Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Meat and wine exporters are scrambling to get a handle on the possibility of higher tariffs in a key market if Donald Trump wis the presidency.

The Republican presidential candidate has threatened tariffs of at least 20 percent on all imports to pay for tax cuts and increase jobs in the US.

The Country's Jamie Mackay says producers won't want to shoulder the extra costs that could come with these changes.

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The Reserve Bank has warned the economic downturn is expected to get worse before it gets better, with unemployment being expected to worsen.

The bank's biannual Financial Stability Report says unemployment will peak at 5.4 percent by 2025.

Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says there are better economic times on the horizon - but there'll be 6-9 months of pain first. 

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Inland Revenue has admitted to providing Facebook owner Meta with the names, addresses and other contact details of 268,000 taxpayers in 'raw' unencrypted form.

This news comes after an investigation into the IRD's use of social media companies to target taxpayers.

Queenstown employment relations consultant and initial complainant David Buckingham was surprised by this development.

"I did actually think they had some pretty good processes around at least hashing it - that wasn't really the focus of my initial complaint." 

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Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners and broadcaster Mark Sainsbury joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

It's Melbourne Cup day - what did we think of the big race? And more importantly, is a $10 office sweepstake too much?

Prime Minister Chris Luxon is under fire after apparently failing to look over his brief regarding bootcamp providers and their right to restrain young detainees. What do we make of this? 

One more sleep to go until US election day - what are our final predictions? Will we even find out tomorrow night? 

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 5 November 2024, on the eve of the US election, Democrats are "nauseously optimistic" and Donald Trump is telling voters he's going to win in a landslide.

A very unlikely winner takes out the big prize at the Melbourne Cup -but how much is too much when it comes to price of the office sweepstake?

The Prime Minister is under pressure for not being across his brief on the issue of his bootcamps for young criminals.

Plus, the Huddle puts in their final bets ahead of US election day.

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Students looking for summer work are struggling to land roles, as there's enormous competition for entry-level roles.

Retail NZ says businesses are seeing a 'much higher calibre' of potential applicants looking for jobs.

Swivel Careers founder Kate Ross says even people with full qualifications are finding it tough to land the right roles.

"There's just not enough work out there right now. The economy has been slow all year - the opportunities, even for retail and hospitality, that's all slowed down and that's generally where students out of school get their weekends in there."

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There's suggestions that public servants should be allowed to use Uber and other rideshare services over taxis to save money.

ACT has written to new Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche - calling for more ways to improve value-for-money.

ACT MP Todd Stephenson says there are inconsistent rules across the public sector - and everyone should be allowed to expense a rideshare service if needed. 

"We're not making people do it, but saying - yes, you're allowed to use a rideshare service like Uber."

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Labour's criticising the Prime Minister regarding his knowledge of legislation on bootcamps. 

The Government is crafting law to allow the use of force for restraining youth offenders at the military-style academies.

The Prime Minister has said he wasn't aware there were suggestions force could be used. 

Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime says that's not okay.

"It is deeply concerning that the Prime Minister is not across the details of one of the key National Party election policies, which is boot camps."

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Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are making their final pushes for the presidency on the eve of election day.

Harris is spending the day in the largest battleground state, Pennsylvania, and Trump's turned his attention to North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan. 

NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan is in Pennsylvania.

He says everyone seems confident - but it's not over until it's over.

"At the moment, it looks like all the races and all of the swing states will be close - and tomorrow night will be fairly inconclusive." 

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Labour's Peeni Henare is calling for an inquiry into a police raid in Ōpōtiki on properties with ties to the Mongrel Mob, with arrests and asset seizures.
 
There've been accusations women were strip-searched and a three year old child was left alone. 
 
Police Minister Mark Mitchell denies children were left alone - and questions the claim of strip searches. 

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper wonders why Henare is calling for this move.

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There's still no relief for Australian homeowners as the RBA leaves rates unchanged at 4.35 percent.

This decision falls in line with expectations from economists - as the nation grapples with the impacts of high inflation.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says it's looking more likely the Reserve Bank will not start cutting rates until 2025.

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The Breakers are celebrating their latest victory after Monday night's basketball blowout.

They have consolidated top spot on the Australian NBL basketball ladder after dispatching hosts Melbourne United 113-79.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacked this victory further.

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The 2024 Melbourne Cup is upon us- and it's a big day for gambling fans.

The TAB says this is one of the biggest days for the platform, with Kiwis projected to spend up to $30 million on betting.

Racing commentator Mick Guerin says there's three Kiwi-trained horses in the mix - but they're long-shots to win.

"We lose a lot of our best talent, much like we do with rugby players going to France or England. We lose people because of the market share and the economics of it, so we don't always have our best horses racing in the Melbourne Cup."

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Over in Spain, efforts have begun to search an underground carpark in Valencia - where authorities fear may more be dead after last week's flash flooding.

The deadliest flash flood in modern Spanish history has killed over 217 people so far, with dozens more still unaccounted for.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says angry crowds have confronted King Felipe VI and thrown mud in protest of the 'woeful' response to the disaster. 

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48 hours ahead of the US presidential election, financial markets are gearing up for a Trump victory.

Polls indicate the election result will be close, and some experts are warning people not to adjust just yet.

Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly unpacks the potential financial implications ahead of election day.

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A new survey from Kiwibank reveals a majority of Kiwis think owning a home is crucial to getting ahead in New Zealand - but many feel locked out of the market.

Over two-thirds of non-owners feel pessimistic about home ownership, with millennials in particular believing they won't get on the property ladder.

