Podcast appearances and mentions of andrew dickens

This weekend's Super Rugby Pacific Final is shaping up to be a blockbuster. The Hurricanes are hosting the Chiefs at a sold-out Hnry Stadium. The Chiefs are chasing their first title in thirteen years, but the Hurricanes are hungry to lift the trophy again, a decade after their only win. CEO Tony Philp told Andrew Dickens they know the Chiefs are going to come down and play an epic game. He says it's the two best teams, and they're super excited about taking that challenge on and doing it in front of what's set to be a loud and boisterous home crowd. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fishing industry lobby group says the Government's decision to press pause on changes to fishing laws will be a missed opportunity. Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has confirmed a bill, easing restrictions on the industry, won't be passed before the election. The Government had already scrapped controversial plans to reduce minimum size limits for commercial fishers. Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Lisa Futschek told Andrew Dickens this legislation was put in place in 1996 and needed an update. She says the bill has been shrouded in misinformation, and the benefits of the changes have been ignored. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government says manufacturers share its goal of doubling export receipts. Stats NZ says equipment and food production were the biggest drivers of the 0.8% rise in GDP in the March quarter. BNZ data shows manufacturing activity's dipped again since the fuel crisis started. But Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Cameron Brewer told Andrew Dickens things are trending up. He says signs are positive, with strong forward orders and confidence improving across the country. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've come to the end of a fascinating week in politics. But what week in politics isn't? It kicked off last Sunday with Nicola Willis alleging a massive hidden bill in Labour's policies. She also had a crack at the lack of policies from Labour. And while that entertained her base who already hold that view, there were many who said she pulled the trigger too soon and it was a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black. Heather said it was way too soon, and it should have been left to closer to Election Day. Cameron Bagrie said that all parties have hidden bills and because of our fiscal state, all policies are going to have to be paid for by debt. So, Nicola's shot could have backfired. And Audrey Young pointed out that last election Nicola Willis released her fiscal policy with costings only four days before advance voting started, and 17 days before Election Day. This year's election is 141 days away. Look I enjoy this election-style biffo because it's great grist to the mill for people in my job, but I too wonder why National has pulled the trigger so early. It raises the question whether they're very worried about the Opposition beating them. It also shows their hand, and come Election time maybe Labour will be better prepared. Maybe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The economic cost of injuries is being labelled a wake-up call for ACC and policymakers. ACC's latest injuries report shows claims last year cost the economy $8.7 billion in lost productivity. About $4.4 billion was spent on treatment and $3.1 billion on weekly compensation. ACC lawyer and researcher Warren Forster told Andrew Dickens it's positive to see ACC focusing on the economic impact of injuries. He says it's costing us as a society, and change needs to happen. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's suggested the Government's out of touch with the challenges beneficiaries face trying to lock down a job. Social Development Minister Louise Upston wants to slash the number of people on Jobseeker to 140 thousand by 2030. But Labour says we're on track to miss this target by more than 60 thousand people. Social Development spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime is criticising the measures the Government's put in place - telling Andrew Dickens they're punitive. She says there are so many people looking for work, but the Government hasn't created the conditions for more work. LISTEN ASee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Data due out today is expected to show our economy was continuing to recover before the fuel crisis really began to bite. Stats NZ is releasing GDP figures for the March quarter at 10.45. It's expected to show the economy grew between 0.7 and 1% between January and March, but it's likely to have contracted again between April and June. Westpac Senior Economist Michael Gordon told Andrew Dickens normally this is a phase in which we'd be able to get some strong growth, but there are still some headwinds against the economy. He says we still had interest rate relief over the past few years, but it's more a case of the Reserve Bank taking its foot off the break, but not stomping on the accelerator to get the economy going again. