Larry Williams Drive

The Government is cracking down on dog owners tying up pets for long periods.  SPCA and MPI Animal Welfare inspectors can now issue fines over dogs found tethered in poor conditions and displaying signs of frustration like excessive barking.  Practical exemptions are included for farm dogs.  Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard says there was a 'gaping hole' impacting animal welfare inspectors' ability to handle people who mistreat their dogs. "They could either just offer advice or go the whole hog and take people to court - this is about having a middle step in there and hopefully preventing people from going to court and the rest of the rigmarole that goes with it."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 14 April 2025, Heather is back from maternity leave! The Finance Minister gets a grilling over tariffs and wool. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan on whether the stoush between Chris Luxon and Winston Peters is a media beat-up or real. A driving instructor tells Heather why he doesn't think the Government should get rid of the second practical driving test. Plus, the Huddle on the new Polkinghorne doco and whether it's okay to sleep in separate beds than your partner. 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.

Last-minute efforts to keep British Steel operating are to be carried out today, as the plant races to secure a supply of raw materials. The Department for Business and Trade said officials are working to keep British Steel operational - and ensure all staff at the  Scunthorpe site will be paid. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says efforts are in place to keep it open - but things still feel quite touch-and-go. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trump administration's tariff announcements have left a notable impact on financial markets - and experts fear we may not be out of the woods yet. Smartphones, computers and some other electronics from China will face 20 percent tariffs, rather than the 145 percent imposed on other Chinese goods. The White House says the exemption is not permanent. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson of Sherson Willis PR and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  On the Peters v Luxon saga - is there a genuine disagreement between the pair when it comes to our trade response or is this just a media beat-up job? What do we make of this? The new Polkinghorne TV documentary is out - have we seen it? What did we think? New data shows people still don't trust the media - why do we think this could be? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Demand is outpacing supply in the small business market, as sellers wait out tough trading conditions while buyer interest is at record levels. Recent data shows new business listings fell 10 percent in the year ended March, compared to a 10 percent increase in completed sales. ABC Business Sales managing director Chris Small says there's been an uptick in migrants gravitating to smaller businesses - which has left an impact on prices. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says the Government is still looking to alleviate the impact of the US' tariffs on New Zealand. New Zealand's current rate is at 10 percent - in line with a majority of other countries. Nicola Willis says officials are determined to engage with their American counterparts to work out a solution. "We're pointing out that our tariff regime is very limited towards the US...we have very few non-trade barriers and as far as possible - we'd like to grow the trade between our two countries, so we'd prefer no tariff." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a big week for space enthusiasts and pop fans, as an all-female crew gears up for the Blue Origin NS-31 launch set to take place in a matter of hours. Katy Perry and TV host Gayle King will join four others on the first all-women expedition in 60 years - rocketing 100 kilometres above Earth tomorrow. They'll cross the internationally recognised space boundary - and float for four minutes. It's part of a mission to balance out the 90 percent of men dominating space expeditions. Asia Pacific Aerospace Consultants CEO Kirby Ikin says most of this crew have paid for the experience. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tourism Minister says hitting more markets will pay off in the long-term.  The Government has pumped $13.5 million into Tourism New Zealand for marketing the country as a holiday destination.  Louise Upston says efforts this year to promote to the Australian market are already paying off.  She says there's room for growth.  "We're only at 86 percent of the number of visitors we had back in 2019 - so there's lots of capacity." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Texting words like LOL and OMG may not be as cool as it once was. A US study has found people using abbreviations or slang in texts sound 'stupid' to others. Massey University linguistics expert Dr Arianna Berardi-Wiltshire says slang seems to have become less common. She says changing tech may play a part - with phones now having full keyboards and predictive spelling. "Young people are much more relationally aware than people were in the past - they know, quite often, when it's appropriate to use them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A driving instructor says the full-license test is important for weeding out bad habits.   The Government is proposing scrapping that last exam for new drivers - letting them move from a restricted to a full licence after 18 months, as long as they have no driving offences.  It's calling the current system 'expensive' and 'inefficient'.  But A1 Driving School owner Harald Leeuwenburgh says it helps maintain high driving standards. "A lot of it is an observation - people are not just looking around and not scanning properly at intersections and making poor decisions. That's really a big one that causes lots of accidents." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's dismissing suggestions of tension with his deputy over US tariffs and trade.  Winston Peters last week said Chris Luxon was premature in calling other leaders - and yesterday labelled some language used around trade 'hysterical'.  But Luxon says all the Ministers responsible, which includes Peters, are aligned on the fact a trade war would be bad for New Zealand. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says the trade issue has generated a bipartisan response, but it's unwise to draw too much attention to it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the Australian election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has unveiled a new housing policy designed to 'unlock' 100,000 new homes for first home buyers. This scheme will only be available to first home buyers and the Government plans to make it easier to get approval for a mortgage. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says it's unlikely this promise will be able to address the root of the issue. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warriors co-captain Mitch Barnett feels senior squad members let the team down in their heavy NRL defeat to Melbourne.  Their winless run against the Storm stretched to 17 games after the 42-14 drubbing at AAMI Park. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New reports reveal AI is seeing wider use across public and community services. The Public Service Association surveyed more than 900 of its members, with 55 percent of respondents saying AI is used at their place of work. Of this number, 45 percent admitted using it personally. PSA national secretary Kerry Davies says the increased use of AI isn't the key issue here - but the lack of training and guardrails is cause for concern. "AI in itself isn't so much the issue - it's the use of AI without proper supports and without proper training." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 11 April 2025, the Government's expanding the definition of who is a veteran... but is it just a token gesture? Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton on why skipper peter burling is stepping away after 10 years with the team Plus number of expelled students is skyrocketing - what's going on? 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.

It’s been another big week in politics. The Government has committed 12 billion over four years to defence, Winston Peters thinks the Prime Minister’s free trade talks are premature, and the Greens were the target of billboards by the sensible sentencing trust. Senior Political Editor Barry Soper talks to Ryan Bridge about all this and more. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China appears to beattempting to form a united front against Washington, by drawing on support from other nations. President Donald Trump has temporarily backed down on his initial tariffs on most nations except for China. Asia Business Correspondent Peter Lewis talks to Ryan Bridge about the latest out of China, China’s President Xi Jinping heading to Southeast Asia, and why Japan might be the first to negotiate a deal with the US. LISTEN ABOVE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced local wool products will be used in future construction and refurbishments of state buildings. It's part of the New Zealand First coalition agreement with National. But producers of local buildings are saying ‘what about us?’ Kiwi timber organisations have been lobbying the Government for a similar deal for years, and are now feeling left out in the cold. New Zealand Timber Federation Industry Director Jeff Ilott talks to Ryan Bridge about the announcement.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oceania Football Confederation Communications Manager Matt Brown and Sportstalk Host D’Arcy Waldegrave join the Sports Huddle this week.   Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton said a big number was put in front of Peter Burling, but the offer was pulled when it wasn’t signed. What does the Sports Huddle make of Burling’s departure? Viewership numbers for Super Rugby have impressed this year, with a 12 percent increase here and 30 percent in Australia. What’s driving the success? The Sports Huddle discuss CTE impacts from rugby. Gary Stead is stepping down as the Black Caps white ball coach. Who will replace him? LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.