Kiwibank CEO Steve Jurkovich says people aged 30 to 44 have seen house prices surge the most over their lifetimes - and they feel the most overwhelmed.

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

48 hours to go until the US election - who do we think is going to win? Kamala's pulling ahead in the polls, but is this victory guaranteed? 

Brian and Hannah Tamaki were in court today over their Covid-19 rule breaches during the 2021 lockdown. Should the pair be punished - or should the charges be waived by this point? 

Prime Minister Cjris Luxon is under fire after calling voters 'customers' in a sit-down interview. Is this an embarrassing mistake - or should he own the corporate-speak?

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 4 November 2024, US pollster Henry Olsen tells Heather whether the shock poll from Iowa could spell bad news for Republicans in other swing states - and his gut feel on the election result.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis weighs in on whether Chris Luxon should have called voters 'customers'.

Principals and parents in Hawke's Bay are up and arms that the Ministry of Education is axing the school bus for kids from Clive.

Plus, The Huddle weighs in on the US election. Why do Josie and Trish think Kamala has got this?

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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The Finance Minister says Chris Luxon's description of voters in a recent sit-down interview was a 'slip of the tongue' as part of his corporate background.

In a new episode of 30 with Guyon Espiner, the Prime Minister referred to voters as 'customers' - and defended claims that he was out of touch with New Zealanders 

Nicola Willis says Luxon is focused on delivering results above all, and he knows New Zealanders are New Zealanders.

"I reckon New Zealand has bigger challenges than whether or not the Prime Minister describes people as customers." 

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The Police Minister has defended deporting 11 Vietnamese nationals, believed to be part of an organised crime group, after a major drug bust.

The operation targeted 30 rented Auckland properties.

About 3000 plants were destroyed, along with 48 kilograms of dried cannabis - valued at $18 million.

But Mark Mitchell says deporting looked to be less of a hassle than going through the courts.

"They were here illegally, they were going to be a big cost to the taxpayer - the police and Immigration worked together, they had discretion around this and they thought the best thing to do was put them on a plane straight back to Vietnam."

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The Government is trialling an intensive maths tutoring programme to pick up students falling behind.

It'll run over the first two terms of next year, for about 2,000 Year 7 and 8 pupils.

The trial will use small-group tutoring and supervised online tuition for 30 minutes, up to four times a week.

Education Minister Erica Stanford says it's the first of its kind. 

"This is going to be a hybrid model, where we have some young people learn in groups of four just with a tutor - and then we'll have a hybrid model where we've got that happening, plus some online learning using a maths programme." 

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There's high expectations for a lawyer's tactics in defending Brian and Hannah Tamaki. 

The pair are facing court over organising protests in Auckland during Covid-19 lockdowns.

Brian Tamaki faces four counts of breaching the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act, with possible penalties of up to six months in prison and thousands in fines. 

Lawyer Steve Cullen says it'll be interesting to see what arguments are mustered by experienced defender, Ron Mansfield.

He says Mansfield could argue the case under freedom of assembly or freedom of religion provisions in the Bill of Rights Act. 

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Prime Minister Chris Luxon raised a few eyebrows after he called voters 'customers' in a sit-down interview.

Luxon later clarified to RNZ that he didn't need to scrap the corporate speak - and defended the claim that he was out of touch.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says voters should be encouraged to expect things from politicians - and the terminology doesn't matter.

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There's questions whether polls from Iowa will affect Republicans on election day.

Donald Trump previously won the state in 2016 and 2020 - but is three percentage points behind Democratic candidate Kamala Harris 

Political analyst Henry Olsen says those figures seem out of step with Iowa's usual trend.

"I can see Trump doing a little worse, but it's hard to see Trump losing a state that he carried by 8 points in 2020."

Olsen is predicting Trump will re-enter the White House.

More than 78 million Americans have already cast votes ahead of polling day on Wednesday, New Zealand time.

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Most Australian politicians and their staffers have opted to fly Qantas, despite rules stating the cheaper fare must be chosen.

Virgin Australia has raised concerns - and pointed out the preference for the pricier airline is costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars every year.

 Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Virgin's services leave a lot to be desired - and they don't offer several key routes. 

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Auckland FC are jubilant after becoming the second team in history to win their first three franchise A-League games.

A critical error from Wellington Phoenix keeper Josh Oluwayemi saw Jake Brimmer grab his first of two in the Kiwi derby in the Capital.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine recaps the season further.

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The latest thing that isn't a big deal but will have a big deal made of it - because it's the Prime Minister - is that Chris Luxon has called us voters 'customers'.

He did it in a sit down interview where he was asked about being seen as out of touch, and he was saying he was because he talks to people all the time. He said -“It’s been a belief system of mine, talk to the customer, to the public, to the people and the voters."

At which point the interviewer basically told him to ditch the corporate speak.

I don’t have a problem with this, do you? This is not a big deal.

When I was at university studying postgrad politics, we often referred to voters as stakeholders. As in stakeholders in the Government of the day. That's a corporate term, that's not unusual.

It's also not unusual to see voters in a transactional relationship with a political party. If anything, it's actually not a bad thing for politicians to see us as customers - customers who will only come back for more from a political party if we get what we want.

Policies that we like, promises that are delivered and not broken, and so on.

What's the problem for a voter in that? You vote for a party, you get what you want. That is arguably the opposite of what the last Labour Government was doing pretty much the entire time on, for example, crime.

We kept saying, as customers - we don’t like what we’re getting, can you go harder on the gangs?

And they kept responding with - you’re imagining it, you're wrong, we're going hard on the gangs.

