Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

There's growing concerns about the future of small town New Zealand - with one expert warning 'tough conversations' are needed. The closure of Winstone Pulp International's Ruapehu mills have cost the region 230 jobs, and the proposed shutdown of Alliance Group’s Smithfield meat processing plant in Timaru could cost over 600 more. Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says the need to achieve certain climate goals is driving down key industries - and negatively impacting regional New Zealand. "If we're not going to maintain access to gas and coal during a managed transition and we're going to continually make it more difficult for farmers to sustain production, we are going to see a contraction of the economy around some of our small towns." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 27 September. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dunedin Mayor says he is expecting thousands of people to protest tomorrow over a proposed downgrade for the city's new hospital.  The Government has asked Health New Zealand to cut costs - after an independent review found it's hurtling toward an overspend.  Mayor Jules Radich says he is urging the community to march against what amounts to clinical cuts for the critically needed facility.  He told Heather du Plessis-Allan the Government must re-engage in contract negotiations.  Radich says he believes the project can be completed if prices are brought back within reason, as the piles and plans are all done.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Alliance Group says a drop in our livestock numbers is behind a proposal shut a Timaru meatworks.  It's called an all-staff meeting today to announce a proposal to close its Smithfield freezing works. It would stop sheep meat, calf, and night shift venison processing after this season, and remaining venison at the end of the year, at the latest. Group chair Mark Wynne told Heather du Plessis-Allan there's been a change in how farmers are using their land. He says the fundamental reason is declining livestock and in particular sheep - and the flow on effect that is has on the processing industry.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A view that puberty blocker use for trans youth in New Zealand needs tighter supervision.  New Zealand's use of puberty blockers is seven times higher than comparable countries.  Paediatric Endocrinologist, Paul Hofman says they shouldn't be banned as they can be effective in some cases.  He told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's not settled science.  Hofman says the evidence for puberty blocker's efficacy is not as strong as many think. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What about Liam Lawson? A kid from Pukekohe from potato country, has just been given a Formula One seat for the rest of the season. What an absolutely amazing achievement that is. There are only 20 seats available each season in F1. 20 seats.   And the absolute best drivers around the world compete for those twenty seats.   And a 22-year-old kid from New Zealand, population just slightly over 5 million, that's just a big city somewhere, just took one of those twenty seats. I mean, talk about overachieving. Well done him.   How proud do you think his parents are right now? How much are they not regretting that move to Pukekohe so he could be near the racetrack? It's paid off, hasn't it?   I was listening to Liam talk to Mike this morning and the thing that struck me about him is how mature he is.   I mean, for a kid of 22 years old, he is unbelievably cool, calm and collected, and I reckon even more so than people, sometimes twice his age.   I mean, this kid knows what's on the line. He knows this is his one shot, he understands he's got about 6 races to prove himself if he wants to keep the seat next year.   And he just sounds like he's taking this whole thing in his stride completely.   The impression that I got from him this morning is even if he wasn't one of the best F1 drivers in the world right now, and you just met him somewhere in New Zealand on some random occasion, it would be hard not to be impressed with his composure for his age.  He's going to need that composure. Since the announcement that Daniel Ricciardo's been rolled and Liam Lawson's taking over, he is copping it  online from fans who are upset with the whole way that Riccardo's been treated.   And who are they blaming wrongly? Obviously, Liam Lawson.   And you know how social media is nowadays? It's not something out there that's just in the nether nether. It's in your phone, in your pocket, and you can read it if you want to.   So I imagine he's going to have to draw on that mental fortitude to be able to cope with the pressure that he will now be under from people out there who've got opinions.   But somehow, having listened to him talk this morning, I think he's going to be absolutely fine, don't you?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former industry giant Intel used to dominate the computer chip market - with significant presence in the world of PCs and servers. However, the company's market share has plummeted and it runs the risk of being bought out by rivals. Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explains what went wrong for the business. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi dairy farmers can breathe a sigh of relief following Fonterra's successful results. The dairy giant posted a $1.1 billion dollar net profit and confirmed a 55 cent total dividend for the past financial year. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains what this news means for the wider dairy sector. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leading Kiwi retailer The Warehouse Group has posted a significant net loss off the back of a tough trading environment. The company today posted it announced a net loss of $54.2 million - a contract to last year's $29.8 million net profit. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says it's unclear if the Warehouse can recover from this. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro and Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Warehouse has posted a record-setting net loss today - what's it going to take to bring consumers back? The Government has announced another crackdown on student attendance - with teacher only days barred from happening during term time and prosecution for parents of truant kids. Do we agree with this approach? The Dunedin Hospital project's costs have blown out, and the Government is looking to rescope it. What do we make of this? The Hastings District Council has today voted to let non-elected Youth Councillors vote in sub-committee and committee meetings. They will also be paid $500 per meeting. Is this a fair move? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

