Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Newstalk ZB
  • 0.0 (0)
  • NEWS
  • UPDATED DAILY

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

  1. 17 HR AGO

    Gavin Grey: UK correspondent on Prime Minister Starmer facing scrutiny over Mandelson saga

    UK Prime Minister Starmer is fighting for his job as he faces MPs to explain the sacking of the top civil servant in the UK Foreign Office. It follows the revelation that his department didn’t tell the Prime Minister that Lord Mandelson failed security vetting. Mandelson took up the role of UK ambassador to the US in February 2025, but seven months later he was sacked over ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    5 min

  2. 17 HR AGO

    Shane Solly: Harbour Asset Management expert on how markets have reacted to the fractious ceasefire news in the Middle East

    US President Donald Trump's accused Iran of completely violating its ceasefire agreement - with the Strait of Hormuz closed again. Iran's fired shots at ships in the Strait over the weekend, and has warned it'll stay closed until the US lifts its blockade. Harbour Asset Management expert Shane Solly revealed how these developments could impact markets. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    3 min

  3. 17 HR AGO

    The Huddle: Should Chris Luxon be worried about tomorrow?

    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! Everyone's waiting for the National Party caucus meeting in Wellington tomorrow morning. What do we think will happen here? Is Luxon on the way out?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    11 min
  4. Full Show Podcast: 20 April 2026

    18 HR AGO

    Full Show Podcast: 20 April 2026

    On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 20 April, 2026, we ask the MetService's head of weather news how they got the forecast so wrong with the latest flooding disasters. Education Minister Erica Stanford outlines relief for schools affected by the fuel crisis. We hear about a bus trial where the driver lets you off closer to your destination at night. And on The Huddle, Trish Sherson and Josie Pagani discuss the pressure going on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's leadership. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1hr 40min

  5. 18 HR AGO

    Gemma Rasmussen: Consumer NZ Head of Advocacy and Research on NZ First's plan to break up the supermarket duopoly

    New Zealand First is heading into the election with a plan to break up the supermarket duopoly. If re-elected, the party's promising to split Foodstuffs into two nationwide co-operatives - one for New World and Four Square, and the other for Pak'nSave. Consumer NZ says the current Government's efforts to encourage a third player into the market have largely been unsuccessful.  Head of Advocacy and Research, Gemma Rasmussen, has raised questions over this plan - and indicated it might not be the best solution to rising food prices. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 min

  6. 18 HR AGO

    Nicola Willis: Finance Minister on NZ First planning to break up the supermarket duopoly

    The Finance Minister has raised some concerns over NZ First's bid to break up the supermarket duopoly.  NZ First has announced that if re-elected, it will split Foodstuffs into two nationwide co-operates: one for New World and Four Square, and the other for Pak'nSave.  Nicola Willis says it's good idea, but it needs to be carefully implemented.  "That's why I've been taking my time working through proposals, looking very carefully at costs, very carefully at benefits, reviewing that, thinking about implementation - because I agree with Winston that the margins in our supermarket sector are very high." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    9 min

  7. 18 HR AGO

    Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: I can't tell you what's going to happen to Luxon tomorrow

    Obviously, what everybody in politics is talking about today is what’s going to happen at the National Party caucus meeting in Wellington tomorrow morning, regarding the Prime Minister’s ongoing leadership. Now, I can’t call it. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen. On the one hand, the Prime Minister is under more pressure than he was before the weekend because of last night’s One News-Verian poll. Usually, that poll is quite generous to the National Party - it tends to overestimate National to a degree. But last night, not only did it put the National Party at 29.7 percent, it also predicted a change of Government. That means this becomes not just a backbenchers losing their seats problem, but a ministers losing their jobs problem. On the other hand, Luxon has managed to get himself through a tough round of media interviews this morning with grit, steel and confidence. And his chief troublemaker, Chris Bishop, has now ruled himself out of the leadership in that Q&A interview yesterday, which surely means the move against the Prime Minister has lost some momentum. There has been a lot of poo-pooing of the polls, which I frankly just do not buy into. I have not seen any evidence that we have the kinds of polling trouble here in New Zealand that they’ve had in the UK, the US or Australia - where the polls call it for one side and then the other side basically comes through. Largely, we don’t have that problem because we run MMP. They run first-past-the-post systems. And that actually matters because just a little bit of inaccuracy in those countries’ polling can mean quite a big surprise if a bunch of marginal seats fall in a way you weren’t expecting. We don’t have that here - our mistakes in polling marginal seats get smoothed out by the party vote. Also, National is now sitting at around 29.7 percent in four polls in a row and there was another one about six weeks ago that started this all off. That means what you saw last night is not a rogue poll - it’s a trend. Choosing not to believe the polls feels like the last refuge of those who are in complete denial about what’s going on here. But ultimately, it’s not really up to us, is it? It’s not up to us as voters and it’s not up to us as commentators. It’s up to caucus - the National Party caucus. If the Prime Minister can get himself through tomorrow and then weather whatever happens in the seven days after that and then get himself through caucus Tuesday week - so he’s got two caucuses to get through - then he will most likely survive until at least well after the Budget. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    3 min

  8. 18 HR AGO

    Kris Faafoi: Insurance Council CEO calls for clearer roadmap for communities impacted by climate change

    Experts are wondering who will foot the bill for protecting or moving communities threatened by climate change. The Insurance Council is among advocates pushing the Government to speed up decisions on managing the issue. They say severe weather won't wait. Chief executive Kris Faafoi says the Government's indicated councils will lead climate adaption. But he says a clearer roadmap's needed - as councils look to raise money over the next decade. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    3 min
See All (2.3k)

Hosts & Guests

About

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Information

More From Newstalk ZB

You Might Also Like