All eyes will be on Foreign Minister Winston Peters ahead of his hotly-anticipated foreign policy speech. Peters is expected to deliver a notable, forward-looking address in Parliament this Wednesday to the Institute of International Affairs. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan suspects AUKUS will be a part of it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.…

Parents, friends and partners of Taylor Swift fans will have the opportunity to take a college class on the pop star. Glasgow Clyde College aims to educate students on Swift's songs, 'evolving wardrobe and hairstyles' and crowd chants ahead of her tour's stop in Edinburgh. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the course has been designed to get casual …

Restaurant Brands New Zealand is enjoying a strong first quarter for the 2024 financial year. The restaurant operator reported $302.6 million in sales, a 7.9 percent increase from the same period last year. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton explains Restaurant Brands' financial recovery. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i…

The Government plans to tax commercial property owners an extra $575 million a year in order to fund residential property and income tax cuts. Finance Minister Nicola Willis is standing by her decision to remove ability for commercial and industrial owners to deduct depreciation as an expense going forward. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jene…

Question marks over the Christchurch Call, as Budget Day approaches. Newstalk ZB's revealed the organisation led by Dame Jacinda Ardern has been accused of pressuring its advisory network to not publicise critical reports. Prime Minister Chris Luxon says it's done good things - but now there's a conversation to be had, on how the organisation evolv…

The Insurance Council is backing calls for Kiwis to lift their understanding of the risks of natural hazards. The Reserve Bank has released an excerpt on insurance in its upcoming Financial Stability Report. It says insurers, Government, home buyers and lenders all need to up their knowledge, so that future insurance affordability challenges, can b…

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has delivered a speech to the Institute of International Affairs at Parliament. Peters laid out the the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand's foreign policy - touching on the war in both Ukraine and Gaza. He outlined our position in AUKUS, saying we must first be invited to join in the first place. ZB pol…

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 1 May 2024, the unemployment rate has risen to 4.3% - the highest it's been in three years. BNZ's Stephen Toplis tells Heather whether this means we'll see interest rates drop soon. The Real Estate Institute is disappointed the Government doesn't want to regulate property manage…

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! New reports show the Hamilton-Auckland Te Huia train service is meeting all its targets. Does this mean the Government should keep funding it? How long can the service las…

There's hope that the Te Huia train service from Hamilton to Auckland is on track for more funding after July. An interim performance assessment of the past two years shows increased demand with targets for 250 passengers a day on weekdays and 100 on the weekend being achieved. It's also meeting its net emissions goal 80 percent of the time. Waikat…

Grey Power is calling for a change in elderly driver assessments, claiming the current process penalises licence holders in most need. The SIMARD-MD and Mini-ACE are cognitive tests designed to identify drivers at risk, but these tests have faced criticism for not accounting for driving ability. Grey Power vice president David Marshall says people …

A former National MP has revealed details of being targeted by Chinese state-sponsored hackers in 2021. Simon O'Connor and former Labour MP Louisa Wall claim they were specifically hit in the cyber-attack, revealed last month. Both say they weren't informed by the current or previous Government - and want an investigation. Both represented New Zeal…

Economists forecast unemployment will climb higher. New data shows it reached 4.3 percent in March, up from 4 percent in the December quarter. This comes at a time where higher interest rates are biting, as the Reserve Bank tries to rein in inflation. BNZ Head of Research Stephen Toplis says it could go as high as 5.5 percent. "We're really sort of…

Over in the US, police are still out in full force at New York's Columbia University. Hundreds of officers have cleared a campus building occupied by students holding a pro-Palestinian protest. US correspondent, Dan Mitchinson, says police have been asked to stay through the middle of the month. He says it's sparked activism on dozens of campuses. …

Kirk Penney has become just the second New Zealander to earn selection in international basketball's Hall of Fame. The Tall Blacks icon will join Pero Cameron - selected in 2017 - as a FIBA Hall of Famer. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

There's disappointment a Bill that would have regulated property managers more has been withdrawn. Housing Minister Chris Bishop has scrapped the Property Managers bill, saying the cost-benefit was marginal at best. He says it would have cost tenants and landlords. Real Estate Institute CEO Jen Baird says the figures involved were small. "Some of t…

Prince Harry is set to visit the UK for the Invictus Games's 10-year anniversary - but he won't be meeting with his father. Reports suggest King Charles' diary is full and the monarch will be 'too busy' to see Prince Harry this time. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this shows tensions are still high between the rest of the royals and Harry. LISTEN…

