Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

There's growing push-back on the idea that children should be censored at school, as extremism spreads. PPTA members are seeing misogyny spread through the classroom, and they're putting it down to a 'toxic online culture of masculinity'. The union wants to make addressing online extremism an official policy, and is calling for Government action. Free Speech Union CEO Jillaine Heather says it's hard to stop children picking up new ideas different to their parents' views. "What you want to do, if you disagree with those ideas, is engage with them. Engage in counter-speech, dismantle the ideas, test them, get them to bring their receipts. You can't censor those ideas, surely." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are hoping to turn their luck around following their worst-ever defeat to South Africa. Ahead of their Eden Park clash against the Wallabies this Saturday, there are 11 survivors in the run-on side to meet the Aussies. All Blacks assistant coach Tamati Ellison says the team's morale is running well ahead of the big game. "I don't think worry's the right word...you prepare every week with all due respect to your opposition." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil and gas exploration applications have reopened for the first time since the 2018 ban. Companies can now apply for new prospecting and exploration permits anywhere in the country - not just onshore Taranaki. An open market application pathway's also being introduced to allocate new permits, in addition to the current competitive tender process. Energy Resources Aotearoa chief executive John Carnegie says there's concerns among investors about the ongoing certainty of this, given the backlash from the opposition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra's CEO says cheaper butter prices could be on the horizon.  The dairy co-op's announced a 13 percent rise in annual operating profit and a record-high final milk payout of $10.16 per kg. Chief Executive Miles Hurrell says it's a great result for farmers.  He says the price of wholesale butter globally has fallen 15 percent in the past two months. "At some point, that'll flow through to the supermarkets - I suspect that they'll set their own prices, but that should flow through and give it an element of relief." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An inquiry's being held into whether the MP for Whanganui has complied with his obligations to declare interests. National's Carl Bates didn't disclose 25 properties, linked to his family trust, many of which are rentals in the area. They weren't declared on Parliament's list of MP's property and financial interests. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell unpacked the investigation further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump came face-to-face in New York - and locked in plans for a formal meeting in Washington for October. Albanese posted a photo of the pair to his Instagram and claimed it was good to chat with the US President as part of a welcome event for world leaders.  Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says it's 'crucial' for the leaders to have a meeting. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ardie Savea will stand in as All Blacks captain this weekend, with Scott Barrett ruled out due to a shoulder injury. Barrett's replaced by Fabian Holland in the run-on side, which features 11 survivors from the worst ever defeat a fortnight ago to South Africa. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Half of New Zealanders are cutting back on fruit and vegetables as the cost of living rises.  A Ministry of Social Development report reveals nearly two in five Kiwis report an inadequate income, with 48 percent cutting back on produce to save money in 2023 - more than double since 2018. Chef and host of Eat Well for Less, Mike van de Elzen, says produce isn't expensive if you buy efficiently. "We need to kind of just step back and go - what are we buying? Are we buying stuff out of season? Because you just need to use your nut a little bit. You need to think about what you're buying and the time that you're buying it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump recently made the claim that London wanted to 'go to sharia law' under its 'terrible mayor', Sadiq Khan - a claim the mayor's office has quickly dismissed. The US President made this claim in an address to the UN general assembly earlier today. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Sadiq Khan's team claimed they refused to dignify Trump's comments with a response.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Telco provider 2degrees made a net loss attributable to shareholders of $18.2 million for the 2025 financial year. Despite this, operating earnings and overall revenue, plus revenue in key product categories such as mobile, broadband and energy, were up. CEO Mark Callander says it's a tough economic environment - but the company's hoping things will pick up. 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!   The New Zealand Herald released its latest Mood of the Boardroom survey and Chris Luxon and Nicola Willis are out  of Cabinet's top 10 performers. Can they turn things around?  What do we think of our new Reserve Bank Governor? She seems very committed to transparency - do we think that's what our central bank needs?  Tory Whanau has revealed she wants to run for Parliament. Do we think this is a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 24 September 2025, first we got Ikea and now we get a Swedish Reserve Bank Governor! Finance Minister Nicola Willis tells Ryan Bridge why Dr. Anna Breman got the top job. US president Donald Trump's visit at the UN was as fiery as expected, including getting stuck on an escalator! US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley was there for it all. Auckland Council has officially voted in favour of 15-storey apartment blocks along major arterial routes in central Auckland. NIMBYs can still protest during the consultation protest though! Should Kiwis pay to park at our national parks? Federated Mountain Clubs are not happy with it. Plus, the Huddle debates the damning result from today's Mood of the Boardroom. 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 Swedes do central banking a little different to us, and I reckon it's good news we've got a Swede in charge. Riksbank - their RBNZ equivalent - is really big on this thing called transparency. There's three things to know - this is stuff they do that we don't, currently. 