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Thursday 18th of June Full Show Podcast 2026, Westpac Senior Economist Michael Gordon previews GDP data out today. Benefit numbers not looking too good for the Government, Labour Social Development and Employment Spokesperson Willow Jean Prime shares her thoughts. ACC Lawyer and Researcher Warren Forster tells Andrew Dickens why ACC is costing us so much. Plus, US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Trump has issuing new threats to Iran if they don't stick to the Memorandum of Understanding and the Obama Presidential Center is due to open in Chicago this weekend. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first Michelin rankings of New Zealand restaurants are out later this month Yesterday Jesse Mulligan, the Herald's restaurant reviewer, pointed out it's going to be a very incomplete list of our best restaurants and worth little to most, including the high wealth tourists it's supposed to attract There's a couple of reasons. Firstly, geographic. The reviewers have only visited Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown. So restaurants outside that area, many in our wine growing districts, won't even be visited. His examples are Craggy Range in Hawke's Bay and Arbour in Marlborough, which he reviewed as being most probably New Zealand's best restaurant. He also argues that that local word-of-mouth and trusted, down-to-earth recommendations hold more practical value for diners than anonymous international inspectors. He reckons 35 restaurants might be reviewed, and we'd be lucky to see any get a star. Now normally I wouldn't care, except Tourism New Zealand paid $6.3 million to bring the Michelin Guide to the country in a three-year partnership agreement. That's an awful lot of taxpayer's money to get a very incomplete and small guide of New Zealand restaurants that miss our best and much of our country. You know what that sounds like to me? That sounds like wasteful government spending.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A decline in drink driving convictions. Ministry of Justice figures show convictions for teenagers in the past nine years are down 52% and 9.6% overall. But the numbers rose for people in their thirties and over 55's. Alcohol Beverages Council spokesperson Virginia Nicholls told Andrew Dickens it shows youth drinking is changing for the better. She says a change in culture is coming through as well as the impact of targeted education and support programmes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ACT Party's promising to ensure freedom of speech for professional regulators if re-elected. The proposal would ban regulators from disciplining workers for lawful expression outside of professional practice. It would require them to remain neutral on political issues and restrict mandatory training to matters directly related to professional competence and safety. Free Speech Union council member Ani O'Brien told Andrew Dickens these people are currently being judged on more than just their competence. She says workers are being policed on what they post on social media and their political beliefs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Lord. Parliamentarians are actually doing something we've asked for. They've come up with an Infrastructure Plan for the next 30 years and more remarkably, it has rare cross party backing. It was produced independently by the Infrastructure Commission. Labour and the Greens have called it a long-term, non-partisan blueprint for fixing decades of inconsistent infrastructure decisions. Here's our problem: New Zealand spends heavily on infrastructure but ranks poorly on efficiency and asset management. Minister Chris Bishop says the Government is already acting on all ten priority areas, including reviewing transport funding, legislating long-term investment plans, improving national infrastructure data, and strengthening public-sector project leadership. Further work is needed on predictable funding signals, multi-year budgeting, and coordinated workforce planning, with Treasury and MBIE to report back in 2027. But finally, we are attacking the stop start nature of developing this country and that will make it quicker, more efficient and most importantly cheaper. And finally, the so called grownups in charge of the country are being grown up and ditching infrastructure as a way to define themselves politically. I had a mate who was a tunneller who did the Victoria Park tunnel. Then he left New Zealand until the Waterview tunnel started and then he left New Zealand again. And I remember at a barbecue him saying that if we just got all our tunnelling projects sorted and, in a row, so the experience could move from one job to the next than the country would save billions. Every project carries the coast of start-up operations. and it's holding us back.