Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! What did we think of the Tākuta Ferris video? What does this mean for Labour's political future?  New information about the Phillips hideout suggests they've had help until very recently according to police who are now trying to track down accomplices. What do we make of this? It's been revealed Luxon and Albanese's helicopter mountain trip cost $44,000. Are we upset with this? Would we pay $4,000 for an iPhone?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jetstar has unveiled its biggest expansion ever of its New Zealand and Trans-Tasman network.  It's adding new routes from Brisbane to Queenstown and Hamilton to Christchurch, and increasing capacity on five domestic and trans-tasman routes - creating a total of more than 660,000 extra seats a year. Tourism Minister Louise Upston says this is proof more airlines have confidence in what New Zealand can offer.  "What it says is that Jetstar and Qantas have real confidence in the market in New Zealand - and they're really confident about the direction the Government's taking in our absolute, unabashed ambition for more visitors." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 10 September 2025, police have found a second camp that Tom Phillips and his kids have been hiding in for the last few months and say the camp makes it obvious people have been helping the group. Former police investigator Lance Burdett talks to Heather about what they'll be doing to find Tom's associates. Labour's Willie Jackson reacts to the latest crazy rant from Maori MP Takuta Ferris. Netball NZ chair Matt Whineray explains why Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua has been stood down from the series against South Africa. Plus, the Huddle debates whether the $44k bill for Chris Luxon and Anthony Albanese's helicopter date was over the top - and who would pay 4000 dollars for a new iPhone? 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 people who helped Tom Phillips should absolutely be packing themselves because the cops are making it pretty clear they're coming after them - and in a big way. Cops have said today that it is clear that Tom Phillips had help recently, judging by the stuff that's lying around in the second camp. And what police are planning to do is to trace where that stuff came from. So if it's not stolen, where did it come from? Who gave it to Tom Phillips? If it's bought, who bought it for Tom Phillips, who were the guns registered to? Now, this is incredibly frustrating to talk about because as of Monday, there is a suppression order in the courts, which means the full picture here is not out. But even without that full picture, I think that what we already know is serious enough for his accomplices to understand that they are in big trouble if they get caught. One man is dead, a police officer almost died, and those children were put in harm's way - basically every single day that they were in the bush. At any time, they might have come across a police officer. Now imagine how much more dangerous it would have been if it wasn't just one child, but all of them who were with him when he was confronted by a police officer and pulled a weapon on that officer and kicked off a gunfight.  He took a child to rob a bank, he took a child to burgle a dairy, he took a child to burgle PGG Wrightson, he gave his daughter a gun. She pointed it at someone during the bank robbery. At any one of those moments, who knows if they come across a cop, he pulled his gun and kicked off a gunfight. Now, the accomplices cannot say that they didn't know. This has been going on for years. If they were helping him as recently as police believe, then they knew - and they deserved to be dragged before the courts for it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's Willie Jackson is defending his party's volunteers during the Tamaki Makaurau by-election as they come under fire from a Te Pati Māori MP. Last night, Tākuta Ferris posted a video saying it's unacceptable for people of other ethnicities to campaign to take a Māori seat from Māori. It follows a similar post from last week. Te Pati Māori apologised for the first post - but have refused to answer questions today.  Jackson says he's personally apologised to the volunteers hurt by the comments.  "Basically, he's saying you've got no right to participate, this is just the Māori seat. Yes, it's a Māori seat, but these people want to help. They didn't come on to take over the Māori seat." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netball New Zealand have no idea when or if Dame Noeline Taurua will return as Silver Ferns head coach. The World Cup-winning mentor and assistant Deb Fuller have been replaced by former Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie and current Southern Steel assistant Liana Leota for the Taini Jamison series against South Africa starting Sunday week. Netball NZ board chair Matt Whineray says discussions have taken place, but he can't reveal certain details. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cost of living crisis is hitting New Zealanders hard, with many putting retirement savings on the backburner. The number of people contributing to KiwiSaver fell for the first time in the year to March 2025, according to the Financial Markets Authority’s annual KiwiSaver report. FMA chief executive Samantha Barrass says these difficult circumstances have forced people to make 'difficult choices' about what to prioritise.  She explained more households need to decide between putting food on the table, paying the mortgage and repairs - and it's important for providers to reach out to people who've paused KiwiSaver contributions.