Larry Williams Drive

A strong primary sector performance has produced a billion-dollar monthly trade surplus - for the first time in five years. Stats NZ data reveals it sat on $1.4 billion dollars in April, compared with a $12 million dollar deficit for the same time last year. Export NZ Executive Director, Joshua Tan, says it's a team effort across the food and fibre sector. He says dairy, red meat, fruit and wood exports have all risen by millions of dollars. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a shifting international view of Israel as its war on Gaza shows little sign of relenting.  After global pressure, including from the US, Israel has relented on a months-long blockade and let in limited aid - but none's been distributed so far.  It's also continued firing on Gaza, where more than 53,000 people have died to date.  Sky News' Alistair Bunkall says there's a strong sense - even among Isarelis - that the country has taken this too far.  "There is a political dynamic to it for Netanyahu's own political reasons - and they are opposed to it and the damage that it's doing on their nation's reputation internationally." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Revenue Minister says Donald Trump was a factor in scrapping the incoming Digital Services Tax Bill. A legacy of the last Government, it would've imposed a three percent tax on revenue from Kiwis - earned by the likes of Facebook and Google. The US President has called such legislation 'overseas extortion', and said he'd act against it. Simon Watts says they considered recent developments, including in the US. "But at the end of the day - I took a look at this tax, we've been looking at it a bit and it's got some real drawback - and we've made the decision to pull it from the agenda." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters is doubling down on criticising a passer-by who heckled him yesterday after an announcement on rail funding. Environmental and engineering firm Tonkin + Taylor says it's looking into a report a man wearing a staff lanyard swore at the minister. The Minister said he doesn't care if he loses his job. Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden's earlier announcement that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer has revived questions about what health issues the former US president was facing while in office. President Donald Trump recently claimed he was 'surprised' the public wasn't notified a long time ago - and this doctor also earlier said Biden was cognitively fine. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says people are curious about why more wasn't revealed sooner. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An admission from Super Rugby officials that the refereeing panel made a mistake disallowing a Moana Pasifika try to Millennium Sanerivi in their victory over the Blues last weekend. A try can only be overturned if there is an infringement in the final attacking passage of play - but they went back for a foot in touch earlier. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a widespread global shortage of ADHD medication - and it's hitting Kiwis hard. A survey by ADHD New Zealand of people prescribed with ADHD medication found that over half were struggling to get what they needed - and one third of respondents were worried they would lose their jobs if they weren't properly medicated. ADHD New Zealand spokesperson Darrin Bull says people in schools and universities are also struggling under the current shortage. "This is a global issue - it's just not New Zealand, there are particular issues in the UK and Australia as well. It's a supply chain issue." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Was Tonkin + Taylor right to apologise to Winston Peters for the employee heckling him? Of course they were! They don't want to be associated with this kind of behaviour. The guy was wearing their work lanyard, it clearly identified him as a staffer and I had his name and photo land in my inbox at 4:41 yesterday afternoon. Which is to say - people had already figured out who he is and who he works for. And if Tonkin + Taylor said nothing, rightly or wrongly, - there would be people who would assume they were fine with his behaviour or shared his views. So it was a reputational risk for them to remain quiet. And they were right to publicly distance themselves from him - and an apology to Winston Peters seems like a perfectly reasonable way of doing it. Also, it’s perfectly reasonable for them to call Mr Bollocks into the office and remind him not to embarrass them while he’s wearing a work lanyard. I think that seems fair. But I think that’s where it has to end. The Free Speech Union raises some decent points