They might have had a better showing at the last election if they remembered the mantra- the customer’s always right. And many ‘customers’ didn’t come back for more.

Also, Luxon needs to stop apologising for the corporate speak.

Bringing a corporate approach is part of some of the best stuff that he’s done - and doing. His quarterly targets for the Government, managing the various parts of the coalition, trying to get efficiencies out of the public service...he's a manager, he just needs to lean into it.

Yes, sometimes you want less transaction and more principle in politics, but ultimately - Luxon's onto something.

He's a guy selling us a product and his product is the National Party. We are the customers and we want what we want out of the National Party. Being seen as customers is not a bad thing.

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A school bus service that has operated in Hawke's Bay for the last two decades has been cut by the Education Ministry - impacting plenty of students, parents and educators.

The Ministry has cut the Clive school bus service after a review, claiming there were public buses the students could use instead.

Havelock North Intermediate principal Nigel Messervy says the public bus route would be a longer one for students  and they wouldn't get back to Clive until 5pm.

"In some cases, those children are then walking to their homes - which might be up to a couple of kilometres away. That's a massive day."

Havelock North High School principal Joel Wilton agrees the longer commute time doesn't seem appropriate. 

"I think a lot of parents are finding it pretty difficult in the current situation, even with public transport or school transport available to them - and this is kind of another hurdle."

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 1 November 2024, there's worry that police will stop attending some mental health callouts from Monday - but Health NZ doesn't have a plan to deal with the additional work.

A Canterbury University professor says students literacy skills are shocking and he wants unis to become more elite again.  

Rugby editor Elliot Smith speaks to Heather from London ahead of the All Blacks test against England.. and what do we do about that haka?

And what did Heather learn about her sleep last night?

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Death toll rises while rescue efforts continue in Spain as it mops up following its worst flooding disaster in decades. At least 158 people are now confirmed dead and dozens more missing after huge rains swept the eastern province of Valencia and beyond.

More than 400 alleged victims or witnesses have come forward to lawyers over allegations of sexual misconduct against former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed. One lawyer representing the Justice for Harrods Survivors group described it as the worst case of corporate abuse of women the world has ever seen and it took place at the world’s most famous department store in London.

A purple tunic found in an ancient tomb in Greece is now thought to have belonged to Alexander the Great, experts say. The revered ceremonial garment – called 'mesoleuconsarapis' – was uncovered 47 years ago in one of three tombs at Vergina in northern Greece.  However, it was not found in the tomb of Alexander the Great himself, but rather his half-brother, Philip III of Macedon.

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China is said to be considering approving an additional $1.4 trillion in borrowing to boost the economy.

Plus, Asia Business correspondent Peter Lewis shares how the US election is being discussed in China.

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Industry groups are rejoicing at the news of a trade deal with several Middle Eastern countries.

The deal concludes an almost two-decade effort by successive New Zealand governments and eliminates almost all tariffs on kiwi exports toBahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Chair of Beef + Lamb NZ Kate Acland tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the Gulf nations are a high value market for red meat and is forecast to be one of the fastest growing regions for cheap meat consumption.

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Newstalk ZB Sportsreader Andrew Alderson and Sport News Director Clay Wilson join Heather du Plessis-Allan for the Sports Huddle to discuss Joe Marler’s apology over his Haka comments, benching Damian McKenzie, the first A-League kiwi derby, and Liam Lawson’s nice guy persona.

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Extra security has been added for Saturday’s derby between Wellington Phoenix and newcomers Auckland FC amid claims of threats of organised violence from visiting fans on social media.

Auckland FC CEO Nick Becker tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the claims of threats are absolute nonsense.

“I’ve asked Wellington to send me their proof and they haven’t sent me anything.”

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The All Blacks will face England at Twickenham on Sunday morning NZT.

The kiwi side sees Beauden Barrett start at first five, Jordie Barrett return from injury and Ethan de Groot dropped for failing to meet ‘internal standards’.

Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith tells Heather du Plessis-Allan Beauden Barrett at 10 is the “right move” as a solid position to steer the All Blacks from.

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A Suicide Prevention fundraiser in Dunedin has been granted a liquor license at a special hearing, despite concerns from Police and others that it would be inappropriate at such an event.

‘More Than Just A Fashion Show’ will be held at Wall Street mall tomorrow night, with proceeds going towards the Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust.

Event organiser Tegan Vickery tells Heather du Plessis-Allan she’s disappointed that the light she was trying to shine on mental health awareness was overshadowed by liquor license issues.

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Mental health nurses are worried the public, patients and health workers will be put at risk when Police stop attending some mental health callouts.

From Monday, Police won’t attend ‘low risk callouts’ where there is no immediate risk to life and safety.

Instead, Health NZ is expected to pick up the work.

Leaked documents show only interim standard operating procedures have been developed by Health NZ.

Mental Health Section Chair of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Helen Garrick tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the plan is in its infancy but the industry does not have a sufficient workforce to manage the increase in workload.

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A free-trade agreement has been struck with the six Gulf nations, after an almost two-decade effort by successive kiwi governments.

Senior political correspondent Barry Soper tells Heather du Plessis-Allan New Zealand should look forward to this deal with great enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, Te Paati Māori is in trouble again as MP Takuta Ferris makes inappropriate remarks before the Justice Select Committee.

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Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are both campaigning in Nevada tonight.

US correspondent Dan Mitchinson tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the Republicans have a stronghold on the state but that Harris is coming up.

Meanwhile, Trump supporters are ramping up their ‘Stop the Steal’ campaign as they spread the belief that Trump can only lose the election through fraud.

