Larry Williams Drive

Nicola Willis says there's been a clear message to all ministers - we don't want the billions recently allocated for infrastructure sitting in Government bank accounts. A small scale hospital project announcement yesterday and a school property maintenance announcement today have both talked up the boost they'll give the construction sector in the coming 12 months. The Finance Minister says they want signed contracts, spades in the ground, and jobs. "The instruction to all Government ministers has been - make sure you know where your maintenance contracts are at, where those construction projects are at, to get them out the door." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's national football league has attracted the attention of offshore gamblers, raising alarm among sport integrity experts. New data shows  $212 million was wagered on the New Zealand men's domestic football league in 2024 through overseas sports betting platforms, many of which were based in Asia. Andrew Scott-Howman, general counsel for the New Zealand Professional Footballers Association, says our timezone allows us to be a monopoly provider of live product to these markets. "But also, the amateur nature of our competition - our players and our match officials, our referees don't get paid for playing. Therefore, they can be much easier to bribe or convince to do the wrong thing. That's also a problem." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The senior doctor's union is criticising Health New Zealand's decision to call in the Employment Relations Authority to sort out pay talks. Around 6000 doctors and dentists are walking off the job nationwide tomorrow and Wednesday. The ERA's been requested to fix the terms and conditions of a collective agreement - in a move unprecedented for the public sector. Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director Sarah Dalton says they've done some work with the ERA in the past. "We were not happy with the way the ERA authority members applied themselves to the task, and we didn't find them to take an independent view." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's more funding for schools to do jobs like painting and fixing gutters as part of a $413-million-dollar package in accelerated Government investment. Education Minister Erica Stanford says the funding will enable more maintenance to be done these summer holidays. She says $58 million of new money will be available to schools as of now. "Every single school up and down the country is going to be getting a 50 percent top up on their school property maintenance grant."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert has offered clarification around what recognising Palestine as a state means, ahead of New Zealand's decision.  Canada, the UK, and Australia have now formally recognised an independent Palestinian state. Winston Peters is in New York for the UN General Assembly and will reveal New Zealand's position later this week. Australia National University lecturer, Dr Anas Iqtait, says this means recognising a hypothetical Palestinian state - which would occupy the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.  "This symbolic nature is really related to this reality, rather than the other point - which is, there isn't currently sovereignty on the ground, it's a hypothetical state." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's yet to finalise its position on recognising Palestine, despite recent moves by our key allies. Chris Luxon says Cabinet's expected to make a final decision later this week. Three of the Five Eyes members - Australia, the UK and Canada - have formally announced recognition of an independent state of Palestine. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says it's expected the coalition will come together to make a statement, and Winston Peters will likely deliver it by Sunday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's joined the UK, Canada and others in recognising Palestinian statehood. Anthony Albanese says unified recognition is important - and three of the Five Eyes nations have now declared their stance. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says Albanese has confirmed this recognition comes with conditions - including that Hamas will not govern Gaza again and that Palestine will recognise Israel's right to peace and security. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Formula One driver Liam Lawson continues to rev in the right direction. He's finished a career-best fifth at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Red Bull's Max Verstappen claimed victory. Lawson's 10 points move him from 15th to 13th in the standings. Sportstalk host Jason Pine recapped the win further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There'll be no need to carry a physical drivers' licence with the Government's plan for digital alternatives. Digital Services Minister Judith Collins wants to introduce an app that could store the data, and New South Wales has already rolled out a similar service. Tech commentator Paul Spain says the system will need to be robust to protect data. "What we've seen from Governments all around the world is the more data they collect, the more data that they end up losing and leaking." The digital licences could be introduced before the end of the year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 19 September. 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.

