Larry Williams Drive

The Finance Minister has received early advice on how to better capitalise Kiwibank so it might compete better with the large Australian-owned banks. The advice is in response to the Commerce Commission market study on personal banking. Minister Nicola Willis says she hopes to bring more competition to the banking sector to improve things for Kiwi users. "If you look over to Australia, they had a similar cosy oligopoly situation happening - Macquarie Bank played quite a disruptive role in that market, and the result was a better deal for everyday bank users." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Freedom campers are pushing back at a Rotorua holiday park manager's claims they're breaking the rules.  All Seasons Manager, Tracie Thornborough, is asking Rotorua Council to clamp down on freedom campers.  She says they're staying too long - and don't support local businesses.  But Motor Caravan Association CEO, Bruce Lochore, says Government research disputed such claims four years ago.  "They show substantially that they do contribute to that local economy when they come in." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The heat's being turned up in the US, with just over a week until Election Day.  Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are making their final pitches to voters on the campaign trail.  Both have been visiting battleground states, where voters could have a deciding voice. Newstalk ZB's Jack Tame at Trump's rally in Georgia. He says there's been a subtle lift in momentum at the Trump camp.  "It's nothing like the momentum shifts we saw earlier on when Trump survived that attempted assassination and then when Joe Biden pulled out and Kamala Harris got dropped into the campaign spot... nothing like that, but I reckon there's been a noticeable shift."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Construction Minister says he is confident consenting reforms won't lead to a repeat of New Zealand's 'leaky homes' crisis.  The Government is planning to give tradespeople working on basic housing projects the power to consent their own work.  Businesses with a track record of mass house-building projects will be able to access a streamlined consent process.  Minister Chris Penk says this avoids the false sense of security in the system.  "We think, actually, it makes more sense to put the incentive with the building professional - or the whole company - to do the work and to be responsible for it, and their destiny's in their own hands. Ultimately, that'll be better for the consumer, of course." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police are going back through Arthur Easton's case file - looking for the person who killed him nearly 40 years ago. Easton was stabbed in his Papakura home in 1985. Alan Hall's wrongful murder conviction was only overturned after he'd spent 19 years in jail. Police are now offering a $100,000 reward - until January 24 - for information leading to a conviction. Detective Inspector Warrick Adkin says interviews are under way. "As investigators, we have a responsibility to look at all options when solving crime, and today's announcement, we hope, will provide the financial incentive to those people who have not shared any information to come forward." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is partly removing councils from the building consent process.  It's announced an opt-in 'self certification scheme' will let qualified tradespeople forgo inspections.  It'll open to those with a proven track-record, such as companies building scores of near-identical homes.  ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper expects people will react positively to these new changes.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been on the receiving end of backlash over the travel perks he received from Qantas. The opposition has criticised Albanese for soliciting 'freebies' from the airline when he was Transport Minister. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says this goes against the Prime Minister's 'working-man' image, especially following his purchase of a multi-million dollar NSW property. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi F1 driver Liam Lawson has apologised for flipping the bird at Sergio Perez during the Mexican Grand Prix. Lawson and Perez got into a wheel-to-wheel battle on the 19th lap - that quickly turned heated. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacks the controversy here today. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is asking for feedback on Kiwi postal services.  It's proposing changes to NZ Post - including fewer weekly deliveries and reduced postal outlets  People are sending 813 million fewer mail items than they were 20 years ago. MBIE Communications Infrastructure and Trade General Manager James Hartley says this is the right time to hear from the public on the best way to maintain services. "We know Kiwis are sending a lot fewer letters than they used to - 2002, for example, one billion letters went through the postal system. It's now down to $180 million. There's been a huge decline over that period... we think it's the right time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big names are launching a lobby group in the capital with local body elections less than a year away.  Dames Kerry Prendergast, Patsy Reddy, and Fran Wilde, along with Sir Bob Jones are some of the movers and shakers endorsing what's called Vision for Wellington.  The group, which claims to be bipartisan, wants the council to rein in its spending and put an end to in-fighting.  Dame Fran Wilde told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the slow slide into party politics has caused problems for the council.  She said this group was formed to provide a platform where Wellingtonians can be a part of the conversation about what they want the city to be.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Gourdie and Nick Bewley joined Heather du Plessis-Allan for this week's Sports Huddle, capping off the week's sporting news. On the agenda tonight: Cricket Australia has overturned David Warner's ban - does he deserve to come back? Has Washington Sundar torpedoed the Black Caps' hopes of taking home the win in India? And what's the deal with Sport NZ spending nearly $600 per email to volunteer coaches?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 25 October. 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.