And, Donald Trump is suing CBS for $10 billion over the editing of a Kamala Harris interview, saying the network practiced deceptive conduct.

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A university lecturer has fired shots at the education system, claiming the number of tertiary students who are “functionally illiterate” is at crisis level.

Associate Professor of Sociology at Canterbury University Mike Grimshaw believes New Zealand is under-educating and over-qualifying.

He tells Heather du Plessis-Allanit’s a wider societal issue of how we value education, fund it and what we want from the system.

New Zealand pumps out around 45,000 tertiary graduates a year. Grimshaw says there is no increase in the societal, cultural and economic outcomes that degrees are said to provide.

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The Haka drama is back today, isn't it?

Because Joe Marler has now backtracked completely on what he said and has apologised for it and specifically has apologised to New Zealand fans for, in his words, “my poorly articulated tweet earlier in the week, I meant no malice New Zealand”.

What have you done?

Are we honestly that sensitive about the haka that we can't handle it when a rugby prop - not known as the brains of the bunch -criticises the haka in a silly little social media post on X.

Can we really not handle this?

What did we do to him? What did we do? Did we bombard him on Twitter?

Because I feel like that's what happened here and that's why he deleted his Twitter account for a while, isn't it?

I think that we may have to get a little bit of a change going about how we perceive the All Blacks’ haka.

Yes, it is special to us and it quite clearly is very special to the All Blacks as well, but it's not special to everybody, is it?

I mean, the rest of the world just has to put up with it, don't they?

And so maybe, instead of being so aggro at them when they tell us that they don't really like it, especially the British and especially Steven Jones, we should understand that.

They don't have to like it. They don'thave to put up with this, but they do.

We should actually be grateful that the rugby world indulges us the way that they do.

They let us do the Haka for a start and then they let us have all these rules about how other teams have to respond to the haka, how close they can get stuff like that.They try to be respectful.

They face the challenge, they apologise profusely when a plane accidentally flies over the top at the wrong time, they don't have to do any of this stuff, and they definitely do not have to like the thing and we shouldn't be so sensitive about it.

So,let's be honest about this, right.

We do the Haka a lot nowadays because there are a lot of international tests nowadays and it is frankly very nice that the rest of the world lets us do it.

So maybe a little less sensitivity, a little bit more gratitude.

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Over in the UK, chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled her first Budget in the role.

The budget will raise taxes by £40 billion, the capital gains and inheritance taxes have been increased, minimum wage will increase by 6.7 percent - and a new 10-year plan for the NHS has been unveiled.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says this has been dubbed the 'shock and awe' budget - with plenty of short-term pain for long-term gain.

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There's green shoots emerging for New Zealand's struggling red meat sector, according to new reports.

The Meat Industry Association claims exports to China in August were down 50 percent to $107 million compared with the same time last year.

The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further.

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Plenty of celebrities have expressed their support for supplement giant AG1 - but an investigation has dug up some questionable details about the company's founder.

Founder Chris Ashenden has resigned amid a Newsroom investigation that raised questions over his criminal history and unpaid fines and reparations by his now-defunct firms. 

Newsroom Pro managing editor Jonathan Milne says Ashenden's refusal to be interviewed set off journalistic 'alarm bells'.

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It's less than a week until voters in the US will cast their ballots and determine a new president - and experts are wondering about the economic impacts.

No matter who wins, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have policies that could have implications regarding the future of international business.

NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains what the candidates could do for New Zealand's economic future.

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Gumboot Friday founder Mike King has come under fire following his recent comments about alcohol.

In an interview with Newstalk ZB yesterday, King said alcohol can stop negative thoughts - and could be a solution to mental health. 

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says these comments missed the mark, but Labour is wrong to call for Gumboot Friday's funding to be pulled.

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has continued to deny he called former head Alan Joyce up to seek free flight upgrades.

Albanese has been engaging in a days-long back-and-fourth denial after allegations surfaced in a new book - and the opposition has been running with this ahead of the election.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says this is still a bad look for the Prime Minister.

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 31 October 2024, Interislander boss Duncan Roy speaks to Heather after an investigation found the people in charge of the Aratere ferry had no idea how to stop the autopilot when the ferry grounded in June.  

Labour is calling for funding to Gumboot Fridayto be paused after Mike King suggested on the show yesterday that alcohol is the solution for people with mental health problems.

Consumer NZ wants a Government inquiry into Air New Zealand's prices.

Plus, the Huddle weighs in on brawling fans at the Travis Scott concert.

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

Labour has called for funding to be pulled from Mike King's Gumboot Friday charity following King's comments that alcohol can be a solution for people struggling with depression. Is this a step too far?

Consumer NZ is calling on the Commerce Commission to investigate New Zealand's aviation industry. Do we agree with this?

Last night's Travis Scott concert broke out in huge brawls while fans waited for him to appear on stage. Is this the promoter's fault for not lining up more entertainment - or are the fans in the wrong?

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Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has launched a bid to establish a direct flight from Auckland Airport to Brazil's Sao Paulo.

He believes this could boost trade between New Zealand and Brazil by up to $1.5 billion a year.

NZIER Principal Economist Chris Nixon says this is a good idea - and could open up new opportunities for New Zealand.

"Given the mayhem which is happening in the United States at the moment and their incoherent economic policies - we've got to be innovative." 

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A professor of psychological medicine says mental health advocates shouldn't spout misinformation about alcohol. 

I Am Hope and Gumboot Friday campaigner Mike King yesterday told Newstalk ZB alcohol could be a solution for people with mental health issues. 

Labour has called on the Government to review its $24 million funding for his charity, which delivers youth counselling. 

