why would you?

You can do that trip on the train from Hamilton to Auckland, it takes 2 hours and 40 minutes. Or you can jump in your car and travel for 2 hours - it doesn't make any sense.

The train only runs a couple of times a day for half the week, and then three times a day for the other half. And it doesn’t even stop at massive commuter suburbs on the way to Auckland, like Pokeno.

It’s gotta go. It’s an expensive, ineffective service.

But this is not a criticism of the idea of a train between Hamilton and Auckland, that is a great idea.

If we had a proper train running, it would mean we could take Pokeno, Tuakau, Pukeohe, Bombay and Mercer’s traffic all off the motorway and encourage more people to live in those less expensive places - and maybe even move to Hamilton.

But we’ve got to do it properly. It's got to be faster than a car, it’s got to stop at the right places where people live and it's got to run more frequently.

I'm certain that if it was done properly, many more people would use it.

So killing Te Huia is not killing a great idea, it's just killing the poor execution of a great idea.

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An investigative piece by the New Yorker is questioning the verdict in the Lucy Letby case.

Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies in her care as a nurse and sentenced to life in prison.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the article questioned her conviction and the lack of evidence revealing her guilt.

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Poor trading conditions, intense price competition and lower building product sales have prompted Fletcher Building to downgrade its profit forecast.

The forecast has been downgraded $640 million to $540 million - move that caused stock to sink 15 percent.

Milford Asset Management's Mark Riggall explains what's causing Fletcher Building's economic woes.

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Ahead of the May Budget, experts have noticed the Reserve Bank's balance sheet has grown over the years.

The value of assets held by the RBNZ has has quadrupled since 2019, peaking at $104 billion in February 2023.

NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains what's causing all this.

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New South Wales is pulling out all the stops to entice Kiwi cops across the ditch.

Training requirements have been cut down and New Zealand officers can keep their ranks - on top of receiving higher pay.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this offer will be attractive to many New Zealand-based police officers.

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Donald Trump's legal team are still working tirelessly to dismantle Michael Cohen's legal credibility.

Cohen, Trump's former attorneyand a key witness in the ongoing hush money trial, has been called to the stand for a second day.

He remained calm - and expressed hope the former President would be found guilty of fraud.

US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Michael Cohen has also recently taken to TikTok to voice his issues.

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Expect a different look on attack for the Warriors for Sunday's NRL magic round clash against the Panthers in Brisbane.

A makeshift spine will see Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at five-eighth, alongside halfback Te Maire Martin, who replaces the injured Shaun Johnson.

Taine Tuaupiki will slot in at fullback.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what this means for the team.

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Foodstuffs is raising the alarm about an increase in retail crime throughout their stores.

New data shows over 5000 incidents were reported in the first quarter of this year at 320 New World, Pak n' Save and Four Square stores.

Foodstuffs North Island general counsel Julian Benefield says a number of these incidents were caused by repeat offenders.

"As we've seen with the data that we're reporting, there's clearly a huge increase - and a large increase in the violent, aggressive offences, which is really concerning for us. It makes us really concerned about our team members."

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The Restaurant Association has voiced disappointment with Auckland Transport's move to charge for parking.

AT will delay their 24/7 parking fees in the CBD until October - though charges on Sundays and public holidays will still kick in from July. 

CEO Marisa Bidois says Auckland Transport still needs to hear what the business community has to say first.

"We're talking 15,000 businesses that are potentially impacted by this, and I think that they need to be heard about their opinions on what's happening here."

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 15 May 2024, New South Wales Police Minister Yasmin Catley has launched a huge offensive to poach Kiwi cops to Australia. And she tells Heather she's not sorry at all!

Hollywood's favourite new weight loss drug might be even more amazing than previously thought - now it's thought to dramatically lower the risk of having a heart attack.

The Huddle can't agree whether King Charles' new portrait is great art or horrific - and would you believe it.... real life Martha from Baby Reindeer is now threatening Piers Morgan with legal action!

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Tonight on The Huddle, Matt Heath from Radio Hauraki and David Farrar, Kiwiblog contributor and Curia pollster joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

King Charles' portrait has divided the world, with some labelling it bold - or horrifying. What do we think?