The Ministry of Health is under fire for failing to declare a conflict of interest.   It recently came to light that one of the officials advising Minister Casey Costello on tobacco reforms was the sister-in-law of Labour’s health spokesperson, Ayesha Verrall.  Verrall is a vocal opponent of Costello’s policies.  Senior Political Reporter Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it’s a disgrace.  He says that even though the Director General of Health says the Ministry adhered strictly to the rules of conflict of interest, they failed to pass that particular conflict on to Costello.  Soper says they’ve fallen well short, as multiple people were well aware of the conflict and failed to report it.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This time last year Arepa found themselves in hot water after the government officials decided that made unsubstantial health claims of cognitive and physical boosting abilities, they are forced to amend these claims and now back launching a new brain drink – Uplift. Co-Founder of Arepa, Angus Brown told Heather Du Plessis – Allan that this time round he's proud to call the "brain drink” because of the fact him and his team committed a lot of time and effort towards conducting human clinical research and have that peer reviewed and published. Brown says that its a really tough market but they're on the journey. He says that they are certainly making some strides towards it and are still the one and only drink that anybody could pick up in the supermarketthat's got clinical research behind it. “Learning this toughness in New Zealand is teaching us about how we can become fitter for entering bigger markets like the US” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government will be making an announcement on improving safety on Auckland's public transport network. A woman was fatally stabbed on a bus on Wednesday - and 37 year old Aucklander Kael Leona appeared in court today charged with murder. The ministers of Police and Auckland held talks with AT and Police this afternoon, and Simeon Brown will make an announcement tomorrow. Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he has a different role to play. Mitchell says he's focusing on reassurance at the moment - and will meet the victim's family if asked. Mitchell says for the past few weeks he and Brown have been discussing with authorities how to improve transport safety. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has apologised to Samoa's Government, over the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui this month. Chris Luxon and Political Editor Jason Walls is at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa. Luxon says his meeting with the king went well and that he was “very knowledgeable” about several issues. Walls says that the king expressed his love for New Zealand by the amount of knowledge he had for it and that the Prime Minister said that he was “quite charming”. Walls said that Luxon was very clear yesterday that it has not been as bad as he imagined it was or any of the initial estimates in terms of environmental change. As there is verylimitedenvironmental damage, Walls says that people don't seem too overwhelmingly upset. Walls said that Luxon said that he's “chalking that up to a big, a good win and of course the fact that nobody died”. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

West Auckland MP, Simon Court has lodged a new members bill to abolish New Zealand's last remaining liquor monopolies. He says its frankly condescending to the nearly 300,000 people who live in West Auckland as well as the people who live in Invercargill and Gore - that they can't enjoy the same access to hospitalityand purchasing beer or wine than everywhere else in New Zealand. Court believes that they deserve the same rights as the rest of New Zealanders. He says that not only are they lacking choice but there's also a huge opportunity in terms of jobs and economy for West Auckland to participate that they don't currently have. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the upcoming US election, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has accused the UK's Labour Party of trying to interfere with the results. The Trump campaign has alleged that Labour sent party members over to key battleground states to campaign for his opponent, Kamala Harris. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the Trump campaign has cited a LinkedIn post saying 100 party staffers were headed to the US to campaign for Harris. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plenty of Kiwi customers are still enjoying Netflix's output - and the company's doing well among investors. But as times get tough, the streaming giant has walked back on an earlier promise and looks to introduce ads on the service. Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explains why Netflix has made these changes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister for Trade and Agriculture is in Brazil on a New Zealand Trade Mission to São Paulo.  Todd McClay is expected to meet with experts and business leaders to bring the nations closer together. The Country's Rowena Duncum explains the opportunities that could come out of these meetings. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.