Larry Williams Drive

Inevitably, the Aussies have picked up on the slur from Chris Luxon, where he said when talking to Aussies - it pays to be ‘incredibly simple’. And they seem to be largely taking in the spirit it’s intended, which is just a bit of humour. And it also means Luxon’s play worked. Which is - by having a crack at the Aussies to distract us from the actual issue, which is Paul Goldsmith taking Māori words out of the Matariki invitation.Look, let’s get to the heart of this, this was a dumb thing for Paul Goldsmith to do. Yeah, I get he might want an invitation from him to be authentic to him and if he doesn’t make a habit of going around using Māori words in a tokenistic fashion to show off his inclusivity credentials, then sure, he might want to take out the Te Reo and replace it with English - fair enough.But Paul Goldsmith is going have start being a little bit smarter and strategic about this, because this Government doesn’t need a petty issue like this on race relations to deal with. It has got enough going on

UK police believe there are at least 30 potential far right gatherings planned tonight. So far in the week’s unrest, 400 arrests have been made and around 100 people have been charged in connection with the disorder brought about by the riots. Nearly 6,000 public order officers are being mobilised. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rideshare giant Uber has reported its second quarter result - and shares were up +11 percent. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says the company is in a position to keep growing, despite an uncertain macroeconomic outlook and decreased consumer spending. Milford Asset Management's Deborah Lambie unpacks these results. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Around 40,000 McDonald’s staff are likely to be compensated, as the fast-food chain corrects a widespread payroll issue dating back 15 years. McDonald’s is contacting those employed between November 1, 2009, and December 6, 2020, asking them to check a portal on its website to see if they’re eligible for reimbursement. The company is one of countless employers, including government departments, that miscalculated leave entitlements outlined in what’s proven to be a very confusing Holidays Act 2003. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains who stands to benefit from this. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's belief a major Auckland pulp mill proposing closure could be the first of many. Oji Fibre Solutions is consulting with its 75 Penrose staff, citing a three-year pattern of losses. CEO Jon Ryder says dramatically rising energy costs are one of several issues plaguing the mill. E tū Union negotiation specialist Joe Gallagher says the Government needs to step in and set up some regulations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has raised a few eyebrows following her controversial comments in the House. She's accused the ACT Party of grooming the Prime Minister and the Government into exercising 'ethnocide' on Māori culture. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper has labelled these accusations as hate speech. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 7 August 2024, the Polkinghorne trial has turned to Philip Polkinghorne's relationships with sex workers today. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6% today. Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr says it's slightly better than predicted but he still thinks a cut to the OCR next week is warranted. The Chief Ombudsman has named and shamed St Peter's College in Auckland as one of the schools that have refused to follow his recommendations after excluding a student who had bought and smoked cannabis. But the school's principal defends the decision not to apologise to the student for being tough on drug use. The Huddle discusses councillors facing threats for taking a stance on the Maori wards issue. Plus was it smart or embarrassing to send a team to the C2 canoe racing when they had zero experience? Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omny

