Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Concerns about how many investigations will be held into Mount Maunganui's deadly landslide, with six people still buried and careful recovery work continuing. WorkSafe will look into organisations with a duty of care at the holiday park, the Council's reviewing events beforehand, and Fire and Emergency could launch a probe. The Institute of Safety Management's Mike Cosman says police will investigate on behalf of the Coroner, and could do so in their own right too. He says others may also be looking deeper. "One of my concerns here is that when you've got multiple simultaneous investigations going on - is witnesses, whanau, first responders having to retell their stories multiple times to multiple different agencies. It can be incredibly traumatic." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 23 January. 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.

Now, have a listen to this. This happened in Thames this morning as the Prime Minister arrived to go and check on the damage to the properties and check out the roads and to meet with the victims' families.  It's a disgrace what you're doing with your climate positive, Prime Minister. It's an absolute disgrace and we're suffering now. You're listening to a bunch of protesters heckling the Prime Minister. They're yelling shame as he gets into his car. And yesterday, Chris Hipkins mentioned climate change in his message to victims' families. Now, everybody in this country knows how political climate change has become. Well, not, no, that's wrong. Not so much climate change, but how we respond to it. So to wave banners and bring into the debate about climate change, absolutely they're right. The protesters, they have the right to do that. It's also the right of the Leader of the Opposition to mention it in his address as well. But the question is whether it's in good taste. And I reckon it's a bit off for a couple of reasons. One, we still have teenagers trapped under a landslide at the Mount. Their families, desperate, emotional as you can well imagine, banners shouting anger through the news at a time like this, I would have thought was a bit much. Number 2, the idea that by closing a few farms and getting rid of some cows in New Zealand, you will somehow stop the rain from falling and the landslides from slipping is just wrong. All the scientists agree it would take unified global action, most importantly, from the big four players to move the dial even an inch. And right now, as everybody well knows, those players, especially the US, doing the opposite. Our dear friends across the Tasman have just struck a deal to extend the life of their biggest power plant. That plant, by the way, runs on coal. As I say, I back everyone's right to protest and say what they like. There is nothing illegal or even really nasty about it. I just think it's probably a bit in poor taste so soon after such a personal tragedy, and one that people are feeling so deeply. You've also got to wonder who's benefiting from all this. Are the protesters going to be flooded with supporters after an outburst like that while the families are still waiting to hear news of their loved ones stuck under a landslide?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A large insurance bill is looming from the latest weather-related disasters. The landslide at Mount Maunganui combined with flood damage in Northland, Coromandel and Gisborne means that the claims are set to roll in. Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman Karen Stevens told Ryan Bridge that people affected can expect delays given the high number of claims being made.  "I think everybody understands that with a significant weather event, there are going to be more delays than if it's just business as usual." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shoppers may be hit with a new unexpected fee if they are using Woolworth's click and collect service. Currently, Click and Collect is free at Woolworths as long as you're buying at least $50 worth of groceries, but the chain is going to change the rules so that all Click and collectors pay $3.50. Woolworths Director of E-Commerce Mark Wolfenden told Ryan Bridge that the price was put in place to simplify the fee on all orders, and to help the company invest in it's services. "It's about making it more sustainable and making sure that we can keep investing in amazing technology and services which honestly Kiwis are demanding it ever more." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An expectation the official cash rate will be held steady as inflation is higher than expected.  Inflation's clocked in at 3.1 percent which means its snuck outside of the Reserve Bank's target band.  ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner says there's now quite wide agreement that the OCR will be held at 2.25 to prevent further inflation.  She told Ryan Bridge that more extreme measures could be needed.  Zollner says it's more likely than not that the Official Cash Rate will be hiked sometime this year.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police says authorities will be working through the night and tomorrow - to find people trapped after a slip slammed into Mount Maunganui's Beachside Holiday Park. Six people are unaccounted for, including two teenagers, after it tore through tents, cars, caravans, a toilet block and the hot pools around 9.30am yesterday.  NZ Herald Senior Journalist Michael Morrah told Ryan Bridge that there are 6 people confirmed to be trapped under the landslide, with another 3 people still yet to be accounted for. He said that the police are currently going through the list of all the people who may have checked into the campground, and are making sure that they have left the campsite and are accounted for. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scammers behind the Manage My Health security breach could attempt to contact affected customers.  Earlier this month, the patient portal became aware more than 127-thousand users' health records had been compromised in an attack last year.  Netsafe chief online safety officer Sean Lyons told Ryan Bridge that the cybercriminals could impersonate the company or other agencies - in what's known as a recovery scam.  He says they could say they work for Manage My Heath or say they could help people secure information.  He says it's a tried and tested path for scammers.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greenland remains on edge - even after Donald Trump has ruled out tariffs on NATO countries and military force to seize the Arctic island. The US President spoke at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, claiming he’s laid the groundwork for a future deal. UK correspondent Enda Brady unpacked the reactions to this development. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new year is getting under way, but concerns have been raised over what investors should focus on for 2026. There's risks impacting the tech sector and experts are hoping things will improve going forward. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The North Island has been hit hard by record-breaking downpours over the last few days, and it's expected to leave an impact on the rural communities in those regions.   Reports indicate livestock won't suffer too badly, but concerns have been raised over the roading damage, which will make it harder to move produce round the country.  The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and broadcaster Mark Sainsbury joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day -and more!  Families of young children with cystic fibrosis are celebrating a Pharmac proposal to widen access to the drug Trikafta, which is out for consultation. How good is this? Donald Trump has laid the groundwork or a future deal involving Greenland and dropped proposed tariffs on NATO countries. What do we make of this? Do we see Trump getting his way here?  A new Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll dropped - and it indicates the current coalition Government could get re-elected. NZ First took a leap to 11.9 percent, what can we take from this?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest operating reports by New Zealand's leading power companies indicate things are looking up. Both Contact Energy and Genesis Energy have confirmed hydro storage is up, meaning both companies are in a better position than expected  Genesis Energy CEO Malcolm Johns explains what this development could mean for Kiwis ahead of the winter season. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 22 January, 2026, we hear from a witness to the landslide at a Mt Maunganui campsite. A father tells us what Pharmac funding for a cystic fibrosis drug will mean for his son. Brad Olsen from Infometrics looks at whether the worst of the brain drain has passed. And on The Huddle, Clare de Lore and Mark Sainsbury have a laugh about Donald Trump confusing Greenland with Iceland. 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.

If you don't know him, Jamie Dimon is the boss of JP Morgan and quite a smart guy, obviously. I've mentioned him a few times on this show because he's a good thinker - and says some pretty reasonable and practical things about big issues. He's spoken about AI and reckons we need to slow down. If we don't slow down, society, he reckons, could tear itself apart. And he's not talking about in ten years. He's talking about soon. In the US, there are 2 million truck drivers who could soon be out of a job when driverless trucks hit the road. That's 2 million men and women going from a pay packet of up to $150k a year to unemployed. And the skills are not transferable. His answer is to slow it down. Phase the technology in rather than hit society all at once, and then you'll probably have to get some Government payouts to compensate workers. Otherwise you'll get civil unrest and chaos in the streets. In New Zealand we have Ubers and taxis ripe for an AI takeover. The same goes for public transport. Robots will drive probably buses before long, which will certainly stop the violence they face in the driver's seat from nutty passengers - but it leaves them out of work without a meaningful alternative or transferable skills. Driverless Waymo taxis in the US are taking off and the serious crash rate is 90 percent better than humans. Go figure. The problem with phasing things in slowly and pumping the breaks, is that you miss out on the productivity gains. And just because you pump the breaks, it doesn't mean your competitors, and other countries, will do the same. So nobody's going to get in the way of progress. Which leaves us with the social problem that Jamie Dimon was getting at. How do we make sure the world doesn't go to hell in a hand-basket when the robots come for our jobs and livelihoods? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Families of young children with cystic fibrosis are celebrating a Pharmac proposal to widen access to the drug Trikafta, which is out for consultation.  It's been funded for children over 6 since 2023, but the agency's now proposing extending it to under-sixes. Liam Rooney's child has cystic fibrosis and he says his family was looking for other ways to get it.   "I'd already spoken to my boss over in Australia about the potential for us to move over if things got worse."