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former police negotiator says police must've found something obvious at Tom Phillips' campsites that indicates he was getting outside help. The Marokopa fugitive was shot dead by police on Monday, and his children are now in state care. A second campsite in dense bush has been uncovered - about 200 metres from the first. Lance Burdett says police are fairly sure Phillips was getting outside help, so items from the campsites will be used as evidence. "It's fingerprinted, it's photographed, it's everything that they can do to find out - DNA testing on every item, to track down who may have been involved." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pati Māori's co-leaders are silent during widespread criticism of one of their MPs social media posts, labelled 'racist' by some. Tākuta Ferris posted a video, saying it's unacceptable for other ethnicities to campaign to take a Maori seat from Maori. The party apologised in the past for a previous social media post with a similar sentiment. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper has labelled these comments 'painful' and 'infuriating'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poland's shot down drones over its territory after repeated violations of its airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine.  It's shut four of its airports after warning of the drones in its airspace. US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley says this has sparked concern among NATO nations, with investigations ongoing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

White Ferns coach Ben Sawyer has outlined the tough calls made for his one-day cricket World Cup squad in India and Sri Lanka starting later this month. Four potential debutants have been named in the 15-strong squad - left arm seamer Bree Illing, batter Bella James, wicketkeeper Polly Inglis and left-arm spinner Flora Devonshire. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Government proposal for a new infringement offence for shoplifting would mean the burden of proof would fall on the suspect to prove their innocence. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says this change strikes the right 'balance' between public safety and an individual’s rights, despite concerns from experts. Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen says these changes make sense, given the wave of shoplifting impacting the country. "It's simply regulating people's behaviour. You have a defence of saying - no, it's not true, for example. But also, you have a defence of saying - I took all positive steps to avoid it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump is set to make a second state visit to the UK later in the month. This trip comes after Trump spent four days in Scotland, where he met politicians and visited his golf courses. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the heads of Nvidia and OpenAI will be part of the entourage coming along, suggesting there's room for new tech developments. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New reports have revealed that more people are taking advantage of AI when it comes to making investment decisions. A recent survey claims at least one third of Kiwi investors are using AI to make investment decisions, with 64 percent of respondents between 18 and 29 utilising the technology. Chartered Accountants ANZ Reporting and Assurance Leader, Amir Ghandar, says concerns have been raised, with some reporting noticeable errors.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand red meat prices are at record levels and are forecast to remain strong throughout the coming year, despite concerns about inflation. Board chair Kate Acland says the outlook is positive, with tight global supply set to keep demand high. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rupert Murdoch’s children have reached a settlement in the legal dispute over control of the right-wing media mogul’s companies, with son Lachlan set to take over. The new deal establishes a trust to replace the Murdoch Family Trust that had included all the siblings and half-siblings. Under the agreement, Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch and James Murdoch will receive cash based on equity sales and cease to have holdings in any of the media companies.  Author and journalist Paddy Manning says a lot of these shares will be sold to the public instead. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Green MP Gareth Hughes and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! There's talk of a documentary about the Tom Phillips saga in the works - do we think this is a bad idea? In fact, for the sake of the kids, do we need to stop running images of them in the media?  The Advertising Standards Authority has criticised Turners for showing an advertisement depicting burnout, claiming it condones a dangerous and illegal activity. Do we see a problem with the ad? Are we going to see the Jacinda documentary?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 9 September 2025, the police is now trying to hunt down anyone who was helping Tom Phillips hide. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers speaks with Heather about the latest in the investigation. Heather makes a plea to stop any documentaries on Tom Phillips and his kids - to protect their futures. Children's Minister Karen Chhour agrees. Turners boss Todd Hunter thanks the Advertising Standards Authority for more publicity - after the ASA ruled a burnout scene in Turners' ad was socially unacceptable. Are we too up tight when it comes to our ads? Plus, the Huddle debates whether MPs should sell their investments before coming to Parliament to avoid conflicts. 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.