Otago University's Joseph Boden says although alcohol can temporarily help people think about fewer problems, it's far from a fix. 

"The difficulty is - it is actually a nervous system depressant. So when misused, it can increase suicide risk."

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Horowhenua District Council is re-examining its decision to stop mowing roadside berms.

It trimmed back the service in July in a decision that saved ratepayers nearly $250,00 annually - but prompted outcry.

Councillors have now voted to compile a report on options for reinstating it.

Horowhenua mayor Bernie Wanden says they want to look more closely at the impacts.

"It does not mean that we are going to flip-flop, all it means is that we want to understand what has happened since we stopped mowing berms."

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I'm not altogether surprised that Mike King’s comments on this show yesterday have sparked a debate.

The reason I'm not surprised is because some of what he said is factually wrong.

King claimed alcohol wasn't a problem for people with mental health issues - but rather, a solution.

Remember, we are talking about suicide. For people with suicidal ideation, alcohol is a problem because it lowers inhibitions, meaning people are more likely to act on their feelings. And it’s a depressant, it lowers your mood, it makes you more unhappy.

But some of what he said - to be fair to him - is also his own lived experience in trying to cope with his mental health issues.

He said he's a drug addict and alcoholic and his whole life, he used drugs and alcohol to stop that little voice inside his head.

You can’t argue with that as much, because that is his experience. And there is actually evidence that alcohol does provide a mental escape in the moment.

What I'm a little surprised by is the strength of the reaction to Mike King today. I was expecting the anti-alcohol people to get wound up - but I wasn't expecting the Labour Party to go quite as far as they have.

Labour have today called for Government funding of Gumboot Friday to be reconsidered. Let's be clear about what’s going on here, this is political.

There was a time when everyone loved Mike King and thought he was a good guy doing good work for mental health.

But then he became a political figure, because he took on Jacinda Ardern and had a public scrap with her, because her Government pulled funding from his charity and handed back his Order of Merit medal

The Nats then adopted him and funded his charity in a way that the Auditor-General isn't totally happy with, and now people are split on whether they love Mike King or not - probably, in some cases, depending on how they vote.

Now, I'm not saying Mike King is above criticism or scrutiny or that this isn’t a debate worth having.

I'm just saying, bear in mind that when we do have it, that this isn’t just about mental health and alcohol - it’s also about politics.

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Optimism is rising among businesses - largely driven by construction. 

ANZ's October business outlook has business confidence up five points on 66, in a 10-year high. 

Meanwhile, the proportion of businesses feeling they're faring well, has climbed to -11 in the highest point since March. 

Chief economist Sharon Zollner says it boils down to interest rates. 

She says fewer construction firms say they're not busy than a year ago - and she explained conditions are tough, but things are starting to look up a little.

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Kiwirail says Aratere's auto-pilot button should never have been pressed.

The ferry ran aground  in June as it headed out from Picton.

An interim report from the Transport Accident Investigation Commission details how the crew didn't know how to turn off the auto-pilot as it steered the ferry towards land.

InterIslander Executive General Manager Duncan Roy says it was pressed in error, then no one could flick it off.

"They didn't know on the bridge, we didn't know on Interislander - working with the people that provided us this service right now, as we speak, to work out why we didn't know."

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are Major League Baseball's 2024 champions.

The team beat out the New York Yankees 7-6 in Game 5 to win the World Series four games to one.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further.

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A probe of aviation competition could bring New Zealanders better prices. 

Consumer NZ has asked the Government to direct the Commerce Commission to investigate aviation in its next market study. 

It says Air New Zealand has a virtual monopoly on many domestic routes - and it's affecting regional airfares. 

Consumer CEO Jon Duffy says a probe would reveal why prices are so high, and how to change things.

"It allows for a reasoned and evidence-based debate on what the next best options are, and then you can hand it back to the Government and say - alright, you know what you could do to fix things. It's up to you whether you do it or not."

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Labour chancellor Rachel Reevesis set to deliver her first Budget in the role, following weeks of speculation.

Predictions indicate people can expect tax rises, a higher capital gains tax and a minimum wage increase.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says this will hit business owners and a subset of working people hard. 

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Spark has reduced its earnings and dividend guidance for the 2025 year, saying its financial performance 'falls short of what is acceptable'.

The company said its operating earnings (Ebitdai) were expected to fall to around $1.12-$1.18 billion in 2025, down 4% from a previous forecast of $1.165-$1.22b.

The company has reduced its dividend forecast from 27.5 cents to 25c, 75% imputed.

Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton unpacks the downturn.

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The Selwyn District Council welcomes proposed Government reforms to speed up building consents.

The nation's fastest-growing region says any changes that could speed up progress are helpful, as building consents have always been a focus for the Selwyn District Council.

Selwyn District Council Head of Building, Vanessa Mitchell, says this move will free up inspectors to focus on other areas.

"We've been under enormous pressure over the past few years - and we really see advantages in the proposals that have come out."

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BNZ is set to head back to court tomorrow as part of their ongoing legal dispute with Gloriavale.

If the hearing goes well, the bank could get approval to close the accounts Gloriavale has with BNZ.

NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny reveals what could come out of tomorrow's case.

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Tonight on The Huddle, Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett and former Health NZ chair Rob Campbell joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

Health NZ is under fire again for their spending - on top of the recent $60,000 catering bill, it's been revealed they spent $100,000 on catering costs last year. Can they really justify this?

Jeff  Bezos has defended stopping the Washington Post's endorsement of Kamala Harris, saying it creates the 'perception of bias'. Is this a good argument or bad excuse?