How is it that we are having a conversation today about whether Nicola Willis needs to quit her portfolio because of yesterday's shock GDP number? This is crazy.  What happened yesterday is not Nicola Willis's fault. It is the Reserve Bank's fault. It is not a matter of opinion. It is a fact. The Reserve Bank ratcheted up the official cash rate to slow down the economy and engineer a recession, to quote Adrian Orr. It's what he wanted to do. It is what he has actually done successfully. We now have had an enormous recession, and we are struggling to come out of that. That is not Nicola Willis's fault. Now, sure, I can lay some blame at Nicola Willis's feet. I can blame Nicola Willis for not doing enough to fix the state of the government's books.Probably not doing enough to get rundown places like Auckland Central going again, but that GDP number, that is fair and square, largely the Reserve Bank's problem, so she should not quit over what happened yesterday. However, I am prepared to admit that the

China's economy continues to slow down after months of decline, and retail sales and industrial production are at their lowest levels of the year.  Falling property prices are also to blame, with house prices in Beijing down 19% from last year.  Asia business correspondent Peter Lewis says that despite this downturn and the trade war with the US, China's exports have kept at a steady level.  He said that Xi Jinping's focus on expanding markets independent of the US is helping keep the economy moving. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canada is the last obstacle between the Black Ferns and the Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham. The teams will clash tomorrow morning for the third time in the past 16 months.  Former Black Fern Steph Te Ohaere-Fox told Heather duPlessis-Allan that she believes the Black Ferns' record will help the team prevail.  'We've got the mental edge, because we've made it through the finals and won the finals heaps of times.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle: Sports commentator Andrew Gordon and One News sports reporter Kate Wells join Heather duPlessis-Allan to discuss the latest sports news.  The Black Ferns have made it to the semi finals of the Rugby World Cup, can they go all the way? Big congratulations are in order for Geordie Beamish who takes steeplechase gold, and what's happening with the Silver Ferns' rotating captains? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern over predatory parking companies after a man got a ticket for being in a park for eight seconds. Christchurch man Bailey Smith won his case in the Disputes Tribunal, for the 95 dollar parking ticket. Smith says he pulled into the Kauri Street car park and then reversed out again within eight seconds, when he realised it was private. NZ Parking Association Chairman Mike Kelly told Heather du Plessis-Allan operators should be transparent with their rules. He says as soon as you enter a private car park you enter a contract, but it has to be fair and reasonable. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rising number of people on electronically-monitored bail is being used to explain a surge in absconders. Figures released to Newstalk ZB through the Official Information Act show cases of a breach rose from 64 in 2015, to 832 last year. Corrections Chief Probation Officer Toni Stewart told Heather du Plessis-Allan over the last 10 years the courts have granted more electronically monitored bail.  She says they report signs of breaches to police, and is assuring the public they have a zero tolerance for non-compliance.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruth Richardson does not want to see Nicola Willis resign. But the Former Finance Minister is calling on the current Minister to take a chainsaw to certain areas of spending. Recent GDP numbers have shown a worse-than expected economic picture - with a 0.9 percent dip in the June quarter. Ex Finance Minister Sir Roger Douglas is calling for the Minister's resignation. But Richardson says Superannuation's unsustainable and a bloated public service. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former finance minister Roger Douglas has called for current finance minister Nicola Willis to resign.  He says that the decrease in the country’s GDP is not in line with the global economic downturn and that Willis should be held accountable.  Senior political correspondent Barry Soper told Heather duPlessis-Allan that a resignation is unlikely.  'You'd have to go back then to the 1930s to find a finance minister who has stood aside from the portfolio.’  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A law expert thinks an injunction suppressing key details in the Tom Phillips case will be difficult to keep in place. Media and authorities have been suppressed from discussing certain details related to the case since the Marokopa fugitive and his children were found last Monday. Media lawyers have been advocating for the right to report and the Wellington High Court will hear the matter again next month. Senior Law Lecturer Nikki Chamberlain told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it's very difficult to stop individuals discussing the details on social media. She says unless you can make each individual subject to the injunction, you'd have to make the entire social media platform a party in the court order. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US President's been treated to a day of processions, gifts and fly-pasts in his second state visit to the UK. Donald Trump's attending a state banquet at Windsor Castle, hosted by King Charles, with about 150 other guests. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Trump is set to meet with Starmer to discuss trade next. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.