NSW officials have launched a recruitment drive to poach Kiwi police. Can New Zealand compete with Australia? How do we keep our skilled workers in the country?

Foodstuffs has voiced concerns with the state of retail crime as incidents keep happening. What's the solution here? How can we keep crime down?

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It's looking increasingly likely that the Wellington Phoenix will sell out Sky Stadium for their hotly-anticipated match.

The team are set to host the Melbourne Victory for Saturday's A-League semi-final second leg - and tickets are going fast.

Wellington Phoenix General Manager David Dome reckons tickets could sell out as soon as tonight.

"We're doing about a thousand every couple of hours at the moment, so we might churn through those tonight."

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WorkSafe's calling for businesses to boost safety standards as more workers lose fingers on unsafe machinery.

The courts have issued more than half a million dollars worth of fines to three manufacturing businesses, since mid-March.

They involve three people who lost multiple fingers in 2022.

WorkSafe Principal Inspector Mark Donaghue says these companies should have had more safety precautions in place.

"What we do find is that some safety systems can be bypassed - or may not be in place at all - for various reasons."

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An Auckland art expert is calling King Charles' first post coronation portrait 'striking and interesting'.

The painting, unveiled at Buckingham Palace, depicts the King in Welsh military regalia, with a butterfly on his shoulder, against a vibrant red background.

The Head of Art at Webb's, Tasha Jenkins, says it was a surprise at first sight.

"They really wanted it to be something bold and striking and different from what people would expect. We're all talking about it, so I'm sure that's a plus for them."

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The New South Wales government feels no guilt for attempting to poach Kiwi police.

The state is 1500 officers short, and it today announced it'll fast-track New Zealand officers as recruits.

Training requirements will be shortened and Kiwis can keep their current rank - up to senior constable.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley says it's just another measure to bolster numbers.

"Queensland's been doing it, Victoria's been doing it - this has been going on for quite some time."

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There's been a clinical breakthrough with Hollywood's new favourite drug, which could work for more than weight loss.

Research has found semaglutide, known by brand name Ozempic, could reduce heart attack risk by 20 percent.

It also could improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's.

But Auckland University Molecular medicine professor Peter Shepherd says it takes years of real-life usage to see the effects of a new drug.

"For a lot of people, this is really good long-term. But there is 20 - 25 percent of people who start off on this drug, and it doesn't work and they have too many side effects and they've gotta stop."

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We've got to talk about the brain drain that’s going on.

Today, the NSW Government has announced it is going to come for our Kiwi cops. It's got a shortage of 1500 police, and they're extremely worried about it.

So the Chris Minns Government has announced it’s going to slash red tape, cut down the course time required by more than half and fast-track Kiwi cops into their force.

And Kiwi cops will leave. Because unless they win the pay arbitration they’re about to go into, they will take a pay offer from our Government that we can see is pretty poor. So they'll all head overseas for better pay.

These are people we can’t afford to lose. Because we need police too, we're short on police as well.

And we are losing a lot of these kinds of people. The immigration figures out yesterday were pretty rough. In just a year, we’ve lost a net 52,500 Kiwis - mostly to Australia.

What we're talking about here is that these are our best and brightest. They are our skilled workers choosing to leave the country.

Now, part of the problem is where we are economically. It happens to us when we're in the bomb part of the cycle, Kiwis leave when the economy is cruddy. 

And some of it is because of the vibe in New Zealand. It's gloomy, let’s be honest, because we are having pretty angry conservations as a country about politics.

And on both those scores, I do have confidence we are now headed in the right direction. I just think it will take time to see the end result.

We also have an added complication now, which is that it’s going to get harder to get Kiwis back from Australia, because they can get citizenship again over there.

What I think we need to do is - we need to lift our game. We have to give our people a reason not to leave, and a reason to come back if they do.

And that means we have to go hard economically. That is the only way we're going to get out of this.

So we’ve got to stop being sissies about this. We need to cut this wellbeing nonsense - what does that even mean? Stop angsting about the tiniest impact some business is going to have on the environment and get real about our climate impact, it's tiny.