Police are opposed to a suicide prevention fundraiser in Dunedin distributing alcohol. Do they have a point - or is this a step too far?

Is it time to ditch the haka - or is Joe Marler wrong about it?

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 30 October 2024, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have delivered their closing arguments ahead of next week's US election. Jack Tame was at Kamala Harris' rally in Washington.

Associate Education Minister David Seymour reveals what we need to do to improve chronic absenteeism for our school kids.

Former All Blacks coach Laurie Mains reacts to England prop Joe Marler calling for the haka to be binned.

Plus the Huddle debates whether another $100,000 catering bill for a Health NZ conference is completely out of order.

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Prime Minister Chris Luxon says the Government is open to discussing whether to ban language and symbols related to the Nazis.

It comes after individuals involved in a Mongrel Mob tangi procession in Lower Hutt on Tuesday openly used the term ‘sieg heil’, commonly known as a Nazi chant meaning ‘hail victory’.

Sociologist Paul Spoonley isn't sure a full ban would be enforceable. 

"I think banning doesn't address underlying problems - and I would say the same about swastikas and Nazi salutes as I would about the gang patches."

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The Associate Education Minister says the key to fixing truancy is banding agencies together. 

In Term 2 this year, one in 10 students was chronically absent - with more than 80,000 missing more than three weeks of the term. 

Since 2015, chronic absence has doubled in secondary schools and almost tripled in primary schools. 

David Seymour says his proposed solution ties in all the key players.

"It has a role for everybody. Parents, critically, but also students and the school and the different Government agencies like the Attendance Service, Oranga Tamariki, police and so on." 

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There's renewed debate about the haka's purpose after Joe Marler suggested it should be banned.

The English prop labelled it 'ridiculous' in a post on social media ahead of this week's rugby test at Twickenham.

Former All Blacks head coach Laurie Mains says the haka is a long-standing rugby tradition within the team - and Marler wouldn't understand its significance. 

"Who would want to take any offence at what Joe Marler says? After all, he's a front-row prop and he wouldn't have a clue where the haka stands in New Zealand rugby."

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Survivors of Lake Alice hospital, who battled the Crown in court, are now being urged to contact the Government for compensation. 

A Royal Commission of Inquiry has acknowledged children at the Manawatu hospital endured torture in the 1970s. 

The Government is offering to reimburse survivors who fought for redress in 2001, but lost a significant amount on legal costs. 

Minister-in-Charge Erica Stanford says it's estimated about 70 people in this group are still alive. 

"We don't have, unfortunately, all of their details. We've got many details - and some of them I've been in touch with myself - but we're relying on them to come forward."

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Kamala Harris has delivered her closing arguments to propel her presidential campaign over the line, with one week until Election Day. 

The US Vice President's spoken from Washington DC - where she's painted a strong contrast between herself and rival Donald Trump. 

Harris says Trump would open a floodgate of vengeance against his political rivals, while she would work for the American people. 

Newstalk ZB's Jack Tame was there and says the symbolism of the setting was everything - and she looked presidential. 

"Anyone tuning in on television would have seen Kamala Harris coming up beautifully lit with the White House directly behind her."

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Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris gave her final pre-election speech to voters this afternoon.

She delivered the address at the Ellipse in Washington DC - the site where Trump rallied supporters ahead of the January 6 Capitol riot.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this served as an effective reminder for voters ahead of the election.

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The founder of Gumboot Friday has voiced his disapproval with authorities banning alcohol from a Dunedin event.

Police are looking to stop a suicide prevention charity for applying for a temporary liquor license ahead of a fashion show designed to raise awareness.

Mike King says this move is 'classic overreach'.

"This is a bunch of young, polytech students who have a fashion show where they want to raise awareness and funds for a local suicide prevention trust. It has nothing to do with the trust - this is just an avenue for young people who care about the well-being of other people."

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US Vice President Kamala Harris has called Donald Trump a wannabe dictator in her final major pre-election address. 

She's delivered her pitch to more than 50 thousand people at the Ellipse in Washington DC, the site of Trump's rally before the Capitol riots.

US correspondent Dan Mitchinson said Harris needed to convince voters the economy was in good hands - and she delivered in her speech.

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England prop Joe Marler has labelled the haka 'ridiculous' and claimed it needs to be scrapped altogether in a post on social media.

Marler's not involved in this weekend’s test, sparing him the glare of an on-field response come Sunday at Twickenham.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacked the controversy further.

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Turns out the people who want to shut other people up just do not learn from history, do they?

I consider myself to be reasonably well informed, because I have to be for my job. I read the newspapers every day, I listen to the radio, I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on  - and yet even I had completely forgotten Candace Owens was coming to New Zealand.

Until this week - mainly thanks to Young Labour, who are trying to stop her from coming to New Zealand.

They published an open letting urging the Government to ban her, like Australia just did yesterday. Which only reminded me that I should probably go and read up on some of her controversial stuff so I know exactly what the problem is.

So Young Labour can thank themselves for spreading her rhetoric even more widely.

The reason they want to ban her is because we - 'have an obligation to be protecting our communities from that kind of rhetoric that empowers divisive movements.'

Have they heard of the internet? Borders don't keep bad ideas out anymore.
 
Young Labour then went on to say that if the Government doesn't listen and decides to let her in, then can they please at least make sure there's heaps of security at her events to - 'ensure that when those people do choose to counter protest her, they're also not met with violence'.

The bloody cheek of it!

