Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

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."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Huddle debates 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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 25 October. 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 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.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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”. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Government is looking to bring public sector performance pay back by the next financial year. Do we agree with this move? A female passenger was stabbed to death on a bus in Onehunga last night - how concerned are we? Is this a sign people with a history of violence should be kept in jail? More backlash against David Seymour's school lunch programme - do we think sustainable packaging should have been a concern? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 24 October 2024, Auckland Transport says it's putting more security patrols on public transport following the deadly bus stabbing. Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says Oranga Tamariki is still failing to keep kids in its care safe. Perhaps the weirdest interview of the year - with the man who's upset with David Seymour's new school lunches because of their packaging. Plus the Huddle gets very heated when debating whether our lax approach to punishing criminals is to blame for yesterday's bus stabbing. 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.

David Seymour's new school lunch programme has opened up more concerns - this time from environmentalists.  The new lunches are expected to come in aluminium trays and non-compostable packaging, prompting worry about sustainability, with some suggesting the food should come in less 'wasteful' packaging. Ecoware co-founder James Calver has raised concerns about the lack of recyclable materials to be found - and he thinks the sustainability aspect is worth discussing.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The return of performance pay for public service bosses could be a good thing - if done right. The Minister-in-charge, Nicola Willis, confirms it will be back by the next financial year. In 2018, then-State Services Minister Chris Hipkins cut performance pay, attempting to slow CEO salary growth. Victoria University Researcher Geoff Plimmer says many studies show it can be disastrous - so it needs to be carefully implemented. "I think you need to have really good measures, you need to audit them, make sure they're reliable - you need to update them occasionally as well, that seems to help." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chief Ombudsman says we can't yet be confident Oranga Tamariki will keep kids safe following the release of a new report. This report revealed Oranga Tamariki failed to investigate an abuse case involving four children, despite nine separate reports of mistreatment by their mother's partner. Peter Boshier says Oranga Tamariki was also given photographic evidence related to these incidents - and they should have carried out a proper in-depth investigation, at the very least.  "I had hoped that after I did my report on the death of Malachi Subecz two years ago - and the assurances were given by Oranga Tamariki that there would be dramatic change. And yet, this has happened." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can we say it now? It might be a bit early, but I'm going to say it - Kamala Harris was a mistake. The Democrats should never have picked her to run against Trump. I mean, never say never, but it's becoming more and more likely that Trumpy's gonna win in a couple of weeks. I said that last week, that he's too close behind her in the swing states - so he'll over-perform in them like he usually does on the night and then he'll win. But don’t take my word for it, you've got Nate Silver - a US election wizard - today saying his gut says Trump wins. You've also got The Economist saying Trump wins with a 54 percent likelihood compared to Kamala's likelihood of 45 percent and you've got a new Wall Street Journal poll giving Trump a narrow lead - with voters having a more positive view of him and a more negative view of Kamala. And you’ve got Democrats reportedly panicking over the fact they think he’s gonna win. If you cast your mind back, this was predictable. When there was all this talk of Biden stepping down, loads of people were saying - don't pick Kamala, she won't win, she doesn't have what it takes, the public doesn't like her. And then she got picked anyway and there was that flurry of excitement and she got all this momentum - but if you took a step back, which we did, that excitement was about the thought of her, the thought of a black woman being President for the first time. The actual her remained the same. Boring, uncharismatic, annoying voice, word salad, couldn't campaign. That excitement was always going to fade when people actually got to know her, and it has. This was totally predicable. If Trump wins in a couple of weeks, which it looks like he will, then we can say Kamala was a mistake. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Transport has spoken out after yesterday's fatal stabbing of a woman on an Onehunga bus. The man-hunt for a 37-year-old suspect ended this morning - when a man handed himself in at North Shore Police station. Police say the attack appears random and they don't think the victim and suspect knew each other. AT's Director of Public Transport, Stacey van der Putten, says they've increased staff numbers in Onehunga. She says it's very concerning - and such crime is very sporadic. "There's only so much we can do - it's a problem in terms of anti-social behaviour. The vast majority of people are really well behaved, these are tiny issues compared to what we generally see."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's checked out the front-line of the HMNZS Manawanui clean-up in Samoa - as he attends the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Small amounts of oil and debris from the Kiwi Navy ship have littered the waters near Upolu, since it sank more than two weeks ago.  ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this still isn't a good look for New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe recently claimed she pledged Queen Elizabeth's 'hairs' and not 'heirs' when she recited her parliamentary oath. Thorpe has been accused of violating her pledge to the monarchy after she shouted at King Charles during his Parliament House visit on Monday. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says this raises questions about Thorpe's legitimacy as a senator.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Swapping a seamer for a spinner is the Black Caps' major consideration heading into the second test against India starting in Pune this afternoon. New Zealand has been preparing for a slower, flatter pitch with more turn and much lower bounce compared to the first test in Bengaluru. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what fans can expect from this match. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is celebrating a drop in numbers of children living in emergency housing. Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says almost 1500 have moved to social housing since the Government's Priority One policy was introduced in April. He says the total children who've left emergency housing since they took office is closer to 2500. "Some of them have not gone into social housing, they've just gone into private housing - and that housing offers an accommodation supplement. They've gone into different types of housing. But we've seen a massive shift." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new vaccine will be trialled in the UK to protect people from the worst of norovirus ahead of the winter season. The contagious stomach bug causes vomiting and diarrhoea - and can have a huge strain on workplaces, schools and the health system.  UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the effects of the vaccine on volunteers will be monitored on potential volunteers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's relief from Federated Farmers after Otago Regional Council was forced to pause its proposed land and water regional plan. The council's plans were ground to a halt after the Government introduced a new amendment to the Resource Management Act.  Federated Farmers Otago president Luke Kane says they had concerns about the council's plans - before the Government forced their hand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the latest US earnings season picks up, one famed luxury good company has caught attention for all the wrong reasons. LVMH's earnings report left investors disappointed, with its key Fashion & Leather Goods division seeing a 5 percent revenue drop this quarter. Milford Asset Management's Stephanie Batchelor explains what's causing this drop. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts from Australia and New Zealand are meeting with leaders in Malaysia to discuss how to improve business and security. The three groups are expected to discuss new opportunities and challenges - and outline new solutions. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen explained what could come out of these discussions. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.