Larry Williams Drive

A driving instructor says one student drove 500 kilometres to sit his full licence test because of months-long wait times. Counties Driving School's Alistair McGregor says the man drove from Pukekohe to Dannevirke. The Government scrapped free driving test re-sits this year to cull long wait times. McGregor says it's taking time to see any effect. "The existing tests need to be worked through, so it's going to take a month or two - maybe a little longer - before it starts to ease." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support is re-igniting for a Wellington to Auckland sleeper train, as air fares soar. The idea was floated at a Wellington council meeting last week. Greater Wellington Regional Council climate chair Thomas Nash says tracks between Auckland and Wellington are seriously under-utilised. He says night trains are popular overseas, particularly in Europe, as a more affordable and lower emission option. "Night trains are absolutely cranking at the moment, more and more services are opening up. They're really well-patronised - and that's partly because of the cost of flights." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One commentator says enforcement is critical for road safety. The Government's announced it wants 3.3 million roadside alcohol breath tests a year, with a $1.3 billion budget over three years. $7 million is for incentives for police - for when they meet targets. Greater Auckland transport blog director Matt Lowrie says police haven't done enough breath tests for a long time. "It's only in the last year that they've actually started doing it - the numbers that they kind of need to do to be able to get that down. And what we've actually seen is that in the last 18 months, the number of deaths on the road has finally started coming down again." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Minister says boy racers are terrorising communities throughout the country. Four police vehicles were rammed at a Waikato gathering over the weekend, and an officer suffered minor injuries. Police say a ute involved was stolen, with fake plates - and two people in the picture they've released weren't involved with the meet. Minister Mark Mitchell says they're facing similar issues with gangs and youth offenders. "They all think that they're above the law, they've got no respect for the police, they've got no respect for the public - and that's why we've got a massive public safety program currently underway in Government." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest 1News-Verian poll is due to be released tonight - and it's generated plenty of speculation. The previous poll had National on 38 points, Labour on 29 points, the Green Party on 13 points, ACT at 7points and NZ First on 6 points. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper outlines what to expect. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have bounced back and defeated Argentina - but they'll need to maintain momentum for the Rugby Championships.  While a convincing win in the rematch with Argentina was a big improvement on an upset loss in the competition opener - 35 of the 42 points they scored at Eden Park came in the first half. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sydney's long-awaited driverless metro train line has been launched, with up to 200,000 commuters being expected to use the service.  The line runs from Chatswood in Sydney's north to Sydenham in the inner west via tunnels under Sydney Harbour. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says the project is expected to draw in more international visitors, offsetting the $20 billion spent on the project. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts have warned the Government that there isn't enough gas for both households and industry - meaning users could face increased prices and potential shortages. The Green Building Council says households need to be encouraged to reduce their gas usage, freeing up supply for industrial exporters. Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie says work needs to be done to find a better solution. "What we do need to do is look for solutions that actually protect all Kiwis' energy security and our economic prosperity, not just a small subset." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Papa is going to start charging a $35 entry fee for international tourists starting next month. The national museum says it's because rising energy costs, insurance and paying staff is all becoming too expensive. The move's expected to bring in an additional $5-$10 million per year. Te Papa spokesperson Kate Camp told Heather du Plessis-Allan it will be good value for visitors.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 16 August 2024, the Waitangi Tribunal says the Government's Treaty Principals Bill is discriminatory and unfair. Former Waitangi Tribunal historian Dr Sam Carpenter explains what the issue is. Consumer NZ is hitting out at supermarkets and the Grocery Commissioner after news that shoppers still regularly get overcharged at the till. Damien McKenzie has apologised to the All Blacks after missing a bus from San Diego back to LA - should he be punished? The Sports Huddle weighs in. Plus, should we be nervous about TVNZ looking to start charging you to watch on demand? 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.

Not everyone loves the idea of LIV golf holding an event in Christchurch. Rumour has it that the saudi-backed breakaway competition is looking at holding a tournament in the garden city, possibly as soon as next year. LIV officials have visited christchurch golf club to have a look. Sir Bob Charles is a patron of that club and told Heather du Plessis-Allan they're creating turmoil in the golf industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand and Australia have committed to working "in lock step" like never before over security issues. Christopher Luxon and Anthony Albanese have wrapped up their bilateral meeting in Canberra. Luxon says they have agreed to activate the alliance if either nation faces a severe cyber attack, and have invited defence ministers to renew closer ties. International geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller told Heather du Plessis-Allan when these leaders meet, it's turning everything up a notch each time and very much in opposition to China.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Waitangi tribunal released it's first take on the government's Treaty Principles Bill and it doesn't like it.  The tribunal says it's unfair and discriminatory - and should be abandoned.  The prime minister has already pushed back, saying it's a coalition commitment with Act to pursue the bill to first reading.  Former Waitangi tribunal historian, Dr Sam Carpenter told Heather du Plessis-Allan it may cause confusion in the existing law and how principles are understood.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Commission says shoppers are likely to be losing millions of dollars a year due to supermarket pricing errors. Grocery commissioner Pierre van Heerden has called them out for times when the price on the label doesn't match what you end up paying at the counter.  He believes when that happens they need to give you the product for free. Head of research and advocacy at Consumer NZ, Gemma Rasmussen, told Heather du Plessis-Allan it should be the role of the commission to be looking into the pricing discrepancies. She says 65% of shoppers are noticing pricing inaccuracies when they go to the supermarket and about 12% are spotting them frequently. LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The security around Taylor Swift has been strengthened ahead of the singer's London shows. Swift is set to perform five nights at Wembley Stadium in the UK capital in her first appearance on stage since a terror threat led to her Vienna shows getting cancelled. UK correspondent Enda Brady says fans without tickets have been asked not to gather outside the venue to listen to the gig. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few years ago, the Metaverse was the biggest talking point in the world of technology. Meanwhile in 2024, the virtual platform has declined in popularity and the market has moved on. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains what happened. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's wide-reaching banking inquiry has been met with support from Federated Farmers. Banking spokesperson Richard McIntyre has claimed this inquiry will shine a light on the levels of competition, profitability and transparency in rural lending - information farmers have been waiting for. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data from has confirmed food prices are up - but not as much as predicted. Stats NZ reports show food prices have increased by 0.6 percent in the 12 months to July. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says this is good news for the economy following the recent OCR cut. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced a new immigration pathway for essential seasonal workers. It has created a new subcategory of the Specific Purpose Work Visa - to help employers in upcoming seasonal peaks. Roles must pay at least $29.66 per hour, and offer at least 30 hours each week. EMA's Alan McDonald says these changes will be welcomed by the business sector. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Mark Sainsbury and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! North Korea is set to open back up to tourists at the end of the year. Would we go? We've gotten a look at the new school lunches menu - what do we think? Will these be fit for purpose? Eden Park has asked the council to let it host twice as many concerts as it's allowed right now. Is this a no-brainer? A UK judge has sentenced a keyboard warrior to 15 months in jail. The 53 year old woman had called for someone to blow up a mosque in a local community Facebook group. Will a sentence like this deter other keyboard warriors? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.