Larry Williams Drive

The Reserve Bank wasn’t planning to announce former governor Adrian Orr’s resignation until after it had hosted a big international conference. But the unexplained resignation was brought forward by five days to March 5 - the day before the conference, new documents reveal.  NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has unveiled some new measures designed to create more consequences for 'cowboy builders'. Tales of shoddy work have heighted concerns - encouraging the Government to introduce self-certification for builders and remote inspections. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says more clarity is needed to alleviate these concerns. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 2 April 2025, a review has found a litany of failures led to an 11 year-old being mistaken for a woman in her 20s, restrained and drugged. Ryan Bridge speaks to chief medical officer Dr Richard Sullivan. Maori Party MPs will get another chance to front up to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee, but Act MP David Seymour says their pay should be cut for not turning up in the first place. Weightloss doctor Dr Lara Courtenay speaks about the new Ozempic-like weightloss drug that's just been approved. Is the housing market just about to take off? Property investment expert Ed McKnight has the inside word. Plus, the Huddle debates why the majority of us regret their career choice. 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.

Property sales have reached the highest point in years - but the number of unsold homes is at a record high. Barfoot & Thompson has revealed March was a record month for house sales, but unsold stock numbers have been climbing, with 5300 places unsold in January and 5900 in February but 6200 last month. Property investment expert Ed McKnight says vendors aren't willing to take risks at this point. "It's a bit of a game of who's going to blink first - are those sellers going to capitulate to what the market is actually willing to offer?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump's tariffs are coming tomorrow - and he's basically playing God with the global economy. I've found the stuff we should know: The presser is 4pm Eastern time in the Rose Garden at the White House. That's 9am NZT. The reason it's late over there is because they want markets closed when he announces it. This is big league stuff. This guy has the power to make or break countries, markets and entire industries. Here's some stats: Goldman Sachs' odds on a US recession are up from 20 percent to 35 percent. Moody’s reckons it could cost 5.5 million jobs - that would lift the unemployment rate from 4 percent to 7 percent. GDP would fall 1.7 percent from peak to trough. For context, that's the equivalent of 2/3rds of the growth our economy is expecting this year. Reciprocal tariffs are broad-based tariffs across all countries. The White House has been tight-lipped on carve-outs or exemptions, but some countries are hammering the phones begging for them. They're panicked on Downing Street - though S

A Napier accommodation provider is doubling down on turning away Americans - saying it's a protest against the Trump administration 'betraying' Ukraine. Bluff Hill Lighthouse B&B has cancelled every US booking since February. Owner Mario Schmidt is blaming the President - and his adviser, billionaire Elon Musk. He says he made the decision after Donald Trump's meeting with Ukraine President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, last month. "I literally threw up - I've never thrown up. My blood was boiling." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT Party leader David Seymour says Te Pāti Māori should be penalised for shunning their Privileges Committee hearing. Co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi instead called a press conference and confirmed they intended to hold their own hearing at Parliament on May 7. Seymour says he's not trying to influence the Committee - but he's suggested they recommend cutting the MPs’ pay. "What you just heard is a group of people who will continue to undermine the institution of Parliament, and therefore those New Zealanders - the overwhelming majority of New Zealanders from every background who are grateful to live in one of the most successful Parliamentary democracies in human history - they're thumbing their noses at all of us." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health New Zealand has apologised and says it's a top priority to make sure a case of mistaken identity never happens again. Police mistook an 11-year-old for a distressed woman in her 20s - and she was restrained and given drugs meant for adults at a Waikato mental health facility. Chief clinical officer Richard Sullivan says it's clear human error was a factor - and they need to learn from this. "What's clear here is - our staff were doing everything in good faith, working hard, there's no doubt some human error occurred here. But we just need to learn from that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori says it isn't sorry its MPs did a Haka in the house last year - and would do it again in a heartbeat.  An MP has been called before the powerful Privileges Committee today, but the Party's snubbing the summons. Te Pāti Māori says the Committee turned down its request to change the date so its counsel could be present.  Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Justice Department is seeking the death penalty if Luigi Mangione is found guilty. Mangione is on federal charges for allegedly shooting United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson dead in Manhattan last December. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Mangione has pleaded not guilty so far - but discussions are ongoing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pakistan will require a hero in Hamilton to avoid a crushing defeat in the second one-dayer against the Black Caps. The tourists, chasing 293 to win, are in dire straits at 65 for five in the 21st over. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A prescription weight-loss drug embraced by celebrities now has the green light in New Zealand.   Wegovy injections limit appetite and reduce food cravings.   It will cost patients between $600 to $1,000 a month - and will be used to target obesity here as soon as possible. GP and physician at the Weightless Clinic Dr Lara Courtenay says this medication is meant to help Kiwis who are seriously struggling with obesity.  "All the studies were actually done with a very low-calorie diet, alongside increase in exercise - so whoever goes on it should be doing all of those things."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK is expecting to be hit by new US tariffs on Wednesday, with Downing Street indicating a new deal with the US won't be reached in time.  President Donald Trump is set to unveil a raft of tariffs tomorrow - and it's widely believed they'll hit all countries, not just those with the biggest trade imbalances with the US. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Prime Minister Starmer doesn't plan to introduce reciprocal tariffs just yet, and they're waiting for the full announcement.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's move to reject an Auckland America's Cup bid has been met with divided responses. The play for 2027 series can't go ahead without an extra $75 million dollars - and the Government didn't feel like it could be justified. Infometrics Chief Economist Brad Olsen weighs in. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Reserve Bank has moved to hold the OCR steady at 4.1 percent following this afternoon's meeting. Interest rates started to drop in February - but the Central Bank opted to hold off on going further for the time being. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham explains what inspired the market to make this move. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