​On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 26 September 2024, fines for parents of truant kids and no more teacher-only days during school time. Northland principal Pat Newman reacts to the Government's plan to boost school attendance. Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop defends changes to the new Dunedin Hospital because of cost blowouts. The Warehouse has delivered a bloodbath of a result, Interim Chief Executive tells Heather how he's planning to turn the company around. Plus the Huddle debates whether Hastings District Council was off the mark when it decided  to allow unelected Youth Council members to take part in votes. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trade Minister has revealed how he managed to get the trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates over the line so quickly. Todd McClay and counterpart Minister Al Zeyoudi signed the deal this morning to remove 98.5 percent of export duties on goods. McClay says he'd been working negotiators hard for four months following an exchange earlier in the year. "We made a commitment together then that if we were going to do this - let's try and do it as fast as it has been done." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One former All Blacks captain claims Scott Robertson will want to try out new combinations in future matches. The side set to play against the Wallabies in Wellington has been revealed - with Beauden Barrett taking on the No 10 jersey, Anton Lienert-Brown replacing Jordie Barrett and TJ Perenara starting his final match in the No 9 jersey. Sir Wayne 'Buck' Shelford says Damian McKenzie - who got dropped down to the bench - hasn't lost his chance just yet. "Take test match rugby - you just don't have as much time. He has time when he plays for the Chiefs - he's just got to get used to reacting fast enough." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has been forced to go back to the drawing board with the plans for the new Dunedin Hospital. An independent review has found the project as currently planned is 'probably not achievable' within the budget of $1.88 billion. Ministers Shane Reti and Chris Bishop have asked Health NZ for solutions and warned that upgrades to other hospitals are at risk if costs don't come down. Chris Bishop says there are two possible options to keep costs at the $1.88 billion cap. "One is that we revise the current project within its existing structural envelope - that's on the new site - that could look at reducing the number of floors - or identifying some services that could be retained on the existing hospital site." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's harsh criticism of Associate Education Minister David Seymour's push for prosecution of parents of continued truants. Seymour says parents could be fined in the most extreme cases as part of Government requirements for Stepped Attendance Response plans in schools by 2026. He's also insisting term-time teacher-only days need authorisation from the Education Minister. Northland Principal Pat Newman says this is a completely political move. "The cold, hard reality is that it's been tried, it's been on the books, it hasn't worked. That's why it's not used." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warehouse Group says this year's unacceptable earnings have two parts. It's posting a $54.2 million net loss after tax. Last year it made a $29.9 million profit. Sales at The Warehouse and Noel Leeming are down 5.3 percent and Warehouse Stationery is down 6.7 percent. Interim CEO, John Journee says they get it right most of the time, but it needs to be all the time. "Part of it is strategy and part of it is execution. We had a strategy, set it out five years ago - it was, in hindsight, too ambitious and also distracted us from looking after our core brands." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori has warning the Government of the 'wrath of the million Māori' after a $30 million cut to a programme for teachers to learn te reo Māori. It follows a South Auckland principal teacher’s union slamming the Government’s decision to cut funding to a programme for teachers to learn te reo Māori. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi has branded this the latest move in a series of 'attacks' on te iwi Māori. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, negative gearing and capital gains tax changes are on the political agenda in a bid to reduce problems in the housing market. The Labour Government has confirmed that the current tax concessions are set to undergo a review. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has acknowledged the complaints of younger voters hoping to get a spot on the property ladder. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two veterans get starting farewells in the All Blacks for the dead-rubber second Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies in Wellington on Saturday. TJ Perenara is into the number nine jersey - dropping Cortez Ratima to the bench - while Sam Cane retains his spot at openside flanker for his 100th test match. Beauden Barrett's replacing Damian McKenzie in the ten jumper, with the latter relegated to the reserves. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave recaps the lineup further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hastings District Council has voted in favour of allowing non-elected members of its Youth Council to vote in council decisions. Youth Council members will be able to vote in council committees and sub-committees - and they'll also be paid. The Council was divided on this move - but mayor Sandra Hazlehurst had the deciding vote and the issue was passed. Youth Council chair Chris Proctor says this is a first in the nation's history. "We want to bring a voice to the Council's table and we want to make sure that in areas like Flaxmere, where 50 percent of the population is under the age of 25 - we feel that's important." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That's quite the crackdown on truancy from David Seymour today - don't expect this to go down well with the teacher unions. So the first thing David Seymour's announced is that he's coming for the parents. He's bringing in the possibility of enforcing fines on parents who don't send their kids to school. Now, it's 100 percent that the excuse-makers of this country are gonna have a problem with this because it’s picking on the vulnerable, etc. Let me tell you something - school is compulsory in New Zealand. If it's compulsory and you don't do it, you will get punished. A fine is the punishment, that's how compulsion works. There's no point in having it be compulsory if you aren't prepared to punish someone for the compulsory thing not happening. And the fine thing is not new, they already exist on the books. Parents can be fined up to $3000 if they’re recidivist offenders, it's just that the fine is not enforced. The second thing he’s doing is scrapping teacher-only days during term times. Schools now have to hold teacher-only days in term breaks. 100 percent the teacher unions will complain about this, but again - this is not new. According to David Seymour's office, the law already states that teacher-only days should only be held during school breaks. And if they have to be held during term time, it must be only with the permission of the Ministry of Education - but it’s got a bit loose. So, all David Seymour is doing here is reminding us all what the existing rules already are and getting us to follow them. And the fact that that is quite a big crack down - I think that tells you how loose we’ve gotten with respecting education. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has issued a warning for Britons in Lebanon amid escalating conflict. The Ministry of Defence is sending 700 troops to Cyprus to prepare for the possible evacuation of British nationals from Lebanon and the Government has advised against travel to the region. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says it's a clear indication the Government believes this situation will get worse. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sales at Kathmandu owner KMD Brands slumped by 11 percent, with all three of its brands feeling the effect of weak consumer confidence in its latest financial year. The company had a statutory net profit after tax decline of $48.3 million for FY24, including a one-off non-cash impairment on the goodwill of its shoe brand Oboz of $40.3 million. Milford Asset Management's Sam Trethewey says investors didn't have high expectations ahead of this announcement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Things are looking on the up for the dairy sector. Fonterra is returning a total dividend of 55 cents a share for the past financial year, off the back of a strong $1.1 billion net profit. It's also raising its forecast milk payout midpoint this season, from $8.50 to $9.00. CEO Miles Hurrell says demand from China's picking up, and data received overnight suggests that trend is continuing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog writer and Curia pollster David Farrar and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Do we really need a Capital Gains Tax? ANZ CEO Antonia Watson has joined the growing calls for one but Heather's not on board - what do we think? Another review into the Northland power pylon incident revealed it was completely avoidable - after it lost tens of millions in economic activity. Does Transpower need to cough up? New data has revealed Kiwis' overall satisfaction with life has held up over the last couple years, despite rampant inflation and economic concerns. Is this proof life here isn't all that bad? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 25 September 2024, Energy Minister Simeon Brown reveals the contractor at the centre of the fallen Transpower tower had three previous nuts/bolts instances. ANZ boss Antonia Watson has endorsed the idea of a capital gains tax - but Heather's not a fan. Resources Minister Shane Jones reveals the worst Government decision he was ever part of - and what he's doing to make up for it. Plus on the Huddle, Jack Tame and Heather get fired up on the prospect of a CGT. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has today started the process of overturning the ban on oil and gas exploration. Resource Minister Shane Jones says the Government is still committed to transitioning to renewable energy - but it can't be done at a cost of hollowing out jobs. Jones says some companies are a bit fearful in case the Government changes - but he's willing to convince them. "The bill's got some robust protections - it's a transparent process." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's looking increasingly likely that Beauden Barrett will step in the No 10 jersey and replace Damian McKenzie for this weekend's All Blacks match. This upcoming rematch against Australia will mark Beauden Barrett's first test in the role since 2022. NZ Herald sports writer Liam Napier says it's likely Scott Robertson will be looking to make changes ahead of the next set of high-profile matches. "You have to have options - and for the All Blacks, this is the last test at home this year, they're about to head north later in the year for three very gruelling tests against England, Ireland and France - they need alternative options." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Energy Minister has been quick to criticise Transpower's conduct that led to the collapse of a Northland power pylon. A new report by the Electricity Authority revealed one of the company's senior engineers had warned crews doing foundation work had knowledge gaps before the pylon toppled in June. Minister Simeon Brown says this failure was 'unacceptable' and 'avoidable'. "Ultimately, Transpower didn't do anything in relation to addressing those concerns in 2021 - and that has led to what happened in Northland in June this year." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A PWC tax partner says discussions around a Capital Gains Tax will continue, as the country grapples with raising enough revenue. ANZ head Antonia Watson has told RNZ the time has come for a Capital Gains Tax. Sandy Lau says it'll likely be in the mix of options officials consider in long-term planning for New Zealand's tax system. "I don't think having a Capital Gains Tax is going to be the silver bullet, so to speak, that will fix all the problems - but it may be one of the few things that needs to be done to make sure that the tax system continues to be successful in the future." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A frosty reception is expected for Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, as he fronts global diplomats - as war wages in the Middle East. Leaders from nearly 200 UN Member states are meeting to discuss international issues in New York City. Calls for intervention are growing - as Israel pounds southern Lebanon with bombs, and its' deadly occupation of Gaza continues. Voice of America UN correspondent, Margaret Besheer, says many members are calling Israel's actions genocide. "The speeches were very strong against Israel - and not just from the neighbours, but from other countries in the global south." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Electricity Authority's report in to a toppled pylon has found the collapse was entirely avoidable. The Transpower pylon north of Helensville fell - cutting power to 88,000 people in Northland - after unsupervised, inexperienced maintenance crews undid three legs at once. The report found there was evidence removing all the nuts wasn't a one-off event. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this incident came with significant economic impacts to Northland. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the US, Kamala Harris is experiencing a significant bump in the polls. New data from Quinnipiac University, Reuters and CNN show Harris is beating out Donald Trump - or the pair are neck-and-neck in terms of voter appeal. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Kamala Harris has focused on appealing to the swing states, as the race is still too close. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beauden Barrett is expected to start at first five-eighth for the All Blacks rematch with the Wallabies in Wellington on Saturday. Through his eight tests in charge this year, All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has maintained unwavering faith in Damian McKenzie. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacked this change. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stats NZ has published the latest official wellbeing data - revealing whether or not Kiwis' satisfaction with life has dipped. Despite two years of economic turmoil and recession, people's overall satisfaction with life is at a 7.6 out of 10 - a similar rating to 2021, when the economy was better. Umbrella Wellbeing psychologist Dougal Sutherland says Kiwis have always have had something to worry about, which disrupts quality of life. "We worry about certain things - in 2021, we were all worried about Covid and now we're worried about the economy and a bit about crime and a bit about healthcare. Maybe this is generally how it is." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nurses in England have widely rejected the Government's proposed 5.5 percent pay rise. According to an online vote run by the Royal College of Nursing, two-thirds of nurses said this increase wasn't fair. UK correspondent Enda Brady says they've seen junior doctors get 35 percent raises following the Covid-19 pandemic - and they're hoping to be properly compensated to keep up with inflation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Reserve Bank has held the cash rate at 4.35 percent after its latest board meeting, citing concerns about inflation. This seventh consecutive hold was widely tipped by economists - and they haven't ruled out additional increases either. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham outlines his predictions for when the economy will turn around and give homeowners some reprieve. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra's annual financial results are due out on Wednesday morning. Experts are wondering if there will be an upside in the forecast milk price of $7.80 for the 23/24 season - and they've debated the possibility of a higher-than-expected annual dividend. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The popularity of working remotely has continued to surge among Kiwi employees - prompting some new directions from the Government. Prime Minister Chris Luxon has ordered Wellington-based Government departments to call their staff back into the office to boost performance and keep local businesses going. Infometrics economist Gareth Kiernan unpacks the latest stats - and wonders if the Government's new terms will make a difference. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland Councillor Richard Hills and Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Green Party is set to meet to discuss Darleen Tana's fate on October 17th. Why has it taken this long to reach a possible solution? Is this hurting their political numbers? Should Auckland Council follow Wellington's lead and require workers to get back to the office? Heart of the City head Viv Beck is urging people to get out and boost the city's businesses - does Auckland CBD need the help? It's been a day since Philip Polkinghorne was found not guilty of murdering Pauline Hanna - would things have been different if Madison Ashton had turned up to testify? Andrew Coster is set to lead the Government's new Social Investment Agency after he steps down as Police Commissioner- what do we make of this? Is this a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KiwiSaver investments have broken the $100 billion mark. The Financial Markets Authority's report for the year to March 31st reveals funds reached $111.8 billion - jumping 19 percent from the previous year. Member contributions have risen to $11.2 billion and returns are strong at $13.1 billion. Financial Markets Authority director John Horner says this shows numbers are bouncing back following a previous downturn. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 24 September, Police Minister Mark Mitchell stepped up to explain why Commissioner Andrew Coster is the perfect fit to lead the new Social Investment Agency. Heart of the City boss Viv Beck explained why Auckland Council needs to follow Wellington and require the council staff to come back and work in their offices to bring some life back to the CBD. A new report has come out identifying where the Port Hills fire started - but FENZ's Dave Stackhouse says the cause is still unknown. Plus, the Huddle unpacks the latest development in the Darleen Tana saga - and debates how this makes the rest of the Green Party look. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Green Party has set a new date for a special meeting to decide whether to boot now-independent MP Darleen Tana from Parliament. The meeting was postponed for a hearing of Tana's legal claim she was pressured to resign, after an investigation found she likely knew of alleged migrant exploitation at her husband's business. Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says notice has been sent to branches of a meeting to be held on October 17. "I am incredibly confident in the wisdom of our party - and that's part of the reason that we've also set this date with the opportunity for our members to properly deliberate." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report into Port Hills fire has located the private property where the fire originated - but the cause remains undetermined. The fire started on February 14 and spread over 700ha, forcing the evacuation of more than 100 properties. FENZ District Commander Dave Stackhouse says the owner of the property in question has been ruled out as a suspect. "We interviewed the property owner three times and he was co-operative throughout the investigation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A geopolitical expert says the latest aggression in the war between Israel and Hezbollah has an air of 'inevitability'. Israel has reportedly killed almost 500 in air strikes and injured 1600 in the deadliest day in Lebanon since 2006. Israel's Defence Force says its mission is to stop the Iran-backed Hezbollah firing rockets into Israel's north and to push it back from the border. Foreign policy analyst Geoffrey Miller says they've been heading this way for some time. "There has been a level of inevitability about this - and this just takes it up a notch further. It's a huge death toll." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Minister has confidence Police Commissioner Andrew Coster will fit well into his new role. Coster has led the police since 2020, but will move to become the head of the Social Investment Agency in November. Mark Mitchell says the agency will be at the forefront of dealing with inter-generational social issues. He says he looks forward to seeing Coster succeed in the new position. "The Social Investment Agency's got a big role to play and I think that Andy Coster, when you look at his background and experience - he's the perfect fit for the role." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, Andrew Coster has resigned as Police Commissioner and he's got himself a new job. He's going to be running the Government's new Social Investment Agency - and I reckon he's going to be good at this. I acknowledge this might not be a popular appointment, I think a lot of people will see this for what it probably is - which is that it feels an awful lot like a job that’s been given to him to get him to leave the police because the Government doesn't want him there. It also reinforces the idea that there's a job merry-go-round in Wellington, which is obviously true. Plus, there'll be questions about why you'd reward somebody for being pretty bad at their previous job, which Coster definitely was. He was a shocker of a Police Commissioner. And all those of those criticisms - many of which are already in my inbox - are completely valid. But setting all that aside, I still think he will be good at this job. This is in his wheelhouse. Andrew Coster never was a crack down on crime guy, he's a cotton wool guy, a believer in people’s potential guy, a 'give them another chance' guy. He believes so much in the fence at the top of the cliff that he forgot his job was to actually run the ambulance at the bottom. But this job is fence at the top of the cliff stuff. The point of this agency is to help people before they become criminals and invest in them when they’re still babies. That's right up Coster’s alley, isn't it? For all of his failings as a Police Commissioner - his inability to be tough on gangs or clear out the Parliamentary protest before it got out of hand - he's actually a very bright and decent guy. I think it was just a case of the wrong job for the wrong guy and I'm happy he's leaving the police. I hope we never have another Commissioner as weak on crime as him, but I think he'll be very good at what he does next - and it is a very important job. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says Andrew Coster has been an outstanding Police Commissioner - as he takes on a new role Coster has been appointed the head of the Government's Social Investment Agency, stepping down as Commissioner by November. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Andrew Coster faced some pushback when National was in opposition - but Chris Luxon was eager to defend him. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katy Perry has reportedly faced some pushback over her proposed song choices ahead of her AFL Grand Final performance. The pop star is set to headline as the pre-game entertainment act - and it's been revealed league officials told her to play the hits from her back catalogue while Perry wanted to showcase newer stuff. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says it's fair that the AFL gets to make the calls - as the league's footing the bill for her performance. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Professional Footballers' Association is standing with the governing body regarding alleged inappropriate behaviour by outgoing coach Jitka Klimkova towards a player. Newstalk ZB understands a number of players were dissatisfied with New Zealand Football's handling of the employment-related matter. The incident, which the players say happened during last year's World Cup, resulted in an independent investigation. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacks the controversy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.