Well, it now transpires that the police are allowing a documentary to be made about Tom Phillips and their hunt for him. It's being made by Julie Christie, who’s produced lots of great television in the past, particularly reality TV. There are camera crews following police officers and being given access - if you want to call it that - behind the scenes, the kind of access that the average media crew can't get. Now, personally, I think this documentary needs to be killed off immediately. I do not blame the police for saying yes to this documentary in the first place. If it hadn't ended this way - with Tom Phillips trying to kill a police officer and then being shot dead in response in front of his daughter - it might have actually been a good idea to do this documentary. It might have shown the efforts that the police have gone to over the last four years to track him down, the consideration that they've put into it, the care that they've taken. It might actually have been really good PR for the police. But now, what it is, is mainly just a threat to these kids' future. It is going to be hard enough for these children to find a way to be normal in a country that is obsessed with what has happened to them over the last four years. By the time that this documentary comes out - it might be two years, five years, ten years, who knows, because documentaries aren’t put together fast - who knows? Hopefully, we will have moved on as a country and be interested in other things. And all a documentary like this is going to do is remind us - and the world, who are fascinated by what happened to the Phillips kids - about this case all over again. And we will hit Google and we will remind ourselves of what the kids looked like and what their names are and what happened to them in the bush. Children should never be punished and tortured for the stupid things that their parents do and the bad decisions that their parents make. They deserve the right to as much anonymity as possible and just the chance to live a life free of what their parents have done. I don't think that the media, that I belong to, should publish their photos anymore.  No one should take a photo of them as they look right now, having come out of the bush, and this documentary needs to be called off. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oranga Tamariki says circumstances are unprecedented, as they care for fugitive Tom Phillips' three children. The four-year manhunt for the Marokopa father ended in the early hours of yesterday, when he was shot dead by police in Waikato. Children's Minister Karen Chhour says Tom Phillips' children are Oranga Tamariki's main focus - as they remain in the agency's care. "As an organisation, Oranga Tamariki has been working on a plan since the day they disappeared. That plan may have to change, depending on the circumstances of the young people." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Complaints about a YouTube version of the latest Tina from Turner's car dealership advert have been upheld by the advertising watchdog.  The Advertising Standards Authority says a scene of a car performing a burnout isn't 'socially responsible' after complaints it was a disgrace to Kiwis, showing illegal activity, using swear words and was offensive. Turners chief executive Todd Hunter says it seems like a storm in a teacup.  "We didn't take it out in the YouTube version, because we thought it was kind of some fun - and so the person who complained, we owe them a great deal of thanks for keeping Tina from Turner’s continually in the media." The ad can't keep being used in its current form.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health officials have outlined the dire state of Wellington Hospital’s overcrowded emergency department as reports show a third of patients are being treated in corridors. The information was revealed in a detailed business case for the refurbishment of the ED, published by Health New Zealand, which said the ED was 'clinically and culturally unsafe'. Health NZ's Jamie Duncan says the staff working in those areas are required to stay vigilant and keep an eye on people. "They're always taking observations as well and that's standard practice and standard care that you'd expect in any emergency department." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investigations into Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips are far from over, after he was shot dead by police yesterday. The manhunt for Phillips and his three children stretched across four years. One of his children was with him at the scene, and the other two were found last night at a campsite in dense bush about two kilometres away. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers says they're investigating possible accomplices in this case. "We're going to put a puzzle together, we're going to better understand the last four years - anybody who may have been helping him, supplying him with something." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The four-year long manhunt for Phillips and his three children ended early yesterday morning - when police shot and killed him in rural Waikato. One of his children was found with him, and the other two were located at a campsite in dense bush. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper said Police Commissioner Richard Chambers weighed in on the case during a 'sombre' press conference. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ANZ's Australian parent recently announced a significant restructure, which would see about 3500 employees losing their jobs by September 2026. ANZ Group said it would also reduce engagements with consultants and other third parties as part of the restructure. Australian correspondent Murray Olds explained the impact of the restructure. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sporting fans across New Zealand will have a difficult decision to make on Saturday, with the Warriors’ opening NRL finals game set to clash with the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship test. The Warriors' week one finals game against the Panthers at Mt Smart kicks off at 6:05pm - one hour before the All Blacks host the Springboks in Wellington. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacks the backlash further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert has outlined the next steps for Tom Phillips' children to recover after four years of isolation. The manhunt for Phillips and the children came to an end yesterday, when police shot and killed him in rural Waikato. One of his children was found with him, and the other two were located at a campsite in dense bush. Child psychologist Sara Chatwin says for the children to feel secure, they need consistent care and unconditional love. "Pretty much none of which these kids have had for a long time. And I'm not just talking four years, but prior to that, there was obviously some dispute." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in the UK were surprised by unexpected alarms from their phones in a test of the national emergency alert system. Yesterday, people's phones vibrated and sounded for about 10 seconds in the second test of the system. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent US payrolls data has indicated the economy is slowing, and it's sparked concern among investors. Economists are calling on the US Federal Reserve to lower interest rates  at its September 16-17 meeting, in what would be its first reduction in nine months. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An economist has raised concerns over NZ First's proposed reform for KiwiSaver contributions - and claimed they're not feasible. NZ First recently promised to make it compulsory and increase contributions from employers and workers to 10 percent - offset by a tax cut. Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub says he approves of the idea of a compulsory scheme, but warns we can't afford a tax-funded one. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First is backing major changes to KiwiSaver ahead of the election and it's sparked discussion about what this could mean going forward. The party's announced it will campaign on compulsory employee and employer contributions rising to 10 percent, to be offset with tax cuts. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says this will likely be a significant issue ahead of the election, but she's voiced concerns about the tax cuts. "For context, our tax package that we delivered after the election was $3.7 billion - so that is a heck of a lot of tax cuts. So the question then becomes - how do we fund that?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 8 September 2025, the tragic story of the missing Tom Phillips and his kids has come to a close today. The kids are with authorities, Tom Phillips is dead and a police officer critically injured. Police Minister Mark Mitchell and former police negotiator Lance Burdett speak with Heather as the situation unfolded. It was a terrible weekend for Labour, with an embarrassing overwhelming by-election loss and the defection of former Labour MP Stuart Nash to New Zealand First. The Ministry of Education has doubled its pay offer to secondary school teachers, but they won't have a bar of it. Plus, the Huddle reflects on the sad end to the Tom Phillips story and whether getting Stuart Nash on board is a coup for New Zealand First. 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.

Stuart Nash turning up at the conference over the weekend - that was quite a coup for New Zealand First. Now, clearly what New Zealand First is trying to do is emulate what Reform - Nigel Farage's party - in the UK is doing.  If you've been following what they're up to, they have had a huge number of politicians defect to Reform. And every single time it happens, the news media covers it and it makes Reform look like the party with the momentum. That is what New Zealand First is trying to do. That's why you had both Stuart Nash, formerly of Labour, and Harete Hipango, formerly of National, at the conference over the weekend. Now, despite the circumstances of Stuart leaving Parliament, he's actually a really big defection from Labour because he's a very capable politician. He managed to turn Napier into a red seat in 2014, despite the popularity of the Key Government at the time. He was one of the few ministers in the Ardern administration that voters on the right actually had time for. He is, and I think that's because he's a proper centrist in the Labour Party - not crazy left like a lot of them are, a little bit more to the right - which is why he's probably going to find a better home for himself in New Zealand First than the Labour Party of 2025. Now, I don't know if Labour realizes what they've lost with Stuart Nash leaving. I mean, of course, he's really been out of Labour since the moment Chippy fired him, but I don't think they even realized then what they'd lost because they haven't replaced him.  