Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 21 November 2025, Heather finds out more about the disquiet in the National Party about Christopher Luxon's leadership. Auckland Pride are seeking a judicial review of the government's call to withdraw guidelines for transgender athletes in community sport. We find out the DIY medical tests may be as reliable as a coin toss. Plus, the Sports Huddle debates whether Scott Robertson is under pressure as All Blacks coach. 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.

Rumours have been swirling of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon getting rolled by his party. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith denied the rumours saying no one in National's caucus had raised with him the idea of replacing Luxon. In recent polls National has lagged behind Labour with 33% versus 38% in the Talbot Mills/Anacta poll conducted between November 1 and 10. This has fanned the flames of conversation regarding the likelihood of National's re-election next year. Although, Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "essentially you've got Labour on the ropes, whereas you've got, the coalition government headed by National in a much stronger position." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There have been no signs of easing anxiety in the stock markets despite record Nvidia results. Investment director for Craigs Investment Partners Mark Lister told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the apprehension is a result of not wanting to overestimate the appropriate levels of optimism. "It's more of a case of a healthy pullback, a healthy correction rather than something that's going to develop into anything more sinister," he said. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump is set to meet with recently elected New York mayor Zohran Mamdani at the White House on Friday following months of public conflict. The US President announced the meeting in a Truth Social Post which said the "communist mayor" requested the meeting. US correspondent Charles Feldman told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "Trump is at heart a New Yorker, and I think he's going to want to present himself as somebody who does have New York's interests at heart." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the death of a two-year old baby in Manawatū earlier this year Midland Community Pharmacy Group chief executive Pete Chandler co-ordinated an audit. The audit found 1,200 prescription mistakes in one week- 26% of the mistakes posing 'high risk of harm' to patients. Chandler told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the days of doctors' handwriting causing issues are over, but electronic systems have introduced a whole new range of problems. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Either Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is telling porkies, or he's the most out-of-the-loop person in Wellington. His claim that there's “no talk” of rolling Chris Luxon is complete nonsense. There is talk—serious talk. I can tell you for a fact that senior National Party ministers believe Luxon can't continue in the job. MPs are actively discussing whether to pull the pin and replace him. If they do, the most likely successor is Chris Bishop. But—and this is crucial—they haven't decided to do it yet. Why? Because it's risky. Rolling a sitting Prime Minister has only happened once before, with Jim Bolger, and that didn't end well. MPs know that sticking with Luxon might pay off if the economy improves next year. Better economic conditions could lift National's polling and save seats currently at risk. But there's a flip side: if the polls don't recover, Luxon's unpopularity could drag National down further. Like it or not, modern elections are presidential in style—voters focus on who they want as Prime Minister. Jacinda Ardern boosted Labour's vote in 2017. Luxon is part of why National's vote has fallen. Would Chris Bishop do better? Maybe. But it's a guess. He could also do worse. And the instability of rolling a sitting PM could make things even worse for National. So MPs face two high-risk options: stick with an unpopular leader or gamble on an unproven one. It's a call I wouldn't want to make—but they're making it right now. It may never happen, but trust me: the talk is real.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, some Labour MPs claim they've got the necessary numbers to roll Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer's popularity has been declining and Reform remains a consistent threat in the polls - and there's clear mood for change. UK correspondent Enda Brady explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 20 November 2025, Education Minister Erica Stanford talks whether she's going to go further on digital restrictions in our schools. Heather asks Wellington Mayor Andrew Little whether he'll cancel the Golden Mile project altogether - after the council voted to pause the works. Predator Free New Zealand Trust CEO Jessi Morgan celebrates the government's move to add feral cats to the Predator Free 2050 hitlist. David Seymour talks his comments about Winston Peters wanting to repeal the Regulatory Standards Bill. Plus, the Huddle debates whether you can stand at a concert - no matter what sort of ticket you have. 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.