Dig the good stuff out of the ground, that's how you get rich. And this country needs to get wealthy, so we can all earn more - because that is what gives you a good lifestyle.

And a good lifestyle is the reason you stay here.

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Researchers have found the injectable weight-loss treatment Ozempic could reduce the risk of heart attacks across the UK.

A study revealed semaglutide, a key ingredient in treatments including Wegovy and Ozempic could likely boost the cardiovascular health of millions.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says it's likely Ozempic will be routinely prescribed in the UK by the end of the decade.  

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The Australian Government has opted to ban live sheep exports from 2028 onward, a move that has farmers disappointed.

The Government as promised a $107 million transition package to support the sector over the next five years.

The Country's Jamie Mackay explains why farmers disapprove of this decision.

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Australian treasurer Jim Chalmers is set to deliver the 2024 Budget tonight, and economists are raising their eyebrows at some promises.

The reworked stage 3 tax cuts and energy bill relief are expected to be included in a set of nationwide cost-of-living support measures, but Chalmers is insistent they won't fuel inflation.

HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham is sceptical these measures won't add to Australia's inflation woes. 

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A record number of New Zealanders have left the country, according to new data.

Stats NZ says the nation had a net migration loss of over 52,500 citizens in the year ending March.

Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen suspects concerning economic figures are driving young Kiwis to find greener pastures overseas, particularly Australia.

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Taxpayer support for the Christchurch Call will soon end, as it transitions to being a non-governmental foundation.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon says the Call's work will continue, but it now has a new structure and will be self-funded.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says founder Jacinda Ardern's intentions were noble - but it wasn't enough.

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Over in Australia, treasurer Jim Chalmers is expected to deliver the nation's federal Budget for 2024.

Chalmers has warned Australians not to expect a 'cash splash' as the nation continues to fight a war with inflation.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the Government is still promising cost-of-living relief in key areas, including energy and adjustments to rent assistance.

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There's a lot of speculation in the rugby world, as fans and experts predict the next All Blacks captain.

Incumbent captain Sam Cane has revealed he plans to step down at the end of the 2024 season - and Scott Barrett and Ardie Savea are the leading contenders.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave joins in on the speculation - and shares his personal pick - here today.

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 14 May 2024,Police Commissioner Andrew Coster tells Heather about his plan to crackdown on gangs - but he seems unsure it'll actually work.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon speaks to Heather about the decision to turn the Christchurch Call into a charitable foundation - without taxpayer funding.

The Block host Mark Richardsonon finding out from the media that the show had been cancelled.

The Huddle debates whether the new gang taskforce will make a difference in reducing crime.

Plus, the uncomfortable truth Millennials need to hear about their socks.

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Over in the US, President Joe Biden is set to announce new 100 percent tariffs for Chinese EVs.

This is the latest bid from the Biden administration to keep China from undercutting US companies and impacting manufacturing jobs, as Biden fights for a second term in the US election.

Drive Electric Chair Kirstin Corson says

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Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour chief of staff Mike Munro and Sarah Trotman from Business Mentors NZ joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

The Government has announced a new National Gang Unit, which is designed to tackle increasing gang crime. Will it make a real difference? 

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has revealed he plans to turn the Christchurch Call into a foundation - and scrap taxpayer funding for the initiative. Is the best decision for it?

Joe Biden is set to double the price of Chinese EV imports through new tariffs to protect the local car manufacturing industry. Is this really the best move to address climate change?

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One New Zealand-based whisky producer has walked away from the San Francisco World Spirits Awards with an impressive haul.

Pōkeno Whisky brought home two Double Gold Awards, a Gold and two Silver medals by the end of the event.

Founder Matt Johns says this is great for the company's international credibility.

"We're just focused on making the best single malt we possibly can with no compromise on anything we do - and that's starting to show through and be appreciated." 

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Four Auckland townhouses are on the market, as The Block NZ joins the local television scrap heap.

The Brown's Bay homes were nearly ready for contestants on the house renovation show.

But Newshub owner Warner Brothers Discovery has confirmed today it's pulling the next season.