And what I mean by that is they haven't gone looking for another true centrist politician. Back in the day, Labour had heaps of them. They had Phil Goff, David Shearer and just going back through time - Richard Prebble, Roger Douglas, Mike Moore - it wasn't that unusual to have a good little centrist or righty sitting in the Labour Party. Now, name one for me. I mean, you might have once been able to say Chippy, but he's allowed himself to be pulled so far to the left, I'm not sure you could call him a centrist anymore. Now, you cannot, as a Labour Party, win over the centre voter if you do not have politicians that the centre voter likes. And Stuart Nash, I think, was probably the last one of them. I would say: total coup for New Zealand First. 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 following the issue of the day - and more! The Tom Phillips saga has been eventful - what did we make of all this? Stuart Nash has switched over to NZ First and Labour lost big to Te Pati Māori in the Tamaki Makaurau by-election. What does this all mean for Labour?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The secondary school teachers union is confident its members will take its advice and reject the Government's latest agreement offer.  It almost doubles the pay increase included in their last offer, but the union says it's unevenly spread across the teaching workforce and sits below inflation.  PPTA President Chris Abercrombie says teachers can vote any way they want, but the National Executive's recommending sending the offer back. "The conversations I have this year with teachers and continue to have is that this doesn't meet what they need - what they see happening every single day in schools." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The children of fugitive Tom Phillips are still missing.  The Marokopa father was shot dead by police in the early hours of this morning, following a burglary in Waikato's Piopio.  Police Minister Mark Mitchell says he's confident the police will find and recover the children. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The race is on to track down the two missing children of Marokopa man Tom Phillips before the end of the day. Phillips was shot dead earlier today by police, following a burglary in Waikato's Piopio. Former police negotiator Lance Burdett says the fact they're children will make the hunt so much tougher for police.  "They'll be panicking, probably,  and it's unpredictable. They won't stick to tracks and trails...so they could be all over the place." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has voiced concerns about the missing children of Marokopa man Tom Phillips. Phillips was shot dead by police this morning, concluding a four-year manhunt, but two of his children are belived to be unaccompanied in the bush.  Luxon hasn't been briefed on any specific locations the police think the children might be. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Luxon's reflected on the concerns the country must be feeling. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Triple murderer Erin Patterson will have maximum security in jail due to risks from other prisoners. The 50-year-old's been jailed for life with a non-parole period of 33 years, after feeding her in-laws beef Wellingtons laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms in 2023. Patterson's also been sentenced for the attempted murder of the sole survivor of the lunch - Ian Wilkinson. Australia correspondent Oliver Peterson says Patterson faces 22 hours of solitary confinement a day for the next three decades. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The public scrutiny is off All Blacks coach Scott Robertson - for a few days, at least. His side have arrived in Wellington, fresh from snapping a four-test losing streak over the Springboks and preserving a 31-year unbeaten run at Eden Park. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explained further ahead of the second clash in Wellington. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A number of police resources have been deployed to try and find Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips' two missing children before it gets dark - after he was shot dead by an officer in the Waikato this morning. A quad bike being ridden by him and one of his children was stopped by police spikes after a burglary in Piopio. An approaching officer was then shot multiple times, including in the head, and is receiving surgery on his eye. A second officer arrived at the scene and shot the gunman dead.  Newstalk ZB reporter Jordan Dunn says the authorities will be conducting this search 'meticulously' and 'strategically', as there's a good chance the missing children aren't alone. "They do say that there's a good chance they're alone, but the key there is that they're not making assumptions. They're going out there as if there is the possibility that they are being aided." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 5 September 2025, Auckland mayor Wayne Brown is celebrating winning a major battle, getting Auckland Transport defunded. Sarah Dalton from the senior doctors union explains why they have declined the Health Minister's request to take their pay dispute to arbitration. Former Springbok Kevin Putt is carrying on with the mind games and says South Africa will beat New Zealand at the Eden Park fortress tomorrow - but Heather is calling BS. Plus, what is the most confiscated item at the airport? Batteries! Warwick Burr from the Civil Aviation Authority explains exactly what you're allowed to take on board, and why we're still taking off our boots at the security check. 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.

