Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was heckled and dubbed a 'liar' at a weekend rally held outside Parliament House. Thousands of people attended the 'No More! National Rally Against Violence' march in protest of the multiple violent deaths of Australian women this year. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Albanese was asked not speak - and the optics of this aren't good. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pharmac has received a funding boost - but the Government says it's to cover a 'fiscal cliff' left by Labour. Associate Health Minister David Seymour revealed the drug-buying agency will be bolstered by more than $1.7 billion over four years, as part of the Budget. Medicines New Zealand CEO Graeme Jarvis says he was aware of this gap in funding. He says the Covid-19 pandemic created more fiscal cliffs to be dealt with than even Treasury considered. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday 29 April 2024, Associate Health Minister David Seymour tells Heather why an extra $1.7 billion for Pharmac is merely keeping the lights on at our drug buying agency - but won't buy us more medicines. It's bad news for the coalition in the latest political poll as Labour closes the gap with National and NZ First slips below the 5% threshold. Finance Minister and Deputy National leader Nicola Willis tells Heather why she's not fazed. Police Minister Mark Mitchell responds to a wave of violent daylight burglaries in shopping malls. Mobile phones are officially off limits in NZ schools from today, Principals Association president Vaughan Couillault reveals how many phones he's confiscated so far. The Huddle debates whether Victoria University should have cancelled a free speech debate, and if handing out jobs to former MPs is "jobs for the boys". Plus would Heather drink breast milk like the Kardashians? 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.

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute and Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Victoria University has copped plenty of backlash over their decision to postpone a free speech event after pushback from the students. Should they have left the event alone? Paula Bennett is the latest former National MP to get appointed into a Government role - she's the new chair for Pharmac. Is she the latest case of the Government handing out jobs to mates? Was the opposition just as guilty of this? Today marks the first day of the Government's cell phone ban in schools. It seems to have gone off without a hitch- what do we think of this? Should we bring back the fees to resit a drivers licence test? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister has brushed off a tough new poll result for the coalition. The latest 1News Verian poll shows a two percent fall for National to have them on 36 percent. Act is down one to 7 percent and New Zealand First is on 4 percent. Those numbers mean the left block of Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori could govern. Minister Nicola Willis says she isn't losing her head over it. "Oh well. We've had this conversation before - polls move up and down, and there is not an election tomorrow. So our job as a Government is to focus on getting on with business." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington's Victoria University has hit pause on a controversial debate, after student backlash. A panel discussion around the role of universities in free speech has been pushed back to the end of May, following the opposition from students. The Free Speech Union's Jonathan Ayling, who was expected to attend, has expressed confusion at being included as part of the backlash. "I challenge anyone to find references to me spouting hate speech of any kind. It is simply the fact -and my opponents will admit this - that I have defended speech rights of those who they claim have expressed hate speech." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kāinga Ora has been fined $6,000 for being too slow to evict unruly tenants. Stuff reports Kāinga Ora was forced to pay a woman terrorised by neighbours and fellow social housing tenants. The antisocial tenants defecated outside her door, and it's alleged they threw a woman off a balcony. Lawyer Adina Thorn says any other landlord would've kicked them out much sooner. "It takes people a lot of time hassling Kāinga Ora - and they've got to basically be at a wits end before Kāinga Ora will step up." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi kids have endured their first day of no cell phones at school. Students can no longer use or access their phone at school under new Government legislation. Many schools started phasing the rule in from Term One, before the ban came into force this term. Secondary Principals' Association president Vaughan Couillault says not many students were found breaking the rules at his school today. "Well, I've got three cell phones that have been confiscated in the front office, so you'd have to say out of 1800 students, it looks like three of them got busted." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour says the Prime Minister would have a tougher job sacking a minister from ACT than from National. Luxon stood down Melissa Lee and Penny Simmonds from portfolios last week. Seymour says it would take a bigger process if Luxon wanted to give the boot to one of his party's ministers. "What I did say is- if we were going to have that sort of action, then the coalition agreement requires good faith, it requires conversation - and it ultimately requires agreement on these sorts of things." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Caps squad for the T20 cricket World Cup in the West Indies and United States has been named. The 15-strong squad features just two players - Matt Henry and Rachin Ravindra - who've never played at the tournament. Sportstalk host Jason Pine unpacks today's reveal. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Minister says he's deeply concerned about the ages of robbers plundering Auckland jewellery stores. In the past two weeks, at least five aggravated robberies have spanned Auckland - at Westgate, Newmarket, Onehunga and Manurewa. Minister Mark Mitchell says in the most recent incident, the robbers were aged between nine and fourteen. He says plans for youth military academies are a big part of their response. "That's going to be targeted at those worst recidivist violent youth offenders, because at the end of the day, we want to invest in these young people and try to get them back on the right track." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As you know, today is the official first day of the ban on cell phones in schools. For most parents and teachers and kids it's actually not a particularly special milestone, given that most schools started bringing in these bans at the start of the year. But today is the first day that it's actually in force. And you know what? The thing that I found most surprising about this is how overwhelmingly popular it is. One high school's principal even says they wished they'd done it five years ago, because the kids are interacting more in the playground. Waitara High's principal says the academic outcomes are improving, because they did it already at the start of last year. He says the change is the most important thing he has done in at least 20 years of teaching. Stratford High School's principal says the kids are talking more. He describes it as an 'overwhelming success'. Now, what makes this even better is that it has cost us nothing. We don't have to spend any money buying things or hiring people, we just changed a rule. How good is that? There's an outcome for absolutely no cost. I'm going to take a lesson from this- it's to ignore the naysayers. Because if you cast your mind back, you'll remember there were heaps of critics who were poo-pooing this idea when it was first mooted before the election. Even principals were saying - you can't ban the phones, kids need the phones for some projects in school, it's going to be a logistical nightmare, who's going to stand at the front gate collecting all the phones, etc. Even the Ministry of Education said there was only marginal evidence it would improve student achievement. Have a look at it now - now everybody loves it. Of course they were going to love it, it was always a smart idea. Because it's common sense, isn't it? Because phones are distracting. The fundamentals of this idea work, right? Phones are distracting, we all know this because we've all got one. And if they're distracting to adults, who have some degree of self-discipline, they're going to be much more distracting to kids. And distraction is bad for grades and it's bad for behaviour, so if we follow it through - obviously it's common sense to take the phones out of schools. There are too many naysayers on every suggestion nowadays, so the lesson I'm taking is - in the future, ignore them. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders are staying in paid work longer in an effort to transition into retirement, according to a new study. The average age Kiwi’s are choosing to retire has risen to 67 from 61, since the mandatory retirement age was eliminated in 2000. Co-director of the Retirement Policy and Research Centre Michael Littlewood tells Jack Tame that New Zealand’s state pension is generous, but not enough to live on for some. But, the real reason people choose to transition from full-time work to full-time retirement is not known. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eden Park is reportedly set to win the battle of Auckland’s stadiums. The Sports Huddle discuss whether the stadium remains fit for purpose. Plus, are the Crusaders underperforming or were expectations too high? Is it time to panic for Warriors fans? And, could NZ hold a second Supercars round? Newshub Sport Presenter Andrew Gourdie and Newstalk ZB Deputy Sport News Director Elliott Smith join Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eden Park is reportedly about to win the battle of Auckland’s stadiums. On Monday, a working committee will make a recommendation to Auckland Council on whether to invest in Eden Park or one of the rival waterfront stadium bids. NZ Herald Sports Columnist Trevor Mckewen tells Jack Tame as an existing location, Eden Park could be a cheaper option than others starting from scratch. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A unique re-homing program has been set up for actual lab rats across New Zealand. The New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society (NZAVS) are working with the scientific community to find former lab rats their forever homes, while pushing the Government to stop animal testing. Executive Director of NZAVS Tara Jackson tells Jack Tame NZ has nearly half a million animals who are bred for science, not used, and subsequently killed. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has had his 2020 rape conviction overturned. The New York Court of Appeal found that Weinstein did not receive a fair trial, due to witness testimony including accusations that were not part of the case. Los Angeles KNX News Presenter Charles Feldman tells Jack Tame the next step will be for the New York District Attorney to decide whether to retry the case. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After hours clinics around the country are on the verge of collapse. New Official Information Act data shows that 24 practices and clinics had to reduce hours or close due to critical staff shortages and cost pressures in the first eight months of 2023. In Porirua, health officials are considering replacing overnight doctors with a telehealth service, which the local iwi says is unacceptable. Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists tells Jack Tame that deliberately casualised medical staffing is exaggerating the issue. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ministers have a big weekend in store ahead of Monday’s Cabinet meeting, which will be one of the last major steps in signing off the 2024 budget. Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls tells Jack Tame this budget is one of the most significant in recent years as the Government tries to balance the country’s fiscal position and balance between three coalition partners. And, Winston Peters used his speech at yesterday’s ANZAC Dawn Service in Turkey to reflect while taking a jab at the Russians. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Supreme Court has weighed whether former presidents are immune from prosecution and what exactly it means if they are. The answer will determine whether former President Donald Trump can be tried on charges of trying to subvert the 2020 election. Trump believes he is entitled to absolute immunity from criminal charges for actions committed while in office. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson tells Jack Tame the Supreme Court appeared ready to reject Trump’s claims, but that a clear answer may not be given. The decision will shape US democracy for years to come. Meanwhile, Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction has been overturned, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era. New York’s highest court found the trial judge made a critical mistake allowing testimony based on allegations that were not part of the case. And, Madonna has been sued by fans again. A group of fans in Washington D.C. say the singer made them wait hours in a “hot, uncomfortable arena” before lip syncing her performance. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors have suffered their third loss in a row, losing at home to the Gold Coast Titans in yesterday’s ANZAC clash. Weekend Sport host Jason Pine tells Jack Tame the team’s roster remains as strong as it did at the start of the season and fans shouldn’t worry just yet. Meanwhile, the Crusaders are at the bottom of the Super Rugby Pacific table after just one victory in eight games. Piney places his bets that tonight’s match against the Melbourne Rebels may change the tide. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is set for a new player in the supermarket landscape. Residents of Nawton, Hamilton will soon be walking through the doors of the biggest, independent supermarket in NZ, FIFO – Fresh In Fresh Out. The suburb has been without a supermarket for eight months after losing its Countdown due to persistent retail crime. Owner Manish Thakkar tells Jack Tame the new supermarket will be financially viable in a way the location’s previous Countdown could not be due to its independence and ability to be stocked by a variety of suppliers, tailoring to residents specific needs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two days on, it’s fair to say Christopher Luxon’s swift and brutal demotion of Penny Simmonds and Melissa Lee hasn’t met much opposition. I appreciate these are early days for the new government and all Ministers are bedding in, but I don’t think I’ve heard a single person publicly argue that Lee or Simmonds was doing a sufficiently good job. Not one. Of course, opposition MPs feel duty-bound to attack in these kinds of moments. Chris Hipkins said it showed the PM had terrible judgement in appointing his Ministers in the first place. But the co-leader of Te Pāti Māori found a different reason to criticise it. It wasn’t that Melissa Lee simply wasn’t cut out for Cabinet and that Penny Simmonds was lost at sea. It wasn’t that facing pressures in their portfolios, the new Ministers hadn’t adapted quickly enough. Apparently, it was misogyny. Based on what? Well, as Debbie Ngarewa-Packer noted, Luxon hasn’t been as forceful with male MPs in his Cabinet who’ve made public comments out of turn. But, of course, there’s a perfectly good non-gendered explanation for that. The reason Luxon hasn’t publicly hammered ACT and New Zealand First Ministers is that they are ACT and New Zealand First Ministers. Arguably... if competence and discipline were the only things concerning the Prime Minister when it comes to Ministerial portfolios and the make up of his Cabinet, Casey Costello might have had an awkward phone call several months ago. Some of what Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says is fair enough. She says the Ministers should have been offered more support before being cut, that other senior Ministers should have stepped in and helped. I disagree – Melissa Lee in particular had