Larry Williams Drive

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.

A key player could be back for the Warriors' next NRL game against the Dragons at Mt Smart on Friday. Hooker Wayde Egan's been dealing with a shoulder issue, with Freddy Lussick and Sam Healey filling in at dummy-half during their loss to the Bulldogs in Sydney. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains what this means for the team's chances of getting back into the top four. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 8 August 2025, the Israeli security cabinet has approved plans to take full control of Gaza. Israeli journalist Haggai Matar tells Heather this specifically means the IDF wants to take control of Gaza City but it's unclear where civilians are supposed to go. Oranga Tamariki is celebrating the end of the bootcamps pilot as a success. OT's Iain Chapman tells Heather for some kids the process has been totally life changing. Labour's Willow-Jean Prime is under fire for declining information or briefings on the Government's big changes to education - was she just being lazy? Otago University Professor Angela Ballantyne tells Heather how GPs are embracing AI - and what the pitfalls are that patients should be aware of. Plus, the Sports Huddle gets fired up on the issue of Richie Mo'unga and whether it's time to ditch NZ Rugby's eligibility rules. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or where

The UK Government has called the group Palestine Action ‘terrorists’ after members associated with the group were found on an RAF base.  Palestine Action have organised a large protest in central London this weekend, but the Metropolitan Police are warning that anyone showing support for the group will be arrested.   UK Correspondent Gavin Grey says that the predicted number of attendees at this protest will stretch police resources to their limit.  LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Treasury report has pointed out that government spending is still near its peak during the pandemic.  This comes after finance minister Nicola Willis said her government won’t repeat the previous government’s mistakes.  Former finance minister Ruth Richardson told Heather duPlessis-Allan that ‘[Nicola Willis] needs to face up to what the Treasury is telling her.’  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has called India a country with a ‘dead economy.’  Despite India being one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world, Trump lumped India in with Russia when criticising their economies.  Asia business correspondent Peter Lewis says that Donald Trump’s comments could affect the two countries’ trade.   He told Heather duPlessis-Allan that ‘It’s rather upended the relationship’   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, NewstalkZB Sports reporter Nathan Limm and Oceania Football Confederation media manager Matt Brown join Heather duPlessis-Allan to discuss the latest sports news.  Should NZ keep letting top rugby players run away overseas? Or is it making it harder to track who will come home to play for the All Blacks. Will letting them go overseas devalue Super Rugby here?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Oranga Tamariki Youth Justice senior leader's keen to see youth offender boot camps continue beyond the pilot.  The 12-month military-style camp trial with 10 of New Zealand's most serious young offenders has wrapped.  Eight completed the programme, seven re-offended requiring them to return to camp, and one passed away in a road accident.  Oranga Tamariki Deputy CEO Ian Chapman says this was the last stop shop before a life in corrections.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel's expanding its military occupation of Gaza - forcing more than a million Palestinians out of Gaza City.  Israel's security cabinet's approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan - in a nine hour meeting today. It involves moving Palestinians out of the main population centres - and into compounds in southern Gaza.  Israeli journalist Haggai Matar told Heather du-Plessis Allan that Israel already controls over 85 percent of Gaza - and forbids Palestinians from going into it.   He says it's basically pushing Palestinians into smaller areas of land - mostly areas that have been uninhabited and are very difficult to sustain life on.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US President has said he would be happy to have a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.  The focus of this meeting will likely be around peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.  US Correspondent Jonathan Kearsley told Heather duPlessis-Allan that Donald Trump wants to be the middleman to this peace deal.   ‘He would want to make it look like he is the peacemaker.’  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So I don't know what's worse, the fact that Willow Jean Prime is a lazy, disinterested waste of space in Labour's team, or the fact that Labour's been busted almost lying about this. So let me get you across what happened, and you can decide for yourself.  In March, Willow Jean Prime took over the Labour Party education portfolio from Jan Tonetti, and her National Party counterpart, Erika Stanford, sent her a text to say congrats and I need to get you up to speed with the NCEA change process. It would be good if we could meet first and I can run you through where we're at. There is a policy advisory group of principals who are working on the details. You can have access to them as well as my officials and also NZQA.  Willow Jean does not bother to reply.  Two months later in May, Erica's office sends an email saying, basically, haven't heard from Willow Jean, would like to ensure cross-party engagement can continue. Can we set up a meeting?  Willow Jean doesn't bother to reply.  A mon