Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

I reckon we shouldn't panic too much on behalf of those three New Zealand citizens who've been intercepted by the Israeli military and the flotilla. Obviously, we want international law to be followed, but it's pretty clear that these guys knew what they were getting themselves into and did it anyway. I mean, they are absolutely milking this for all that it's worth with the social media posts claiming they've been kidnapped and all that kind of stuff - by the Israelis, by the way. But they knew this was gonna happen, and they were prepared for it because this is what happened to Greta in June. She was on the flotilla that got stopped by the IDF- and they took her to Ashdod and they kept her for a few hours and then they tried to make her watch a video of the October 7 massacre, she didn't want to. And they put her on a plane in the back row, right in front of the toilet, so there wasn't even any reclining space for her, and then they packed her off home. And that was fine. So they got on some more ships and they tried to do it again. So it was always going to play out in exactly the same way. And for that reason, I think it is fair to call this a stunt, because what they're doing is something that they know has no reasonable chance of success - which is delivering aid to Gaza, but they're doing it anyway, to draw attention to Gaza. That's a stunt. Now, I'm not going to criticize them for wanting to draw attention to Gaza because it is horrific and intolerable what's happening there. And if there is any doubt that the Israelis are deliberately constraining the flow of aid, I think that was quite obviously dispelled this week when the Trump peace plan was released and it promised that if Hamas accepts the deal, then full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. Which is essentially, I think you can see, an admission that full aid is currently being withheld from the Gaza Strip. So I understand why they want to draw attention to it, but I still don't have much time for stunts like this because generally, they don't actually draw attention to the thing that they're trying to draw attention to - which is the starvation in Gaza. They only really draw attention to themselves - which is Greta and her mates. That's what we're talking about. Because we're not talking about Gaza today, are we? We're talking about Greta and her mates. The whole thing becomes about the safety and the treatment of the activists, not the safety and the treatment of the people of Gaza. And frankly, they are, in my opinion, of no value whatsoever to the people of Gaza right now. Now, obviously, I do hope the IDF treats these kids well. Our diplomats have asked for as much, but they knew this was going to happen. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 2 October 2025, three New Zealand citizens have been arrested by the Israeli Defence Force because they were on a protest flotilla headed for Gaza. One of them is 18-year old Samuel Leason, his dad speaks to Heather.   The Warehouse chief executive Mark Stirton tells Heather why the company is struggling to turn a corner. What's behind the rise in Tramadol prescriptions? Should we be worried about people getting addicted to pain killers? More drama in the Maori Party with the very public falling out between the party leadership and the leader of Toitu Te Tiriti. Plus, the Huddle gets fiery after Wayne Brown tells an Auckland Ratepayers group to "f off". 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.

Wool prices have seen a significant rise this week, and there's a few key factors behind this development. Currently, wool prices are on the longest rise since 1987 - and while these prices are mostly benefitting Australian farmers, there's hope Kiwis could benefit from this demand too. The Country's Hamish McKay explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A much-revamped All Blacks line-up will confront Australia in Saturday's second Bledisloe Cup test against Australia. Injuries account for four of the seven changes to the run-on side. Captain Scott Barrett returns at lock, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell start as props and Peter Lakai has his first test start, at number eight. In the backs, Quinn Tupaea dons the 13 jersey and Leicester Fainga'anuku starts on the left wing - his first test since the 2023 World Cup. NZ Herald ruby writer Liam Napier says the All Blacks are striving for consistency ahead of Saturday's match.  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! Toitū Te Tiriti, the activist group behind the hikoi on Parliament last year officially cut ties with Te Pāti Māori today. What does this mean for Te Pāti Māori's political future - or Labour's? Should we be assisting the Kiwis who got arrested because they were on the Gaza flotilla - in any way? What do we make of these kinds of stunts? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions have been raised over ructions within Te Pāti Māori. Toitū Te Tiriti - which led the large hikoi on Parliament last year - officially cut ties with the party today.  Leader Eru Kapa-Kingi is the son of one of the party's MPs, and he claims the party follows a 'dictatorship model'. Former Labour MP Meka Whaitiri ran for Te Pāti Māori in the last election. She says this news is disappointing.  "There's a lot of dynamics at play - there's some family ties there, you've got relationships, you've got kaupapa, you've got new movements. We can just purely speculate." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conservationist Dame Jane Goodall, who was credited with revolutionising the world's understanding of chimpanzees, has died at the age of 91. She died of natural causes while on on a speaking tour in California. In her later life, Goodall was almost always travelling the world, delivering speeches about the importance of protecting the environment. Wellington Zoo CEO Karen Fifield says her research transformed the way we view animals - and revealed how we can make their lives easier and better. "I had the honour and privilege of actually interviewing her last year, when she was in Wellington... it was actually one of the honours of my life, I must say, to share the stage with someone as wonderful as Jane." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The father of a New Zealander reportedly detained from a Gaza-bound flotilla intercepted by Israel says he spoke to his son last night. Eighteen year old Samuel Leason posted a video online - pre-recorded in case of emergency. His father, A.D Leason, says Samuel described a submarine circling the flotilla, and a blockade of military vessels ahead. "We were comforted by the fact that the Israeli Defence Force has announced that they weren't going to attack vessels, sink them or shoot people in the water like they did on another occasion. So we took comfort from that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warehouse Group's chief executive is confident he can turn the retail giant around.  It's reporting an annual net loss of $2.76 million dollars - a major improvement from last year's $54.2 million dollar loss. Noel Leeming is performing the best, with revenue up 3.3 percent. Chief executive Mark Stirton says they're moving away from a digital focus to give more attention to shoppers in-store.  "Our urban areas are where we've got a lot more competition - we probably haven't invested enough in the store experience, and things like lighting and visual merchandising and the way we present our product." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Change is afoot at Te Pāti Māori - as a prominent activist group has severed ties with the party. Toitū Te Tiriti spokesperson Eru Kapa-Kingi claims the Party has a dictatorship decision-making model. His mother, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, was recently demoted as the Party whip. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacked the saga further - and what the loss means for Te Pāti Māori's political future. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lawyers for mushroom murderer Erin Patterson plan to appeal her guilty verdicts. The 50-year-old has a life sentence with 33 years non-parole period for killing three relatives with a beef wellington lunch laced with poisonous deathcap mushrooms in 2023. Patterson's barrister made the appeal announcement today. Australian correspondent Murray Olds Patterson's got a new legal team to help move the appeal forward. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim Robinson has capitalised on Rachin Ravindra's injury-enforced absence to post his maiden T20 international cricket century in New Zealand's opening six-wicket Chappell-Hadlee series loss to Australia at Mount Maunganui. The visitors chased the 182-run target with 21 balls to spare. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave recapped the action further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concerns tramadol could be getting over-prescribed, with more patients being given the painkiller. Pharmac data shows more than 270,000 people were prescribed the drug last year - an increase of 14 percent since 2019. UOA School of Pharmacy lecturer Dr Jay Gong says healthcare providers likely prefer prescribing tramadol over stronger painkillers. "There might be some perceived ideas around it - because it's a weaker opioid, it's maybe not as addictive and maybe in the long run, you might not have as much side effects." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Denmark will ban all civilian drone flights across the country over the coming days to ensure security as Copenhagen prepares to host a European Union summit. Mysterious drone sightings across Denmark since September 22 have prompted the closure of several airports, with Denmark hinting at possible Russian involvement, though Moscow denies the charge. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says people caught breaking the rules will face a fine - or up to two years in prison. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A property mogul developing some of Wellington’s most infamous quake-prone sites has voiced support for recent Government changes, but says these won't slow down his large-scale projects. Eyal Aharoni is currently working on reopening the long-closed Reading Cinema complex on Courtenay Place and the nearby Amora Hotel, which closed in 2019 and 2017 respectively because of earthquake damage. Earlier this week, the Government confirmed it was watering down existing earthquake strengthening rules in a bid to balance safety and affordability. Aharoni revealed why he's still determined to get these projects done. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government recently unveiled its highly-anticipated energy sector announcement and it's prompted good news for the energy companies. The share price for New Zealand's major gentailers raised on the NZX, with Meridian seeing a 5 percent increase. Milford Asset Management's Michael Luke explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you were looking forward to today to learn how the Government would rescue the country from the energy crisis we face, you are already disappointed by now because you've looked at it and you've seen there's nothing here. There is nothing here that is going to stop us going through what we are going through right now. For months and months every winter for the last two winters we've seen the closing down of mills, extremely high power bills, and a shortage of gas - and all of that's going to continue. The disappointing thing is that we have waited two whole winters for this package of ideas, and yet the best idea seems, to me, to be a kooky