Larry Williams Drive

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

Donald Trump has informed his allies that he aims to meet with Vladimir Putin as soon as next week, with an additional three-way meeting including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the cards. When asked later if the leaders would attend the summit, Trump told reporters there was a 'very good prospect that they would'. UK correspondent Enda Brady explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025 has been regarded as a challenging year for economic forecasting, with experts stumped about what decisions to make. Traditional indicators have been regarded as contradictory, but one expert's developed a workaround. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian researchers have developed a vaccine to protect livestock during an outbreak of foot and mouth disease. The five-year research project was a partnership between Meat & Livestock Australia, Tiba Biotech and the NSW Government - and cost $20 million to develop. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rare thing to be able to say- but Wellington City Council has just made a sensible decision and voted against erecting a fence along the entire length of Kumutoto and Queen's Wharf. Now, if you know the part of Wellington that I'm talking about here, it's the area seaside of the TSB Bank Arena and Fergs and Shed 5 and Foxglove and so on.  That whole area at the moment has beautiful concrete walkways that have been laid, lovely seating and lighting and so on.  And then there's a little barrier either side. If there's sea on the other side, there's a little barrier that comes up to a concrete barrier, maybe mid-shin for you. Now, council officials planned to erect a fence instead - a full-length fence either side of every walkway, up to about 1.2 meters or so, lining almost the entire walkway, 3.5 km of it, at the cost of maybe as much as $30 million. And they wanted the council - probably because they realized how this is going to go down with people - to rush through voting on it without talkin

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 7 August 2025, Ballance, one of the biggest names in agriculture business, might have to put its operations on hold for four months because gas is getting too expensive. CEO Kelvin Wickham talks to Heather. Did Auckland Council get your rates bill wrong? Heather tells you how you can find out. Nurses Organisation President Anne Daniels is worried about the impact on EDs when St John volunteers stop their work in hospitals. Wellington Councillor Tim Brown explains why he doesn't want a fence lining the waterfront - despite a number of deaths. Plus, the Huddle debates just how damning Treasury's report on Labour's Covid spending is. 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.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Wellington Council has voted down a proposal to build a fence around its waterfront. Do we think this was the right move? High gas prices are set to bring down another company - this time it's fertiliser manufacturer Ballance. How many more of these incidents can our economy take? What can we do to stop this? It's been revealed the Government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new reports. What do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fuel taxes are set to be replaced by road user charges for all vehicles - and it's left many wondering how these changes will be implemented. Eroad has welcomed this development, and their share price has risen in the hours since Transport Minister Chris Bishop made this announcement. Eroad co-CEO Mark Heine says the company's been making use of electronic road user charges (eRUC) for years and says the technology's there to get this going. "We're still working through with the Government for the pricing for that, but our target is to get it as cheap as possible." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One school principal is not phased by mistakes being found in a Ministry maths resource book.  18 errors have been found and fixed - including incorrect sums and a Te Reo Māori typo. Auckland Primary Principals' Association President Lucy Naylor says it's not ideal, but the resources only make up about five percent of what's taught. She points out they didn't cost schools. "Given the maths resources have been given free to schools by the Government, it kind of outweighs the errors." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington councillors have voted against advice to fence parts of the waterfront. They were considering a proposal to immediately spend $7 million installing fences on the Kumutoto and Queens Wharf precincts - without community consultation. Councillor Tim Brown says he feels they've spent $8 million dollars improving lighting and other initiatives around the waterfront. He says he feels they've met their safety responsibly. "The best thing for us to do in terms of common sense approach was to sit back and have a look at the effect of what we've already done - before we decided we needed to do something additional." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.