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Whites are kicking off their FIFA World Cup campaign this afternoon. It's the first time since 2010 that they've made it into the tournament, and they're facing Iran in their opening match. Weekend Sport's Jason Pine told Andrew Dickens set pieces will likely be All Whites' best opportunity to score goals. He says the opportunities won't come along very often, so when they do, they will have to take them. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Middle East War has left Iran with a harder-line regime than before, says The Guardian's Washington Bureau Chief. David Smith told Andrew Dickens that although the United States and Iran have agreed on a deal to end the war, it is more relief than resolution. “I think it's hard to celebrate after such a rough war with so many civilian casualties, we should not forget them. And frankly, a war that's left the Iranian population worse off now with a more hardline regime and an economic crisis. "Also many critics would argue [the war] has dealt a real blow to US power and prestige and shown the limits of that power." Smith said he believes the Iranian regime will be less likely to make concessions on its nuclear programme. "I think partly because the Iranian regime does feel emboldened. For them, nearly hanging on and surviving was victory, and they achieved that. And we now have something more like a military junta that is younger and more radicalised and feels emboldened that it managed to stand up to the Goliath Americans." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MPs may be underestimating just how negatively the public views their use of parliamentary allowances. There's renewed scrutiny of politicians claiming taxpayer-funded accommodation allowances while owning their own Wellington homes. The Opportunity Party is campaigning on reforming the rules. Political commentator Bryce Edwards told Andrew Dickens there could be real public appetite for change. He says story-after-story seems to receive strong feedback. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are a lot of people who think the media are a left-wing lobby group. And they think Stuff is one of the leftiest of them all. So, explain to me why Stuff has just appointed Mathew Hooton as their new editor, apparently after he was shoulder tapped by Sinead Boucher. Yesterday the Post reported this about their new editor. "Hooton's CV includes being a Young Nat, a press secretary in the Bolger Government, a strategist for National during the Don Brash years ... an adviser for ACT, a strategic consultant for iwi, banks, most corporate sectors, government departments, and the ultra-rich - and a short-lived stint as Wayne Brown's adviser." Totally socialist. Not. But if you read Matthew and if you meet Matthew, you'll know he has one of the clearest understandings of how power works in this country both left and right politically. And at a corporate level. And in Te Ao Māori. People in this country are far too quick to generalise. They don't understand the difference between left and right, often confusing them between conservative and liberal and the difference between demand side and supply side economics. I've grown frustrated at hearing supposedly rightist people demanding government intervention and not realising they're straying out of their lane. So, Matthew I think is a genius move - so let the ructions begin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk is set to become the world's first trillionaire as SpaceX finally hits the US stock market. Max Rashbrooke, senior research fellow of economic inequality at Victoria University of Wellington told Andrew Dickens, "we live in a world where a lot of people have got nothing or they're may be worth a dollar and it's sort of hard to think that someone is 1 trillion times more worthy or has contributed 1 trillion times more to humanity than someone else. "So, I find it very hard to justify." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Friday, 12 June, 2026, Mike Angove from the Walk Without Fear Charitable Trust tells us how disappointed he is at the watering down of "coward punch" legislation. A Field-good story. Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen on the success of this year's Fieldays. Hamilton mayor Tim Macindoe on why he's excited about plans for the city's first skyscraper. And on the Sports Huddle, Nathan Limm and Jeff McTainsh are not that fussed with the World Cup opening ceremony but the actual action's not bad. 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.