Host Mark Richardson says it's a shame to see the end of the show, which has been part of his life for 12 years.

"It was just light television that captured this large demographic of people, from kids to oldies. And it was just enjoyable to watch."

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The Police Commissioner says the new scheme designed to tackle gang crime will set police up for future measures. 

The specialised National Gang Unit will have 25 to 30 people, and up to seven ring-fenced officers in every police district.

Commissioner Andrew Coster says these units will examine the gang activity happening in various districts to combat harm.

"We know we're going to need to move resources around to enable this enforcement to occur - and these gangs will sit at the core of that."

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Education-based unions are picking apart the Government's scheme for charter schools.

The coalition's putting more than $150 million in the Budget for 15 new charter schools - and converting 35 state schools.

PPTA President Chris Abercrombie says we shouldn't privatise a public good, and believes there are 'better uses' for the money.

"Strengthening the state system and not siphoning money out of it - I think that would be the biggest benefit to the vast majority of students in this country."

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The Prime Minister says the Christchurch Call has done good work.

The Government has decided to pull taxpayer funding for the initiative, launched by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern after the Christchurch mosque attacks.

From July, it will run off donations with Ardern staying on as patron - rather than New Zealand's special envoy for the foundation.

Chris Luxon says eliminating violent extremism online is a very tough task.

"But actually, the work of coordinating tech players to see what they can do to eliminate it is actually a good thing. And it's a good mission."

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Well, you can’t keep a good idea down, can you?

Strike Force Raptor is back! Do you remember that? That was Simon Bridges' big crime plan when he was the National Party leader in opposition.

He announced a dedicated anti-gang police squad called Strike Force Raptor which would go around "harassing and disrupting gangs every single day”. He was mocked for it and the idea was put to bed.

And guess what Police Commissioner Andrew Coster just announced today - it's basically the same thing. He's not calling it Strike Force Raptor, but that’s basically what it is, it's a specialised National Gang Unit across the country.

We're still a little bit light on detail today, Coster couldn't say how many officers there would be or what the targets would be and I'm guessing some of these questions may be answered in the Budget in a couple of weeks.

But the the bones of the idea are there, and it's a pretty good idea.

Because it's worked in Australia. Strike Force Raptor wasn't our idea, it was set up in New South Wales in 2009. Its numbers got boosted last year, it's won international crime fighting awards.

And it was so successful, it had reportedly broken the back of the bikie gangs in Sydney so badly that many of the bikie bosses moved overseas to continue their drug operations - because it had just gotten too hard.  

Here, we’ve just seen the value of hassling the gangs. That gang funeral for the Ponsonby shooter yesterday seemed to be a non-event, because the cops were there en masse to give the gang members a hard time.

Compare that to the infamous gang tangi in Optoiki last year, which shut down a main road to citizens, had schools shut and basically just seemed to get out of hand - because the cops were watching from the side of the road and being impotent.

It seems like it's a good idea to hassle gangs - who would have thought?

Coster can call this whatever he likes, if it keeps the gangs in check, it’s a good idea.

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warns the UK is at a 'crossroads' ahead of some 'dangerous' years in a pre-election pitch.

The UK Prime Minister says the years ahead will be 'challenging' for the nation - and that he's the best person to get everyone through them.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says security is set to be a significant issue ahead of the UK's general election.

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The legal dispute between Children's Minister Karen Chhour and the Waitangi Tribunal is set for another round.

The Court of Appeal recently overturned a High Court decision to block a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal to Minister Chhour.

National Urban Māori Authority chair Lady Tureiti Moxon says this case has wider implications for New Zealand's Māori community.

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Tauranga Businesses have released their key priorities for prospective council candidates.

The city is having elections in July after being under the control of commissioners since 2020.

A Tauranga Business Chamber survey found 82 percent of respondents agreed with the direction the commissioners set.

Chief Executive Matt Cowley says that may not be love for the commissioners but a dislike of the previous council arrangements.

He says businesses were against the stagnation that happened before the commissioners arrived.

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The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision, that had said the Waitangi Tribunal couldn't summon Minister Karen Chhour.

