Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Newstalk ZB

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 24 May 2024, Dunedin is reeling after a 16 year old was stabbed to death at a bus stop and a 13 year old charged with his murder. Mayor Jules Radich tells Heather security guards don't have enough powers to intervene.   

Where'd the $51 million go? Wellington Water's CEO Tonya Haskell says a "spreadsheet error" led to a massive budget hole. 

The Sports Huddle debates the big question that divides the rugby community. 

Plus step aside boomers and Gen-X...The Catholic church has named a Millennial as the first saint in 100 years. 

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s law to ban smoking for future generations could be dropped, after it was not fast-tracked in the lead up to the general election. 

The UK Labour Party has promised to bring in the ban if it wins the election in July. 

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Heather du Plessis Allan “Both sides of the house are debating what they’ll managed to get done, before Parliament is put on hold for the general election.” 

Grey said “The problem is, every time a country gets near doing, something thwarts it.” 

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China is encircling Taiwan in a series of military drills - just days after Taiwan’s president was elected.  

The Chinese military says the onslaught of planes, war ships and coast guard vessels is punishment for what it's calling "separatist actions". 

Asia Business Correspondent Peter Lewis told Heather du Plessis Allan “This is a step up from what we've seen before.” 

Lewis said “For the first time ever, China has simulated a full-scale invasion of Taiwan.” 

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Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper wraps the political week. 

National’s New Plymouth MP David MacLeod has been stood down from his select committee roles after failing to declare 19 candidate donations. 

MacLeod received $168,335 in donations in 2022 when he first became the National Party candidate. 

Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis Allan “To forget that is incredible. It’s pretty obvious from the electoral law.” 

Soper said “Chris Luxon wasted no time at all in removing him, as he has done in the past.” 

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Resource Minister Shane Jones has come under pressure from Labour and the Greens, over the Government's new plans for mining. 

Jones wants to bolster gold and coal mining across the country, and to have a renewed focus on value-add refining. 

Greenpeace NZ executive director Russell Norman told Heather du Plessis Allan “He’s getting rid of all environmental constraints expect one - mining in national parks – because that got him in trouble last time.” 

Norman says “There’ll be no environmental balance to his desire to put a commercial incinerator next to your house.” 

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Former All Blacks captains Richie McCaw and Ian Kirkpatrick have urged New Zealand Rugby to change their governance structure. 

Meanwhile, nearly 1.59 million New Zealanders have watched NRL matches on Sky Sport and free to air on Sky Open, a lift of 14 per cent from last season. 

Sports Journalist Lavina Good told Heather du Plessis Allan “The Warriors don’t even have to win for people to love it.” 

Good says “The game [rugby union] is in disarray. Everyone is watching rugby league.” 

Sports Journalist Jim Kayes says “Rugby is still rating as well as it has done in the past – there's no reason why you can’t watch both codes.” 

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