Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Inland Revenue has collected more than $207 million in repayments since July last year from student loan borrowers living overseas in the past 9 months. This is a 43 percent increase on the same period from the previous year. Currently, 71 percent of overseas student loan borrowers are in default - and together, they owe about $2.3 billion in loans, penalties and interest. Deloitte tax partner Robyn Walker explains why the IRD is so invested in getting these repayments back. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 13 May 2025, even more details have come to light about the kind of pornographic material that Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming allegedly had on his work device. NZ Herald investigative reporter Jared Savage tells Heather the details. Auckland Council's Justine Haves defends the little food rubbish bins, after Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown claimed the council could shave 2% of our rates bill by getting rid of them. Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls gets into a heated debate with Heather about who is allowed into the Budget lockup. Plus, Public Service Minister Judith Collins on why she is thinking about getting rid of DEI hiring policies for the public service.   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.

Why has it taken us so long to get serious about forcing people to pay back their student loans? Last month, IRD had someone arrested at the border. They have now paid back their loan. Isn't that amazing? They had been chased and chased and chased and chased - and you know that they had, because the IRD only arrest you at the border as an absolute last resort, but suddenly they were arrested at the border and despite presumably years of not paying back their loan - they pay it back. Isn't it incredible what a little bit of pressure can do? We've got more on this, by the way. The IRD has got in contact with more than 12,000 people who are living overseas who owe money on their student loans. 960 of them have paid back everything that was overdue, 1300 of them have started repayment plans, and 89 people have been warned they will also be arrested at the border if they don't start paying up. 11 of them, as a result of that warning, have started dealing with their debt - either by paying it back or by applying for hardship provisions. Now, why I'm telling you this is because it's nearly a year since the Government threw extra money at the IRD to chase down these bludgers. And the IRD has put out a press release with the latest figures to show that actually, yeah, putting that extra money in for the enforcement is bearing fruit. The only question we now have is - why didn't we do this earlier? I mean, it is not like this is a new problem, is it? We have complained about this for years, about these people freeloading on the ever-generous New Zealand taxpayer and then getting a free education over here, going off overseas to live their best lives, paying taxes somewhere else, helping out some other country, and then leaving us holding the baby in their debt. Now, I suspect our lack of action in the past - but I probably can't answer the question on this - comes down to a general attitude towards taxpayers, which is a lack of respect for our money. It's been treated like it's never-ending for too long. We've simply handed out to all without actually really requiring them to pay it back. We say you've got to pay it back, but we don't actually mean it. And this is not a historic problem - it's a current problem. A recent case in point is the small business COVID loans that were handed out by Grant Robertson in 2020. Unsecured, right? They are now due to be repaid. At least $800 million is outstanding and a lot of that will never be repaid. We have to get used to that idea. We handed it out and we're not gonna get it back. It is probably too much to wish for - but wouldn't it be great if we could carry on getting money back like the IRD are with student loans at the moment? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Public Service Minister has confirmed she's committed to cutting public service diversity requirements. Minister Judith Collins is looking to bring a draft bill to Cabinet in July, to remove diversity requirements when hiring chief executives. It would also remove their responsibilities to promote diversity.  Collins says these requirements are holding the public service back - and she's looking to ensure the right people are hired for the job. "We're also hearing from public servants that they like to think that they are employed on merit, not based on little boxes that have been ticked." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Auckland Councillor is apologising for voting to progress a joint-management approach for the Waitākere Ranges.  The proposal allows Te Kawerau a Maki to be represented on the joint iwi, Crown and Council board. Waitākere Ward Councillor Ken Turner says he doesn't support it - but voted for it so it would go to public consultation. He says he was under the false impression more diverse options would be included.  "They were in the executive summary, they were in the analysis and advice - and I did not realise they were not in the resolution until two months later." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Hollywood-backed football club is coming to play in Wellington. Welsh side Wrexham AFC's taking on Wellington Phoenix FC at Sky Stadium in July - one of three Australasian matches set to take place. It's owned by movie stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. WellingtonNZ's Heidi Morton says she expects the game will sell out. "Not only because this is going to be a fantastic, friendly football match, but also the entertainment draw with the Welcome to Wrexham show." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's belief that injecting taxpayer dollars into venture capital comes with high risks. The Government's putting $100 million into the Elevate fund - which supports small business start-ups.  It's diverting $61 million from its yearly Super Fund contribution, topped up with $39 million from the Budget. The Taxpayers Union's James Ross says commercially viable businesses wouldn't need propping up by the Government. "The fact that the Government is having to do that just proves how high-risk these investments are - and it proves the risks that the taxpayers are being exposed to." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming could face charges if pornography allegedly found on his work computer is deemed objectionable.  He'd been suspended on full pay since December during a separate criminal investigation, during which it's understood porn was allegedly discovered on a device.  McSkimming has now resigned. NZ Herald investigative reporter Jared Savage says the term 'objectionable material' is subject to interpretation.  He explained it generally refers to content involving sexual violence, horror, and cruelty.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon says Labour is spreading lies about Government pay equity changes. Legislation rushed through under urgency last week cancels ongoing claims of gender-inequity in pay - and raised the bar for applying. Opposition leader Chris Hipkins spoke on social media saying the Prime Minister's taking money out of women's pay packets. Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls says Chris Hipkins has dug his heels in over his position - but it feels like a leap. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sussan Ley has been appointed the new leader of Australia's Liberal Party - making her the first woman to take on the role. She beat out rival Angus Taylor 29 votes to 25 in a tight contest. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says she's got decades of political experience to her name, but certain sections of the voting bloc might not be too enthusiastic.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pair of key Warriors are in line to return for Saturday's NRL clash against the Dolphins in Brisbane. Co-captain James Fisher-Harris is set to come back from a pectoral injury, while Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's recovered from a hamstring issue. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland won't be scrapping its green food scrap bins any time soon. Whanganui District Council is dropping its kerbside service to save a 1.5 percent rate increase. Local Government Minister Simeon Brown believes Auckland could do the same. It costs much more to offset carbon with food waste bins - than the carbon credits system. Auckland Council Waste Solutions general manager Justine Haves says the service reduces landfill waste. "We regularly hear from communities that they don't want more landfills, so in order to achieve that, we need to achieve waste minimisation."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is ready to personally meet with Vladimir Putin on Thursday to discuss ending the war. This comes after Donald Trump demanded Ukraine agree to Putin's offer of direct talks between the two countries in Turkey. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US and China have agreed to slash their reciprocal tariffs by 115 percent for 90 days. Washington imposed a 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports at the start of the year - and Beijing responded with a 125 percent levy on some US goods. But this weekend's trade negotiations between US and Chinese officials in Switzerland appear to have gone well.  Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time is running out for businesses who took out a Covid Small Business Cashflow Scheme. It's five years today since Inland Revenue introduced the loans. They were issued to more than 129,000 businesses and totalled $2.4 billion. The IRD says they're now reaching their cut-off point, and default loans not paid in full will be enforced. ABC Business Sales managing director unveils how many businesses are still owing - and by how much. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Josie Pagani from Child Fund joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day -  and more! Andrea Vance's piece in the Sunday Star Times calling female Government MPs the c-word and accusing Nicola Willis of 'girl math' has copped some backlash. What did we think when we read that? Erica Stanford has been brought on board to figure out how to ban under-16s from social media - what do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are a lot of remarkable things about that C-word column yesterday, and one of them is that it is still up online, and apparently no one is sorry for this. If you haven't seen this column, let me get you up to speed on this: Yesterday, Sunday Star Times columnist Andrea Vance did something that I would venture no other mainstream columnist has ever done in this country - she called a minister of the Crown a c-word in the newspaper.  She didn't write the c-word out, she wrote it as c....The subject of it was the gender pay equity revamp, the minister was Nicola Willis and Andrea wrote - "turns out you can have it all, so long as you're prepared to be a C...." Now, I don't even know how to start explaining to you how wild it is that that happened yesterday, that Andrea dropped the C-bomb in the Sunday Star Times. That word is the 2nd most banned word on radio. We are not allowed to say it - and if we do, go to town on us and complain because somebody is going to get in a huge amount of trouble, and we will be saying sorry. But at least on the radio, to some extent, I think we have the defence of being able to say - Hey, look, it was the heat of the moment and the words slipped out of my mouth. That is not what happens in newspapers. Words don't just slip out onto the paper, you write it down, you consider it, you rewrite it, you reread it. You make sure that every single word is exactly what you mean to say. Nothing about that is in the heat of the moment. And then you send it to your editors, and your editors read it, and they look at it and they go - yep, that's okay, they can go in the newspaper. And that it what happened. Now, I'm not a prude. I am not offended by swearing, I swear myself, and I have also done exactly what Andrea has done. I have said things about ministers that I shouldn't have said, and I've regretted and I've apologized for it. But this is out of hand, what has happened here. There has to be some decorum. I mean, we can hardly complain about anonymous trolls on social media attacking our female politicians when our very own columnists do it in print with their names attached to it. And reverse this, by the way, if you're not offended by it: Imagine it was Jacinda. Imagine that a columnist had written this about Jacinda, how much outrage that would have caused, how cancelled that person would have been. There were other c-words we weren't allowed to say about Jacinda. Cindy was one of them, communist was another. And if you said either of them, people would flip out. Well, imagine how people would have flipped out if we'd said the c-word. It is very hard to respect an argument about how Nicola Willis isn't a real feminist in a column that attacks her in the most un-feminist way, right? It uses the most gendered putdown that you can think of. It uses terms like girl math to basically suggest that she can't balance the country's books because she's a woman. Now for the record, I think Andrea Vance is a fantastic journalist and an incredibly incisive opinion writer, and I think that her editor Tracy Watkins is the best at what she does, but this was a mistake and it lets everyone down when we drag the tone down that badly. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's keeping a cool head, despite being the subject of some colourful language in yesterday's papers.  The Post's Andrea Vance wrote a column on Sunday levelling the c-word at Nicola Willis - as well as Judith Collins, Louise Upston, Nicola Grigg, Brooke van Velden and Erica Stanford in response to the Government's pay equity changes.  Nicola Willis says she's used to criticism and insults as part of politics, but she's voiced concerns about the implications for other women. "I always think about other young women who want to go into politics, and I don't want them to think that it's okay to have their gender weaponised against them - and I don't want any young women to think there's a difference between girl maths and boy maths. It's called maths." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 12 May 2025, Finance Minister Nicola Willis responds to a Stuff journalist who called her the c-word and accused her of doing "girl maths". Act and National are squabbling in public again - this time over the proposed ban of social media for under 16s. Heather asks David Seymour whether he would ever support a ban if it was technically possible. NZ Open boss Michael Glading responds to Ryan Fox' huge PGA Tour win. Plus, the Huddle responds to Andrea Vance's c-word column.   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.