But despite the ruling, it's too late for the Tribunal to call her to front up.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explains what comes next.

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The export of live sheep from Australia will be banned from May 2028 onwards.

The Government has promised a $117 million transition package to support the sector over the next five years.

Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says this will be disappointing news for farmers - who weren't properly consulted before the legislation was implemented. 

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The Finance Minister has promised Budget 2024 will address fundamental areas - and help the nation aim for growth. 

Despite concerns that the budget will be focused around austerity, Nicola Willis says the budget will offer some hope for the future. 

Willis says she's focused on helping boost growth to get New Zealand out of this economic patch.

"We are doing a lot of work across Government - we're thinking about how we can boost growth in New Zealand. Because that's ultimately how we'll get out of this difficult economic patch."

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 13 May 2024, Auckland Transport Chief Executive Dean Kimpton defends why he's introducing 24/7 parking charges for the city centre.

Heather asks NZ Rugby's Chris Lendrum what made Sam Cane call time on his All Blacks career at the end of the year.

Should a convicted sex offender be allowed to become a lawyer? Lawyer Steve Cullen weighs in.

Plus, the most important lessons from motherhood for our three mums on the Huddle.

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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!

Auckland Transport is under fire after they confirmed they plan to implement 24/7 parking charges for residents and visitors from July onwards. How will this impact businesses?

How will Sam Cane be remembered? The incumbent All Blacks captain has confirmed he plans to step down at the end of the 2024 season. Will he be missed by Kiwi rugby fans?

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New Zealand's Olympic Committee is on the hunt for a skilled fan to step into the suit of Goldie the Kiwi.

The New Zealand Team is bringing back the iconic mascot - and they've put a call out for someone to don the suit and amp up the crowds in Paris.

The winner will will receive flights, accommodation, and tickets to four New Zealand Team experiences.

NZ Olympic Team Chef de Mission Nigel Avery says they're searching for someone with lots of energy to step into the costume and take over the role.

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All Blacks captain Same Cane has called time on his international career at the end of the 2024 season.

Cane has been released from the final year of his contract with New Zealand Rugby to sign with Suntory Sungoliath in Tokyo for another three years.

NZ Rugby general manager Chris Lendrum says they're still happy to keep Sam Cane around for the next few months before he starts his next chapter. 

"We've got Sam with us for another 6 or 8 months, we're really happy for him and Harriet and his family that they've got an opportunity to sign their career off in the way they want."

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All Blacks captain Same Cane has called time on his international career at the end of the 2024 season.

Cane has been released from the final year of his contract with New Zealand Rugby to sign with Suntory Sungoliath in Tokyo for another three years.

NZ Rugby general manager Chris Lendrum says they're still happy to keep Sam Cane around for the next few months before he starts his next chapter. 

"We've got Sam with us for another 6 or 8 months, we're really happy for him and Harriet and his family that they've got an opportunity to sign their career off in the way they want."

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New data shows food prices have shot up for the first time in three months - contributing to inflationary pressures.

Stats NZ says food prices went up 0.6 percent on March, to be 0.8 percent higher than 2023 figures.

Rent and petrol, two other key components, went up by 4.6 percentand 2 percent, respectively.

ASB economist Kim Mundy says it's likely consumers will have to tighten their belts for longer to get inflation under control.

"We don't think there's going to be enough evidence to convince the Reserve Bank that it has done enough to make sure that inflation is really back within target."

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Auckland Transport's Chief Executive says changes to parking in the CBD are to give ratepayers relief.

From July, motorists will have to pay 24/7 for parking, much of which was previously free on Sundays and outside 8am and 6pm.

Dean Kimpton says the move was made to create the $74 million in savings that the Council has requested of it.

He says that's alongside improving public transport.

"This is what growing cities do. This is what we will do with any income we receive. We will look to make that transport safe and more frequent."

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Incumbent All Blacks captain Sam Cane is keen to have a last hurrah with the All Blacks this season.

The 95-test veteran is pulling the pin on his international career at the end of 2024 to extend his time in Japan for another three years.

Listen to Piney discuss Sam Cane's legacy with the All Blacks here.

