Larry Williams Drive

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 23rd September 2025, Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden talks through the changes to our annual and sick leave entitlements. Ryan asks NZ First Deputy Leader Shane Jones whether the party is playing politics by invoking its "agree to disagree" clause over the government's latest immigration changes. We hear Autism New Zealand's reaction to the Trump's administrations "discovery" around the condition. And the Privacy Commissioner has a warning for retailers who post CCTV video and images of apparent shoplifters on social media. 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.

The Privacy Commissioner has issued a warning for retailers who aim to publicly shame shoplifters. The Commissioner says businesses posting CCTV footage and images of crimes on social media causes 'real harm' - and doing so breaks privacy laws. Michael Webster says many of these images are posted to shame the perpetrators as opposed to sharing information - which breaches the Privacy Act.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, lawyer Brigitte Morten and AUT chancellor Rob Campbell joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  We're all waiting on Winston Peters to reveal if New Zealand will recognise a Palestinian state. Which way do we think this will go? NZ First invokes the agree-to-disagree clause over the Government's new residency pathways. Are NZ First right to do this? And are they trying to make immigration a big election issue next year? The Government's made some new changes to the Holidays Act - will this be good for businesses and employees alike?   US President Donald Trump has linked paracetamol use during pregnancy to autism. Should we take this seriously?  Sir Don McKinnon's idea to kickstart New Zealand is for us to host the Commonwealth Games. Is that really the best way forward? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A group of Southland farmers say there is a way to profitability for Alliance Group without selling off 65 percent of the co-op. Alliance shareholders are set to vote on whether to accept a deal from Irish company Dawn Meats, which was offering $250 million for a share in the New Zealand co-operative. The Country's Jamie Mackay weighed in on the offer - and whether Alliance Group is likely to consider this. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business NZ says the Government's making workers leave simpler and more cost-effective. It's announced a new hours-based annual and sick leave accrual system, including flexibility of being able to take only the hours needed off work rather than a full day. It'll also mean part-time workers will no longer have a minimum sick leave entitlement. Business NZ's Paul Mackay says leave's always been accrued, but there were other rules attached. "The Government has simplified it by saying - you accrue leave or you earn leave as you go, it's effectively money in your bank and you will take out from that bank of leave when you want it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Palestine's Deputy Foreign Minister has shared his view on what it means to recognise a Palestinian state. Foreign Minister Winston Peters will announce New Zealand's position on Saturday, at the United Nations general assembly in New York. At least 150 nations have recognised a Palestinian state, including France, Australia, Canada, and the UK. Omar Awadallah from the Palestinian Authority says it's about recognising the people, Government, and territory of Palestine. "You recognise the ideas, the principles upon which those people are acting." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston’s back, banging the trusty old immigration drum. Election next year, so no surprises there. Nor should there be any surprise that National’s keen to keep skilled workers in the country. It’s what business wants. And, generally speaking, what business wants - with a Government right-of-centre - it gets. So before we go barking mad on migration, let’s look at the facts. Is this an Oprah car competition, carte blanche residency lolly scramble? No. The numbers? Somewhere between 3,500 and 9,000 people. Which barely touches the sides of our 4.3 million working-age population. Will they flood in from all corners of the earth? No. They’re already here. You have to be working here in order to qualify and proven yourself. You have to be well-paid - at least $36 an hour - and qualified. This is not a low-rent crowd. Is this a back door into Australia? Well, it can be. But to get through that door, you first have to become a citizen of New Zealand. Let’s call that a 10 year process, plus the