Despite growing concerns about the AI bubble, Nvidia's shown it won't be popping any time soon. The company's quarterly results have smashed expectations and it recorded a 22 percent jump in profit from the previous quarter. Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zespri has issued its November forecast for the 2025/26 kiwifruit season, and it's predicting some solid results. At a per-hectare level, record returns are currently projected across all categories. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners 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! NZ First is looking to repeal the Regulatory Standards Act ahead of the election. ACT's David Seymour isn't thrilled - what do we make of this? What's Winston's plan here? The Government has officially recognised feral cats as pests and added them to the Predator Free 2050 list. Do we think this is a good idea? What are the risks here? New research shows the ban on phones in schools is working - but the ERO recommends the Government can go further. Do we need social media restrictions next? Heather was at last night's Metallica concert and she saw a fan in the stands rocking out - before he was encouraged to sit down. Heather says fans should be able to stand and move at concerts if you want - do we agree? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A promise the Government's working as quickly as possible on roading projects - but an admission some will take a long time. The Transport Minister says he's trying to make expectations clear. Officials estimate petrol tax and road user charges would need to be hiked 70 percent - to deliver all the $56 billion Roads of National Significance - within two decades. Chris Bishop says the Government is committed, but these are very big projects. "So I'm just saying, it's about a long-term pipeline over many, many years." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington's mayor says scrapping the controversial Golden Mile project would be relatively easy, but they want to act in good faith. Councillors voted 12-4 to hold fire, after warnings the project could balloon to $220 million up from the 2021 budget of $160 million. Doing up Courtney Place could cost up to $25 million more than approved. Andrew Little says there's no contract or exit costs - but there's an agreement with NZTA. "We actually need to maintain that relationship with NZTA, we've got some big projects scheduled for Wellington now too." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour isn't impressed with New Zealand First's promise to campaign on repealing ACT's Regulatory Standards bill. The Bill passed last Thursday - supported by New Zealand First, National and ACT - and became law two days ago. NZ First leader Winston Peters has since called it a 'terrible overreach' and 'not fit for a modern democracy'. Seymour gave his opinion on this move. "People want to play politics - I mean, it's not even an election year yet." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has officially recognised feral cats as pests and added them to the Predator Free 2050 list. Conservation Minister Tama Potaka described them as 'stone cold killers' and says they need to be dealt with to protect New Zealand's native species. Predator Free NZ Trust chief executive Jessi Morgan says they've been campaigning on this move for a long time and it's 'exciting' to see it in motion. "I think New Zealanders are ready for this and they've actually been calling out for it. So I don't think it's going to cause any issue at all." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister's not ruling out banning other digital distractions in schools. An Education Review Office report shows three-quarters of secondary school teachers believe student behaviour's improved since cellphones were outlawed in class. It's also recommending considering also excluding smart watches and social media. Education Minister Erica Stanford says she's open to the ideas. "We're certainly going to take ERO's recommendations into account and I'll get the Ministry to give me some advice, but I certainly think we probably do need to go further. But that'll obviously be a decision I need to take to Cabinet." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing speculation Chris Luxon is at risk of being rolled ahead of the election, with Chris Bishop being touted as a potential replacement. An opinion piece by Audrey Young was released today, and it claimed that Labour was going extra hard on Bishop over the cycleway project because he was likely to take over the party by 2026. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says National's taking a hit in the polls and there's discussions about Luxon's leadership abilities taking place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've got a possibly controversial opinion about standing up at concerts. Last night, I went to see Metallica. Incredible show - way better than I gave them credit for yesterday. But here's what happened. We were in the stands, seated tickets. A few rows ahead, there was this guy who, the second Metallica hit the stage, jumped to his feet. Everyone else stayed seated, but not him. Hands in the air, devil horns flying, head-banging, air guitar, singing every lyric. He was having the best night of his life - and honestly, watching him made the rest of us enjoy it more. Not everyone agreed. People behind him started throwing cans. They hit him in the back; he ignored it. Then a couple of women clambered over seats, smacked him on the back, told him to sit down. He ignored that too. Eventually, a guy from way back stormed down, leaned across rows, got into a shouting match, even tried to physically drag him into his seat. After a few minutes, the head-banger gave in and sat down. But he couldn't help himself. Every time a new song started, he popped back up - horns up, air guitar blazing -before remembering he was “supposed” to sit. This went on until he finally squeezed into the stairwell so he could thrash without blocking anyone's view. You could tell it wasn't the same; cramped space, less freedom. Here's my take: If you're at a concert, you should be able to stand up and have the best time of your life - even if you bought a seated ticket. If someone in front of you stands, sorry, you're going to have to stand too. It's not okay to demand someone sit for the whole show. It's music, not a movie. And it's Metallica, not the Symphony Orchestra. I'm with the metal-head from last night. He paid good money to enjoy himself. If that means horns up, air guitar, and head-banging - let him do it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian teenagers have been warned their accounts of Facebook, Instagram and Threads will be shut down ahead of the country's incoming social media ban. Meta has confirmed it has started notifying users between 13 and 15 years old by text, email and in-app messages that their accounts would be deactivated come December. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Meta has encouraged young users to download their content now, before the data gets removed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pride from Silver Ferns interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie after completing their 2025 season on a high. New Zealand's overcome adversity to down England 55-49 in Manchester and claim the series 2-1. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave recapped the action. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A long-term US study shows water fluoridation at recommended levels doesn't reduce cognitive ability. The 40-year study found children who drank such water did slightly better in school tests. By 60, that edge was insignificant, but fluoride didn't contribute to cognitive decline. Dentist Justin Wall says this puts this particular argument to bed - but theories about fluoride are bound to continue. "People would probably blame fluoride for mullet haircuts and not getting the Lotto numbers right if they could. But at the end of the day, fluoride is very highly researched." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK Government has confirmed it aims to ban people from reselling tickets from live events to make a profit. Restricting ticket scalpers was one of the Labour Government's election pledges, and it comes after Sam Fender, Dua Lipa and Coldplay urged Sir Keir Starmer to take action. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says more details of this plan will be revealed soon. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is delaying hiking the levy most home owners pay via their private insurers to fund the Natural Hazards Commission until 2027. The $552 levy was supposed to go up by between $207 and $311, but reports claim ministers are still considering their options, with Finance Minister Nicola Willis saying she didn't want to make a 'hurried decision'. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank is set to reveal their latest OCR update next week, but experts aren't feeling too hopeful about the economy. GDP is down and the labour market remains weak, and many are feeling less optimistic. Milford Asset Management's Brendan Larsen explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, broadcaster Mark Sainsbury and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Government has moved to pause prescription on puberty blockers - what do we make of this? Winston Peters is celebrating how much money he's saving the country with our new Cook Strait ferries. Do we see the costs blowing out on this one? The Breakers are being criticised for deciding not to wear a rainbow flag on their jersey for the NBL's Pride Round. What do we make of the backlash? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 19 November 2025, Rail Minister Winston Peters says he's saved taxpayers more than two billion dollars with his new Interislander ferry deal. But does the maths add up? Rotorua's days as a emergency housing hotspot are officially over. Mayor Tania Tapsell reacts to news the last people have officially left emergency motel accommodation. Health Minister Simeon Brown explains why the Government is banning transgender kids from accessing puberty blockers. Kiwi families are facing the pinch as Christmas is looming, personal finance expert Mary Holm has some tips how you can stretch the money further. Plus, the Huddle debates whether Winston's ferry announcement is convincing. 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.

There would not be a drama today about the Breakers basketball team not wanting to wear the rainbow flag on their jerseys if the basketball league had stayed out of politics in the first place. Now, if you haven't caught up on this, there is unnecessary upset today because it's emerged that the entire Breakers team will not wear that little rainbow Pride flag on their jerseys during Pride Round next year because some of the players don't want to. And it's for religious and cultural reasons, apparently. So because some of the players don't want to, the whole team won't. Now, as you can imagine, this has absolutely blown up and it has led to accusations of homophobia, accusations of bigotry, accusations of cowardice. And look, I don't know, maybe all those accusations are right, but this didn't have to happen. They didn't have to have this drama if they hadn't tried to get all of the players to wear a symbol that you can guarantee some players wouldn't want to wear, because statistically that had to be a possibility when you had 150 players rostered on for any particular season.Now, I don't think that this kind of rainbow-washing helps anyone. There is no need for a random sports league to run any kind of a week, whether it be Pride Week or Indigenous Week, or Women's Menstrual Rights Week. I don't know what kind of week, you just don't need it. Maybe it sells a few tickets - probably not a lot - but it can backfire and it has backfired in this case. So now instead of looking inclusive to the rainbow community, the NBL looks the complete opposite and has accusations of homophobia coming at it. Now, you would have thought that everyone under the sun would have learned from the massive rugby league debacle three years ago when those seven Manly players refused to wear the Pride jersey. And yet, the basketball league decided to start up its own Pride Week the very next year, having learned nothing. Now, I say this all of the time, and I will say this again - sports needs to stay out of politics. There is no real upside in it and there's way too much downside, and this is a case in point. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows that more Kiwis will have to take on debt ahead of this coming Christmas season. A nationwide survey by MYOB showed 35 percent expected to feel financially better off in a year's time, while 38 percent expected to be about the same, and 24 percent believed they would be worse off. Personal finance expert Mary Holm says more Kiwi households will be struggling to afford presents for their kids, but there are workarounds. "There's buying only op-shop gifts or second-hand books, which could be quite fun, going and rummaging around bookshops to find the right gift for people." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No child will be able to start taking puberty blockers from December 19. The Government says the Ministry of Health has found a lack of evidence for the benefits or risks of gender dysphoria or incongruence treatment - gonadotropin - releasing hormone analogues. Health Minister Simeon Brown says they're putting up safeguards until more evidence is available. "Effectively, what we're doing is putting in place a restriction on the prescribing of these drugs for this purpose to make sure that those who are prescribing look at the wider range of treatments or things that can be done." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland bars are heaving as Metallica prepares to rock Eden Park tonight - its first Kiwi concert in 15 years. About 40,000 visitor nights have been booked for the sell-out concert, with the city's hotels at 100 percent capacity. Roads near Eden Park are closed until midnight. Kingsland's Full-Time Bar manager, Shane Don, says business is booming this afternoon. "We're stacked in here, everyone's kitted out like bogans, I'm kitted out like a bogan, and I honestly feel like I've walked back 30 years." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rotorua's mayor is overjoyed the era of emergency housing motels is over - with no families left in them. At its peak, more than 240 households were living across 13 motels Tania Tapsell says delivering affordable houses has made a huge difference. She says the city's recent tourism lift has also helped mend its reputation. "Between building the homes we actually needed, affordable ones, and boosting our economy, it's going to be great. Our tourism industry here is the heartbeat of Rotorua." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters says logic has prevailed, as he confirms our new Cook Strait ferries are coming in under $2 billion dollars. The new Interislander vessels are expected to arrive in 2029 under budget. The Rail Minister claims it's saved the taxpayer more than $2 billion on the canned mega-ferries project. Peters says he's confident the Government's done the right thing. "This is common sense we're applying here, there are contingencies in our plan as well. And to cover off any concerns you've got...we've got together a hard-nosed team." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Smokefree 2025 goal was created in 2010 with the hope that fewer than 5 percent of Kiwis will smoke by 2025, but that's looking unlikely. The annual New Zealand Health survey's confirmed rates are stagnating just below 7 percent - and vaping rates growing. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump appears to have had his hand forced, over the Jeffrey Epstein files. A bipartisan bill compelling the Justice Department to release case documents relating to the deceased convicted sex offender has overwhelming Congress support. The President - who's repeatedly denied links to Epstein - must now sign it into law. US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley says it's unknown when these files will be released, but that detail is up to the Department of Justice. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Breakers' decision not to wear the rainbow pride flag in next year's NBL Pride Round has prompted mixed reactions. The Auckland-based basketball club is facing public backlash after becoming the second club to opt out of the pride jersey since the round began in January 2023. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's little hope New Zealand can reach its 2025 smoke-free targets. The annual New Zealand Health survey has confirmed rates are stagnating just below 7 percent, with 12 percent of adult Kiwis vaping daily. Auckland University School of Public Health's Kathryn Bradbury says this smoking plateau - follows 10 to 15 years of really good progress. "The goal is to get under five percent - I mean, we're pretty close. But it looks unlikely." The study also shows a third of adults are obese - and just 7 percent eat the recommended daily veggie intake. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concern about how many people drop out of apprenticeships, according to new reports. Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds has told a conference more than half of trainees aren't completing training. She says it's driven by a number of reasons, but she's pointing the finger at the previous Government incentivising training. Simmonds says it means many signed up despite not being that interested - and didn't complete their apprenticeship. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood plans to impose visa bans on three African countries if they fail to take back their illegal migrants. Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo face visa sanctions set to block tourists, VIPs and business officials from travelling to Britain if they don't co-operate. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the Government is hoping to reassure voters it can be tough on migration amid concerns from the opposition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warehouse is being his hard by the tough economic conditions. New reports show profits are down and the retail giant is looking to slash jobs. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's largest mānuka honey producer's voted down a richlister takeover bid, leaving its fate in limbo. Comvita received an offer of 80-cents-per-share in August from Florenz - a subsidiary of Christchurch billionaire Mark Stewart's Masthead Limited. Comvita CEO Karl Gradon explained how the company could bounce back. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Thomas Scrimgeour from the Maxim Institute and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Schools across the country are mobilising and publicly committing to upholding the Treaty, despite the Government's plan to remove the obligations from boards. Luxon has said the schools shouldn't focus on politics - does he have a point? New polls show the Government's falling out of favour with voters and Kiwis are split on the capital gains tax. What can the Government do to improve? Uber drivers have won the battle against Uber in the Supreme Court. The court has ruled that Uber drivers are employees. Is this the right move? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 17 November 2025, Transport Minister Chris Bishop explains why the Government is moving to make importing dirty cars cheaper. The Supreme Court has ruled that Uber drivers are employees, Anita Rosentreter from the Workers First Union speaks about the implications for drivers. Finance Minister Nicola Willis gives a very strong hint about next year's election date, and reveals when she found out that Andrew Coster was part of an IPCA investigation into disgraced Jevon McSkimming. MBIE's Ian Caplin explains what parents need to know about the magic sand asbestos warning. Plus, the Huddle debates polls that show Kiwis support for Labour's CGT and why the Government is rating so poorly in the latest Ipsos survey. 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.