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Victim advocates are questioning the process that allowed a convicted sex offender to gain a position on the High Court.

In 2018, Adrian Dermer was jailed after he admitted to a sexual connection and violent charges with a 14-year-old when he was two months shy of 17.

Dermer has now been admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court.

Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen says the Law Society has a comprehensive process when it comes to issuing the necessary certificate of character to practise law.

"That committee would call for a variety of reports, the onus would be on the applicant to satisfy the committee that the were fit and proper - I would think any committee member would have to have regards to the totality of the circumstances."

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 10 May 2024, Labour’s energy spokesperson Megan Woods responds to government criticism of the 2018 gas and oil exploration ban. 

The New Zealand Defence force has had a budget increase, to the tune of $571 million.Defence Minister Judith Collins said this is a move in the right direction. 

TVNZ enters mediation after cancelling Sunday and Fair Go, E tū negotiator, Michael Woodsaid they'll work as quickly as possible to reach an agreement. 

The Warehouse closes TheMarket.com after sales worsen.Devon Funds Management head of Retail, Greg Smith told Heather, “They launched this in 2019 as New Zealand’s answer to Amazon.”   

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Chinese President Xi Jinping is on his first trip to Europe in five years, which is likely to be dominated by Russia’s war in Ukraine as well as economic strains between Beijing and Brussels. 

Asia business correspondent, Peter Lewis told Heather du Plessis Allan that European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said the EU needed help to protect itself from Chinese imports. 

Lewis said “Cina learnt very quickly about ow to make cars and they stole an edge in the EV market.” 

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Economic growth in the UK has reached 0.1%, despite construction and retail being hit by a slow start to the year. 

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Heather du Plessis Allan that the government has said their economic reforms are beginning to come good. However, the opposition is saying “you’ve been in power for more than a decade and it’s not looking good.” 

Grey said “The general election is beginning to focus on the economy; and asylum seekers (which is very much unresolved)”. 

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The Warehouse Group will close the online shopping website TheMarket.com in late June after about five years of business – after it failed to find a buyer. 

Earlier this year, they sold Torpedo7 for $1. 

Devon Funds Management head of Retail, Greg Smith told Heather du Plessis Allan “They launched this in 2019 as New Zealand’s answer to Amazon.” 

Smith said “Part of this is about trying to improve the focus, they do seem to have lost their way,” 

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Sports Huddle with Matt Brown & Paul Allison: the scrapping of the scrum after the free kick. 

Three laws are to be amended which World Rugby said will allow for a better fan experience by "increasing the spectacle, safety and game simplicity". 

World Rugby has made changes to its laws to improve the "entertainment factor" of the game and make it easier for viewers to understand.

Paul Brown told Heather du Plessis Allan “We’re sick to death of scrums being collapsed and using up time.”   

Brown said “All the rules that are being proposed make good. Positive sense.” 

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The Defence Minister says New Zealand never wants to go to war - but the geopolitical situation is unstable.

The Government has revealed 571-million-dollars from the Budget will go into military coffers."

Defence Minister Judith Collins told Heather du Plessis Allan“It is a significant amount, and defence force will come up with a plan for it."

Collins said “Since I’ve been Minister I’ve seen a big drop in attrition and we need to see it going in the right direction.” 

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AUT says it's considering a controversial social media post made on the private account of the school's dean of law, Khylee Quince

The post said: "I suppose it was inevitable that one of the old racist dinosaurs would make a pathetic squeal in an attempt to preserve the status quo... Mr Judd and 'matauranga Maori is not science' friends can go die quietly in the corner

I actually don’t think AUT needs to do anything about this, because of freedom of speech

But - if they leave this unchecked, it means AUT doesn’t mind this kind of discourse from its senior staff. 

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I'll tell you what, this morning I woke up at seven basically on the dot and when I looked at the time, I thought jeez, it's seven and I pulled my charger out of my phone because just so that I wasn't the one who tipped the entire country into darkness. 

It was a relief, wasn't it, that we managed to make it, make it through two hours this morning without the power going out. 

Apparently, according to Transpower, it's basically the reason that we managed to do it is because we all chipped in. 