years to prepare for this moment. But even so... that’s a criticism of the process which doesn’t reflexively bounce to an identity extreme. Misogyny exists. Of course it does. It exists in the private sector. It certainly exists in politics. But crying misogyny when Ministers are demoted when there are far more obvious explanations – like incompetence - actually undermines the greater issue. It devalues legitimate misogyny criticisms. Most reasonable people can see Christopher Luxon didn’t demote his Ministers because they’re women. He demoted them because when the pressure came on, they weren’t up to it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rishi Sunak says UK military spending would rise to 2.5 percent of national income by 2030 in response to global threats. Sunak has also committed to giving the Ukraine £3 billion a year for as long as the current war goes on. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains why Sunak is committed to keeping the UK on a "war footing". LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Business Mentors CEO Sarah Trotman joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Melissa Lee and Penny Simmonds have been unexpectedly stripped of their portfolios today - what do we think of this? Is this good leadership from Luxon? Elon Musk has been clashing with the Australian Government over the Sydney church stabbing videos appearing on X. Can a Government tell a company what content it can display online? Why is Elon doubling down? People are protesting Auckland Council's removal of rubbish bins by leaving their dog poo bags at the park. Should the council just put the bins back? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Netflix releases their results for first quarter, they've promised some new changes to the service. The company's shares have dropped by nine percent, and speculation indicates the company could introduce ads to the service. Milford Asset Management's Deborah Lambie explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's been more light shined on the conflicting coverage of public sector job growth. Labour's Chris Hipkins has justified the growth of the public sector under the previous Government- does he have a point? NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains both sides of the issue. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has revealed surprise tweaks to Cabinet. Melissa Lee's lost her Media and Communications portfolio and been booted from Cabinet and Penny Simmonds' Disability role has gone to Louise Upston. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper dissects Luxon's reasons for the reshuffle. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New reports show Tesla is experiencing a steep decline in profits and revenue - but the company's shares jumped 10 percent. The electric vehicle manufacturer posted a lower-than-expected $21.3 billion in revenue and 55 percent decline in profit from the first quarter of 2023. AJ Bell financial advisor Danni Hewson says investors believe CEO Elon Musk aims to focus more attention on Tesla, with more projects in the pipeline. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand has achieved its first trading surplus since last May. Stats NZ trade data for March 2024 shows a monthly surplus of $588 million. Goods exports rose 3.8 percent in March on March 2023 - driven by fruit exports, which rose $170 million. ANZ economist Henry Russell says this is down to a post-pandemic bounce-back - and a weakening domestic economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Defence Force is facing an unexpected challenge ahead of ANZAC commemorations in Gallipoli. About half the luggage of the 40-strong team is lost in transit at Dubai, including uniforms and instruments. RSA CEO Marty Donoghue says he expects the team will come up with a backup plan ahead of tomorrow's event. "I think the contingent will be really gutted it doesn't have its instruments and uniforms with them - but there is always a way you can solemnly remember and do a remembrance activity." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American comedian Arj Barker is on the defence after last weekend's incident Barker has sparked controversy across the Tasman after he asked a mother and baby to leave his Melbourne comedy show on Saturday, because the baby was disrupting his performance. He says he had no interest in shaming the woman or her child - but he wanted to create a quiet soundscape. "I just wanted to create an uninterrupted soundscape so I could do my show. This was a very quiet theatre... it's a beautiful theatre, but you could hear a pin drop in there." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dog walkers in Auckland's Remuera and Pt Chevalier have been leaving poo bags where rubbish bins used to be. The council's been removing bins with low historical use since last November to save money. Orakei Local Board member Troy Churton says the protest is duly noted, but it's no reason to keep dump dog faeces. "I can definitely raise this with my board - and will do so - that some of the bins we've taken can be reinstated." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is defending today's surprise Cabinet reshuffle. Luxon has demoted Melissa Lee from Cabinet and stripped her of the Broadcasting and Media portfolio, giving it to Paul Goldsmith. He's also sacked Penny Simmonds as the Minister for Disabilities, handing the role to Louise Upston. Prime Minister Luxon says he needs the right people in the right assignments at the right time - and both roles have gotten more complex. "They're good, hardworking ministers, they've still got my full confidence, they've still got key roles to play with portfolios on our team and key roles to deliver on - but this is really just acknowledging both of those portfolios have changed." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New US-based research suggests women are less likely to die when treated by female doctors. A study has followed people 65 and older, observing data on those who died within 30 days of seeing a doctor. 8.15 percent of women who died had been treated by female physicians, but that rose to 8.38 percent for women who'd been seen by a man. For male patients, their doctor's gender made no difference. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says the numbers may seem like a tiny gap, but it could save 5,000 lives each year. "The study suggests that they are less likely to have experienced miscommunication and misunderstanding and bias." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors have an eye to the future with another landmark signing. 19-year-old halfback Jett Cleary - younger brother of Penrith halfback Nathan and son of former Warriors and current Panthers coach Ivan - has signed a three-year deal from next season. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing calls for transparency and clarity around anti-doping processes. This comes after the revelation that the World Anti-Doping Agency cleared 23 Chinese swimmers to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, despite testing positive for a banned substance. Former World Anti-Doping Agency director general David Howman says aspects of this don't pass the 'smell test'. "They could be better in terms of disclosure, be transparent and they should provide more clarity as to the actual process that was followed." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have got nothing bad to say about Chris Luxon demoting Melissa Lee and Penny Simmonds today. This is exactly the kind of performance management that the country deserves, don't you think? Obviously on a human level, I feel sorry for both of those ministers because this will humiliating - but don’t tell me this wasn’t deserved. Melissa Lee has done an appalling job of looking like she knows what she’s doing with media, with senior commentators going on the radio to say - "She doesn't know what she's doing." And Penny Simmonds oversaw one of the biggest stuff ups for the Government, with the cutting of disability-related funding. So Melissa Lee's been stripped of the media portfolio and kicked out of Cabinet and Penny Simmonds has lost the disability portfolio - and she was already a minister outside of Cabinet. Now this does two things: Firstly, it signals to voters that are there are standards in this Cabinet and incompetence will not be tolerated. That is a great signal to send to voters, it will likely lift the public regard of Cabinet. Secondly, it sends a very important message to other ministers that if you stuff up in public, this will happen to you. Luxon's made it clear we're going to see more of this as the Government goes along, and there is nothing like the threat of losing a job to make someone pull their socks up. What's happened today will shock a lot of people, because over the last few years we've got used to Prime Minsters just putting up with their ministers doing a bad job or behaving badly in public. Kiri Allan, Phil Twyford, Michael Wood, Clare Curran, even Nanaia Mahuta - the Foreign Minister who didn't like international travel. It took forever for Hipkins or Ardern to demote the under-performers, and they suffered for it - public opinion of them was tainted. That is clearly not how Chris Luxon operates, and it’s a good thing. Because who doesn’t want performance from the people that we pay to run the country? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is pushing back at a proposal by the Commerce Commission to increase competition in the banking sector. The Commerce Commission has made multiple suggestions, including asking the Reserve Bank to tolerate more risk so that smaller banks and lenders have a chance to add competition in the market. Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Christian Hawkesby spoke with Heather du Plessis-Allan about the decision. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and former Chief of Staff to Jacinda Ardern, Mike Munro, joined in on a discussion about the issues of the day and more! The Government has proposed a ban on gang patches, but will it work? The Wellington Reading Cinemas deal is officially off the table - is it surprising that it took so long? And is comedian Arj Barker in the right for kicking a breastfeeding mother out of his show? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The controversial Reading Cinemas deal is off. Wellington City Council announced this afternoon that it's ended negotiations because they couldn't get the best possible outcome for Wellingtonians. Under the proposed deal, Wellington Council was set to buy the Reading Cinemas land for $32 million, then sell it back to Reading after a decade as a way to finance a future refurbishment. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has promised to install 10,000 EV chargers by 2030... and EV charging company Jolt has suggested lines companies should pay for the investment. CEO of Vector, Simon Mackenzie, spoke with Heather du Plessis-Allan about who is responsible for covering the costs. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedian Arj Barker has hit back at criticism after he asked a breastfeeding mother to leave his show in Melbourne over the weekend. Arj said the seven month old's sounds were distracting him and "ruined his train of thought." The NZ International Comedy Festival is about to kick off and the Chief Executive, Lauren Whitney, joined Heather to discuss what happened. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This morning I was listening to the radio, and I was quite shocked when I heard Labour’s Justice Spokesperson, Duncan Webb, talking about the Three Strikes Law. He said judges and lawyers hate it so much, they will find ways around it so they don’t have to implement it. He said because the law will now only apply to crimes with sentences over two years – 24 months, “we will see a lot of sentences at 23 months because judges and lawyers... hate this.” Now... that’s a shocker. Because what that tells you is that it’s just accepted that if judges and lawyers don’t like a law, they’ll find a way around it. It’s so widely known that Duncan just says it on the radio and nobody blinds an eyelid. It’s the reason, apparently, that when we had Three Strikes last time, no one ever made it to their third strike fully. There were 29 people on second strike, and even after eight years of the law, no one on a full third strike. The only guy who did make it to the third strike - the Wellington Kisser – only got a half punishment, because he was given permission to apply for parole after a third of his sentence. Now, the reason I’m telling you about this is because this is a live debate... the conduct of judges. What with the Waitangi Tribunal judges thinking it’s acceptable to summon a minister to answer to them, and the Supreme Court judges’ quite radical moves to insert Tikanga Maori into law, and the Law Society on Friday telling us off for criticising judges and calling them activist judges. That’s exactly what we’re talking about. Voters wanted the Three Strikes Law, all three parties in Government promised to bring it back; so when voters voted for them... they knew they were voting for the Three Strikes Law. This Government has a mandate to bring it back. But apparently it’s widely known... the courts will ignore it because they know better. No. That is not how our system works. Voters are the boss, Parliament has supremacy. Judges are expected to implement the law, and if the Law Society is worried about people losing trust in judges, it could be that criticism isn’t the problem – the way the judges ignore the intention of Parliament might be the problem. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Justice Select Committee heard submissions on Tuesday on the Government's proposed ban on gang patches. Chris Macklin, Convener of the Law Society's Criminal Law Committee spoke to Heather du Plessis-Allan about why he critiqued the proposal. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been an eventful day in New York as the prosecution and defence laid out their cases in Donald Trump's hush money trial. The former president is accused of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Heather spoke with criminal defence attorney Joseph Tully. LISTE ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and journalist Patrick Gower joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The government is bringing back the Three Strikes law - but will it work? Air New Zealand is hiking domestic airfares - should people be getting angry on how expensive it is to travel within New Zealand? And is Woolworths making the right move in bringing in body cameras for staff? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand is warning travel agents that it's about to put domestic airfares up. It comes at the same time as the national carrier has downgrades its full-year earnings guidance by 10 million dollars. The fare structure for flights to Australia and the Pacific is also getting a revamp. Aviation Commentator Peter Clark told Heather du Plessis-Allan the airline doesn't have a choice - as it's own costs have skyrocketed. He says people will simply have to suck it up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister admits there's still a way to go get inflation under control. Statistics NZ data showed headline inflation has dropped to 4 percent - the lowest number in nearly three years. But domestic inflation, otherwise known as non-tradeable inflation, is remaining sticky. She told Heather du Plessis-Allan the country isn't out of the woods yet. Willis says non-tradeable inflation is still sitting at 5.8 percent - which is still too high. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's calling for the Government to recognise Palestinian independence. Opposition spokesperson David Parker's written to Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, noting Israel's attacks have killed 32 thousand people in the past six months. He says the country's ignored two UN resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire, and is in breach of international law. Parker told Heather du Plessis Allan most other countries recognise Palestine, and we should follow suit to progress towards a two-state solution. He says affirming Palestine's right to exist as a separate state is a fundamental building block. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.