The UK is hailing a new era of relations with Europe, as they seek closer ties on trade and defence. The new deal signals a resetting of ties with the European Union post-Brexit, and could mean significant trade benefits for Britain. It'll be easier to trade food across the border, and allow the UK to access EU funds for defence development. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this development puts an end to the 'little Britain' experiment. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New reports indicate a critical part of the Government’s plan for cutting greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years appears to have fallen over. A huge chunk of the Government’s climate success rests on a single project, which the owner now says probably won’t happen because it doesn’t stack up commercially. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's less than two days to go until Budget Day 2025, and experts are outlining their predictions. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hinted this won't be a 'lolly scramble' and plenty of cuts will have to take place. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen explains further, LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  The suspension debate for the three Māori Party MPs has been postponed until June 5 in a surprise move. Do we think this is the right call? It's been revealed Auckland Council spent $3 million on communications and advertising for the green food scrap bins -  do we need to scrap them for good? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, that ended up being a fizzer, didn't it? I mean, wow, here we were. We were expecting this big debate over the Māori Party punishments to drag on for days, if not weeks, and overshadow the Budget - and the blinking thing didn't even last an hour. It got postponed to next month. What happened was, in retrospect, very simple and very obvious, just a move from the Government. It came to the Government's turn to talk about it - and up pops Chris Bishop, Leader of the House. He says - hey, I move it gets postponed, and guess what, it gets postponed because the Government has the majority in the House, so they simply voted for that, and there we go, clear air for the Budget. Most relieved, I would say, would be the Government, because it means that they do get clear air for the Budget on Thursday. Most bummed out, I would imagine, would be the Māori Party - who'd even gone to the effort of organizing a protest on the full court of Parliament. So basically, what's happened is we put this thing to bed for

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 20 May 2025, Leader of the House Chris Bishop speaks to Heather after his surprise move to delay the much anticipated debate about Maori Party MPs' punishments. Former Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell defends the MPs right to haka in the house without being punished. Auckland Council has spent $3 million dollars on PR and marketing for its food scrap bins - and Heather is delighted with a campaign to get rid of them. Plus, Stacey Mowbray from concussion and brain injury charity Headway calls for a controversial Runit straight competition to be called off.   Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years of delay, Aucklanders can expect to receive their property valuations early next month. Auckland Council says it expected to deliver the new valuations, commonly known as capital values (CVs), in the week of June 9 to June 13. Property commentator Ashley Church says it's unlikely this will make a difference in overall valuations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The debate on Te Pāti Māori's proposed punishment has been paused until June - but it's still sparked discussion among some. Debate was set to begin today on proposed suspensions for the Te Pāti Māori MPs who did a haka during voting on the Treaty Principles Bill - before the Government moved to adjourn it. Despite this, former co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell has spoken in defence of Te Pāti Māori. "The bigger kaupapa here is around an ability for Māori to express their views in the Parliament of our land - and allow that to happen on the back of what has happened through history in Parliament." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health professionals have voiced concerns as the Runit Championship League makes its debut in Auckland. The controversial new combat sport has players running full force at each other. Stacey Mowbray, Headway CEO, says this sport presents high risks of brain injury - and the research agrees. "One thing that worries us is - have these people been fully informed? Listening to people involved in it, they didn't actually seem to realise there was a difference...we want to educate people." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tide looks to be changing for Gull as the leader of low-priced petrol offerings. Fuel-finding app Gaspy is reporting Taupo's Gull Ātiamuri has been undercut by Z-Energy's Waikaraka U-GO in South Auckland. AA Principal Policy Advisor Terry Collins says Gull paved the way with its New Zealand- owned self-service model.  He explained it has a low cost entry, with electronic payment options meaning stations don't need staff - and the fuel's there.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ACC Minister denies his comments last week played into the agency now pausing its sexual violence prevention programme.  Scott Simpson suggested he was looking at narrowing the scope of ACC responsibilities to sexual abuse victims. ACC has confirmed it's paused the nationwide rollout of Hikitia - as it aligns itself with Government plans. Simpson now says there's no connection, and he has no intention to shed ACC's responsibilities.  "All they've done is just pause this programme while they have a look at it, evaluate it and make sure that they're getting the best results for the victims of sexual violence." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Leader of the House says postponing the debate on Te Pāti Māori MPs' sanctions is the right thing to do.  Debate began today on proposed suspensions for the Te Pāti Māori MPs who did a haka during voting on the now-rejected Treaty Principles Bill.  But 20 minutes in, the Government moved to adjourn it - to leave this week free to be all about the Budget.  The opposition were blindsided. Chris Bishop says he was under no obligation to tell them.  "There'll be many a chance for people to have their say on the appropriate punishment in a couple of weeks. As it stands, the Government is in favour of the report of the Committee." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.