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's signs the brain drain could be slowing, according to new reports. A total of 67,800 citizens left the country in the year to November 2025, many for Australia - for a net loss topping 40,000. In the year to the November before, the net migration loss of Kiwis reached almost 44,000. Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen says most trends have plateaued. "Instead of seeing huge numbers of Kiwis that have continued to move out - yes, they're still high, but they're not continuing to increase."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump may have secured a diplomatic win, claiming he's laid the groundwork for a deal involving Greenland. The US President's spoken at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland and held talks with NATO leaders. He’s ruled out using military force to take the Arctic island and is dropping threats of slapping tariffs on NATO countries. Marco Rubio's Former Chief of Staff, Matt Terrill, says more negotiations are expected - but Trump seems to be getting much of what he wants. "Based on reporting, it appears that there's going to be the ability, it sounds like, for the United States to gain control of key pockets of land." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Authorities haven't tied down exact numbers of people missing, after the land gave way at Mount Maunganui's Beachside Holiday Park.  The landslide took out tents, cars, caravans, a toilet block, and the hot pools about 9.30am this morning.  The total unaccounted for is in single digits - including young people - with searchers including dog teams carefully probing the site. The nearby Surf Club being used as an emergency hub has now been evacuated as a precaution. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell says geo-scientists are worried the Mount could slip again.  He says police are still working out who was at the park today.  "It's a matter of now going back, checking CCTV, camera footage and just working that out and just trying to get a very clear picture of who might have been impacted."  Meanwhile, two people are still missing after a slip on Tauranga's Welcome Bay Road. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ First is starting the election on a high note, recording its best-ever result in the Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll out today. The poll results, if reflected on election day, would see the current coalition Government re-elected, but National continues to trail Labour in the party vote. The highest jump in the poll has been recorded by NZ First, who are up 3.8 points to 11.9 percent - its highest-ever result since the poll began in January 2021. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says this is a significant development for NZ First. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, today has been marked as a National Day of Mourning for the victims of December's Bondi terror attack. The Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales are expected to illuminate national institutions on Thursday night as 'symbols of light' this evening. Australians have also been asked to mark a minute's silence to honour those who were killed in the attack. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged Australians to support the nation's Jewish community.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 38th America's Cup match will be contested from July 10 next year and extend, if required, to July 18. The news has been revealed at a shindig in Naples, the host city. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A witness has described a loud cracking sound as a massive landslide slumped across Mount Maunganui’s Beachside Holiday Park this morning, taking out tents, caravans, and a toilet block - and hitting the hot pool.  Searches have continued all day - and fewer than 10 people remain unaccounted for, including young people. Evacuees from the park gathered at the local surf club have now been moved, out of concerns the land could move again. Officials say they won't stop looking until everyone is found, after pausing briefly this morning due to unstable ground. Witness Nix Jaques was there. She says a frantic man and woman told her two loved ones were stuck in the shower block. "They were trying to move into that space, so it was trying to fade and then come away." NZ Herald reporter Michael Morrah was also on the scene and he says search and rescue teams are still working to recover the missing people. "It is a huge task, as there is just tonnes and tonnes of dirt and debris that is covering the campsite at the moment." Two people also remain unaccounted for since a slip overnight near houses in Tauranga's Welcome Bay. Police are encouraging people worried about someone they can't get in touch with in the Bay of Plenty to contact them immediately on 105.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The European Parliament is planning to suspend approval of the US trade deal that was agreed to last July, according to new reports. Donald Trump has been ramping up his efforts to acquire Greenland, including threatening new tariffs over the issue. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says this could see US-based companies barred from EU contracts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts have indicated the Reserve Bank could be done cutting the OCR for the moment, and there's questions about what this could mean for homeowners. The window of time borrowers had to lock in longer term fixed rates after the OCR cut and before they started rising was narrow, and reports indicate they could have missed their chance. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accounting software business Xero has started 2026 on a low note, with the share price dropping significantly. This is in line with other challenges in the technology sector, which have seen noticeable drops. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners 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! We've finally got an election date - it's November 7th. Who do we think will win at this stage? Any other predictions?  New data shows 65 percent of Kiwis want to ban under-16s from social media. Will this be a vote winner this election cycle?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So we've got an election date, and it's the date pundits have been picking since late last year - November 7th. This election is National's to lose. The only question really is how much influence ACT and or New Zealand First will have in any future Government. Don't get me wrong - it'll be a close race. Here's some easy picks - National will get more votes than Labour, New Zealand First will outperform ACT, New Zealand First will steal from Labour and nip at their heels, Te Pati Māori's reputation is already in the bin so the Māori seats are anyone's guess at this point. And Winston Peters, as always, will decide who actually wins the election. He's ruled out working with Chippy but not Labour. Here's the crucial point. Winston Peters cannot, politically, enter a deal propped up by or supported by the Greens or Te Pati Māori. In pretty much every poll this term, Labour has needed both of them to get close to the magic 61 seats. Now, you could argue that National might stumble and Labour could surge. But the chances of this happening - I would put at around 20-30 percent. So very unlikely. The economic recovery's underway. Summer will be round the corner come November. But most importantly, people won't switch horses mid-stream when that recovery has been so hard fought. The memory, particularly in Auckland, is too short for voters to forget about Labour's Covid mess and unbridled spending on outrageous and expensive things. Chris Hipkins today also announced a date - his wedding. He says it'll be held in 2027. That means Toni is likely going to marry an unemployed bloke from the Hutt. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 21 January, 2026, Christopher Luxon's announced the election date - we look at who's in poll position. A witness to a shop worker's stabbing in Auckland tells us how he confronted the attacker. Martin Snedden on the difficulties of the job with our three top sports - rugby, netball and cricket - without leaders. Plus, on The Huddle, Jack Tame and Phil O'Reilly debate the election and the overwhelming support for a social media ban among Kiwis. 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.

Three of New Zealand's biggest sporting bodies have seen their leaders depart, and it's prompted concerns about what this could mean for the sector. NZ Rugby head Mark Robinson is set to depart the role, Netball NZ CEO Jennie Wyllie resigned at the end of last year and NZ Cricket CEO Scott Weenink recently resigned following a scandal. Former NZ Cricket CEO Martin Snedden says the leadership role's always come with challenges, but social media backlash makes scandals more noticeable. "These are very difficult jobs. Sport is volatile, stakeholders' expectations, sometimes broad expectations, are disproportionate to what the resources are of an organisation - and burnout is a huge issue." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT leader David Seymour says voters need to see the result of coalition policies before heading to voting booths. The Prime Minister's announced the election will be held on November 7 - a later date than the past two, which were held in October.  Seymour says the Government's done a lot of work on the economy, and a later election will give voters time to see that.  "And I think it's only fair that people get to judge the Government on the benefits of its policies delivered before they choose." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's doubts police are getting bang for their buck on recruitment spending. The Post reports police spent just over $1 million to market recruitment - between December 2023 and the following November. That surged to $2.76 million in the year after Richard Chambers took over as Police Commissioner. Police Association President Steve Watt says all organisations have to spend to make themselves attractive. "But when we're still struggling to get the 500 officers target, you'd have to wonder if that was money well spent." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new challenger's taking on Auckland in the race for the most expensive properties.  Trade Me data shows the Bay of Plenty's average asking price has dethroned Auckland's for the first time in 10 years.  It's sitting on $963,000 - $11,000 above Auckland.  But Opes Partners economist Ed McKnight says that doesn't translate to higher sale values.  "The median sale price of a house in Auckland is still about $150,000 more than over in the Bay of Plenty." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Civil Defence in Tolaga Bay East Coast says low-lying households near Hikuwai River should evacuate now. Surface flooding has stranded several East Coast communities - with no easing yet of the tropical storm battering the North Island.  Tairawhiti has now joined Whangārei, Hauraki, Thames-Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty in declaring States of Emergency. Red rain warnings for Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and parts of Gisborne will start expiring between 11pm and 11am tomorrow. Hauraki District Council says some homes in Whiritoa have been evacuated, and the Surf Club has been set up as a Civil Defence site.  