The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey shows confidence is declining. Business confidence dropped 8 points to +15 in April, expected own activity fell 9 points to +14, and past own activity dropped 13 points to -20. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen explains what this means for the state of the economy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/list…

Australian financial markets appear to be bracing themselves for bad news. They've made a sudden shift from pricing in rate cuts to pricing in potential rate hikes, and economists fear increases to the OCR are coming. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says interest rates aren't likely to be dropping any time this year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.c…

Australia's farmers have been struggling under ongoing droughts and low rainfall. The unfavourable weather conditions have led to farmers de-stocking or selling their stock at a significant loss. The Country's Rowena Duncum warns it'll take more than one rainstorm to address this. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

A newly-released report from the entity tasked with setting MPs' pay has recommended multiple pay rises over the coming three years. The Remuneration Authority's recommendation would see the Prime Minister's salary incrementally go from $471,000 a year now, to $520,000 a year in July 2026. ZB political correspondent Barry Soper says the perception …

A 17-year-old girl has shocked NSW authorities by stabbing her younger sister to death. Emergency services were called to a Boolaroo address to address a stabbing that occurred at 3:45pm on Monday. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says police were mystified by this case - and haven't uncovered a motive. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener …

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 30 April 2024, the Prime Minister and all MPs are in for a significant pay rise. Remuneration Authority Chair Geoff Summers tells Heather how he determined how much more they should be paid. Exclusive revelations about the Christchurch Call. Whistleblower Milton Mueller from the G…

New anti-scam measures are on the way for online banking. The New Zealand Banking Association has today announced our banks will roll out a 'confirmation of payee' service by the end of the year. It will make direct cash transfers more secure, by cross checking names registered to accounts when transfers are made. Chief executive Roger Beaumont say…

Tonight on The Huddle, Kaine Thompson and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Do we really need to keep funding the Christchurch Call? It's been revealed the Christchurch Call Secretariat pressured an independent advisory network not to publish critical reports into m…

Newstalk ZB can reveal allegations the Christchurch Call has silenced members of its Advisory Network - and pressured them to not release critical reports of member countries. Because of that, a group called the Internet Governance Project, has quit. Project founder and Network reviewer, Milton Mueller says India wasn't honouring its commitments. "…

Rugby could be headed to the Middle East for the new Nations Championship, according to new reports. Qatar has reportedly made a bid to host the three-day finals event - a bid that promises commercial returns of $1.68 billion (NZD). Former All Black Sir John Kirwan is hopeful the power of sport can create a platform to address the outside issues in…

Air New Zealand's reliability has fallen - and it's trailing Jetstar in figures for last month as it grapples with engine problems. Only 77 percent of its domestic flights arrived within 15 minutes of scheduled times last month, down from 88 percent in January. Jetstar reported no domestic cancellations last month and almost 79 percent of flights w…

The Remuneration Authority says the Prime Minister's pay increase is fair. Chris Luxon's turned down the $50,000 salary boost over three years, and promises to donate it to charity. Chair Geoff Summers says a lot of work's gone into determining the figure - including job comparisons. He says our MP pay is relatively low internationally. "It's behin…

New Zealand Rugby has shouldered arms to reports Qatar has offered up more than a billion-and-a-half dollars to host the finals of rugby's new Nations Championship from 2026. A new report claims the gulf state wants the rights to 'finals weekend' of the tournament across four editions spanning eight years. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains…

Brace yourself, because it looks like we’re about to have another debate about whether sport should be taking money from Qatar. And this time, we’re probably going to care more about this as a nation, because this time - the sport is rugby. It's being reported that Qatar has made an offer to host the new upcoming Nations Championship, which is the …

Two out of three job applicants have admitted to 'rage-applying' to new roles out of frustration with their employers, according to new research. A survey carried out by recruitment specialist Robert Walters indicates over half of the 2000 respondents were motivated to leave a toxic work environment. Robert Walters commercial director Stuart Nash s…

One of the UK's biggest retail groups has confirmed it plans to give job applicants their interview questions beforehand in an attempt to make the process fairer. John Lewis and Waitrose applicants across all skill levels will have access to these questions from the company's websites. UK correspondent Gavin Grey unpacks the mass reactions to this …

It's been a big day for the Education Minister, as she's released more education priorities - and promised extra incentive for teachers. The Government's hotly-anticipated ban on cell phones also kicked in today, as students returned for Term Two. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Minister Erica Stanford still has plenty of obstacl…