1. They rank amongst best performing on openness and honesty in the world.2. They publish an actual forward forecast for the OCR - we don't.3. They publish alternative scenarios and minutes. In the minutes, you get to see which of these guys voted which way and their justifications for dong so. Currently, we don't even get to know which way the committee members voted, let alone why. And remember, the Fed in the US and the Bank of England do - as does Riksbank. So here's hoping the Swede in charge will help shake things up and that changes will be made and sunlight will be shone. A new dawn, perhaps, for 2 The Terrace, after a dark and cloudy rollercoaster ride of terror under Adrian Orr. Her name is Anna Breman and her CV reads as you'd expect - current 2IC of Riksbank in her home country. And she's held academic jobs and been the Chief Economist at a retail bank. She's moving here with the family. Which is nice - but I don't know how NZ First will feel about us importing another migrant for a Kiwi job. The reality is, most of the heavy lifting will - hopefully - have been done by the time she sits down for her first briefing on December 1st. We've got two more reviews under Hawkesby in October and November. Then he's gone. Not just from the top job, but the bank entirely. And then they shut up shop for Christmas till February. Let's hope as she enjoys what I'm sure will be a welcome sunny Kiwi summer, she brings a bit of that sunshine - the best disinfectant in town - to 2, The Terrace. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI and technology stocks are continuing to have a significant presence in the market - but which companies are leading the charge? Broadcom and Oracle are among the companies that have generated positive results, and Nvidia made headlines following its $100 billion investment in OpenAI. Milford Asset Management's Andrew Curtayne explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Treasury has raised the alarm over the state of New Zealand's public finances as part of its long-term fiscal forecast. Record levels of Government spending, increasing health costs and an ever-growing aging population are among the concerns set to create additional fiscal pressures for the country, according to new reports. Treasury warned Net Core Crown Debt is set to hit 200 percent of GDP by 2065. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says some of these concerns were flagged as early as 2021 - and we need to start thinking about solutions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister is not sharing the same fears as retailers over the surcharge ban. Scott Simpson says the legislation banning surcharges like PayWave is before the Select Committee and will be in place by next year.  36 business associations have written a letter warning the ban could be passed on through increased prices. Simpson says a lot of businesses don't use surcharges - so won't be impacted or need to raise prices. "The ones that choose to add that pricing in will be actually competitively constrained in the marketplace by those businesses that choose not to do so." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Visitors will have to pay $5 an hour to park at Aoraki/Mt Cook as part of a parking trial set to be carried out this summer. Fees will include a day rate of $25 and $60 for an annual pass for regular users, which applies to anyone living outside the Mackenzie District - while residents will pay $10 per year. Federated Mountain Clubs president Megan Dimozantos has voiced disappointment with the idea that Kiwis have to pay the same rates as international visitors. "It will, unfortunately, have an impact on low-income families that are struggling with the cost of living crisis, so I don't know that this is really a solution in its own right."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three hundred potential candidates were identified in the hunt for our new Reserve Bank Governor. The role has gone to Anna Breman, who was the First Deputy Governor of Sweden's central bank. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says it was a a tough competition amongst candidates. "The Reserve Bank went through a process of both advertising and also doing a large international search to consider people that could be qualified for the role."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new housing density plan is going ahead following a heated Auckland Council debate. The plan which allows more housing near transport hubs and fewer in natural hazard zones, has passed with 18 in support and 5 opposed. It will remove 27 percent of Special Character Areas. Councillor Shane Henderson says the plan now goes out for public consultation.  "It's time for people to feedback in and say - look, we might have gotten this or that area wrong, or make some adjustments to people's neighbourhoods and things like that. It's really important that we allow people to have their say."  Housing and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has welcomed the decision. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Reserve Bank Governor is pledging to build trust and credibility. Sweden's Anna Breman has been announced to lead  the central bank, taking over from interim Governor Christian Hawkesby in December. She'll be the first woman to ever hold the role - selected from more than 300 candidates who were initially identified. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says Breman has revealed the new core ideals of the RBNZ under her leadership - and has voiced her commitment to transparency.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump lashed out at the world on climate change and immigration while addressing the UN's General Assembly.  With a MAGA style rally speech, Trump began by touting his own domestic achievements.  He went on to say the United Nations doesn't come close to its tremendous potential. Trump also claimed open border policies are a failed experiment and warned against the 'green scam'.  US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley labelled the speech 'extraordinary' and raised concerns over what this could mean for the US' relationship with allies. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Midcourter Kimiora Poi believes the Silver Ferns are only just starting to feel like their old selves heading into the second test against South Africa in Napier tonight. The Ferns have had to quickly adjust to Yvette McCausland-Durie's interim leadership as coach Dame Noeline Taurua was stood down for the series. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's hoped Pharmac's latest funding proposal will save hospitals and patients valuable time. It's looking at funding five new medicines - for breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, eye conditions, and lung cancer. The proposal includes a new under the skin injection treatment, which could replace some IV infusions. Roche New Zealand Country Medical Director Dr Kerryn Symons says the injection takes just a few minutes, when infusions usually take several hours. "Our calculations show that over a period of five years, that the number of hours released in the infusion clinics is about 45,000." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seven charities have dropped the Sarah Ferguson as a patron, after an email from 2011 emerged in which she called sex offender Jeffrey Epstein her 'supreme friend'. Julia's House, a children's hospice, was the first to remove Duchess of York - saying it was 'inappropriate' for her to continue in the role. A raft of others lined up behind them, and the British Heart Foundation said she would no longer be its ambassador. UK correspondent Enda Brady says it's likely more charities will follow suit. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 23rd September 2025, Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden talks through the changes to our annual and sick leave entitlements. Ryan asks NZ First Deputy Leader Shane Jones whether the party is playing politics by invoking its "agree to disagree" clause over the government's latest immigration changes. We hear Autism New Zealand's reaction to the Trump's administrations "discovery" around the condition. And the Privacy Commissioner has a warning for retailers who post CCTV video and images of apparent shoplifters on social media. 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 Privacy Commissioner has issued a warning for retailers who aim to publicly shame shoplifters. The Commissioner says businesses posting CCTV footage and images of crimes on social media causes 'real harm' - and doing so breaks privacy laws. Michael Webster says many of these images are posted to shame the perpetrators as opposed to sharing information - which breaches the Privacy Act.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, lawyer Brigitte Morten and AUT chancellor Rob Campbell joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  We're all waiting on Winston Peters to reveal if New Zealand will recognise a Palestinian state. Which way do we think this will go? NZ First invokes the agree-to-disagree clause over the Government's new residency pathways. Are NZ First right to do this? And are they trying to make immigration a big election issue next year? The Government's made some new changes to the Holidays Act - will this be good for businesses and employees alike?   US President Donald Trump has linked paracetamol use during pregnancy to autism. Should we take this seriously?  Sir Don McKinnon's idea to kickstart New Zealand is for us to host the Commonwealth Games. Is that really the best way forward? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A group of Southland farmers say there is a way to profitability for Alliance Group without selling off 65 percent of the co-op. Alliance shareholders are set to vote on whether to accept a deal from Irish company Dawn Meats, which was offering $250 million for a share in the New Zealand co-operative. The Country's Jamie Mackay weighed in on the offer - and whether Alliance Group is likely to consider this. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business NZ says the Government's making workers leave simpler and more cost-effective. It's announced a new hours-based annual and sick leave accrual system, including flexibility of being able to take only the hours needed off work rather than a full day. It'll also mean part-time workers will no longer have a minimum sick leave entitlement. Business NZ's Paul Mackay says leave's always been accrued, but there were other rules attached. "The Government has simplified it by saying - you accrue leave or you earn leave as you go, it's effectively money in your bank and you will take out from that bank of leave when you want it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Palestine's Deputy Foreign Minister has shared his view on what it means to recognise a Palestinian state. Foreign Minister Winston Peters will announce New Zealand's position on Saturday, at the United Nations general assembly in New York. At least 150 nations have recognised a Palestinian state, including France, Australia, Canada, and the UK. Omar Awadallah from the Palestinian Authority says it's about recognising the people, Government, and territory of Palestine. "You recognise the ideas, the principles upon which those people are acting." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston’s back, banging the trusty old immigration drum. Election next year, so no surprises there. Nor should there be any surprise that National’s keen to keep skilled workers in the country. It’s what business wants. And, generally speaking, what business wants - with a Government right-of-centre - it gets. So before we go barking mad on migration, let’s look at the facts. Is this an Oprah car competition, carte blanche residency lolly scramble? No. The numbers? Somewhere between 3,500 and 9,000 people. Which barely touches the sides of our 4.3 million working-age population. Will they flood in from all corners of the earth? No. They’re already here. You have to be working here in order to qualify and proven yourself. You have to be well-paid - at least $36 an hour - and qualified. This is not a low-rent crowd. Is this a back door into Australia? Well, it can be. But to get through that door, you first have to become a citizen of New Zealand. Let’s call that a 10 year process, plus the Minister reckons a further four across the ditch before you’re a citizen there. So if you’re willing to spend 14 years gaming the system to become a citizen of Australia, you probably deserve it in my book. Is this, as Winston's press release claimed, another example of our proud wee country being fleeced by take-all-give-nothing migrants? We train them up and look after them, then they ditch us across the ditch? No. These people are already trained and experienced and they will pay taxes like the rest of us. Does he have a point on the wider problem we have with educating and training people who are actually born here? Yes. But as even he points out, Governments of all stripes have been trying to fix that problem for decades and the fix remains elusive. But in the meantime, why punish decent Kiwi businesses who’ve managed to find themselves a decent, skilled worker? Welcome to globalisation. We sell stuff to the world, using, in part, a global workforce to do it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First is slamming the Government's latest immigration move - allowing more migrant workers to get a fast-tracked residency. The Government's announced two new pathways, one for skilled work experience and another for trades and technicians. NZ First has invoked the agree to disagree clause - voicing concerns that those who gain residency will become citizens and then leave for Australia. Deputy Leader Shane Jones claims New Zealand's had unfocused immigration policies for some time. He says the Government's focused on 'pumping up the tyres' of employers instead of training up Kiwis to fill the jobs.