Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Ryman Healthcare's share price has gone up for the first half of July, leading experts to speculate about the company's future.  This follows a downturn from earlier in the year. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 16 July 2025, open plan classrooms will no longer be built, the Education Minister says they lead to worse learning outcomes. Rangiora High School principal Bruce Kearney tells Ryan his school spent $1.5 million to put the walls back into its open-plan classrooms. The Local Government Minister has confirmed he wants a cap on council rates increases by the end of the year. Local Government boss Sam Broughton says caps are not the solution. Why does Labour think a new commissioner is the solution to NZ's modern day slavery? Camilla Belich explains. Plus, a DoC hunter tells Ryan how he found the kiwi pukupuku - the first sighting on the mainland in 50 years. 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.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Australia seems to have turned the corner on teenage vaping, with rates among young people dropping. Do we need to follow suit and crack down on vaping? Members of Local Government NZ have voted in favour of strong opposition to a rates cap. What do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We owe our kids an apology. School students of all ages in this country have been used as guinea pigs in failed experiments that have been demonstrably bad for their learning. We've had two announcements from the Government this week that prove this. First, the latest NCEA maths results from low decile schools. They improved by around 70 percent. 19.8 percent passed the co-requisite test last year. In June it was 34 percent. This is, obviously, excellent news. Well done to those students for putting in the hard work. The begging question is why and how on earth did this happen? I asked both Erica Stanford and Chris Hipkins, the former Education Minister, this question. Both agreed it was a more relentless focus on the basics. Both agreed that teachers have been teaching too much 'fluffy' other stuff to students and their results in core subjects have been declining as a result. Both politicians blamed the other party for changing where the focus goes. And that's politics. But it's the students who've missed out. They're the ones who won't get those years back. They're the ones who've missed out. They're the ones who will pay the price in future for missing out on a basic education. And two, the open plan, barn-yard style classrooms - the home of distracted learning. The Government today announced they won't build any new ones. Which, again, is welcome news. But the question is - why any were built in the first place? The Key government built some and Labour carried on. All of this on the advice of boffins at the Ministry of Education who've clearly never stepped foot in an actual classroom. Now, the Minister says they've done some actual research and realised they're a terrible idea. This is how Erica Stanford politely described how schools are coping with these classes at present: "There are schools who still have them and they operate in them the best they possibly can. They have trained their teachers to work in them, they've got really good acoustics. They're teaching children at different levels, some on chairs, some on the floor to reduce the noise, and they're doing the best they can." I know, totally ridiculous. The reality is, we can't solely blame out kids for their failure to learn. We can also blame ill-informed or ideologically-driven experiments by the Ministry of Education, the unions and politicians. Whether it's the Ministry in Wellington, the unions or politicians, we can't solely blame our kids for their failure to learn. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The winter season means higher power bills will impact Kiwi households, but the Electricity Authority has promised changes are on the way. The nation's largest power companies will be required to offer 'time of use' plans that make it cheaper to use power at off-peak times. Electricity Authority Chair Anna Kominik says there's no silver bullet for bringing prices down, but these changes are important for the sector's future.  "Basically, we'll make sure that cheaper off-peak power and most New Zealand households can access a pricing plan that gives them a cheaper rate for electricity use during off-peak hours."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia may have turned a corner on youth vaping, according to new reports. A new study has found the country's rates have fallen among 14 to 17-year-olds, from 17.5 percent at the start of 2023 to 14.6 percent this April.  It's putting it down to banning disposable vapes last year.  Lead study investigator Becky Freeman says the rate's still worryingly high - but it seems to have peaked. "We're really pleased to see that our youngest teens are telling us that vaping is no longer the norm amongst their friends, they're not as curious about it as they were before."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's taken quick action on demands from thousands of Kiwi teens to counter modern slavery. The students today delivered letters to Parliament - written at World Vision NZ Youth Conferences and universities. Labour's Camilla Belich announced a draft bill today to set up an anti-slavery Commissioner. National put a similar bill to the ballot this year.  Belich says nothing currently addresses issues of modern slavery - so any start is a good one.  "There'll be a chance to see whether that Commissioner is effective in their role, and a chance to look at whether there's more that needs to be done in that space." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Open-plan classrooms will soon be a thing of the past, according to a new directive from the Government. Education Minister Erica Stanford's announced plans to build all new classrooms with standardised designs. Rangiora High School's already spent one and a half million dollars removing its open-plan style classes. Principal Bruce Kearney says it ended up being distracting. "They tend to be noisier, but it was also the combination of 60 kids, two teachers - the whole deal, really. It didn't really work out for us."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A rare little spotted kiwi has been spotted in the wild on the mainland for the first time in nearly 50 years.  The bird was seen in March in the remote Adams Wilderness Area on the West Coast. It's estimated only 2000 remain, and were thought to be only on offshore islands or in fenced predator-free sites. DoC diversity ranger Iain Graham discovered the bird - and says they're more vulnerable to predators than other kiwi species.  "It takes these guys a whole lot longer than our other kiwi species, it takes them up to two years to get to that stoat-proof weight, so they're vulnerable for a much longer period of time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Johnson, the US Speaker of the House, has called for the Justice Department to release the files of deceased sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein. President Donald Trump has been facing increased backlash from fellow Republicans for not properly handling the case - which Trump campaigned on getting to the bottom of.  US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says the White House has been trying to shift public attention away from this case - but the division is making it hard to ignore.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More accusations are being slung across the House, with the Greens indicating it's the Government that's forcing people across the ditch. At today's Question Time, Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick asked the Prime Minister about the conditions making young Kiwis head to Australia. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says there's a number of factors behind the brain drain - and that many skilled workers are making their way into New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sonny Bill Williams is over the chatter and is ready to let his hands do the talking in tonight's boxing bout against Paul Gallen in Sydney. It'll be the first time in three years either fighter has stepped inside the ring, with both acknowledging it's their final dance in the squared circle.  Sportstalk host Elliott Smith explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The head of a local Government lobby group has raised concerns about the Government's newest bill aimed at local councils. An amendment bill being moved through Parliament would require councils financially prioritise its core services.  The Government wants councils to give more value to ratepayers.  Local Government New Zealand President Sam Broughton says many people and councils want lower rates, but he's unsure if capping rates is the way to go. "Lower rates increases has got to be the aim, whether a rates cap is the right way to go about it  - and compromises will need to be made to get us there - it's up for debate." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Britain has lost more billionaires than any other nation over the past two years, and there's fears a tougher wealth tax could drive these figures up. New research has found the UK lost nearly a quarter of its billionaires between 2023 and 2024, with many of the UK's wealthiest individuals moving their tax residency to low-tax jurisdictions.  UK correspondent Enda Brady says many of these rich-listers have moved to places like Switzerland, Monaco and Dubai - which have far more favourable tax regimes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the summer barbecue season continues in the US, Americans are paying record-setting prices for their beef.  The price for New Zealand-produced beef has surged amid ongoing demand among US consumers. The Country's Jamie Mackay reveals what this news could mean for Kiwi farmers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research from the Financial Services Council reveals that New Zealanders are quick to insure their cars, homes, and gadgets - but they're far less likely to protect their health, income, and lives. The report, titled Money & You: Valuing Belongings Over Ourselves, shows New Zealanders are twice as likely to have car insurance over life or health insurance. FSC CEO Kirk Hope says expanding access to private insurance through workplace schemes would help improve coverage across the population."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Commission is taking Foodstuffs North Island and its subsidiary Gilmours Wholesale to court, citing what it labels 'cartel conduct'. The regulator has alleged that the retailers pressured a supplier into an agreement to redirect supply through them. Competition lawyer Andy Matthews says it's all allegations at this stage, but New Zealand has very 'broad' cartel laws. "What it means is - pretty much any agreement with an actual or potential competitor probably has a cartel provision. And it's up to the party who's entered into the alleged cartel provision to demonstrate an exception that the Commerce Act applies." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour Minister Stuart Nash and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!   David Seymour's rebuttal letter to the UN has ended in an awkward walkback after Prime Minister Chris Luxon told him off. What do we make of this? Australia is debating whether or not to put cancer warnings on alcoholic drinks. Do we need to follow their lead? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 15 July 2025, the Government is changing the law to force councils to focus on their core business. But the Minister for Local Government is struggling to explain to Ryan what councils have been doing that is nice-to-have. Former Australian ambassador to Russia, Peter Tesch, is not convinced that Donald Trump's ultimatum to Vladimir Putin will actually lead to peace in Ukraine. Deputy PM David Seymour has been reminded by the Prime Minister who is in charge of foreign affairs - and that's Winston Peters! Seymour tells Ryan he was just overeager to get his response to the UN in the mail. Plus, the Huddle debates whether cancer warnings on alcohol would make a difference. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's introduced a bill today to get local Government back focused on the basics. But the fact they've strayed so far from potholes, rubbish and waste water is as much our fault as the councillors and mayors running the budgets. The Government's bill contains the wildly controversial stuff like: "Prioritising core services when managing finances and setting rates." And "new financial performance measures for councils, with a requirement for regular public reporting." How scandalous. Honestly. We shouldn't need central Government to spend time and money clarifying such simple principles to their local Government counterparts, but it's 2025, and here we are. We shouldn't need a bill to stop wasteful spending. We just need more Andrew Tripes. He's the Whanganui mayor overseeing a 2.2 percent rate increase this year. Much less than the average 8.7 percent across the country. He went on RNZ this morning and basically said it how it really is. If you want low rates, spend less, save money, have a plan. And stick to it. Like Dave Latele, he says: No excuses. He cut the naff curb-side food waste bin nonsense. That saved them 1.1 percent. Why has Auckland kept its scheme when most don't even use it? The fact is that this is all our fault. Not the fault of the councils or the mayors - and certainly not central Government who's sweeping in to try and save the day. It's us, the voters. We obviously don't care enough about council waste. Otherwise we'd have voted to get rid of it. It's a simple as that. Voter turnout in 2022 was 36 percent. In Auckland, our largest city, it was 31 percent! In some areas of Auckland it was only 20 percent. No wonder we're tripping over cycleways and raised crossings, paying for cooking classes at community centres and drowning in unnecessarily, infuriatingly exorbitant rates bills. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour is standing by his letter to the UN - now withdrawn. He wrote responding to an official who'd expressed concerns about the impact of Seymour's Regulatory Standards Bill on Māori. The Prime Minister says that's a job for the Foreign Minister and Seymour's conceded it's better to a have a single Government response, led by Winston Peters. Seymour says he still needs to work out how to undo the letter he sent. "I'll probably have to go through Winston, he probably doesn't want me to write direct to the UN again - I think that would probably miss the whole point of the exercise."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TRA’s latest New Zealand’s Favourite Ads survey for June 2025 has revealed what ads Kiwis are loving the most - and one of the top contenders is powered by AI. Skinny's new ad campaign starring a digitally cloned 64-year-old Liz Wright - chosen from hundreds of entries in a nationwide search - rounded out the top 10 in a list including Tux, One NZ, KFC and Turners.  Spark's marketing and data director, Matt Bain, says AI has allowed digital effects in advertising to become more 'democratised'. "Brands like Skinny can actually do things like clone a customer and then create scenes that wouldn't have been possible on Skinny's budgets." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A significant moment for Ukraine - as the US falls into line with NATO.  President Donald Trump's pledged billions of dollars of weapons to Ukraine, through a sale to NATO.  He's also threatening Russia with 100 percent secondary tariffs if the Kremlin doesn't make a ceasefire deal within 50 days.  Former Australian ambassador to Russia, Peter Tesch says US policy is too fickle to make this a complete game changer. "It is an important signal - and a very welcome signal to Ukraine and NATO that the US won't hinder their efforts to defend Ukraine at their own expense." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Local Government Minister says new legislation in the works will give councils clarity.  An amendment bill's been introduced to Parliament to make local bodies focus on core services.  It also demands regular public progress reports - and disclosure on the cost of consultants and contractors.  Simon Watts says it's a return to bread and butter duties.  "Previously, terms like social, cultural and economic type activities - they were all just catch-all. And as a result, some councils across the country were doing stuff that was basically wasteful spending." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour's withdrawn a letter he sent to the United Nations after being called out by the Prime Minister.  A United Nations' official's letter was critical of the Regulatory Standards Bill, saying it excluded Māori traditions. Seymour, the Minister responsible for the bill, replied that as an indigenous New Zealander himself, he's deeply aggrieved by the UN's audacity in presuming to speak on his behalf.  Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper discussed the saga further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Albanese and Xi Jinping have met in Beijing, kicking off high-level talks as Australia and China strive to focus on economic co-operation rather than their increasingly militaristic regional rivalry. With the Australian and Chinese national flags adorning the walls, it was a welcome befitting the charm offensive waged on the Australian Prime Minister since landing over the weekend. Australian correspondent Charles Croucher unpacked the pair's meeting further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Blues’ contract with Eden Park is drawing to a close, and a decision on where they will move their home games to is yet to be made. In a survey sent to supporters, the franchise asked fans whether they would be more likely to attend Blues matches if they were moved to Mt Smart instead of Eden Park next Super Rugby season. Sportstalk host Jason Pine weighs in on the discussion. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows that house prices have dropped for the fourth consecutive month in June. The Real Estate Institute of NZ shows that across the entire country, the HPI declined by 0.8 percent in June compared to May. Property commentator Ashley Church says the cause of this downturn goes all the way back to 2021, when Covid impacted interest rates. "The Reserve Bank, as a result of that, recognized what it had done, reversed course and increased the OCR, which had the effect of increasing mortgage interest rates over the following two years. So the result of that is basically what we're dealing with." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The EU's retaliatory tariffs on US exports have been delayed again - this time until early next month. The countermeasures, which were due to begin this month, came in response to President Donald Trump's initial import taxes on steel and aluminium. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Trump has recently threatened to bring in higher tariffs for the European Union on top of the earlier sanctions.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of New Zealand's leading building sector bodies is launching standard house designs that will be available to all, in an attempt to bring down costs. The Building Research Association of New Zealand has developed an accessible plan for building an affordable and sustainable home.  BRANZ General Manager of Research Dr Chris Litten says housing affordability is a significant issue in New Zealand - and the company's looking to develop a solution. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump is renewing his threats to Canada, vowing to slap a 35 percent tariff on its goods. He says he'll impose the tariff on Canadian goods starting in August. Trump's also made threats of blanket tariffs of 15 or 20 percent on most trade partners. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly reveals how the markets reacted. 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! New data shows more young Kiwis are having issues finding work. Do we have any inspirational messages for young people looking for jobs? How can they get ahead?  Is the UN interfering with NZ's sovereignty?  Ray Chung has since apologised for his infamous email to Tory Whanau - but the council's Crown observer is raising issues with the Minister and the council's CEO is looking to investigate a possible code of conduct breach? What do we make of this?  Donald Trump is now mulling increasing the baseline tariff for everyone from 10 percent to 15-20 percent. Should we try to make the best of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says revelations she wanted to keep numbers attending this year's Budget lock-up more restricted than she suggested is a mountain out a of molehill. After a wave of criticism directed at Treasury for restricting lock-up numbers - Nicola Willis said she stepped in to enable more people in. An extra 30 people were added to the list. But new OIA documents show it was actually Willis who pushed for tighter restrictions She says she had initially opted to stick to the same approach for the Budget, as had been used for the half-yearly fiscal update. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 14 July 2025, how much money did we waste on the Te Pukenga experiment? Minister for Vocational Training Penny Simmonds tells Ryan Bridge the shocking cost, and why we're going back to 10 independent polytechs from next year. A Tasman community has yet again been hit by mountains of slash. Ngātīmoti resident Steph Jewell reports from the clean-up and what should be done to avoid history repeating again. Former rugby league player Paul Gallen tells Ryan he really does hate Sonny Bill Williams ahead of the pair's much anticipated fight. Plus, the Huddle debrief on THAT letter by Ray Chung and THAT interview he did with Ryan last week. 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.

Put your hand up if you've ever had a bus suddenly pull out in front of your car while you're driving along, minding your own beeswax. I know. It's happened to everyone. They're long things aren't they, buses? So you can be halfway past one when they pull out, and all of a sudden you're slamming on the brakes or you're pushed into the wrong lane. I don't mind admitting that until this very morning, I had assumed that buses must have had the right of way. They seem to take no prisoners. They have no mercy. They're as ruthless on the road as the All Blacks at the Cake Tin on Saturday night. But I was reading an article this morning from the Spinoff about a bunch of changes to road rules that Chris Bishop wants to enact. One of them is giving buses right of way when they're exiting bus stops. So if you're driving a car, you must yield. Give way. Slow down, or more likely, stop completely to let them out. The theory is that buses carry more passengers than cars. If we prioritise the buses, more people will get where they need to go. Productivity increases. And we're all better off. And you know what? I can get onboard with that. It makes sense, and I sort of thought that was the law anyway. But if we motorists are going to do something nice for the buses, then I want something in return. I want those stupid green bus lanes that sit empty most of the day as traffic piles up around them back. I want us to reclaim the road for the people who are actually using it. I understand the need for rush-hour/peak bus lanes. But I don't understand why they must be bus lanes 24/7 when they're 1 - not being used by buses and 2 - causing massive delays, inconvenience and lost productivity to the rest of us. The default position is that bus lanes are 24/7 unless sign posted otherwise. The one in particular that rips my nightie is in central Auckland - where most bus lanes are 24/7. Does anybody else have this problem - or am I just another selfish motorist fuming in midday traffic? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's immense pressure for young New Zealanders trying to find work as opportunities decline. Stats NZ data shows 16 percent of Kiwis aged 15-24 are unemployed. NZ Careers Expo director Mark Gillard says the market conditions show it's a tough market for young workers. "It's not anybody's fault, the onus is certainly there on employers, on industry organisations to engage with young people. There's been a propensity to step back and let the internet do all the talking, but we know face-to-face engagement with young people is what really inspires them."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Gallen is speaking out after things got heated between him and Sonny Bill Williams ahead of their high-profile match in Sydney. The pre-fight press conference initially saw both fighters seemingly ready to skip the verbal jabs in exchange for the in-ring shots on Wednesday. However, the latter stages saw Gallen accuse Williams of drug use - and for charging large sums for his community work.  Gallen says he can't see himself breaking bread with Sonny Bill after the fight, but 'that's life'. "There's no acting going on at all - we don't like each other." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's assuring industry groups they'll still have influence as polytechnics change. Next year, 10 polytechs will return to regional governance - but four remain under Te Pūkenga's umbrella. More decisions will be made mid-next year.  Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds says these 10 institutions are following a planned pathway designed to boost long-term viability. "This is work that should have happened 5-6 years ago, it's happened now - and they are getting rid of the wasteful spending, they are getting themselves back on track." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Huge landslides in Tasman have caused widespread destruction in the past week's damaging storms.  The area's State of Emergency continues - but recovery efforts are in full swing after flooding, slips and power outages. More than 800 properties are being assessed for damage in Tasman and Nelson. The town of Ngātīmoti was badly hit. Local Steph Jewell says logjams that meant homes flooded - are being cleared. "Further up the little stream that I live up - it's all happening. As soon as I wake, it's the sound of machinery." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Moves have been made to restore regional governance to 10 polytechnics.  The Government is undoing Labour's merger of institutes under the Te Pūkenga umbrella.  The 10 selected are deemed to be on a path to financial viability - and will stand alone from next year.  Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says these changes will hopefully help the regions boost employment in the sectors calling out for workers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Albanese will use high-profile meetings with top business leaders in Shanghai to boost the Chinese-Australian trade relationship. The Prime Minister is also expected to back industry efforts to decarbonise China's huge steel sector.  Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Albanese will also meet with Xi Jinping tomorrow - to further discuss trade. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson's hinting some more experienced squad members yet to get a run against France could get their opportunity in Saturday's third test in Hamilton. An unassailable 2-nil series lead affords the hosts the chance to mix up their selections for the final match. Robertson says they'll be balancing opportunity with continuity in picking their 23. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows there's been a noticeable surge in high school students passing NCEA numeracy and literacy assessments. Latest results show 57 percent achieved the maths standard across all year levels in May this year, up from 45 percent in the same month last year. 61 percent met the reading standard for all year levels - up from 58 percent. Education Minister Erica Stanford says she's 'proud' to see that achievement rates have gone up. "We've turned the corner, we have a relentless focus on achievement, on literacy and numeracy an hour a day - the clear curriculum, the standard teaching practices and all those resources we're putting in - we're now starting to see these results improving." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 11th July 2025, the mayoral campaign for Wellington councillor Ray Chung appears to be in tatters after a sex gossip email he sent about Tory Whanau was made public. Chung told Ryan Bridge he stands by the email, and makes a jaw-dropping admission.  Deborah Hart, the chair of the Holocaust Centre, is warning that antisemitism has moved from the fringes to the mainstream in New Zealand, and we need a strategy to fight it.  Why is the Victoria University student association telling graduates to go to Australia rather than find a job here?  Ryan talks to the woman in charge of hiring 500 new staff members for New Zealand's first Ikea store.  Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jewish leaders are calling for New Zealand to follow in Australia's footsteps and formulate an antisemitism strategy.  The Australian special envoy's plan includes harsher hate speech laws and stripping funding where possible from broadcasters, universities and arts institutions.   It follows a string of antisemitic attacks in Australia in the past few months.  Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Chair Deborah Hart told Ryan Bridge Jewish people in New Zealand are feeling scared.  