We all did our bit, the major electricity users did there. 

But in between all of us, we managed to save about 260 megawatts in terms of demand. And that's actually not a bad effort by us, because, yesterday the forecast was that they were going to be down 200 megawatts. 

So, we did pretty well. But we need to talk about this because this is not going to be the last time this year that we get this message and that we have to rally and pull our phones out of the chargers, take the bike off the charge. Do not put the kettle on, do not put the dishwasher on, do not put the washing machine on, do not heat rooms you're not in and turn all the lights out. This is basically what it's going to be like this winter and it's probably going to be like this for many winters ahead of us.

 The reason for that is because we're trying to go green. Basically, we're trying to run on solar, wind and water. And if you do that, if there's not enough solar wind or water, you basically, the only other thing you can do is stop the demand, turn everything off. 

And the other thing also, which is a major problem is that we're running out of gas and we're running out of gas really fast, like alarmingly fast, we're running out of gas. Now, bear this in mind when we pulled our charges out of our phones this morning and turn the lights out, that did make a difference. 

But that was small beer compared to what was actually making the difference, which was Tiwai Aluminum Smelter, cutting its electricity use and Methanex using less gas and industry basically pulling less electricity out of the system. 

What that means is that we had to go to all of these big money-making companies in this country and ask them to stop working and they did, which means that for those two hours. 

And however long it took them to, you know, power things down and then power things back up again, which in the case of the Tiwai aluminum smelter would I imagine be hours. 

It means they made less money. 

Which means because a lot of them are exporters, the country made less money because of this morning's power shortage. 

Now, maybe once you know, happens on the ninth, 10th of May 2024 you don't really care all that much.   

But if you're doing this multiple times a year and you are doing this multiple years, that stuff adds up. We are literally, we are literally becoming poorer as a country because we cannot rely on our electricity. That's pretty third world, isn't it?That's weird.

Did we choose this? Oh, yes. That's right. Some of us did. Some of us wanted to do this. This was a choice. We need to rethink.  

I would suggest we need to rethink really quickly, whether this is the kind of country we want to be running, whether this is the kind of electricity system we want to be running. 

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TVNZ is being forced to go into mediation after cancelling high profile shows including Sunday and Fair Go.

The Employment relations authority this afternoon found the state broadcaster broke a clause in the collective agreement it has with staff

E tū negotiator, Michael Wood told Heather du Plessis Allan “We as a union will attempt to sit down with TVNZ over the coming week and try reach an agreeable outcome as quickly as we can."

Wood said “If not, TVNZ will be required under this ruling to come back and comply with the collective agreement and follow the process properly.” 

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The Government has unveiled a 571-million-dollar funding boost over four years - including 163-million for bolstering pay.

The rest will go towards upgrading tech and fleets - including the military's NH90 helicopters, and dated vehicles.

Senior political correspondent Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis Allan “It’s about interoperability with our defence partners."

Soper said “If you look at our spend compared to theirs, it’s small – this spend will bring us up to one percent of GDP.” 

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The Hurricanes will play The Blues tomorrow night at Eden Park. 

The Hurricanes lead the competition on 42 points, followed by the Blues (41). The Hurricanes beat the Blues 29-21 on March 9.

Sports Contributor Jason Pine told Heather du Plessis Allan “I’ve had a quick check on the odds: the Blues has favourites, according to the TAB. 

Pines said “I think that’s to do with home advantage. It’s a hard place to win rugby if you’re not from there.” 

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US correspondent Dan Mitchinson reports on Stormy Daniels and Trump, Biden and Netanyahu; and hospitals not doing surgeries unless payment is received in full

Mitchinson told Heather du Plessis Allan, “Trump’s lawyers are continuing to attack the credibility of Daniels’ testimony

Mitchinson said that Daniels responded with “If that story was untrue, I would have written it a lot better."

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We dodged a bullet this morning, but are we paying the price for Labour's mismanagement? 

Grid operator Transpower asked households to conserve power this morning. 

The Government's blamed a ban in 2018 on oil and gas exploration, for our short supply of natural gas. 