Last time we had someone controversial here, being Posie Parker, it wasn't Parker's supporters in court for violence, was it? It was a young punk who turned up to protest her and punched a grandma in the face and another one who threw the tomato juice on Posie Parker.
 
So let's at least be honest about who poses the greatest threat here.

Here’s some simple advice for the next time someone controversial comes to New Zealand - just don't mention it. Because that way, the only people who will know and go to the event are the people who have already consumed the content.

But now, a lot more people will go and read about Candace Owens. What an own goal. Again.

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 29 October 2024, trusted builders will soon be able to sign off on their own work without a council inspector. Building Minister Chris Penk tells Heather what happens if something goes wrong (a la leaky homes).

Jack Tame speaks to Heather after spending the evening at a Donald Trump rally in Georgia -and why he thinks Kamala Harris has lost the momentum.

Heather is outraged at senior political correspondent Barry Soper's take on King Charles' suit choice.

Plus, the Huddledebates whether anybody still sends and receives mail and whether we could scrap postal deliveries all together.  

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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There's shock in the UK as thieves made off with over $650,000 worth of cheese from a London shop.

Neal’s Yard Dairy said a con artist posing as a distributor for a major French retailer managed to steal a fortune's worth of cheddar before the company realised it was a scam and reported the crime.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says authorities are looking to solve the crime and find out where the cheese went. 

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The Country's Jamie Mackay has returned to New Zealand after a trip to the US - and he's seen the mood of voters first-hand ahead of the US election.

After one of the most turbulent election years in America's history, voters will choose their next president one week from today.

Jamie Mackay says it's a close race - but he's got a theory about who will win.

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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! 

We've got a week to go until Election Day in the US - what do we think at this point? Between Trump and Harris, who's going to win?

Labour's Ginny Andersen raised a few eyebrows after re-sharing a meme poking fun at King Charles over the weekend. What do we make of this? Is she a liability to Labour? 

MBIE is proposing to cut back on services following a drop in mail volume? Is this the right move?

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The latest employment numbers for September 2024 show the job market is still in a tough spot.

Annual filled jobs were down 0.9 percent compared to this time last year.

Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says this is a tricky point for the economy - and things aren't expected to get better until mid-2025.

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The Finance Minister has received early advice on how to better capitalise Kiwibank so it might compete better with the large Australian-owned banks.

The advice is in response to the Commerce Commission market study on personal banking.

Minister Nicola Willis says she hopes to bring more competition to the banking sector to improve things for Kiwi users.

"If you look over to Australia, they had a similar cosy oligopoly situation happening - Macquarie Bank played quite a disruptive role in that market, and the result was a better deal for everyday bank users."

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Freedom campers are pushing back at a Rotorua holiday park manager's claims they're breaking the rules. 

All Seasons Manager, Tracie Thornborough, is asking Rotorua Council to clamp down on freedom campers. 

She says they're staying too long - and don't support local businesses. 

But Motor Caravan Association CEO, Bruce Lochore, says Government research disputed such claims four years ago. 

"They show substantially that they do contribute to that local economy when they come in."

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The heat's being turned up in the US, with just over a week until Election Day. 

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are making their final pitches to voters on the campaign trail. 

Both have been visiting battleground states, where voters could have a deciding voice.

Newstalk ZB's Jack Tame at Trump's rally in Georgia.

He says there's been a subtle lift in momentum at the Trump camp. 

"It's nothing like the momentum shifts we saw earlier on when Trump survived that attempted assassination and then when Joe Biden pulled out and Kamala Harris got dropped into the campaign spot... nothing like that, but I reckon there's been a noticeable shift." 

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The Construction Minister says he is confident consenting reforms won't lead to a repeat of New Zealand's 'leaky homes' crisis. 

The Government is planning to give tradespeople working on basic housing projects the power to consent their own work. 

Businesses with a track record of mass house-building projects will be able to access a streamlined consent process. 

Minister Chris Penk says this avoids the false sense of security in the system. 

"We think, actually, it makes more sense to put the incentive with the building professional - or the whole company - to do the work and to be responsible for it, and their destiny's in their own hands. Ultimately, that'll be better for the consumer, of course."

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Police are going back through Arthur Easton's case file - looking for the person who killed him nearly 40 years ago.

Easton was stabbed in his Papakura home in 1985.

Alan Hall's wrongful murder conviction was only overturned after he'd spent 19 years in jail.

Police are now offering a $100,000 reward - until January 24 - for information leading to a conviction.

Detective Inspector Warrick Adkin says interviews are under way.

"As investigators, we have a responsibility to look at all options when solving crime, and today's announcement, we hope, will provide the financial incentive to those people who have not shared any information to come forward."

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The Government is partly removing councils from the building consent process. 

It's announced an opt-in 'self certification scheme' will let qualified tradespeople forgo inspections. 

It'll open to those with a proven track-record, such as companies building scores of near-identical homes. 

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper expects people will react positively to these new changes. 

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been on the receiving end of backlash over the travel perks he received from Qantas.

The opposition has criticised Albanese for soliciting 'freebies' from the airline when he was Transport Minister.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says this goes against the Prime Minister's 'working-man' image, especially following his purchase of a multi-million dollar NSW property.

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Kiwi F1 driver Liam Lawson has apologised for flipping the bird at Sergio Perez during the Mexican Grand Prix.

Lawson and Perez got into a wheel-to-wheel battle on the 19th lap - that quickly turned heated.

Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacks the controversy here today.

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The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is asking for feedback on Kiwi postal services. 

It's proposing changes to NZ Post - including fewer weekly deliveries and reduced postal outlets 

People are sending 813 million fewer mail items than they were 20 years ago.

