Larry Williams Drive

Voting booths are opening in the UK, where it's predicted the 14-year Tory rule will come to an end. Keir Starmer's Labour party is expected to cruise to an easy victory over Rishi Sunak's Conservatives. UK correspondent Enda Brady says data predicts Labour will win in the biggest victory since 1836. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Equity markets around the world are experiencing lifetime highs - but one expert has warned of the possible risks involved. The US, Japan, Europe and Australia are all thriving, amid a collective battle with inflation. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains the situation further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The golden era of trade is over and New Zealand needs to push hard to diversify its trading partners, according to a warning from the Deputy Secretary of Trade.  During the Primary Industries Conference, Vangelis Vitalis said primary industry exports went through a boom between 1995 and 2017 but since then, things have become much harder. The Country's Jamie Mackay unpack the issue further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop says six major changes to housing reflect the needs of a modern population. They'll let cities expand at the fringes by stopping councils setting fixed rural-urban boundaries, and requiring them to plan for growth 30 years ahead. Minimum floor area and balcony requirements are being abolished for apartments. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explains the benefits of these changes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumer NZ says the nation's tanning salons are putting vulnerable customers at risk of permanent damage. The watchdog has accused some operators of letting under-18s and fair-skinned users to book sessions - and is calling for an overall ban. Consumer NZ writer Belinda Castles says other countries have made the move to ban sunbeds amid concern surrounding skin cancer. "We've got these voluntary regulations - and clearly voluntary is not working. So we should just ban them, there's no need for them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 4 July 2024, Property Developer David Whitburn responds to the Government's announcement to 'flood' cities with housing - will it lead to slum areas? Pollster Henry Olsen gives us an update on the Biden situation in the US and why he's refusing to stand down. The Huddle debates whether we should ban sunbeds for good. And who actually uses them? Plus, tax expert Bruce Bernacchi dives into the IRD coming after crypto owners not paying tax. 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, Kiwiblog head and Curia pollster David Farrar and former Health NZ chair Rob Campbell joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Housing Minister has announced a raft of changes designed to fill urban areas with development land and remove council powers to mandate boundaries and standards. Do we agree with these changes? How will we cover the hidden costs? Consumer NZ has called for a ban on sunbeds, after an increase in young or vulnerable users putting themselves at risk to use them. Do we agree with this? Joe Biden has dug his heels in and refused to drop out of the presidential race, despite growing calls from the Democrats after last week's debate. Do we think Biden can hang on until November? Do we agree with Razor's All Blacks squad picks ahead of their clash against England? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The IRD has confirmed it plans to target cryptocurrency users who haven't declared it as taxable income. The department has identified 227,000 users in New Zealand who had made about 7 million transactions with a value of $7.8 billion in the last tax year. Dentons Kensington Swan tax expert Bruce Bernacchi suspects there's tens of millions of dollars to potentially examine. "We only have to look at how high some of the crypto asset prices have gone - you've got bitcoin currently trading at $58,000 (USD), four years ago it was $9,000. There's some people who are doing very well." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's shock among Kiwi rugby fans, as Stephen Perofeta has been given the nod to start at fullback for the All Blacks in the first match of the year against England. He's pipped fellow Taranaki and Blues playmaker Beauden Barrett to the starting role at 15 for Saturday's test in Dunedin, with the veteran of 119 tests on the bench. Former All Black Sir John Kirwan says this is a wise choice ahead of the match. "I think Beauden will need a little bit of time to get back at that level, and Stephen Perofeta has been a form player in the last few weeks." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has been warned it needs to build more schools and classrooms to meet a bulge in class rolls. An April Ministry of Education paper shows 139 schools were over capacity. Migration last year brought almost 21,000 extra school children. Ormiston Senior College principal Tim Botting says his school has had to adapt. "We've had to use some of the café space, our library space now has students in it. We're coping really well, our staff have adapted, our students are doing well in the space." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A property expert says housing changes announced today will increase supply - with a massive infrastructure bill attached. Housing Minister Chris Bishop says they'll let cities expand by stopping councils setting fixed rural-urban boundaries and requiring them to plan for growth 30 years ahead. Apartment floor area minimums and balcony requirements are being abolished. Property developer and investor, David Whitburn, says it won't be the holy grail many are looking for. "It is very expensive to put in the wastewater networks, the roading, the connections to electricity - and so forth." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pro-Palestine protesters climbed the roof of Australia's Parliament House in Canberra to voice opposition with the ongoing conflict. Australian lawmakers have condemned the security breach, and authorities have planned a review into the building's security. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says a group of climate protestors also made it to the foyer inside the building - and police are expecting to charge several people. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No sign of Crusaders bias in Scott Robertson's maiden All Blacks team to tackle England in Dunedin on Saturday. Despite taking the Crusaders to seven consecutive Super Rugby titles, Razor has included just three Crusaders in the starting line-up and one on the bench. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacks the announcement further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing calls from prospective voters for Joe Biden to step down from the ongoing presidential race. Biden has stayed adamant that he's not dropping out, and he's told campaign staff he's in to the end. American pollster Henry Olsen says public support for Biden is decreasing fast. "Because of the electoral college balance towards Trump, Biden has to win by 2 points or more to have any chance of winning the electoral college. Being down by 6 when he's this well known and Trump is this well-known, this late in the campaign - it's fatal." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It looks like we are finally giving in and allowing shoebox apartments in New Zealand. This morning, Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced a whole raft of changes designed to make houses more affordable, and one of those changes is that he will remove any requirements for how big an apartment must be and how big the balcony must be. He reckons that back in 2015 when Auckland Council changed balcony size restrictions, it pushed the price of apartments up by $40,000- $70,000 each.Good call from him, it's about time we got on board with this.The very first property I put under my name was a tiny, tiny apartment. The bedrooms were so small, you could fit in a double bed with just enough space to walk around it with your shoulders touching the walls. I didn't have space for a dining table, so I took a bed out of a bedroom and put a dining table in and you could just get the chairs out from under the table without hitting the walls - it was that tiny. But it was what I wanted, which was a place I could afford to

UK citizens are less than a day away from being able to head to the polls - and it's been predicted the opposition will dominate. Another respected pollster has predicted Labour will win a 318 seat majority, with the Conservatives only just holding on to second place. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Labour leader Keir Starmer will beat Tony Blair's historic 1997 landslide. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New developments in the world of AI could make the discovery of medicines faster and cheaper for consumers. It's been found generative AI can be taught to process and examine new molecules - with the potential to unveil new treatments. Milford Asset Management's Deborah Lambie explains the benefits of these new developments. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis isn’t receptive to calls for the establishment of an independent unit to check Treasury’s forecasts and ensure Government spending is sustainable. The International Budget Partnership and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are among the organisations that believe New Zealand needs an institution that both costs policies and keeps tabs on the Government’s finances. They argue it would provide more accountability and align New Zealand with the 80% of OECD countries that have such institutions. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains why Nicola Willis has her doubts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 3 July 2024, Hawke's Bay Regional Council Chief Executive Dr Nic Peet responds to calls for an apology for the council's role in Wairoa's devastating flooding last week. The Education Minister Erica Stanford tells Heather why she's introducing tests for primary school kids. The Huddle debates whether David Seymour should have been messaging kids on Snapchat after parents raised concerns. Plus, the things your employer can see and read on your work phone and chat. 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, Matt Heath from Radio Hauraki and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!   David Seymour has raised some eyebrows after he was caught Snapchatting school-aged students back in 2016. Has the outrage been blown out of proportion? The Government has introduced more standardised tests for primary schoolers - is this a good idea? Will tests help boost New Zealand's academic prowess? President Joe Biden has blamed his shaky performance in last week's debate on jet lag. Do we buy this - or is Biden gaslighting voters? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.