idea, which is that the Government may be backing the construction of an LNG import terminal. That was an idea that sounded great last winter, but in the months since, when we've actually had a look at the thing and had some reports done and it has been debunked for being quite expensive for not a lot of gain. To set up one of these terminals, most likely at the port of Taranaki, it would cost somewhere between $200 million and $1 billion dollars, which is not money that we have. The gas that we would then import from offshore to basically make up for the shortage of gas that we have in the country at the moment would be very expensive. Have a look at what you're paying for your gas right now - and add 25 percent to that. The second best idea in this seems to be the Government throwing taxpayer money at the partially owned gentailers in order that they can raise capital to build more generation. Which is not capital that they appear to be asking for. They do not seem to have a shortage of money, as evidenced by the fact that they keep paying out massive dividends. The upshot for all of this - as in how much we're going to save - Simon Watts reckons he might be able to drop power prices by two percent a year. Two percent. Now, I'll tell you the problem with this plan is that it appears - and from what I hear - they haven't spent much time understanding the problem and thus understanding what it would take to fix it properly. So what they've done is, in haste, cobbled together a series of what sounds like maybe decent announcements if you're half listening. But they're really things that will not do that much. Unfortunately for them, we have an energy crisis, and it is massive. It is probably the biggest thing that is facing business in this country right now.  A crisis of this size demands a proper fix. This is becoming a theme for this Government - having lots of really big things to deal with, and they're not really dealing with them properly. This is not really a fix. So unfortunately, and I'm so sorry to say this, strap yourself in because it looks like for next winter and the winters to come, the deindustrialization of New Zealand will continue. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 1 October 2025, the Energy Minister gets a grilling from Heather over the Government's long-awaited energy plan. But both Consumer NZ and the Employers and Manufacturers Association say the changes won't make power prices any cheaper or save local industries. Sad news with the passing of Nigel Latta from cancer. His friend Nic Russell reflects on the impact he's had on Kiwis around the country. Fire and Emergency tries to explain why they bought more than a dozen firetrucks that don't fit all the required equipment - you have to laugh because otherwise you cry! Plus, the Huddle debates the big energy "plan" - and is Heather ancient for not using Apple Pay? Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government finally unveiled its plan to address issues impacting the energy sector, and it's prompted a mixed response. The country's largest power companies have responded positively, and their shares have jumped on the NZX as a result. Meanwhile, consumers and other businesses have voiced concerns this doesn't address the status quo. Consumer NZ CEO Jon Duffy has criticised this announcement - and claimed this doesn't move the country forward at all. "Let's remember - last year, one in five consumers had trouble paying their bill, 19 percent of people missed paying their bill on time, 56 percent of people are concerned about the price of energy. This does nothing to address that."  EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald says this announcement is 'underwhelming' - and claimed it wouldn't stop the closure of any mills. "It's too late for that, there's nothing really in there short-term that offers and kind of assistance for those people already in that spiral, they're looking at tough decisions to close or downsize."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR 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!  The Government finally unveiled its energy reform plan after plenty of anticipation. What did we make of it? Does it go far enough? Nigel Latta has passed away - what will we remember about him? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nigel Latta's being remembered for his sage parenting advice. The clinical psychologist, author and broadcaster died yesterday - aged 58 - after being diagnosed with stomach cancer a year ago. He's survived by his wife Natalie Flynn and five children and stepchildren. Friend Nic Russell says says his parenting books have had a wide ranging impact. "I definitely think a whole generation of Kiwis have been raised on his wise words of wisdom, really." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT says Auckland University should pay back thousands of students who did compulsory Treaty of Waitangi and Te Ao Māori courses. The university's senate has now recommended making the courses optional - after criticism from staff, students and politicians. ACT's Parmjeet Parmar, says more than 8,000 students had to take the course this year. "They had to push some papers out, papers that they really wanted to do, papers that are relevant to the degree or their aspirations - so they'll have to do that paper in future semesters."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's opted against a significant energy shake-up - rejecting calls to re-nationalise or split up the big gentailers.  Instead, it'll offer the Crown-controlled companies more capital to invest in generation projects. Energy Minister Simon Watts explained the changes further here today. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More Government cash for the three Crown-controlled gentailers. That's the biggest change to come from today's energy announcement - alongside plans for a new LNG import facility.  