She says people are seriously talking about a plan B and who might hide them if things take a turn for the worse.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wellington Mayoral race was supposed to be winding down into boring town.  Tory went wild, had a tipsy whirlwind on Courtenay Place. A bit of booze, a bit of dine and dashing. It was salacious, it was scandalous.  As stories of late-night escapades and unpaid bills and missed council meetings flooded the newspapers, the streets flooded, literally. Every time a scandal burst onto the front page of The Post, so did a pipe. It was as if Wellington’s infrastructure were protesting the incompetence at City Hall.  Poonamis. An onslaught of cycleways. Crime. And still no second Mount Victoria tunnel.  It all came to a head, of course. Andrew Little entered the chat. Tory pulls out.  And from here it was meant to get boring. You know in an action movie when all the crazy stuff happens, there's half an hour left on the clock, but the world's been saved by superhero XYZ? All the main cast is safe and well and life goes on happily ever after?  That's where I thought we were with Wellington's Mayoral Race.  Well, Wellington, you're getting a sequel – within the original.   Mayoral candidate Ray Chung sent his colleagues an email, regaling them with a story a friend told him while he was out walking his dog. In it, he says, Tory Whanau had drug-fuelled tempestuous sex with a bunch of young guys. He also claims he was told that she had pendulous soft breasts.   It's starting to smell a little bit like Ontario in Canada. Remember the mayor who was accused of smoking crack? Just scandal through a local election campaign.  To get real for a minute, two things. One: Tory denies the story completely and utterly rejects it.   Two: Ray sent this to three fellow councillors on their personal email addresses. So, it was a private email, he claims. And Ray reckons that one of those people has leaked it to Tory, who has leaked it to the press.   So then you start to wonder, is one of Ray’s former fellow council mates now turning on him, perhaps for political reasons? I don't know the answer to that question. All I really know is that Wellington, you need some popcorn because you're in for one hell of a tempestuous election campaign.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Embattled Wellington mayoral candidate Ray Chung is refusing to pull out of the race, despite being ditched by a major financial backer.   It comes after the Herald revealed Chung sent emails detailing an unsavoury sexual rumour about Mayor Tory Whanau – rumours she's categorically denied.   The scandal has led to high-profile Wellington philanthropist Sir Mark Dunajtschik withdrawing his support for Chung’s campaign.  Despite this, Chung told Ryan Bridge empathically he's not backing out of the race, saying that's absolutely not his plan.  He’s also accusing one of the three colleagues he sent the email to of leaking it to Whanau.  He says he can't say for sure who it was... but says he could have a guess.   Chung would not, however say which of the three he was accusing of the leak.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week saw the All Blacks defeat France by a narrow four points.  Despite facing a greener Les Bleus side, the All Blacks struggled a bit in getting that victory over the line.  Weekend Sport Host Jason Pine told Ryan Bridge that last week’s result could influence France in one of two ways.  He says their close score could either be motivational, or they could think that Dunedin was their best shot at defeating the boys in black.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Victoria University of Wellington Students Association is turning heads with its new campaign.   “No work. Sh*t pay. Why stay?” is the slogan for their “Where’s the Work?” campaign.  The group is aiming to draw attention to the record number of students ditching the country for prospects overseas.  Engagement Vice President Aidan Donoghue told Ryan Bridge they’ve seen within the public sector to lower the roles offered, and they want to encourage the private sector to pick up the slack instead.  He says we either let these people go and likely never see them again, or we keep them inhouse and try expand industries within New Zealand.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been 40 years since the French sunk the Rainbow Warrior. They wanted to stop the protests against nuclear testing at Mururoa. The terrorist attack by an allied country on on our soil was outrageous. Two years after the event, we cemented our nuclear free stance. We're officially against nuclear weapons. Testing is bad for the environment, no doubt. But let me ask you a question. Since Hiroshima and Nagasaki, have we had another world war? The answer is no. We've had decades of cold war between Russia and the West.We've had plenty of conflict - Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East.But nothing's escalated quite in the way it did in World Wars I and II. I think you've got to ask yourself why? Did we collectively realise the bloody cost of far away battles and drawing our friends into conflict?Did we wake up after the second round and think, oh, world wars aren't that great. Or we witness the power of atomic weapons in Japan and scare ourselves silly? The theory of nuclear deterrence basically says that yes nukes are evil inventions, but their existence deters your enemies from attacking you for fear you'll hit back with a nuke. Mutually assured destruction. It's like schoolyard bullies. You don't pick on a guy who's got a bunch of older brothers who could then come beat you up. The threat of getting totally annihilated deters you from picking on somebody with nukes, or, messing with their friends. Nukes are bad. But does anybody think without them we'd have gone 80 years without a major world war?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.