Can you please stop letting the Springboks get into your head? Cause that is clearly what they're up to. That's why Rassie Erasmus has expressed all surprise at Razor's selections. He wants the team to second guess themselves. Who cares what he thinks? Now, he said, Oh, I'm surprised Fabian Holland's on the bench. It's designed to make Razor and all the lads think they've got this wrong already. And this is why he's called in Fuff de Clark - he doesn't need Fuff de Clark. That means he's got 4 halfbacks. What do you need 4 halfbacks for? He's just trying to remind the All Blacks that he's got 4 more halfbacks than they've got. That's what he's up to. It's just getting inside the head. It's niggling them, and it's working, isn't it? Cause go and have a look at the polls that there are today. The 2 polls on 2 different news websites asking if we think that the All Blacks are gonna win. And both of them have got the All Blacks winning, but jeez, only by just that, it's by a tiny margin. It's only like 53%, 54%, to the Boks winning 46, 47%.  Normally, we've got way more confidence. Like, normally, we've got confidence that is a little OTT.  But this is Eden Park. This is the fortress. If you're gonna win anywhere, you're gonna win at Eden Park. Where's our confidence? Even the ABs are nervous. If you heard Scottie Hansen, the assistant coach on with us yesterday, he admitted that. Now look, I don't think the All Blacks are gonna lose. I think they're gonna win. Because this game is more important to the All Blacks than it is to the Springboks, because to the Springboks it's just another game. That's all it is, right? But to the All Blacks, it's defending the fortress and defending the fortress when they can see that the country doesn't think that they're gonna be able to, and the ABs thrive on this stuff. Remember when Fozzie was about to get the sack? Mark Robinson from NZR flew over to Joburg to give him the sack. Remember when that was about to happen? Suddenly, the All Blacks just rallied and beat the Springboks to stop him getting the sack because they had something to play for. And the same is true here, they've got something to play for. Plus, as Scotty Hansen said yesterday, the All Blacks seem to play better when they're nervous. It's when people expect them to win, when they expect to win that they weirdly drop the ball. Now, don't forget, we might have been beaten by the Argies, but the Boks were beaten by the Wallabies. So they're not on that much of a streak, are they? Relax. The All Blacks have got it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A military parade in Beijing has sent a clear message from China to the rest of the world.   Asia business correspondent Peter Lewis told Heather duPlessis-Allan that ‘China may be the 2nd largest economy in the world, but it's not happy with that.’  He said that China is aiming to be more than a regional power across Asia, but given the abundance of US military bases globally, gaining an inter-continental foothold could prove difficult.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Green MP Benjamin Doyle has resigned from parliament – citing threats against them and their family as the reason behind this decision.   They served as New Zealand’s first non-binary member of parliament and will give their final valedictory on September 18th.  The fallout from a controversial social media post followed Doyle through their time as an MP, and senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the controversy was more impactful than Doyle’s time in parliament.  ‘The only thing they've done is be the first non-binary person that's entered the corridors of power in parliament, and that's about it.’  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle: Rugby commentator Paul Ellison and sports reader Andrew Alderson join Heather duPlessis-Allan to discuss the latest sports news.  Can the All Blacks defend their unbeaten streak at Eden Park this weekend? Is it all over for the Warriors? and will Liam Lawson keep his spot in F1 next year?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The senior doctors’ union says the Health Minister's proposal of arbitration, would've taken away their members right to decide. Simeon Brown wanted Health NZ and the union to let a third party decide the terms of the contract. The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists rejected this and called his proposal a breach of employment law. Executive Director Sarah Dalton told Heather du Plessis Allan that there were a lot of unknowns around the proposal. She says the minister signalled they didn't see the pot of money as being any different and that's a situation they didn't want to enter into. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Green MP Benjamin Doyle's resignation from Parliament was inevitable. That's according to former MP Peter Dunne - who says it's the right outcome for both Doyle and Parliament. Doyle - who faced questions over controversial social media posts earlier this year - says they've faced an onslaught of hate and violent threats.  Dunne says Doyle's made the right choice.  He says it removes a distraction from Parliament and removes Doyle from an environment in which they clearly didn't fit.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Better, faster, cheaper's the aim of the newly announced refresh to Auckland's transport governance.   The government's introducing legislation to strip Auckland Transport of many of its powers - handing responsibility for major roads to Auckland Council, and local roads to community boards.   Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown told Heather du Plessis-Allan the council should be able to make decisions, as going through Auckland Transport is frustrating.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump hosted a tech get-together with some of the biggest names in modern technology.   The CEOs of ChatGPT, Google Facebook and Microsoft were all present at the high-profile dinner hosted by the President.  Correspondent Jonathan Kearsley told Heather duPlessis-Allan that Trump’s former right-hand-man and CEO of Tesla Elon Musk was invited but did not attend.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.