Larry Williams Drive

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 6 September 2024, Act leader David Seymour says Government agencies will soon receive direction to prioritise services based on need - not race.  Hagley College in Christchurch is trialling letting students work from home two days a week.  Plus the Sports Huddle debates whether the All Blacks can beat the Springboks this weekend - and whether it's the end of the world if they lose.  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.

Newstalk ZB Canterbury Sports reader Nick Bewley and NZB Kiwi Head of Communications Andrew Gourdie join the huddle.  They discuss the AB’s v Springbok’s test, old school tours of South Africa, Israel Adesanya’s parking controversy, and Raygun’s first interview post-Olympic Games.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Springbok’s have made changes to their side ahead of the second test in Cape Town this weekend.  Chief Sports Writer at the Herald Liam Napier tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the All Blacks will be looking to play the game at pace.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women’s Refuge is in the spotlight following claims of unauthorised spending from a “wellbeing fund”.  Three women at Whare Manaaki Porirua Women’s Refuge have been suspended while a forensic accountant goes over expenditure.  Charities Law expert Sue Barker tells Heather du Plessis-Allan charities need public support and reputational controversies could damage Women’s Refuge’s ability to do what the public support them to do.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police are using force 9 percent more often and are facing increasing levels of violence.  The Annual Tactical Options Report provides an overview of what officers face and the tactics they use.  Nearly 1 in 10 events where force is used involves a gang member. The report reveals gang members are 25 percent more likely to be armed with a firearm than any other offender.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Hawkes Bay, Health NZ has made GP visits for 14 to 24 year-olds free for Māori and Pasifika.  Health Minister Shane Reti has requested “further information”.  Associate Health Minister David Seymour tells Heather du Plessis-Allan Health NZ will soon face a directive that public services must be delivered on need not race – a party coalition commitment set to be released imminently.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China has issued a warning to New Zealand, following a report from the NZ Security Intelligence Services (NZSIS) that identified examples of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) influence here “smacks heavily of foreign interference”.  China warns Aotearoa’s interests may be in jeopardy if it pushes other countries’ agendas.  Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper tells Heather du Plessis-Allan, NZ must remember that our two-way trade with China is $38 billion a year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 14-year old suspect has been put in custody following a fatal school shooting in Winder, Georgia, USA.  In a dramatic development, the teenager’s father has been arrested with police saying he is directly connected to the actions of his son by allowing him to possess a weapon.  US correspondent Mitch McCann tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the teenager was known to police over a year ago, for online threats about a school shooting.  Meanwhile, Donald Trump wants Elon Musk to lead a Government Efficiency Commission, should he become President again.  Trump says the commission would aim to audit the US Government.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sportstalk host D’Arcy Waldegrave joins Heather du Plessis-Allan to consider how the country should react to an All Blacks loss.  “It’s how they lose that I’m interested in. Not the actual result, but how they got to that result.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Christchurch school is trialling letting students work from home two days a week, to address falling attendance rates.  Hagley College hopes to target students who struggle with attendance due to mental health concerns or sickness.  The hybrid learning model will be offered to 20 NCEA Level 2 students. Students will attend 16 hours of in-person maths, science and English classes a week, and the rest via scheduled video calls.  New Zealand Education Specialist Derek Wenmoth helped Hagley College to design the trial. Wenmoth tells Heather du Plessis-Allan other countries have programmes specifically targeting students struggling with issues like anxiety, and that New Zealand is behind on the uptake.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Survivors of London's Grenfell Tower Fire are urging swift change from the UK Government in the wake of a scathing report. The 1600-page report from the public inquiry, published seven years after the tragedy, says all 72 deaths were avoidable. UK correspondent Enda Brady says dishonest companies and political failings have been blamed for the disaster - and prosecutions will likely take place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US housing market has been undergoing an unusual period. Various aspects of the sector have been found to be running at different speeds - with new builds selling at significant highs and older homes selling at record lows. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains what's going on with the economy. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Famed rural broadcaster Jamie Mackay has been appointed a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. He was recognised earlier this year as part of the King’s Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting and the rural community. Mackay joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to recap the ceremony. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global financial market turmoil overnight has come with a silver lining for motorists as oil prices have slumped to their lowest level this year. Cheaper petrol at the pump should follow in coming days after Brent Crude Oil fell 5 percent to US73.74 - a price not seen since mid-December 2023. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann unpacks the economic factors behind the slump. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett and former Labour Party advisor Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Watercare struck a $20 million dollar deal with Waikato-Tainui in exchange for permission to take more water from the Waikato River - and kept it secret. What do we make of this? Wellington ratepayers recently shelled out over $550,000 on the upgrade of a 32m laneway to accommodate a new designer bike rack and two extra motorbike parks - with the bike rack alone costing $136,000. How can the council justify this? Raygun has spoken out about the backlash she received after the Olympics - do we feel sorry for her because of how she was treated or do we think she's taking advantage of the attention? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's been a growing uptick in corporations ditching their green ambitions. Volvo Cars has abandoned its ambitious target to sell only electric cars by 2030 amid a global slowdown in growth for battery-powered vehicles. Sweden has recently scrapped their aviation tax on airline tickets in a bid to reduce prices and boost availability. Griffith Business School associate professor Dr Rob Hales says more businesses have decided to keep their targets quiet amid accusations of green-washing. "Green-hushing is keeping your targets and keeping the mechanisms to try and get there a bit quiet. There's been some industry studies to show that up to 25 percent of businesses are actually disclosing, in public, what their targets are." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 5 September 2024, Stacey Morrison speaks to Heather from Tūrangawaewae after a new Māori Queen was crowned. What do we know about the 27-year old and what will she bring to the role? Watercare boss Dave Chambers fronts up after it was revealed that Watercare agreed to a secret deal to pay a Waikato iwi $20m. Prime Minister Chris Luxon calls in from South Korea where he saw North Korean rubbish balloons sent over the border. Plus, the Huddle debates whether Wellington Council was out of its mind to spend $136,000 on a new bike rack. 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.

Watercare is under fire for keeping a $20 million deal with Waikato-Tainui under wraps. It's been revealed the Auckland Council-controlled water provider last year signed up to paying $1 million a year, for two decades. The money will go into research and environmental projects in the Waikato River and catchment. It's on top of $40 million paid for clean-up projects under Watercare's river-consent agreement. Watercare chief executive Dave Chambers says they could've been more open. "As things have unfolded today - certainly if we had our time again, we would have done things in a different way."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has made a few changes ahead of Saturday’s Rugby Championship rematch against the Springboks. Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara have been benched, Sevu Reece and Cortez Ratima will be starting and Wallace Sititi will take the number 6 jersey. ZB sports commentator Elliott Smith says Razor is focused on getting the last 20 minutes of the match right - an error that cost the All Blacks last week's game. "Very much about getting the experience in the last 20-25 minutes of the test match to try and close it out - this is what the Springboks have done very well." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PwC has identified accounting irregularities, complexities and a lack of auditing at failed Auckland property development group, Du Val. This first receiver's report says one area of concern is related-party transactions. BusinessDesk reporter Maria Slade says PwC has identified a $15 million intellectual property transaction between a trust belonging to founders Kenyon and Charlotte Clarke - and another entity. "It was a loan, and apparently there's no accounting records or anything to show where the funds came from. The loan is now $5 million - where did that other $10 million go and what was it for? Nobody knows." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.