Energy Minister Simon Watts says a report concluded sector players weren't confident they could ask the Government for money to fund new generation projects.  Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Sopers says the Government rejected plenty of other ideas on the table. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A congressional deadlock's shut down the US Government.  Congress failed to pass last-ditch attempts to extend federal funding failed, with Democrats and Republicans refusing to vote through each other's bills. The deadline's now passed - meaning the Government must strip back to essential services, and most federal workers won't be paid. President Trump's threatened major cuts. US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley says it's a monstrous situation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White Ferns' ODI Cricket World Cup campaign gets underway tonight as they confront defending champions Australia in Indore. Central Hinds’ Flora Devonshire, Otago Sparks’ Polly Inglis and Bella James and Auckland Hearts’ Bree Illing will all make their World Cup debuts in the tournament. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave speaks ahead of tonight's clash. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fire and Emergency's new trucks don't have enough space for firefighter gear.  It has spent millions of dollars on the 28 vehicles, but crews say the lockers are about 20 percent smaller than before. Their union says workers are considering cutting holes to make more room.  Fire and Emergency Deputy National Commander, Megan Stiffler, says inventory lists weren't accurate.  "There were some items that weren't listed on that, and that's the bit that I'm working with fire crews at the moment - to understand why they weren't on a list and how I can best meet their needs." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christian Brueckner, a suspect linked to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been released from prison - and he's calling for the 'witch hunt' against him to stop. Brueckner was recently released after serving a seven-year rape sentence, and he had to surrender his passport and wear an ankle monitor upon release. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the suspect hit out at the prosecutor who accused him of murdering McCann - and said he didn't 'feel free.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Reserve Bank will keep the Official Cash Rate on hold at at 3.6 percent. The RBA's Governor, Michele Bullock, says Australia is in a 'difficult position', but they're committed to addressing inflation. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra's making the case to shareholders in a bid to sell off its iconic brands. French dairy giant Lactalis has agreed to pay $4.2 billion for the consumer business. The Country's Hamish McKay explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Auckland mayor Phil Goff and Conor English from Government relations firm Silvereye joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! US president Donald Trump recently unveiled a 20-point peace plan for Gaza. Do we think Hamas will agree to this? Could this be a gamechanger - or just another plan that goes nowhere?  Should Kāinga Ora have negotiated better to get more for the Dixon Street apartments in Wellington? The CTU is calling for electricity generators to be returned to public ownership ahead of the Government's big energy announcement. What do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now, we need to talk about the Reserve Bank's excuses for how it completely stuffed up its job and let inflation get away on it during Covid. We spoke about this on the show yesterday, it's done the review and it says, quote, - "in hindsight, an earlier and more aggressive tightening might have reduced inflation sooner." Yeah. Really, Sherlock?  But this would have been difficult given the data available at the time. Now, basically what they're saying is: yeah, we could have done better if we could see what was happening at the time, but we couldn't see what was happening at the time. Which is a crock, isn't it? Because there were people who could see at the time what was happening, and they said so. They said it publicly, they said the Reserve Bank needs to start tightening up - in some cases, months, if not even more than a year, before they did. I mean, the New Zealand Initiative first identified that Covid could cause inflation in April 2022 - that's a year and a half before the Reserve Bank started tightening. Brad Olsen called on them to start lifting the OCR in July 2021, that's about three months before they started. They started in October 2021. Now, that's good on them for - at that point - starting to move, but they were doing it. They were pumping the brake ever so slightly while still pushing the accelerator in a big way, because they did not stop pumping the economy and they kept their cheap money for banks program going all the while. In February 2022, the following year, the New Zealand Initiative was warning them and saying - hey, listen, this inflation is a thing here. But that lending continued, that cheap money to the banks continued all the way through to December 2022. When it stopped, inflation was already at 7.2 percent, which is nutso. Now, to be fair to the Reserve Bank, it wasn't just their fault. Grant Robertson was doing a fair bit, right? He was spending like crazy, and even though he was warned by Treasury, he just kept on spending too. But that doesn't exonerate the Reserve Bank, it just makes their job harder. But they cannot pretend that they didn't see what was happening, because others did see what was happening, and they needed to see what was happening - because that is what they are paid for. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 30 September 2025, former Tony Blair adviser John Mcternan speaks to Heather about Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza - and whether it will lead to peace. The Government is celebrating getting closer to meeting some health targets but postcode lottery is still alive and well. Malcolm Mulholland from Patient Voice Aotearoa revealed what needs to change to make health access better across the country. Should horseriders be allowed to use a shared footpath? Plus, the Huddle debates whether Kainga Ora should have sold Wellington's Dixon St flats for more than $1million - and whether the big Defence Force flyover at the All Blacks game was embarrassing. 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 a feeling Donald Trump's threat to impose a 100 percent tariff on any and all movies made outside the United States is unworkable. The US president didn't specify when or how it could be enacted in his post on social media - which followed an initial threat on foreign-produced movies in May. Screen Production and Development Association President Irene Gardiner says there's confusion about what he means. "It seems to be that the problem he's trying to solve is American productions not shooting in America. So the way to fix that is their own incentives." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The CTU's head says excessive dividends for shareholders are stopping power companies investing more in generation.  The union says the partially Government-owned gentailers should re-nationalise.  Energy Minister Simon Watts will make an announcement tomorrow on sector reform.  Richard Wagstaff says gentailers have their priorities wrong.  "Between 2016 and 2020, there's 1.2 billion in capital expenditure - that was about a fifth of the dividend payout. There's no more generated today than there was 10 years ago." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Horse riders in the lower North Island have raised concerns over safe road access. A shared path along the Ōtaki to North of Levin Expressway - a project currently under construction - prompted concern after horse riders were excluded from the path. NZ Equestrian Advocacy Network chairperson Shelly Warwick says the group's lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, citing concerns over equity.  "There are alternatives for every other user if you want to take them, but they've made a shared-use path to cater for vulnerable road users to get across this community, but excluded horse riders." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concerns the figures given on Government health targets don't give the whole picture. Numbers on cancer treatment access, childhood immunisation, ED stays and wait times improved in the latest quarter. But Patient Voice Aotearoa's Malcolm Mulholland says the data doesn't reflect things like when patients leave ED. He says there are also questions around the cancer target - which asks for 90 percent of patients to start treatment within 31 days of deciding it'll happen. "Many oncologists would say - that's the wrong metric, the right metric is from the date of diagnosis to the date you are first seen by a specialist." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has unveiled a new 20-point-plan to end the war in Gaza - and one former British Prime Minister is set to play a key role. If Hamas agrees to the deal, the war will end immediately, with Israeli troops withdrawing and Hamas releasing all hostages. Donald Trump will head the Gaza transitional Government, made up of Palestinians and experts, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Former Political Secretary to Tony Blair, John McTernan, says plenty of groups trust Tony Blair's word - and he brings plenty of experience. "He's trusted by everybody, because when he's involved in a deal, the deal is stuck to because people can trust his word - he's a major operator."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's pressure on Hamas to agree to a US-led Gaza peace plan.  The proposed deal includes ending the war, returning hostages, and pulling out Israeli troops. An interim Palestinian Government would be led by Donald Trump and include experts like former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.  A number of western and gulf state leaders have welcomed the deal. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced support for the plan - but he questioned what would happen if Hamas didn't agree. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently confirmed he invited LuLu Hypermarket to set up in Australia while on a visit to the United Arab Emirates. This comes as Australia looks to develop a new free trade agreement with the Middle Eastern nation.  Australian correspondent Murray Olds says a new player in the grocery market would help break up the current duopoly.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's cautious optimism within the Black Caps about the prospect of a New Zealand team in cricket's Big Bash T20 league. NZ Cricket are investigating whether joining the Australian competition is viable. Sports commentator Nick Bewley revealed what we know so far. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kāinga Ora is under fire after Wellington's Dixon Street Flats were re-sold for almost triple the price. The Government housing agency initially sold the flats to Taranaki Whanui earlier this year for just over $1 million. Nearly three weeks later, the flats had been re-sold to a prominent Wellington developer for $3 million - a move Kāinga Ora has gone on to defend. Wellington City Councillor Ben McNulty says this won't be good for the taxpayers - but the opportunity cost of potentially bartering for ages was higher. "From a Wellington perspective, we're just glad to see something happening." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The organisation behind the Eurovision Song Contest has confirmed it will hold a vote to determine whether Israel will participate next year. The European Broadcasting Union confirmed it will invite 68 member countries to give their view at a general assembly meeting in November. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says other countries - including Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland and Spain have all said they would consider dropping out of the contest if Israel was allowed to stay involved.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synlait has confirmed the sale of its loss-making factory at Pōkeno to US company, Abbott. The infant-formula company is selling the site and related assets for $307 million, and will use the proceeds to pay down debt. Harbour Asset Management expert Shane Solly unpacks the data further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government recently confirmed they were going to overhaul the assessment of earthquake-prone buildings - a move welcomed by property owners and building engineers alike. The changes will leave just 80 buildings needing full retrofits and 1500 buildings will still need some remediation - many of them in Wellington. Property Institute CEO Leonie Freeman has welcomed these changes and claimed they'll help communities grow. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  A big shake-up of our earthquake strengthening laws that's said to reduce significant costs for building owners was announced today. Do we think these changes are the way to go?  Did the Government make the right decision to not recognise a Palestinian state until certain conditions were met?  Producer Laura's food waste bin wasn't collected last week because it was too heavy. Is this another mark against the green bins? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 29 September 2025, Building Minister Chris Penk reveals how his huge overhaul of earthquake building rules is going to re-balance risk and practicality. Labour leader Chris Hipkins says a Government he leads would recognise the state of Palestine. Silver Ferns star Grace Nweke has publicly called for coach Dame Noeline Taurua's return. Former All Blacks Sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens says it's a huge show of support and questions whether Netball CEO Jennie Wyllie should be in the job. Plus, the Huddle weighs in on the Palestine question and producer Laura's food scraps bin dilemma. 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.

Can I just come to the defence of Winston Peters for a minute? Winston has been labelled a coward for the position that he took on Palestine on Saturday, which I do not think is fair because it appears to me that what he's done is actually the opposite of cowardice. The easy thing would have actually been for him to just go with the crowd, just say, yep, we recognize the Palestinian state, because that's what everybody else is doing. The hard thing for him to do is go against the crowd and go against what everybody at the UN is doing, go against the domestic media opinion, go against the commentator's consensus. So actually, when you think about it, he's not being cowardly at all - and I agree with his analysis at the moment. Set aside whether there should be a Palestinian state - because of course there should be a Palestinian state, and I think most of us think that, right? If it's possible, it should happen. But that's not what this is about. It is about whether you do that right now, because doing it right now is rewarding Hamas and they themselves have made it clear that they see the recognition of a state of Palestine as a vindication of the massacre that they carried out on October 7th. You cannot reward terrorists for taking innocent lives, but also, and probably more importantly, it's not gonna do anything to end the war. If you really want to end the war, if Trump's current peace plan fails, then what we need to do is punish Israel for what they're doing. They should be sanctioned and they should be isolated from the international community until they stop. And we've been saying this for weeks on the show. For every day that we talk about whether we recognize a Palestinian state, we are wasting a day that we could be talking about what we actually should be doing, the things that would actually end this war, like punishing Israel for what they're doing - which again, is another day that we've wasted talking about the wrong thing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend, the Government confirmed it wouldn't recognise Palestinian statehood - for the time being. Winston Peters made the announcement at the UN General Assembly, saying conditions weren't yet right.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis has defended this move - and says no matter what happened, one side would have taken issue with their choice. "We, as a Cabinet, decided to do what we believed was an independent, New Zealand-based decision - based very much on the facts in front of us what we thought was the best thing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A New World worker's taken to social media to complain about an incoming water bottle ban.  A Reddit user made a post stating their store's banning staff from having their bottles at checkout, with management telling them they can drink during breaks.  Rudd Hughes from the Workers First Union says this isn't the first time they've seen this, and might stem from customer service concerns.  "But actually, if you've got hydrated people who are comfortable and happy, they're going to give much better customer service than people who are dying for a drink." A Foodstuffs spokesperson says policies vary between stores, but they expect store teams to be reasonable.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.