In Thames Coromandel, Mayor Peter Revell says Whitianga, Cooks Beach and Pauanui are cut off, with near record rain already last night.  "There's going to be significant volumes of rain in the next four or five hours, so that will certainly load up the rivers and threaten slips on roads and what have you." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's not announcing any changes to the team, as parties tee-up political campaigns. The Prime Minister's confirmed a November 7 date for this year's general election - speaking from National's annual caucus retreat in Christchurch. Chris Luxon says any members retiring will announce it themself, and he doesn't feel compelled to reshuffle for the sake of it. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says Luxon will be hoping for the economic recovery to be more noticeable by the time the voting booths open up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump celebrated the first anniversary of his second term with a near two-hour press conference, boasting about economic achievements and holding up photos of detained immigrants.  The US President said he was confident God was on his side - and that he thinks God would be proud of the work he's done so far. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Trump is looking forward to arriving in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, where he's expected to defend his ambition to seize Greenland.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black Caps coach Rob Walter has revealed he's relatively set on playing XI options for next month's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. The team begin their build-up five-match T20 series against India in Nagpur overnight. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what fans can expect ahead of the series. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A private eye says he was running on pure instinct when he helped apprehend a teen accused of stabbing a shop worker over Pokémon cards in a hobby store in Auckland's Newmarket.  A Hamilton 16-year-old will appear in Youth Court. Thomas James says such incidents and lower level crimes are fairly common in the area.  He says it was a dangerous situation.  "He made a decision when he left the house that morning, or wherever he left, to carry a knife on him. You only carry a knife if you're prepared to use it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump says European leaders should focus on Ukraine, as he promises to follow through with Greenland tariff threats. The US President's warning he'll hit eight European countries with increasing tariffs from next month if he can't buy the arctic island.  UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says tariffs are completely wrong.  UK correspondent Enda Brady says Starmer has a clear interest in maintaining a good relationship with Trump and this development will complicate things.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new year is well and truly under way, and there's growing hopeful predictions about the state of the economy. GDP is projected to grow by 2.5 percent, according to new reports from HSBC. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next GDT auction is due to take place tonight, and farmers are speculating about the tone this could set for the new year.  The last GDT auction, held on January 7th, saw a 6.3 percent bounce back in the Index, but farmers are unsure of what this could mean. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Brooklyn Beckham, the eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham, took to social media to discuss the feud impacting the family, and reveal why he doesn't want to reconcile. What do we make of all this?  US President Donald Trump has threatened to slap escalating tariffs on European countries opposing his bid to take over Greenland. Why is he so keen on this? Does it go deeper than just wanting minerals? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New reports show China's 2025 birth rate was lower than expected, and that's impacted A2 Milk's shares. Data out of China revealed there were 5.63 live births per 1000 people in 2025 - the country’s lowest reading since 1939 and the fourth straight year of declines. Forsyth Barr analyst Matt Montgomerie says A2 Milk was halted on the Australian stock exchange, prompting further concerns.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brooklyn Beckham, the eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham, recently took to social media to reveal the details of a feud in the family. The 26-year-old claimed his parents tried to ruin his relationship with his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham, and said he doesn't wish to reconcile with his famous parents. TV producer and host of the Beefing podcast, Alexandria Funnell, says Victoria was reportedly bringing Brooklyn's exes around the family in a bid to stir up drama. "One of the younger Beckham brothers was dating one of Brooklyn's exes - bringing them into the fold, inviting them to family events, which made Brooklyn and his partner very uncomfortable."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 20 January, 2026, US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley on the remarkable reason Donald Trump is pushing to seize Greenland. We talk to a school principal about the teacher shortage just days from schools starting again. Brooklyn Beckham's shock comments about his parents - who's side should we be on? Plus on The Huddle we debate family dynamics and Trump's moves on Greenland. 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.

