Larry Williams Drive

Resources Minister Shane Jones is investigating whether to ration gas to keep some businesses going. Fertiliser co-operative Ballance last week revealed it's considering a four-month temporary closure after it failed to renew its long-term gas deal. It was outbid by Contact Energy, which is supplying homes. Jones says he'll be focusing on what's doable, to help solve the shortage. "We're not making any blunt decisions, for example, we've got hospitals and schools dependent on gas." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Deputy Prime Minister has shaken off accusations from the opposition over the Government's decision to take its time in recognising a Palestinian state. The Government plans to make an official decision in the coming weeks. David Seymour says the Government will take the time needed to decide its stance.  "The Government is taking its time - some say this conflict goes back 4000 years. I don't think it's a major problem for the Government of New Zealand on the other side of the world to take a few weeks to come to a sober and sensible decision."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick will be kicked out of Parliament tomorrow, unless she says sorry for remarks made today. The Auckland Central MP was sent out of the House, after refusing to apologise for suggesting MPs who don't support sanctioning Israel more - don't have a spine. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper questions what Swarbrick aims to accomplish - and wonders what taking a stance on Palestine will do for the wider conflict. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's Reserve Bank has cut its official cash rate 25 basis points, to 3.6 percent.  It's the lowest it's been since April 2023.  Australian correspondent Murray Olds says conditions were right for a cut - and he explained inflation appeared to be under control and unemployment is rising.  New Zealand's own Reserve Bank will make its next OCR decision, on Wednesday next week.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America’s Cup teams will be required to compete with a female sailor on board, batteries will replace manual power, and a cost cap has been introduced, in a major shake-up for the next edition. They are just some of the changes made for the 38th instalment in Naples in 2027 with the long-awaited protocol confirmed and released today. The number of sailors on board an AC75 will drop from eight to five, with neither grinders nor cyclors expected to feature.  Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A friend of a New Zealander detained by the US immigration service says it's a 'desperate' situation.   Kiwi Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old son are at a Texas detention facility, after being arrested at the US border with Canada three weeks ago.   Friend Victoria Besancon says the child's legal papers are all in order, but there was some difficulty with Shaw's.  She says the two can't stay there.  "The detention centres in America are pretty comparable to prisons, so she's not doing the best." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Motorists over 70 could be banned from the roads if they fail compulsory eye tests as part of a wider shake-up of driving laws in the UK. These changes also include reducing the drink-driving limit in England and Wales and introducing penalty points for passengers not wearing seatbelts. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next US Consumer Price Inflation report will be out this week, and economists are speculating about what this could mean going forward. Markets are keeping an eye on things, as inflation continues to be an issue in the US. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Australia has confirmed it will recognise Palestine as a state at the next UN General Assembly. Should we follow their lead? Will this mean anything?  The Government is underperforming in the latest batch of polls - how bad does this all look? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new $130 million luxury hotel development in Queenstown is designed to draw in more high-spending visitors. The new hotel will sit on an elevated 1.2 hectare site in front of the award-winning Kamana Lakehouse hotel in Fernhill. Once completed, it will encompass 37 ultra high-end residences across 10 architecturally designed villas, with a central facilities building. Destination Queenstown CEO Mat Woods says this will be a draw card for the entire nation - not just Queenstown. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 11 August 2025, Australia says it will recognise Palestine as a state, and New Zealand says it will make a decision on the same on one month. International relations expert Professor Robert Patman tells Heather why this is an important step - and whether it will mean any more aid gets to the starving people of Gaza.   Labour leader Chris Hipkins on why his party keeps climbing the polls - and whether he would let the Greens' Chloe Swarbrick be his Finance Minister. Will Christchurch's new stadium be ready for the Super Rugby Round in April?   Destination Queenstown's Mat Woods on the new super luxury hotel that's being built in Queenstown. Plus, the Huddle debates the pros and cons of recognising a Palestinian state and whether the Government needs more "legacy" projects. 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/li

Let's talk about this political poll. National is behind Labour. National's on 32, Labour's on 34. Now, this is not the first time that National has fallen behind Labour since the last election. The first time it happened was November last year. Then it happened again in January, twice. Then it happened again in March, twice. Then it happened in May, then it happened twice in June, and then it happened twice just in the last month. Now, it is becoming more and more frequent that this is happening. And if you see it in its graph form, it's actually quite arresting, what's going on here. This is not an aberration, this is a trend of National consistently losing ground and Labour consistently making up ground. This has been happening since the election, but it really started to gather steam at the start of this year. Now, I do not think that Labour will win the next election because I think their bedfellows and the Greens and the Māori Party are just way too nutty. I don't think enough p

The Finance Minister says the latest One-News Verian poll shows the fight is on.  Chris Luxon's popularity has dropped to a two-year low, while National sit steady on 34 percent and Labour shoots up four to 33 percent.  Today's earlier Taxpayers' Union-Curia Poll predicted a hung Parliament. Nicola Willis says it comes down to who people trust to steer the economy.  "The reality is, the economy is still recovering. And that means that we're not seeing instant overnight success - we never claimed that we would - but we are doing the right thing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two South Auckland councillors are accusing the city's mayor of hypocrisy.  Wayne Brown hit out at councillors for not attending meetings.  Lotu Fuli and Alf Filipaina pointed to official data showing they'd outperformed Brown in attendance.  In response, Brown claimed they were 'being Pacific victims'.   Filipaina says Brown is the one playing the race card.  "I think he just wants people to bow down to him - and I'm not that person." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The race for Election 2026 is on a knife-edge, with this morning's new poll revealing it could go either way. The new Taxpayers’ Union-Curia Poll projects a hung Parliament, at 61 seats each for the the left and right blocs. Labour leader Chris Hipkins says the party aims to focus on the issues that matter to Kiwis ahead of the next election  "I think New Zealanders want a Government of stability and I think Labour can deliver a Government of stability." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch is set to host one of Super Rugby's biggest events, locking in the first big sporting match for the city's new stadium. The new Te Kaha stadium will host Super Rugby's 'Super Round' across Anzac weekend next season - one week after the venue has its grand opening. Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare says they've been waiting 15 years for this stadium and they're excited to crack on. "We're confident, we're going to have plenty of time to have a really good hand-over to test the venue."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One international relations expert says New Zealand needs to make up its mind on Palestinian statehood fairly quickly.  Australia today promised to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September. Our Government says it's still weighing options - and will decide over the next month.  Otago University's Robert Patman says it'll be pondering whether recognition will strengthen or weaken Hamas. But he says New Zealand should not dilly-dally.  "I thin there's a danger of mismatch between the gravity of the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and the New Zealand Government's 'wait-and-see' response." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National could have a waiting game, as a new political poll predicts a hung Parliament. The latest Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll gives the left and right blocs 61 seats each. It also has Labour overtaking National. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Luxon has refused to weigh in on this matter - and aims to focus on the economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia will recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. It will join other countries like Germany, France and the UK. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he wants a two state solution that recognises Israel and Palestine's right to exist.  Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says it's likely Australians will be mixed about this statement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health NZ has acknowledged the pile of work needed on heart health. Research by advocacy group Kia Manawanui Trust shows half of all heart attack patients aren't seen within internationally accepted timeframes. It also finds New Zealand has a third of the cardiologists it needs.  Health NZ chief clinical officer, Dr Richard Sullivan, says it's much broader than cardiologists - and the whole sector needs help. "We need more echo technicians, we 're working hard to do that. We need more cardiac physiologists, we need more nurse practitioners and advanced nurse specialists - we need the workforce." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.