The FIFA World Cup kicked off today with co-host Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening match with performances by Shakira and Burna Boy. Although, entertainment journalist Karl Puschmann was not a fan of the festivities. He told Andrew Dickens he wished he'd stayed in bed as the show "was flatter than a day old soft drink." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A proposed new hotel set on the banks of the Waikato River could be Hamilton's first skyscraper standing at 25 storeys high. Kiwi high-rise developer Templeton Group presented the preliminary design for the Victoria Street Tower to Hamilton City Council on Thursday. Hamilton Mayor Tim Macindoe told Andrew Dickens he is 'fully on board' with the development. "There are all sorts of wonderful things happening in our city, and we need these beds and we need a, a top-quality hotel and I think this is really going to deliver in a spectacular way." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT and New Zealand First are in favour of a minimum non-parole period of 8 years for offenders who commit manslaughter by a strike to the head or the neck - the coward punch. But, National and the opposition parties are not keen. Board member of the Walk Without Fear Trust, Mike Angove, told Andrew Dickens he is disappointed in National's lack of support. "National have indicated that they're going to look at bespoke law, but essentially, remembering that Matt King, originally a National Party member, started this 8 years ago, almost 9 years ago. National has been right behind this the whole way, but they've faltered at the hurdle." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, it's been more than two months since the president announced what he described as a ceasefire with Iran and suggested a major deal was just days away. This was back on April 7. The president said on social media that the two sides were “very far along”, adding that they just needed two weeks for the agreement to be finalised and consummated. But of course, that never happened. And yet, in the weeks and months since, the president has continued to insist that a deal is right around the corner—again and again. In fact, he's now made that claim 38 times, a fact seized on by Iran. Through social media posts, public remarks and interviews, he keeps saying an agreement is imminent or that Iran is eager to strike one. And there's little indication that those claims are any more accurate than they were back in early April. So, what's he doing? He could be trying to calm the financial markets. He could believe that repeating the claim might actually help bring it to life. Or, more likely, he's simply misread the entire situation. I was listening to Heather this morning, and more and more analysts—from both sides of politics—are starting to doubt his credibility and publicly voice concerns that he has locked the United States into a forever war. And increasingly, people are saying that the US never fully understood that Iran's real weapons of mass destruction were gifted by geography: its oil, and its ability to close the Strait of Hormuz using little more than speedboats with bazookas. That he never fully grasped the potential effect on the global economy. You know, there's a thing called TDS—and it appears the real derangement syndrome here is the belief that the president has this under control. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A large structure has appeared on the White House Lawn as the UFC match approaches on June 14 to mark 250 years of American independence. US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson called the structure 'tacky' as Trump says he may keep it as a permanent feature. Mitchinson also discusses updates in the war with Iran and a mass exodus of American citizens willingly giving up their citizenship. He told Andrew Dickens "they just say that that it's the US has become too divided, too political." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Thursday, 11 June, 2026, Transport Minister Chris Bishop sets the record straight on plans for Budget funding earmarked for a rainy day and takes a swipe at Labour's public transport policy. We speak to the founder of a business offering ADHD assessments over Zoom, cutting wait times from months to weeks. The Prime Minister says we will not be spending $5 billion on overseas carbon credits, so what other options do we have? Climate change law expert Professor Barry Barton talks us through it.. And on The Huddle, Oscar Kightley and Tim Wilson debate what we can do get people to stop smoking illegal cigarettes. 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.

Is anyone else feeling for Chris Hipkins right now? He's having a terrible week, and it just looks bad. A large part of the blame has to rest with the people below him just not doing their job. First, the Superintendent Naidoo schemozzle. Notification of his intent to run for political office on a Thursday, just before it's announced the next Monday, was an organisational failure. The superintendent should've known the police manual better, and so should the backroom administrators of the Labour Party. Then, they released their public transport policy that everyone says is low on its costing. And then the spokesman, Tangi Utikere, was unable to name the projects in the National Land Transport Fund that would be defunded to make room for it. Making it seem like a good enough idea drawn up on the back of an envelope. Making it seem like no one has really done the backroom grunt work on the numbers. And it is a good idea for young people in towns and cities, but why on earth would you release it when the nation's attention is on Fieldays and the rural sector? It was plainly evident last night that the country folk have no desire to subsidise the city folks' transport. This was the week for a rural sector announcement, not an urban one. Labour's political management seems amateur. And then there's the festering accusation that Labour simply didn't set up a site at Fieldays. Which, if true, lies at the head of the organisational staff. That has been Labour's perennial problem. A handful of somewhat competent politicians without the backup of a competent party mechanism. It leads us all to the feeling that if they can't manage day-to-day business, how on earth could they run a country? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Wednesday, 10 June, 2026, Labour Transport spokesman Tangi Utikere insists the party's got its numbers right with a plan to cap how much public transport users pay each week. We talk to Remuneration Authority chair Geoff Summers on more than $300,000 being spent for former prime ministers to use Crown cars they barely call. Stewart Island Rakiura Community Board chair Aaron Conner on why they can't wait for a solar farm to get up and running. And on The Huddle, Jack Tame and Jordan Williams question why Labour's made its policy announcement in Auckland but is absent from Fieldays. 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 here we go - some policy, ladies and gentlemen. Labour's promising cheaper public transport. They want to cap weekly fares at $20 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and $10 everywhere else. Under the plan, once you hit the cap, the rest of the trips you take that week could be free. Labour says it would save regular users about $25 a week. They reckon it would save you about $1200 a year. The policy would begin from July next year, of course depending on whether they're elected on November 7. They say it will cost $65 million a year, funded through the National Land Transport Fund. Not all services will be included, though. Inter-regional trains like Te Huia and the Capital Connection miss out, along with some longer ferries like Waiheke and cash-only bus services. Labour leader Chris Hipkins says the policy is aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures and transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere says too many families are being priced out of public transport. What they didn't really say is that it might also help reduce congestion on our roads. But, you know, it's still a spending policy at a time when we're trying to reduce spending and the national debt. Now, the money will come from the transport fund, which National says is already oversubscribed, so presumably, to fund this, Labour will have to cut some of National's road projects. It is a cost-of-living policy and many people will welcome a $20-a-week commute. Their social media shows a lot of people saying this is good. But it will only appeal to those who aren't already sorted. If you've got a car - if you can afford a car, if you can afford car parking in urban areas - you won't care about this; you might not like it. But I'm surrounded in the newsroom by low-paid young people who cannot afford cars and certainly can't afford parking, and they use public transport every day. So they'll love it - but will young voters even bother to vote? And meanwhile, that cost - $65 million - does it seem low to you? It seems low to me because there are already some caps in place. And with the money coming from the National Land Transport Fund, the question is: which roading measures will be cut? Potholes, anybody? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Tuesday, 9 June, 2026, we ask Energy Minister Simeon Brown who'll pay for a billion-dollar liquefied natural gas import terminal now he's dropping the levy. We talk to Independent Children's Monitor chief executive Arran Jones about how Oranga Tamariki is letting down Maori children. Jetstar chief executive Stephanie Tully celebrates 17 years in New Zealand skies with a promise they'll keep flying more routes. And on The Huddle, Brigitte Morten and Gareth Hughes on whether they've cut their alcohol consumption - like many New Zealanders. 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.

So the LNG power plant is set to go ahead to protect us when renewables run low. The Government must be satisfied that the business case stacks up, because that's what they said they would consider. At the same time, the Government will be cracking down on power companies during dry-year shortages. Fines for failing to secure enough backup electricity could jump from $2 million to as much as $10 million, or 10 percent of turnover. That's a hefty fine The Electricity Authority will also get stronger powers to monitor supply risks. Energy Minister Simeon Brown says New Zealand's renewable boom still needs reliable backup when hydro lakes are low and wind and solar can't meet demand. He argues that LNG is the fastest and most practical short-term solution to avoid blackouts, soaring prices and business shutdowns during dry years. But of course, the fly in the ointment is: who's going to pay for it? The Government certainly doesn't want to. They've scrapped plans for a levy on power bills to fund the billion-dollar terminal. People argued that would effectively become a gas tax for consumers - and we know this Government does not want to be associated with new taxes. So Brown says the electricity sector will instead help fund the project, with two companies now shortlisted to build it - and there's the rub. If it's a gentailer - if the gentailers foot the bill - they are the electricity sector. So how can the Government prevent them from passing on the cost? It's the same pickle they got into with the levy on banks. Nicola Willis was adamant that banks would not pass those costs on to New Zealanders. But when pressed in an interview on Q+A, she couldn't give a reason why they wouldn't - other than the goodness of their hearts. The Government can't force a private company to, you know, absorb costs within its structure. There's an aversion to increasing taxes but at the moment all they're doing is passing the job on to private companies, which will - of course - factor these costs into their pricing. That includes the cost of the LNG terminal. So call it whatever you like - the result is the same. We all end up paying for it, one way or another. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Monday, 8 June, 2026, Labour leader Chris Hipkins defends the process followed by police Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo before being named on the party's list. Otago University zoology teaching fellow Hanna Ravn tells us what to do if confronted by a sea lion. We talk to the most talkative MP in Parliament - the Greens' Lawrence Xu-Nan. And on The Huddle, Maurice Williamson and Josie Pagani give us their take on Labour's list - one of them says it's top-heavy with activists. 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.