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A guilty verdict for the Auckland woman charged with murdering her children and leaving their bodies in suitcases.  Hakyung Lee killed her eight and six-year-old in 2018, after giving them anti-depressants in what she said was a failed suicide attempt.  But claims she was insane following her husband's death failed to convince the jury. Newstalk ZB's Emily Ansell says the verdict's in line with evidence from forensic psychiatrist Dr Erik Monasterio. "Who found that there was no proof of any psychotic elements required for that defence, so therefore, he told the jury that he believed she didn't qualify - and that is an opinion they clearly took on board." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hopes new changes around leave entitlements will mean employers can focus on their core business. The Government has announced a new hours-based annual and sick leave accrual system as well as the right to take bereavement leave from day one. The changes also mean part-time workers will no longer have a minimum sick leave entitlement - it'll instead be calculated by hours worked. Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden says businesses have been struggling under Labour's changes to leave entitlements - and changes need to be made. "What I've been hearing, loudly, from the business community is that they want it to be proportionate to the number of hours that people actually work." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speculation is building on who'll be the next Governor of the Reserve Bank, and the Government is due to make an announcement tomorrow. A source has told Bloomberg the new Governor is a woman - and is from overseas. Speculation has centred on the Bank of England's Sarah Breerdon. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell speculates ahead of the big announcement.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump has accused Australia and other Western countries of 'rewarding Hamas' - and Anthony Albanese's hopes of a meeting with the US President were dashed. There were tentative hopes last week of a one-on-one meeting on Sunday in Washington DC after the United States President claimed he would meet Albanese 'soon'.  Australian correspondent Sam Emery says the leaders have had meetings in the past - but the recent statement on Palestine have impacted relations between Australia and the US. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's national football league has attracted the attention of offshore gamblers, prompting concern among experts. Recent figures show that $212 million was wagered on the New Zealand men's domestic football league in 2024 through overseas sports betting platforms. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The head of Autism New Zealand has voiced concerns with the latest claims out of the Trump administration.  US President Donald Trump made claims linking autism to vaccines, as well as the use of paracetamol in pregnancy.  Medsafe says there's no proven link between paracetamol and autism.  Any connection between vaccines and autism has been well debunked. Autism NZ chief executive Dane Dougan says these types of statements are 'harmful' - as they place undue blame on pregnant women. "There's a real risk that we're going to have premature medical endorsements over in the United States for things that don't have any cause or link at all at this point in time. So it's really, really concerning."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some airports are handling cyber chaos better than others, as technical issues at major European airports continue for a third day. Dozens of flights are being delayed or cancelled across Dublin, Berlin, Brussels and at London's Heathrow. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says airlines have been forced to use paper and pen to help check people in. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week's GDP data prompted disappointment from many - but how did the markets react? GDP figures show a worse dip in the economy than economists and the Reserve Bank expected, with a fall of 0.9 percent in the June quarter. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Genesis Energy has struck a two-year deal with New Zealand mining company BT Mining to supply 240,000 tonnes of coal to its Huntly Power Station. The deal equates to BT Mining providing 10,000 tonnes of coal a month to Huntly, which supports the hydro-dominated electricity system. BT Mining chief executive Richard Tacon explained how this deal will boost the local economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Government's under pressure over the economy and has today announced almost half a billion dollars of school infrastructure spending. Will this move the dial?  The UK, Canada and Australia have all recognised Palestine overnight. When do we think New Zealand will move forward on this? How many speed bumps is too many? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 22 September 2025, Australia, the UK and Canada have officially recognised the state of Palestine... but New Zealand is holding out. What are we waiting for? Finance Minister Nicola Willis defends the Government's spend on infrastructure projects and the state of the economy - after more than $400 million of school infrastructure spend is being fast-tracked. Another bloody strike! 13,000 hospital appointments have been cancelled because senior doctors are off work for the next two days. The staggering amount overseas gamblers are betting on our local football league - and why that's making players vulnerable to match fixing offers. Plus, the Huddle debates the Government's desperate fight to win the narrative on the economy back. 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.