​On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 1 April 2025, Auckland is officially out of the running to host the next America's Cup. Hospitality's Steve Armitage is disappointed the Government has ruled out contributing financially. English teachers react to the new recommended reading list for secondary school students - and should Shakespeare be mandatory reading? Stories that sound like April fools jokes but aren't - $85,000 spent to find three skinks and two local boards in Christchurch at odds over a speedbump means they will only build the bump on one side of the road.   Plus, what have the Greens done now? 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, former Labour Minister Stuart Nash and Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  A lively debate is taking place in Christchurch, with local boards at odds over installing speed bumps. There will be a bump on one side of the road but not the other. Is this everything that is wrong with local councils? It's been revealed the Government will not fund the America's Cup returning to Auckland - meaning someone else will have to host in 2027. Is this the right move? The Ministry of Education has released the list of recommended reading for secondary students. Shakespeare will be mandatory. Do we think it's a good call? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brooke van Velden says she's fixing unclear laws - on landowner liability for accidents on their land.   The Workplace Relations Minister's announced changes to health and safety laws to make it clear the responsibility lies organisers of activities.  The landowners of Whakaari/White Island were prosecuted after the 2019 eruption. EMA workplace safety manager Paul Jarvie says many companies were hit hard during the eruption fallout - and there's been industry concerns ever since. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A proposed pedestrian crossing's become a bit of a joke - after differing views were shared from two Christchurch community boards. The southbound lane of Deans Avenue, near Al Noor Mosque, has been approved for speed bumps - but not the lane heading north. It's the boundary between the Riccarton and Central City wards. Central City Councillor Jake McLellan's side will have a bump. He says it will look kooky - but it's better than nothing. "When you add a crossing but you don't actually do anything to make people safe while they're crossing, it can become quite dangerous." Riccarton Councillor Tyla Harrison-Hunt agrees it's better than the status quo. "At the end of the day, it's actually a massive, massive win for the Deans Ave residents - and a massive win for the everyday users of Hagley Park." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions have been raised over a three-week mission to locate and re-home three native skinks, at a cost of $85,000. It involved clearing vegetation along State Highway Three near New Plymouth - and releasing one copper skink and two gold striped geckos at Everett Park Scenic Reserve. Auckland University conservation biologist James Russell says the money spent was a fraction of the total costs of work on the highway. He explained New Zealand is extremely bio-diverse - and gold-striped geckos are incredibly rare.  "It's just another species where we don't know what's happening - and if we don't look, it'll just disappear and be another blot on our record." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.