Something has finally emerged from the silent, yawning abyss that is the Labour Party. Unfortunately, it's not policy - it's their list. Seventy-two names, 30 new candidates. Party president Jill Day and leader Chris Hipkins say the lineup reflects modern New Zealand. They've got candidates from business, farming, the public service, unions, and community services - Rhodes scholars, Fulbright scholars and Uncle Tom Cobley and all. They've gone for a 50-50 gender split and diversity. Remember, polling suggests Labour could win about 44 seats and Chris Hipkins is expecting at least 10 new MPs to enter Parliament at the end of this year. One standout newcomer is police superintendent Rakesh Naidoo, ranked 13th - almost guaranteed a seat. He's a list-only candidate, straight into position number 13. Pity he didn't tell Mark Mitchell. There are some major ranking shifts. Māori seat MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel jumps to ninth, while Vanushi Walters rises to eighth after returning to Parliament this term. These are high up in the rankings - and no, I haven't heard of them either. Names I have heard of, such as Camilla Belich and Deborah Russell, have dropped down the rankings. They may struggle to return. And poor old MP Greg O'Connor - having had his electorate, Ōhāriu, withdrawn and redrawn from beneath him - isn't even on the list. So this is a de facto announcement of his retirement and he's not happy. Now remember that Chris Hipkins promised policy after the Budget to answer our questions. Questions like: will they reverse the public service spending cuts? Will they reverse the increase in defence spending? Will they finally unveil a meaningful capital gains tax regime? But here we are, 11 days after the Budget and still no trace of policy. So what on earth are we going to vote for these people on? That is anybody's guess. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, I was listening to the radio and a story really jumped out at me. I thought, “Wow!” The headline was: Porirua City Council has achieved a 0% average increase in rates. Zero percent! You can almost hear the whole country saying, “Wow - could I have that, please?” This milestone comes alongside zero cuts to services. Double wow. However - depending on your QV valuation - you may still see some increases to your rates. The Porirua City Council achieved a 0% average increase for non-water rates through a combination of a multi-year fiscal strategy, structural service shifts and targeted cost-cutting measures. But there's a clue in that sentence. When you first hear the story, you think, “Good on Porirua - it can be done.” You might also wonder why Porirua would ever consider amalgamation, especially joining the spending crazies in Wellington. But then there's that key phrase: non-water rates. That's the fishhook. Water rates have been separated out as part of Local Water Done Well. The newly established regional water entity handling Porirua's supply, Tiaki Wai, has announced an average 12.8% increase in water charges across the Wellington region - including Porirua - for the 2026–27 financial year. Ah, I see. So it's 0% for everything except water… which is up 12.8%. Uh-huh. And this was actually a detail missing in the debate about Auckland's 7.9% rates increase because that figure also excludes Watercare's rise in water charges - which has been announced at a further 7% on top. I doubt very much that any council, once water rates are included, will come in under double digits in this next round. So maybe the problem hasn't really been solved. I'll admit there is greater efficiency in our councils. I'll admit they're watching their spending - I've seen it happen, including in Auckland. But the fact remains: despite all the big PR messaging, there is no real, tangible decrease in the amount of money coming out of your wallet - or mine. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Regional airline Air Chathams has made the decision to cancel their Auckland to Kapiti route with CEO Duane Emeny contributing the axing to major fuel costs. Emeny sad it is costing the company an additional $1500 per return flight from Auckland to Paraparaumu just for fuel, on average an extra seven paying passengers. "That's definitely caused the tipping point," he told Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Friday, 5 June, 2026, a constitutional law expert questions the soaring cost of government agencies dealing with Official Information Act requests. We hear from School Board Association president Meredith Kennett about ACT's vow to lower the cost of school uniforms. Air Chathams chief executive Duane Emeny talks about how hard it was to ring customers to let them know flights between Kapiti and Auckland were ending. And on the Sports Huddle, Andrew Gourdie and Hamish McKay discuss whether it's a good move to ban the vuvuzela from the football World Cup. 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.