I was at the movies recently and the first three ads that came up in the shorts beforehand were pretty interesting. We had a fast food ad... I think it was KFC... some new chicken thing you can eat, then we had a Burger Fuel ad, and for dessert, to top things off, we had a Wegovy ad. There was a woman climbing stairs, out of breath, and a chubby guy struggling to get into a wetsuit. The message was simple: take this drug and get you life back. If you look at the fattest countries in the world, we're a podium finish. We're the third biggest developed country on earth. The Americans are, unsurprisingly, ahead of us. If you go to the movies, you see cause and affect in the space of three minutes of ads. Too much processed food + lack of exercise = obesity. Divided now by Wegovy, of course. Now the debate is - who should pay. I heard an argument yesterday which was interesting, because you hear about people putting all the weight back on once the drugs wear off. If the state pays for the drugs, the argument goes that you'd be less likely to keep the weight off because you're not as financially invested in the outcome as you would be if you paid out of your own pocket. Is it more effective if paid for by an individual? I don't know the answer to that question, but the problem we have in New Zealand - which they don't have so much in America, is a public health system - where the costs of being overweight, heart disease, diabetes etc. is worn by all of us. The indirect costs are between $7 billion and $9 billion per year. The cost of handing out free Wegovy could be as high as $3 billion a year. Pharmac's budget is $1.7 billion a year. So the question for Pharmac is simple - do the costs outweigh the benefits? And if you fund the drug, will people stay on it and actually keep the weight off? In the USA, RFK's just flipped the food pyramid and put protein at the top. There's an 'eat real food' campaign kicking off. Given the amount of fast food and Wegovy ads we're being bombarded with, would it not be sensible to also have some ads telling people about all the fresh NZ meat, dairy and veges they should be eating everyday? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US President is ramping up pressure on European nations in order to seize Greenland - an autonomous Danish territory. Donald Trump's threatening escalating tariffs for European nations opposing a US takeover of the Arctic Island, which says it has no interest in being bought. US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley says Trump wants minerals and resources from Greenland. "Some of these resources are critical for the construction of missiles and the bolstering of defence resources, so it's critical on that front."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A shark expert says there's very little risk of sharks taking on swimmers in New Zealand - as they are in New South Wales.  Four attacks over the past two days have left two people in hospital with critical leg injuries.  Auckland Museum Marine Biology Curator, Clinton Duffy, says they're by bull sharks, which are one of the only species big enough to attack humans.  He says New Zealand's climate is not appropriate.  "The waters would have to warm up an awful lot before bull sharks would make home here." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome news for shareholders from one of our largest companies' change in direction. Fletcher Building is selling its construction arm to French multinational Vinci Construction in a deal worth up to $334 million. The sale is subject to regularity approval, and reflects Fletcher’s move to focus on manufacture and distribution. Mark Lister from Craigs Investment Partners says it'll help the company get back on track - simplifying business and bringing down debt. "They hadn't had a dividend since 2023, so I think they want to get into a position where they can reduce debt levels and start paying dividends again." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 election is due to take place this year, but it's still unclear when the big day will take place. Prime Minister Chris Luxon is set to announce a date in the coming days, kicking off the official campaign season to determine the next Government.  Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says it's likely the election date will be confirmed at the upcoming caucus retreat - but the details are still unclear. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.