The Labour Party’s energy spokesperson Megan Woods told Heather du Plessis Allan “It was the correct and right thing to do.” 

Woods said "I'm concerned that the government has cut funding for other energy storage options." 

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Prince Harry received support from two of Princess Diana's siblings during his Invictus Games engagement.

The Duke of Sussex attended the Invictus Games Foundation’s 10th Anniversary celebration alongside Charles Spencer and Lady Jane Fellowes.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says this isn't a good look for King Charles, who was hosting a garden party nearby.

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The US and Europe have posted several quarterly results - and this season has been labelled 'spicy' and volatile by experts.

Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds unpacks all the highs and lows found within the results.

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AgriZeroNZ, the joint venture fast-tracking emissions reduction tools for Kiwi farmers, has put up millions of dollars in the race for a 'methane vaccine'.

The company has invested $9.9 million in U.S. ag-biotech start-up, ArkeaBio, to accelerate a treatment for ruminant animals.

The Country's Jamie Mackay examines the impact of these treatments.

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It's looking increasingly likely that cash is getting phased out.

More and more banks have removed their ATMs, and Australia's Macquarie Bank made headlines over its decision to scrap physical money altogether.

NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann examines the future of physical cash.

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 9 May 2024, Transpower's warning Kiwis to reduce their electricity usage to avoid power cuts tomorrow morning.Transpower's Chantelle Bramley tells Heather how bad the shortfall is.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has promised "modest but meaningful" tax cuts. Heather asks her how much money we'll get.

The Huddle debates whether the last Government caused the energy crisis we find ourselves in and whether Woolworths should own its promotions mistake.

Plus the Baby Reindeer news that has Heather on the edge of her seat...

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The nation is grappling with worsening power and gas shortages - in line with one expert's warning.

In September 2023, Enerlytica director John Kidd warned of power shortage risks following the loss of a key gas-fired power plant.

Kidd says these issues have been coming for a while.

"It is one of those things where you need capacity to cover exactly these types of periods. And over the last few years, we just haven't had that new capacity." 

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Tonight on The Huddle, Josie Pagani from Child Fund and ZB host Tim Beveridge joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

Transpower has warned customers across the nation to reduce their power consumption from 7am to 9am tomorrow morning due to an unexpected cold snap. Should we have seen this coming? Can we expect this to happen again?

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has promised 'meaningful but modest' tax cuts ahead of the 2024 Budget. The Opposition has already labelled it 'crumbs' - what do we think? Should the Government have tackled inflation first?

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An employment expert says compulsory work seminars for beneficiaries will make them more employable.

Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston announced the seminars will be designed to help with training and work.

Jobseekers who do not attend could face sanctions.

Max Whitehead says some people need help to show employers what they can offer.

"These courses will really give them the training so they can present themselves - and show they can be reliable."

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Thousands of people have been caught up in Woolworths whoopsie.

The supermarket wrote to winners of a promotion, awarding them 4000 reward points - which equals $30 worth of groceries.

But it sent about 80,000 emails, instead of 1000.

It's apologised and offered 500 points compensation to those wrongly emailed.

Auckland University marketing professor Mike Lee says it's understandable if people are upset.

"It sets up that expectation, and then to take it away... even if they were to offer something at half-price, people are going to be left with a bad taste in their month."

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The Finance Minister has promised Kiwis will benefit from meaningful tax cuts in this year's Budget.

Nicola Willis gave a preview speech to the Hutt Valley Business Chamber this morning - and ruled out austerity, despite a challenging economy.

Willis says she's made sure the cuts will be targeted at middle to lower income workers and families.

"We've come up with what we think is responsible. As I outlined today - inflation has pushed New Zealanders into much higher tax brackets. That means, on average, people are paying a lot more tax."

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Transpower is reminding people to avoid unnecessary power use.

The grid operator is asking consumers to reduce electricity use between 7am and 9am tomorrow.

An unseasonal cold snap and low wind generation means the country is facing a potential supply shortfall.

Executive operations general manager Chantelle Bramley says they're doing their best to avoid power cuts.

"Generators have been making as much generation available as possible, we've been working with lines companies - and industrial customers have also responded." 

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