So fast track has a problem - it's not fast enough. Eight months in, only two projects have been approved. The mining in Taranaki is still undergoing consultation. AKA: delayed. The word is that every man and his dog is lining up to have their say, including Mount Taranaki - literally. How you ask a mountain its thoughts and feelings is beyond me, but are we even surprised anymore? Shane Jones is miffed because the EPA, which is looking into all this, has apparently hired a former Forest and Bird lawyer - and all this while we've got $850m in minerals just sitting there. Now, all of this could have been avoided if the Government didn’t cave to the media and the legal scholars and the green mafia, and just give politicians all the power to override whatever they want. So the delays and the consultation are by design. And in Auckland, you’ve got Eden Park. Eden Park, they tell us, is choking under regulation. So why not use your new RMA superpowers to unshackle it? You can’t. You have to consult first. Why? Because, again, the Government specifically designed the law changes this way. The windmills they want to put in Taranaki - one local hapū is taking their opposition to the UN. You can see the problem here, can’t you? This country is its own worst enemy. We bitch and moan about the GDP number. We freak out about the manufacturing jobs disappearing. Rightly so - but as soon as it’s time to do something about it, to create something new like an industry or a mine, we oppose it. We slow it down. We delay. Either we accept that you can’t have everything for nothing, and that creating new jobs and growth will cost us something but it’s worth it. Or we accept that, actually, we're to be poor and happy to stay that way. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis says there's been a clear message to all ministers - we don't want the billions recently allocated for infrastructure sitting in Government bank accounts. A small scale hospital project announcement yesterday and a school property maintenance announcement today have both talked up the boost they'll give the construction sector in the coming 12 months. The Finance Minister says they want signed contracts, spades in the ground, and jobs. "The instruction to all Government ministers has been - make sure you know where your maintenance contracts are at, where those construction projects are at, to get them out the door." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's national football league has attracted the attention of offshore gamblers, raising alarm among sport integrity experts. New data shows  $212 million was wagered on the New Zealand men's domestic football league in 2024 through overseas sports betting platforms, many of which were based in Asia. Andrew Scott-Howman, general counsel for the New Zealand Professional Footballers Association, says our timezone allows us to be a monopoly provider of live product to these markets. "But also, the amateur nature of our competition - our players and our match officials, our referees don't get paid for playing. Therefore, they can be much easier to bribe or convince to do the wrong thing. That's also a problem." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The senior doctor's union is criticising Health New Zealand's decision to call in the Employment Relations Authority to sort out pay talks. Around 6000 doctors and dentists are walking off the job nationwide tomorrow and Wednesday. The ERA's been requested to fix the terms and conditions of a collective agreement - in a move unprecedented for the public sector. Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director Sarah Dalton says they've done some work with the ERA in the past. "We were not happy with the way the ERA authority members applied themselves to the task, and we didn't find them to take an independent view." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's more funding for schools to do jobs like painting and fixing gutters as part of a $413-million-dollar package in accelerated Government investment. Education Minister Erica Stanford says the funding will enable more maintenance to be done these summer holidays. She says $58 million of new money will be available to schools as of now. "Every single school up and down the country is going to be getting a 50 percent top up on their school property maintenance grant."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert has offered clarification around what recognising Palestine as a state means, ahead of New Zealand's decision.  Canada, the UK, and Australia have now formally recognised an independent Palestinian state. Winston Peters is in New York for the UN General Assembly and will reveal New Zealand's position later this week. Australia National University lecturer, Dr Anas Iqtait, says this means recognising a hypothetical Palestinian state - which would occupy the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.  "This symbolic nature is really related to this reality, rather than the other point - which is, there isn't currently sovereignty on the ground, it's a hypothetical state." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's yet to finalise its position on recognising Palestine, despite recent moves by our key allies. Chris Luxon says Cabinet's expected to make a final decision later this week. Three of the Five Eyes members - Australia, the UK and Canada - have formally announced recognition of an independent state of Palestine. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says it's expected the coalition will come together to make a statement, and Winston Peters will likely deliver it by Sunday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.