New Zealand First is slamming the Government's latest immigration move - allowing more migrant workers to get a fast-tracked residency. The Government's announced two new pathways, one for skilled work experience and another for trades and technicians. NZ First has invoked the agree to disagree clause - voicing concerns that those who gain residency will become citizens and then leave for Australia. Deputy Leader Shane Jones claims New Zealand's had unfocused immigration policies for some time. He says the Government's focused on 'pumping up the tyres' of employers instead of training up Kiwis to fill the jobs.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A guilty verdict for the Auckland woman charged with murdering her children and leaving their bodies in suitcases.  Hakyung Lee killed her eight and six-year-old in 2018, after giving them anti-depressants in what she said was a failed suicide attempt.  But claims she was insane following her husband's death failed to convince the jury. Newstalk ZB's Emily Ansell says the verdict's in line with evidence from forensic psychiatrist Dr Erik Monasterio. "Who found that there was no proof of any psychotic elements required for that defence, so therefore, he told the jury that he believed she didn't qualify - and that is an opinion they clearly took on board." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hopes new changes around leave entitlements will mean employers can focus on their core business. The Government has announced a new hours-based annual and sick leave accrual system as well as the right to take bereavement leave from day one. The changes also mean part-time workers will no longer have a minimum sick leave entitlement - it'll instead be calculated by hours worked. Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden says businesses have been struggling under Labour's changes to leave entitlements - and changes need to be made. "What I've been hearing, loudly, from the business community is that they want it to be proportionate to the number of hours that people actually work." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speculation is building on who'll be the next Governor of the Reserve Bank, and the Government is due to make an announcement tomorrow. A source has told Bloomberg the new Governor is a woman - and is from overseas. Speculation has centred on the Bank of England's Sarah Breerdon. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell speculates ahead of the big announcement.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump has accused Australia and other Western countries of 'rewarding Hamas' - and Anthony Albanese's hopes of a meeting with the US President were dashed. There were tentative hopes last week of a one-on-one meeting on Sunday in Washington DC after the United States President claimed he would meet Albanese 'soon'.  Australian correspondent Sam Emery says the leaders have had meetings in the past - but the recent statement on Palestine have impacted relations between Australia and the US. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's national football league has attracted the attention of offshore gamblers, prompting concern among experts. Recent figures show that $212 million was wagered on the New Zealand men's domestic football league in 2024 through overseas sports betting platforms. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The head of Autism New Zealand has voiced concerns with the latest claims out of the Trump administration.  US President Donald Trump made claims linking autism to vaccines, as well as the use of paracetamol in pregnancy.  Medsafe says there's no proven link between paracetamol and autism.  Any connection between vaccines and autism has been well debunked. Autism NZ chief executive Dane Dougan says these types of statements are 'harmful' - as they place undue blame on pregnant women. "There's a real risk that we're going to have premature medical endorsements over in the United States for things that don't have any cause or link at all at this point in time. So it's really, really concerning."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some airports are handling cyber chaos better than others, as technical issues at major European airports continue for a third day. Dozens of flights are being delayed or cancelled across Dublin, Berlin, Brussels and at London's Heathrow. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says airlines have been forced to use paper and pen to help check people in. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week's GDP data prompted disappointment from many - but how did the markets react? GDP figures show a worse dip in the economy than economists and the Reserve Bank expected, with a fall of 0.9 percent in the June quarter. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Genesis Energy has struck a two-year deal with New Zealand mining company BT Mining to supply 240,000 tonnes of coal to its Huntly Power Station. The deal equates to BT Mining providing 10,000 tonnes of coal a month to Huntly, which supports the hydro-dominated electricity system. BT Mining chief executive Richard Tacon explained how this deal will boost the local economy. 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! The Government's under pressure over the economy and has today announced almost half a billion dollars of school infrastructure spending. Will this move the dial?  The UK, Canada and Australia have all recognised Palestine overnight. When do we think New Zealand will move forward on this? How many speed bumps is too many? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 22 September 2025, Australia, the UK and Canada have officially recognised the state of Palestine... but New Zealand is holding out. What are we waiting for? Finance Minister Nicola Willis defends the Government's spend on infrastructure projects and the state of the economy - after more than $400 million of school infrastructure spend is being fast-tracked. Another bloody strike! 13,000 hospital appointments have been cancelled because senior doctors are off work for the next two days. The staggering amount overseas gamblers are betting on our local football league - and why that's making players vulnerable to match fixing offers. Plus, the Huddle debates the Government's desperate fight to win the narrative on the economy back. 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.

So fast track has a problem - it's not fast enough. Eight months in, only two projects have been approved. The mining in Taranaki is still undergoing consultation. AKA: delayed. The word is that every man and his dog is lining up to have their say, including Mount Taranaki - literally. How you ask a mountain its thoughts and feelings is beyond me, but are we even surprised anymore? Shane Jones is miffed because the EPA, which is looking into all this, has apparently hired a former Forest and Bird lawyer - and all this while we've got $850m in minerals just sitting there. Now, all of this could have been avoided if the Government didn’t cave to the media and the legal scholars and the green mafia, and just give politicians all the power to override whatever they want. So the delays and the consultation are by design. And in Auckland, you’ve got Eden Park. Eden Park, they tell us, is choking under regulation. So why not use your new RMA superpowers to unshackle it? You can’t. You have to consult first