Larry Williams Drive

The Reserve Bank is set to deliver its next Monetary Policy Statement regarding the OCR on Wednesday. It's expected the Bank will keep rates on hold for longer, but economists are divided on when the anticipated cuts will come. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly says markets are pricing in cuts, which could come between November to next February.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop is standing up for the Government's new housing policy changes, amid concerns it'll create more problems. Bishop plans to fill urban areas with development land and remove council powers to mandate boundaries and standards.  He acknowledges shoebox apartments aren't ideal for everybody, but more housing is better for Kiwis. "It's about housing choice. We need smaller apartments, we need bigger apartments, we need suburban houses, we need duplexes, we need terraced houses, we need townhouses, we need big mansions - we need everything." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 8 July 2024, Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick speaks to Francesca Rudkin about THAT report into Darleen Tana, why the Greens wanted Darleen out of the Party and why they're calling on her to resign from Parliament. 40,000 Kiwis each year get their power cut off because they haven't paid their power bills, but Consumer NZ says that's not fair. NZ has a new tennis star! Lulu Sun, born in Te Anau, has made it to the quarter finals in Wimbledon - and the Te Anau Tennis Club is over the moon. Plus the Huddle debates Darleen Tana's future and how grocery producers are tricking shoppers by shrinking the size of your biscuits and increasing the air in your chippie bag. 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, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Nick Leggett from Infrastructure NZ joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Green Party has been calling for disgraced ex-MP Darleen Tana to resign from Parliament altogether after a report detailing alleged migrant exploitation at her husband's business was released on Friday. What do we make of this? Where can the Greens go from here? Consumer NZ has called for the nation's biggest power companies to ease up on struggling customers who can't pay their bills. Is there a solution to increased energy hardship? As the food prices go up, grocery suppliers appear to be shrinking their output. Do we agree biscuits are getting smaller and chip bags are getting emptier? Are we really paying more for less? LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disgraced ex-Green MP Darleen Tana says she doesn't accept the findings of the report that's prompted calls for her resignation. Following a months-long investigation into her knowledge of alleged migrant exploitation at her husband's business, Tana has resigned from the Greens. Political analyst Bryce Edwards says Tana's response today is the only one possible. He says if she wants to fight to stay in Parliament she has to contest what the Greens are saying. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tennis player Lulu Sun's hometown club is confident she'll go all the way at Wimbledon. She's beaten Britain's Emma Raducanu today, making her the first Kiwi woman to make Wimbledon's quarter-finals. Her Te Anau club pulled an all-nighter to watch her compete. Club president Gregory Sheppard says Sun had them on the edge of their seats. "It was quite emotional, actually, there was a few tears shed in the clubhouse there. We're all just super proud." Sun is ranked 123rd in the world, and will play number 37 - Donna Vekic  on Wednesday, for a semi-final spot. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden is continuing to insist on staying in the presidential race, despite escalating calls for him to end his re-election campaign.  Four more Democrats currently in Congress have voiced their belief that Biden needs to step down during a recent phone call. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says it's unclear who could replace Biden at this point in the campaign.  "You have the other Democrats who are saying - okay, that would mean Kamala Harris would have to step up and slide into the role vacated by Biden. But she just doesn't have the it-factor." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says it's unclear what path the party will take if Darleen Tana won't resign from Parliament. The party was handed a report on Tana's knowledge of alleged migrant exploitation at her husband's business on Friday. She's resigned from the party, and the caucus has unanimously requested she also quit Parliament. Tana's released a statement saying she does not accept the report's findings. Swarbrick says things are still up in the air. "Were Darleen to put us in the position where she was not to resign as a member of Parliament, then of course we would have to go back to having some sort of discussion about what comes next."  LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Greens are picking up the pieces of another public scandal, after Darleen Tana stepped down. Tana has resigned after a report was delivered discussing claims of migrant exploitation at her husband's business. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper has labelled this 'disgraceful'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian police believe the father of three children who died in a Sydney house fire on Sunday is responsible for the tragedy. Four children and their mother survived, but three died - including a 10-month-old. The blaze at Lalor Park is being investigated as domestic violence. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says police still need to follow correct processes. "It is being alleged that the father was holding the door shut, saying - I want to die here. It is going to be alleged, once they can talk to this bloke - who's in a coma - that he set the house on fire and was trying to kill his family." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surprise grand slam quarter-finalist Lulu Sun is exhausted and keen to recharge her batteries. The New Zealand left hander became the first female qualifier to make the final 8 at Wimbledon in 14 years when she overcame Emma Radacanu in three sets. Sportstalk host Jason Pine unpacks this victory further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing calls for power companies to go easier on customers who can't pay their bills. Each year, around 40,000 New Zealanders are disconnected from the power supply for non-payment, according to new data. Consumer NZ's Paul Fuge says people genuinely struggling shouldn't have to ration an essential service. "There needs to be more protections around disconnections and more time for interventions - and other mechanisms need to be in place to stop those people who genuinely can't afford it and where there could be genuine harm caused." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday July 5 2024, we get the latest from the UK as the Labour Party sweeps to power in the general election.  Heather speaks to both Auckland councillor Richard Hills and Mayor Wayne Brown after the council voted against the government's proposed speed limit changes.  Kelly Martin from South Pacific Pictures speaks about Shortland Street being cut to three nights a week.  And the Sports Huddle previews the All Blacks first test of the year against England in Dunedin.  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.