Auckland's mayor is calling for more leadership - and labelling the city's innovation and tech sector 'random'.  Wayne Brown has laid out a to-do list for central Government before it releases its Budget this month.   He wants a tourist bed tax, looser transit visas, and more preparations for major population growth.  Brown says a bed tax would fund bigger projects he has planned for the city - and he's hoping the Government will reconsider one. "We've just had two-thirds of the Aucklanders thinking it's a hell of a good idea to get some funds in to watch big events - and the hoteliers up here think it's a good idea." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a big day in the world of New Zealand golf, as Ryan Fox walks away with another sporting achievement. A playoff victory at the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina makes the 38-year-old just the ninth Kiwi to win on the Tour - and first in a decade. NZ Open tournament director Michael Glading says this is a 'game-changing' moment for Fox. "It's just fantastic for him - he was in a position a couple of years ago where he could have joined the LIV, but he chose to go on the PGA tour because ever since he was a kid, he wanted to play the PGA Tour." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour's denying the Coalition's back in choppy waters over National's proposed social media ban.  Education Minister Erica Stanford is looking into ways to restrict access for under-16s. Prime Minister Chris Luxon claimed Seymour's on the same page, despite the ACT leader calling it unworkable.  Seymour says he still has questions about how it's possible.  He says within days of the Bill coming out, Luxon admitted more work was needed - which proves his point.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister says she's excited to expand maths tutoring - after a pilot with 3,000 children launched. About $40 million will go into small-group tutoring in years seven and eight.  It's part of a $100 million boost in maths funding over four years, announced as part of Budget 2025.  Erica Stanford says just 20 hours of tutoring is already producing a marked improvement.  She says it's great for students.  "They can now be involved in the whole class teaching because they understand the concepts - so it's been massively positive across the board." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister won't comment on the resignation of New Zealand's second most powerful cop, Jevon McSkimming. The Deputy Police Commissioner had been on suspension since December - but Police Minister Mark Mitchell has now confirmed he's resigned with immediate effect after new serious allegations. Mitchell says the Prime Minister had already been considering recommending the Governor General immediately remove McSkimming from office.  Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls explains further.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian Liberal Party MPs will meet tomorrow to vote in replacing defeated opposition leader Peter Dutton. As well decisively losing to Labor's Anthony Albanese - Dutton also lost his long-held Queensland seat.  Deputy leader Sussan Ley, shadow treasurer and immigration minister Angus Taylor and Dan Tehan are among the leading Liberal party contenders. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Angus Taylor is currently the front-runner ahead of tomorrow's vote. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A hectic few hours for Ryan Fox in the wake of one of the biggest triumphs of his golfing career. He's won on the PGA Tour for the first time - chipping in from off the green to win a three-way playoff at the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hopes that tougher penalties for boy racers and fleeing drivers will do the trick.  The Government's establishing a presumptive sentence of vehicle destruction for street racers, those who flee police, and intimidating convoys.  Police will also get greater powers to manage illegal vehicle gatherings by closing roads or public areas.  Horowhenua mayor Bernie Wanden has voiced support for these new measures. "Hopefully, this sort of implementation of this sort of policy will be a deterrent for them all." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 9 May 2025, the Government is pushing ahead with its review of the Waitangi Tribunal. Minister for Maori Development Tama Potaka tells Heather whether the tribunal is going too far. Plus Erica Stanford talks through the changes to the redress scheme for victims of abuse in state care. We find out more about the new leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV and speak to Cardinal John Dew who was in the conclave itself. Heather has plenty more to say about the state of New Zealand Rugby finances. 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.

Sports Journalist Lavina Good and Newstalk ZB's Adam Cooper join the Huddle.  The Huddle discusses Netball New Zealand's current rules stating players must play in the ANZ Premiership to be available for the national team.  Nine Kiwi crickets have left Pakistan as the Super League transfers to the UAE amid ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India.  Where does this leave the players? New Zealand Rugby has posted huge losses despite a record income last year. Could we expect job losses?  The Huddle discuss all this and more.  LISTEN ABOVE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has agreed to cut tariffs on UK autos, steel and aluminum in a trade deal. In the deal, the United Kingdom will buy more US beef and ethanol, streamlining it customs process for goods from the country. Who came out better in the deal? UK Correspondent Gavin Grey discusses the terms, the impact on domestic industries and more. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trade officials from the worlds biggest economies are coming together for discussions this weekend.  US-President Donald Trump says tariffs on goods from China may come down.  Asia Business Correspondent says people shouldn't get their hopes up.  "These aren't really negotiations about trade, they're talks about having talks," he said.