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayer's Union and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issue of the day - and more! Councillor Murray Chong has spoken up about feeling threatened after he found a bullet dent in his ute ahead of the Māori ward vote. How appalling is this?  Are we being too hard on our C2 500 crew after their Olympic performance? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington Council is hoping to force the redevelopment of the the infamous Johnsonville Shopping Centre after years of inaction. It's been two decades since the mall was refurbished - and several high-profile retailers have abandoned the premises. Wellington Councillor Ben McNulty says there's plenty of options to force change along. "My view is - if they're not going to use it, they might as well lose it, and someone else who can actually do the work and has the expertise needs to come in." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Plymouth's mayor says threats against councillors aren't uncommon. Councillor Murray Chong abstained from voting on Māori wards yesterday - saying he was fearful after finding a bullet dent in his ute. Legislation passed last week to let councils get rid of their Māori wards. New Plymouth has voted to retain theirs, but Kaipara District Council today become the first to scrap theirs. New Plymouth mayor, Neil Holdom, says they get threats on a range of topics. "People used to write in emails and they'd express their views quite professionally and constructively - now it's just becoming increasingly aggressive." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwibank's Chief Economist says unemployment will rise for another year. Stats NZ figures out today show unemployment jumped to 4.6 percent in the June quarter, from 4.4 the quarter before, and 3.6 percent this time last year. Jarrod Kerr says this statistic tends to lag behind the rest of the economy, because employers keep workers as long as they can. "So we think the unemployment rate keeps lifting for the rest of this year and into next - and it'll end up around 5.2-5.3 percent." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A court has heard Phillip Polkinghorne's police interview on day eight of his trial. The Auckland eye doctor is accused of murdering his wife, Pauline Hanna, in 2021. He maintains she killed herself. Polkinghorne's dealings with other woman have been detailed today, both at a North Shore apartment in 2019, and a Mount Cook retreat in the weeks after Hanna's death. NewstalkZB's Chelsea Daniels says Polkinghorne jumped from topic to topic in the police interview. "Detailing things like the couple's beach house, an argument they'd had about staining, an episode of New Amsterdam they'd watched the night before." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canoe Racing New Zealand are defending a situation which has drawn the ire of some fans at the Paris Olympics. The crew finished significantly later than all the other boats - coming in dead last by 45.31 seconds in the quarterfinal stage. Canoe Racing NZ chair Greg Adlam says the team did what they could in a difficult boat. "It's one thing for kayakers to get into a canoe boat and to paddle it, it's another one to actually lay down power on the course. That's the phase we're at now." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has found her running mate - bringing out Governor Tim Walz at a Philadelphia rally. Walz addressed a cheering crowd for the first time as Vice Presidential nominee. Harris says Walz shines a light on a brighter future they can build together. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says the pair had a one-on-one meeting over the weekend - and just clicked. "She liked a lot of what he brought, liked the fact that he's been going after Trump - and thinks that he will help her cross the Midwest." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canoe Racing New Zealand is defending a pragmatic decision in their Olympic qualification process. Kayakers Max Brown and Grant Clancy have been forced to compete in the kneel-down canoeing C2 500 - a boat which was qualified so they could compete in the sit-down K4 500 event. The pair have finished 45 seconds behind the winner of their Paris Games quarter-final, because they didn't want to expend too much energy. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chief Ombudsman is urging school boards to take accountability for decisions. Peter Boshier has made his case notes public relating to his recommendations not being followed - by the boards of Auckland's St Peter's College and Christchurch's Cashmere High School. St Peter's refused to apologise for excluding a student for buying and smoking marijuana - and Cashmere didn't apologise or take steps after declining an out-of-zone enrolment without explanation. Boshier says the schools should have apologised for the inadequacies in their responses. "We recommended that these students' disciplinary records be amended and have nothing attached to it - and then we said the board, when it's doing a decision like this, should have a clear process." St Peters principal James Bentley has refused to apologise. "Marijuana buying and using is an illegal activity - we hold the view, as many schools do, that this has no place in our schools. We'd hoped the Ombudsman would have supported us on this, but unfortunately he to

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has hit back at Elon Musk over claims that a 'civil war' may break out in the UK. On a video of rioters setting off fireworks at police, Musk commented that civil war was 'inevitable'. UK correspondent Vincent McAviney says Starmer and his team have been working to get a grip on the riots - and social media responses. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's Reserve Bank has taken on a grim tone with today's OCR update - and warned rate cuts aren't on the horizon. The Bank considered hiking rates today, but moved to keep them in place at 4.35 percent. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says inflation is still running too far above expectations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three major New Zealand banks have slashed their rates ahead of next week's OCR review. Both Kiwibank and BNZ have urged the Reserve Bank to cut the cash rate down - months ahead of predicted forecasts. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen explains why there's a case for the Reserve Bank to move quicker. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 6 August 2024, Health NZ's Richard Sullivan explains the u-turn to give some cancer patients early access to Keytruda treatments after all. Smith & Caughey's chairman Tony Caughey explains the decision to keep the business going after he thought he would have to close just a few months ago (and his hot take on interest rates). There's a warning that Kiwi kids who spend too much time on screens are displaying behaviour that mimics the symptoms of ADHD. The Huddle debates whether PM Chris Luxon is right when he says we might have to teach less arts and music and teach more maths. 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.