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was heckled and dubbed a 'liar' at a weekend rally held outside Parliament House. Thousands of people attended the 'No More! National Rally Against Violence' march in protest of the multiple violent deaths of Australian women this year. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Albanese was asked not s…

Pharmac has received a funding boost - but the Government says it's to cover a 'fiscal cliff' left by Labour. Associate Health Minister David Seymour revealed the drug-buying agency will be bolstered by more than $1.7 billion over four years, as part of the Budget. Medicines New Zealand CEO Graeme Jarvis says he was aware of this gap in funding. He…

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday 29 April 2024, Associate Health Minister David Seymour tells Heather why an extra $1.7 billion for Pharmac is merely keeping the lights on at our drug buying agency - but won't buy us more medicines. It's bad news for the coalition in the latest political poll as Labour closes the g…

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute and Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Victoria University has copped plenty of backlash over their decision to postpone a free speech event after pushback from the students. Should they have left the event alo…

The Finance Minister has brushed off a tough new poll result for the coalition. The latest 1News Verian poll shows a two percent fall for National to have them on 36 percent. Act is down one to 7 percent and New Zealand First is on 4 percent. Those numbers mean the left block of Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori could govern. Minister Nicola Wil…

Wellington's Victoria University has hit pause on a controversial debate, after student backlash. A panel discussion around the role of universities in free speech has been pushed back to the end of May, following the opposition from students. The Free Speech Union's Jonathan Ayling, who was expected to attend, has expressed confusion at being incl…

Kāinga Ora has been fined $6,000 for being too slow to evict unruly tenants. Stuff reports Kāinga Ora was forced to pay a woman terrorised by neighbours and fellow social housing tenants. The antisocial tenants defecated outside her door, and it's alleged they threw a woman off a balcony. Lawyer Adina Thorn says any other landlord would've kicked t…

Kiwi kids have endured their first day of no cell phones at school. Students can no longer use or access their phone at school under new Government legislation. Many schools started phasing the rule in from Term One, before the ban came into force this term. Secondary Principals' Association president Vaughan Couillault says not many students were …

David Seymour says the Prime Minister would have a tougher job sacking a minister from ACT than from National. Luxon stood down Melissa Lee and Penny Simmonds from portfolios last week. Seymour says it would take a bigger process if Luxon wanted to give the boot to one of his party's ministers. "What I did say is- if we were going to have that sort…

The Black Caps squad for the T20 cricket World Cup in the West Indies and United States has been named. The 15-strong squad features just two players - Matt Henry and Rachin Ravindra - who've never played at the tournament. Sportstalk host Jason Pine unpacks today's reveal. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Police Minister says he's deeply concerned about the ages of robbers plundering Auckland jewellery stores. In the past two weeks, at least five aggravated robberies have spanned Auckland - at Westgate, Newmarket, Onehunga and Manurewa. Minister Mark Mitchell says in the most recent incident, the robbers were aged between nine and fourteen. He s…

As you know, today is the official first day of the ban on cell phones in schools. For most parents and teachers and kids it's actually not a particularly special milestone, given that most schools started bringing in these bans at the start of the year. But today is the first day that it's actually in force. And you know what? The thing that I fou…

New Zealanders are staying in paid work longer in an effort to transition into retirement, according to a new study. The average age Kiwi’s are choosing to retire has risen to 67 from 61, since the mandatory retirement age was eliminated in 2000. Co-director of the Retirement Policy and Research Centre Michael Littlewood tells Jack Tame that New Ze…

Eden Park is reportedly set to win the battle of Auckland’s stadiums. The Sports Huddle discuss whether the stadium remains fit for purpose. Plus, are the Crusaders underperforming or were expectations too high? Is it time to panic for Warriors fans? And, could NZ hold a second Supercars round? Newshub Sport Presenter Andrew Gourdie and Newstalk ZB…

Eden Park is reportedly about to win the battle of Auckland’s stadiums. On Monday, a working committee will make a recommendation to Auckland Council on whether to invest in Eden Park or one of the rival waterfront stadium bids. NZ Herald Sports Columnist Trevor Mckewen tells Jack Tame as an existing location, Eden Park could be a cheaper option th…

A unique re-homing program has been set up for actual lab rats across New Zealand. The New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society (NZAVS) are working with the scientific community to find former lab rats their forever homes, while pushing the Government to stop animal testing. Executive Director of NZAVS Tara Jackson tells Jack Tame NZ has nearly half a …