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It didn't take long for cardinals to decide on Leo XIV as the new pope.  One of the cardinals in attendance was New Zealand's very own John Dew.  He joins the show to discuss what his experience in Rome was like.  LISTEN ABOVE.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The IRD has uncovered more than $150 million is undeclared tax and GST from the property sector. Developers and rental property owners haven’t been paying the correct GST, income tax and bright-line test taxes. Inland Revenue Senior Manager Tony Morris talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the revelation. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Catholic Catholic Church’s new pope is already making headlines for his criticism of his President Donald Trump. Auckland Bishop Steve Lowe says as pope, Leo XIV will occasionally weigh into politics. “He’s got to uphold the teachings of Jesus Christ and sometimes that might come into conflict with some political leaders around the world,” he said. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are at all interested in understanding what's going wrong at rugby headquarters in Wellington, can I recommend that you read Gregor Paul's piece in the Herald today? It's an excellent summation.   The question that we had yesterday when we were looking at the financials was how on Earth is it that New Zealand Rugby pulls in more money than it ever has in a financial year and still manages to not make a profit? How do you do that? The answer is it seems going by Gregor's piece, it's just wasteful spending and spending in the wrong places.   For example, New Zealand rugby spent more than seven and a half million dollars last year on paying board members and executives. That is more than the seven million it spent on Heartland rugby teams last year and it is more than five and a half million it spent on its five Super Rugby clubs. No organisation should spend more on the people running the thing then on the thing itself, that's nuts.   New Zealand Rugby flew two board members, Dame Patsy Reddy and Bailey Mackey, to the UK last year when they were leaving the organisation the following month.   What's the point of that?  If you know that people are leaving, stop flying them places. They're now redundant, aren’t they?   When the All Blacks played in Tokyo, they took players and coaches and management. Fair enough.   But then they also took administrative staff and executive staff.   That was 75 people for a rugby game. Honestly, that's way too much.   Do you know how much they were paying at the hotel they were staying at? $900 a night.   That is an organisation spending like it's in the gold mining game, not like it's an organisation making more annual losses than profits in recent memory.   Gregor Paul suggests some people are going to lose their jobs and I think that's probably fair.   To be fair to NZR, we all understand what's going on here and not all of it is their fault.  The biggest problem they've got is that rugby is boring. That's because the rules suck and NZR has only got so much control over the rules. It's really a World Rugby problem. But for NZR, it has been obvious for ages that the problems that they face with participation and viewership, attendance, and money are not going to get solved anytime soon.   Now, if you know things are tough and they're not improving, do you not put the credit card away? Do you not cut the spending?   You and I might, but not NZR, apparently, and that's their fault.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced how they will pay compo to victims of abuse while in state care. There will be no new compo scheme, instead the Government will top up the current system. Lead coordination minister Erica Stanford talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the payment cap, how much is set aside financially, the pay equity bill and more. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Any changes to the Waitangi Tribunal will be introduced before the end of the year. The Government’s announced a review will kick of mid-year, with any advice to be given to the Government by September. The Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says it’s timely. “It runs enquiries according to very, very old legislation ... and the way it conducts itself needs to be modernised,” he said. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History has been made with the Catholic Church electing the first pope from the United States, Robert Francis Prevost.  He has a history of missionary work in Peru and is said to have a keen grasp of the inner workings of the Church. The US-UK trade deal remains vague - but markets are responding positively.  US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about all things US news.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government’s announced a review into the Waitangi Tribunal will begin shortly. The review was announced on Friday by Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka, who said it would ensure the tribunal “remains focused, relevant, effective and fit for purpose”. Political Editor Jason Walls says no one should be surprised this is happening. “Every time Christopher Luxon has talked about the Waitangi Tribunal, he essentially says it has been removed from it’s brief.” LISTEN ABOVE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The issue of dog attacks is back front and centre after a young girl was attacked on a West Auckland sports field. Auckland Council says the rise of off-leash dogs is a concerning trend. Auckland Council’s Licencing and Compliance Manager Robert Irvine talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about how the Council's monitoring the issue, how the prosecution process works and more. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After speculation football's A-league final would be held at Eden Park, it's been confirmed it will go ahead at Mt Smart's Go Media Stadium if Auckland FC make it. Weekend Sport host Jason Pine joins the show to discuss the advantage of the decision and the Crusaders hosting the Chiefs tomorrow night. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New reports indicate a 'major' trade deal between the US and UK is set to be announced. US President Trump has teased that a partnership with a 'respected world nation' is in the works - and Downing Street hasn't denied that the UK isn't involved. UK correspondent Enda Brady speculates further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand is urging the Government to close farming loopholes before 'more damage is done' to the sector. The organisation want loopholes in the guidance around limits on carbon forestry closed - as concerning news of further whole-farm sales emerges. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're two weeks away from Budget 2025, and the Government has been dropping hints about what we can expect. Prime Minister Luxon recently confirmed the Government will increase total capital expenditure allocated in the upcoming Budget by $400 million. NZ Herald business editor Liam Dann explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Lundy has divided our workplace out there. Some of my colleagues think that it's really gross that the Herald, who we work with, have taken photos of Mark Lundy today after he got out of jail yesterday. Now, the photos aren't anything particularly special - he's sitting in the passenger seat of a car, all you can really see is his face, that funny little beard he's got, some sunglasses and his latte coloured hoodie. It tells you nothing and it shows you almost nothing. And I suspect the reason it shows you almost nothing is because there are very heavy suppression orders about where he lives at the moment. So anything that identifies the town outside of the car, I would imagine, cannot be published. So they're a little bit limited in what they can show you. But even though there's almost nothing to see in these photos, boy, are we clicking on this particular story. It was, when I last checked, the most read and most viewed story on the Herald - so people are interested. And shouldn't the media be reporting and taking photos of things that we're interested in? I would say yes. Now, I can understand why people are grossed out by this. I suspect a lot of that comes down to the fact that there is significant doubt amongst some people as to Lundy's guilt - just as there was doubt with David Bain, just as there was doubt with Scott Watson. And so the feeling is, if you think he hasn't done it, then you feel gross about the fact that he keeps on being harassed after serving his time. But remember, until he proves otherwise, he is a man who was convicted of murdering his wife and daughter, and his trial and his behaviour around that gripped the nation and frankly turned him into one of the most famous - or infamous - people in the country. So he is a legitimate news story And it's not really a question of whether the Herald should have taken those photos, it's actually just a question of where you were going to see that photo first. Because you were going to see it somewhere. If it wasn't on the Herald, it would be on some other news outlet, or just someone popping down to the local coffee shop, seeing Mark Lundy there, taking a photo of him, and putting it on social media. Cause we all know what he looks like, and clearly we're all interested in him - and it was going to happen sooner or later, wasn't it? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour Minister Stuart Nash and broadcaster Mark Sainsbury joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The first photos of Mark Lundy have appeared in the Herald. Should these photos have been released at all? The pay equity saga continues, with protests planned around the country for tomorrow. Did the Government stuff this up? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the end of an era - as WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy after 62 years in business. The company's New Zealand arm closed in-person workshops last year, and it's seen struggles across the world as weight-loss trends change. Nutritionist Nikki Hart says the advent of injectable treatments like Ozempic has played a role in the company's downturn. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 8 May 2025, the Government has been advised to crack down on cash to reduce organised crime. Customs Minister Casey Costello is pondering whether to stop cash payments in sectors like construction. The Herald has released first pictures of convicted murderer Mark Lundy out in public, and Heather is wondering whether it's ick or satisfying what readers want to see. New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson tells Heather why NZR has delivered its third loss in a row despite record revenue. Plus, Rotorua's mayor comes out swinging telling Heather Rotorua is definitely not dying! 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.

Rotorua is hoping to boost its reputation as a top tourism destination - despite some media blowback. TRENZ, New Zealand’s largest international tourism event, just wrapped up - bringing over 1200 travel buyers from 26 countries into the city. Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell disagrees with the claims that the city is 'dead' and says the city is 'smashing it' in regards to tourism. "We were pretty surprised when we saw this very negative media article. Are we surprised... no. Will we fight back? Yes." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Rugby has posted a loss of $19.5 million for 2024, despite also bringing in record income. The result was announced during today's AGM in Wellington - and is New Zealand Rugby's third consecutive deficit following a $8.9 million loss in 2023 and a $47 million loss in 2022. The national body recorded income of $285 million, in what it describes as being a 'near break-even result', highlighted by growth in commercial revenue. NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson says there's been significant investment in all levels of the game. "The investment has gone into record levels of investment into the women and girls' game, to the work we're doing in content and digital strategy and game development - we've never had higher levels of investment in the community game." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.