MBIE Communications Infrastructure and Trade General Manager James Hartley says this is the right time to hear from the public on the best way to maintain services.

"We know Kiwis are sending a lot fewer letters than they used to - 2002, for example, one billion letters went through the postal system. It's now down to $180 million. There's been a huge decline over that period... we think it's the right time."

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Big names are launching a lobby group in the capital with local body elections less than a year away. 

Dames Kerry Prendergast, Patsy Reddy, and Fran Wilde, along with Sir Bob Jones are some of the movers and shakers endorsing what's called Vision for Wellington. 

The group, which claims to be bipartisan, wants the council to rein in its spending and put an end to in-fighting. 

Dame Fran Wilde told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the slow slide into party politics has caused problems for the council. 

She said this group was formed to provide a platform where Wellingtonians can be a part of the conversation about what they want the city to be. 

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Andrew Gourdie and Nick Bewley joined Heather du Plessis-Allan for this week's Sports Huddle, capping off the week's sporting news.

On the agenda tonight:

Cricket Australia has overturned David Warner's ban - does he deserve to come back?

Has Washington Sundar torpedoed the Black Caps' hopes of taking home the win in India?

And what's the deal with Sport NZ spending nearly $600 per email to volunteer coaches? 

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The Ministry of Health is under fire for failing to declare a conflict of interest.  

It recently came to light that one of the officials advising Minister Casey Costello on tobacco reforms was the sister-in-law of Labour’s health spokesperson, Ayesha Verrall. 

Verrall is a vocal opponent of Costello’s policies. 

Senior Political Reporter Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it’s a disgrace. 

He says that even though the Director General of Health says the Ministry adhered strictly to the rules of conflict of interest, they failed to pass that particular conflict on to Costello. 

Soper says they’ve fallen well short, as multiple people were well aware of the conflict and failed to report it.  

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This time last year Arepa found themselves in hot water after the government officials decided that made unsubstantial health claims of cognitive and physical boosting abilities, they are forced to amend these claims and now back launching a new brain drink – Uplift.

Co-Founder of Arepa, Angus Brown told Heather Du Plessis – Allan that this time round he's proud to call the "brain drink” because of the fact him and his team committed a lot of time and effort towards conducting human clinical research and have that peer reviewed and published.

Brown says that its a really tough market but they're on the journey.

He says that they are certainly making some strides towards it and are still the one and only drink that anybody could pick up in the supermarketthat's got clinical research behind it.

“Learning this toughness in New Zealand is teaching us about how we can become fitter for entering bigger markets like the US”

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The Government will be making an announcement on improving safety on Auckland's public transport network.

A woman was fatally stabbed on a bus on Wednesday - and 37 year old Aucklander Kael Leona appeared in court today charged with murder.

The ministers of Police and Auckland held talks with AT and Police this afternoon, and Simeon Brown will make an announcement tomorrow.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he has a different role to play.

Mitchell says he's focusing on reassurance at the moment - and will meet the victim's family if asked.

Mitchell says for the past few weeks he and Brown have been discussing with authorities how to improve transport safety.

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Prime Minister Chris Luxon has apologised to Samoa's Government, over the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui this month.

Chris Luxon and Political Editor Jason Walls is at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.

Luxon says his meeting with the king went well and that he was “very knowledgeable” about several issues.

Walls says that the king expressed his love for New Zealand by the amount of knowledge he had for it and that the Prime Minister said that he was “quite charming”.

Walls said that Luxon was very clear yesterday that it has not been as bad as he imagined it was or any of the initial estimates in terms of environmental change. As there is verylimitedenvironmental damage, Walls says that people don't seem too overwhelmingly upset.

Walls said that Luxon said that he's “chalking that up to a big, a good win and of course the fact that nobody died”.

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West Auckland MP, Simon Court has lodged a new members bill to abolish New Zealand's last remaining liquor monopolies.

He says its frankly condescending to the nearly 300,000 people who live in West Auckland as well as the people who live in Invercargill and Gore - that they can't enjoy the same access to hospitalityand purchasing beer or wine than everywhere else in New Zealand.

Court believes that they deserve the same rights as the rest of New Zealanders.

He says that not only are they lacking choice but there's also a huge opportunity in terms of jobs and economy for West Auckland to participate that they don't currently have.

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Ahead of the upcoming US election, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has accused the UK's Labour Party of trying to interfere with the results.

The Trump campaign has alleged that Labour sent party members over to key battleground states to campaign for his opponent, Kamala Harris.

UK correspondent Enda Brady says the Trump campaign has cited a LinkedIn post saying 100 party staffers were headed to the US to campaign for Harris.

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Plenty of Kiwi customers are still enjoying Netflix's output - and the company's doing well among investors.

But as times get tough, the streaming giant has walked back on an earlier promise and looks to introduce ads on the service.

Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explains why Netflix has made these changes.

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The Minister for Trade and Agriculture is in Brazil on a New Zealand Trade Mission to São Paulo. 

Todd McClay is expected to meet with experts and business leaders to bring the nations closer together.

The Country's Rowena Duncum explains the opportunities that could come out of these meetings.

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The Electricity Authority said market options were available to big power users during the winter price spike that some blamed for their closure.

The closures prompted the EA – the regulator – to investigate the options available to big power users, and it found hedges available tended to be lower than the overlapping average ASX price at the time.

Last month, a number of Kiwi businesses, including Pan Pac, Winstone Pulp and Oji were forced to close, citing surging electricity costs.

ERANZ chief executive Bridget Abernethy says the prices were higher than usual - but the companies had alternative options to bring their costs down.

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