It's thought Shortland Street should make up a big part of TVNZ's new digital strategy. Our longest running soap will drop from airing five nights a week in February, to three. It will now continue with support from NZ On Air and the New Zealand Screen Production Grant. South Pacific Pictures Chief Executive, Kelly Martin told Heather du Plessis-Allan the show is streamed more 20-million times annually on TVNZ Plus. She says linear ratings also remain strong, as well as its engaged audience. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tories have been totally annihilated in the UK election with a colossal victory for Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party.  It's won 392 seats, topping the amount needed to form a majority Government by more than 60 seats.   Meanwhile, controversial Brexit champion Nigel Farage has proved eight times is the charm —finally getting a seat in Clacton— with his right-wing Reform Party scoring four seats.  LBC presenter Henry Riley told Heather du Plessis-Allan the excitement was palpable at the Reform HQ.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon is set to meet the UK’s new Prime Minister next week.  He said in a media standup earlier today that he would work with “every leader the partner countries deliver” and was confident he would have a good relationship with whoever won the election.  Labour’s Keir Starmer has won the election by a landslide, the party having taken over 360 seats.  ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he has a busy first month, with diplomatic meetings with various world leaders in store.  “For the first time now in 14 years, we’re going to see a change in government. Let's only hope that the Labour Party is better than the one that we saw here.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National pride in the US nears record lows.  The most recent Gallup poll revealed that 41% of respondents considered themselves “extremely proud” to be an American, and an additional 26% said they were very proud.  The downwards slope hit its lowest point in 2020, with only 63% of respondents saying they were very or extremely proud, compared to the years after 9/11, which peaked at 70% in 2003.  US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson told Heather du Plessis-Allan that while it is somewhat split on party lines, even for Republicans their pride levels are down.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plenty of excitement in Dunedin as the city prepares for tomorrow’s match.  The All Blacks are facing off against England in their first test of 2024 - the first test of Scott Robertson’s tenure as coach.  Jason Pine is broadcasting live from the stadium this weekend, and told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the team picked for this game was pretty predictable, designed to get Razor’s era as coach off to a good start.  "I think it’s a good team, there’s probably not a lot that most people would have changed in the, in the 15 or the 23.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK Labour Party has won county's election in a commanding fashion.  The tally of Sir Keir Starmer's party's seats has now topped 360 seats —it needed 326 for a majority— and he will become Prime Minister.  Starmer says they're here to return Britain to the service of working people.  UK Correspondent Peter Anderson told Heather du Plessis-Allan that they’re expecting, based on figures so far, for Labour to end up with about 410 seats in the 650 seat Parliament, giving them a majority of 170 seats.  In comparison, he said, the Conservatives are looking to have shed more than 200 seats, and will likely have a rather lowly 140/150 MPs at most.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reluctantly, I think saving Shortland Street was the right thing for now.  The news on Shorty today is that it’s been saved, but it will go down to three episodes a week.  What's saved it is taxpayer money: $3 million from NZ On Air and then be eligible for a rebate from the Screen Production Grant which must be about $6 or $7 million.  Which means we’re pumping in around about $10 million in taxpayer money to save a soap opera.  I'm reluctant about this because I generally don't think we should prop up failing businesses. If they can’t make a buck it’s because not enough people like the product,  in which case it should be allowed to die.  But... I think there’s an exception this time.  Because it might just be possible that Shorty may be able to pay its own way again... maybe.  The reason I say that is because it’s not that Shorty is unpopular, it actually has a lot of people watching.   The last figures that I can find are from last year, 79K people in their key demographic watched it on TV2, which doesn’t