Government agencies are being urged to proactively release more information and use artificial intelligence to respond to information requests, including OIA's. This comes after it was revealed that Government agencies spent $183.6 million answering requests in the 2024/25 financial year. Although, constitutional law expert Graeme Edgeler doesn't believe this number is necessarily accurate. He also told Andrew Dickens that the rise in OIA requests is not a bad thing. "A lot of which, I'm going to be honest, is really useful and helpful information for people to know, money that is being spent on things which seem like an awful lot of waste of money." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper joined Andrew Dickens to chat about the political week that was. They discussed the MPs banned from China following a Taiwan visit last year, the Government moving to ban unelected members from voting in local councils, and the rise of the fringe parties. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT plans to campaign on reducing the cost of school uniforms at state schools by allowing a maximum of three branded items. School Board Association President Meredith Kennet recognises the high costs of some uniforms but explains that it is not a decision for the Government to be making. "It is a school board decision on how a school is governed and the policies that are in place, so it's not actually something currently that the government really should be saying," she told Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US Correspondent Dan Mitchinson joins Andrew Dickens to chat about the latest news out of America. People born post 1970's are dying younger, former National Security Advisor John Bolton has plead guilty, and Trump's popularity continues to decline. As the midterms approach Mitchinson says some GOP members are 'slowly distancing themselves' from Trump. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, obviously, this is the night after the Radio Awards, and with all this talk about awards, I'd like to congratulate a winner in my community. His name is Rob Drent. He is the editor and publisher of the Devonport Flagstaff and the Rangitoto Observer on the North Shore of Auckland. Rob was recently named best senior news journalist at the New Zealand Community Newspaper Awards — and it's well deserved because he's good. And I love my local rag. It's home-delivered, 30-odd pages of local news that you don't get anywhere else. Rob employs nine people — they're all locals. But like all media, it's a struggle. So in this week's issue there is an open letter from Rob asking for donations to keep the Devonport Flagstaff on track. You can become a supporter on their website, devonportflagstaff.co.nz, if you believe in local media. So last night we got the issue. The front-page lead followed an Official Information Act request by Rob. It's about a long-running saga around a skate park in Narrow Neck. This is the second crack at building it because the council scaled down the size due to ratepayer concerns. So yeah — this is part two. Rob has found that more than $100,000 has been spent and not a single sod of earth has been turned. Four consultants got $90,000 for designs, renders, geotech and drainage. Another $25,000 was spent on public consultation and internal council advice. So what's that — $115,000? Rob's article goes on to say the new plan still needs resource consent because it's in a flood zone. Of course it's in a flood zone — they don't call Lake Road “Lake Road” for nothing. But it's a skate park — who cares if it's in a flood zone? You just sweep it out afterwards. Anyway, the consultants' fees — just incredible, eh? Surely it should go to one firm that specialises in skate parks instead of four different outfits. There must be a skate park design you can buy off the shelf. And while I understand that all the consultants need to make a living and they're ratepayers too — so they contribute back into the system — you still have to wonder how it's got so hard, so expensive and so slow. So thank you, Rob — and thank you to your local media — for showing me the waste happening in my own backyard.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spark NZ has launched a system that will allow calls from the company to be verified with the goal of protecting their customers from scam calls. Spark's fraud lead Ross Dickson told Andrew Dickens there has been an uptick in fraud callers impersonating the company. "So, what we wanted to do was to be able to put something in place that gives our customers the confidence to know that it is actually Spark on the other end of the line," Dickson said. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four New Zealand politicians have been barred from entering China for a year after they visited Taiwan last September, but China's embassy says the ban could be reduced or lifted if the MPs apologise. The four MP's facing the sanction are Maureen Pugh, David Wilson, Laura McClure, and Labour's Duncan Webb. Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee told Andrew Dickens, "I think it's disappointing because we have a very different political system to their own and MPs in New Zealand can make their own decisions about these sort of invitations that come periodically." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZSki has lodged an application with the Environmental Protection Agency to upgrade Queenstown ski field The Remarkables and expand into neighbouring Doolans Basin which would increase the size of the ski area from 449 hectares to 711 hectares. The expansion would almost double the daily visitor capacity for from 3500 to 6000. NZSki CEO Paul Anderson told Andrew Dickens some of the growth is coming from Queestown's population growth, "we think about half of the growth of the remarkable ski area is going to come from our local community alone." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four New Zealand MPs have been quietly banned from China for a year after travelling to Taiwan on a junket. The group—ACT's Laura McClure, New Zealand First's David Wilson, Labour's Duncan Webb and National's Maureen Pugh—travelled as part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan, which promotes cross-party engagement and economic ties. China didn't like it. They decided to impose a sanction but they didn't announce it publicly. Instead, last week the Chinese embassy contacted our Parliament and requested a meeting to deliver key messages, suggesting the bans could be lifted if the MPs apologised. Laura McClure was on with Heather this morning. She was asked, “Will you apologise?” and she said, “No. This is a type of foreign interference. I did nothing wrong.” MFAT also confirmed this is the first time China has sanctioned New Zealand MPs for such a trip, even though past delegations—including one involving John Key as a backbencher—have faced no consequences whatsoever. Now, this has provoked some angry responses. Human rights groups are speaking out—Pillar calls it intimidation—and Professor Anne-Marie Brady, who has had disputes with China, calls it a punishment we should retaliate against. She points out that in 2021 the European Union cancelled official dialogue with China after a similar sanction on politicians. But what China has done here is, to me, neither a meaningful punishment nor particularly damaging. A tit-for-tat retaliation like the one the European Union instituted would do nothing for New Zealand. A ban on four MPs visiting China for a year really isn't much of a punishment—they had no plans to go there anyway. Retaliation, however, could be damaging. What I think we should do instead is object strongly. This story happened last week and was kept under wraps until Laura McClure leaked it. I think that was a mistake. We should have gone public immediately—made a big noise about it. We should tell China, “This is not the way we behave.” We should urge them to grow up and point out that denying these MPs the chance to visit also denies China the opportunity to show New Zealand that it can be a reasonable member of the international community—that it can make a reasonable and humanitarian case on Taiwan. After all, we support the One China policy. But actions like this suggest that China itself does not follow that principle in spirit and instead intends to subsume Taiwan without respecting its rights. So we should say, “No, that was the wrong thing to do,” while at the same time taking no retaliatory action—maintaining the higher moral ground. Because, in my view, this was a poor show by China. It weakens them and their case—not us. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Thursday, 4 June, 2026, Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee is bemused by a ban on four MPs from entering China for a year because they visited Taiwan. A former police detective tells us about Spark's new way to detect spammers on your phone. We hear about plans to almost double the size of the Remarkables skifield in Queenstown. And on The Huddle, Oscar Kightley and David Farrar on how our voice of rugby is changing. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2026 allocated an annual $8 million in baseline funding to pay for food distribution which includes collecting surplus and donated food, and delivering it to places like food banks. Food banks have also been allocated $7m in 2026/27, but no more after that. Salvation Army food security manager Sonya Cameron told Andrew Dickens that she is concerned about the lack of ability to provide extra much-needed support for people. "For example, obviously when people come to see us they might have problems with debt, they might have problems with income support, they might have problems with their housing. The problem we might have now is that we're simply unable to provide those, those sort of wrap-around services for whanau," she said. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Otago Senior Research Fellow Kimberley O'Sullivan reckons the money for the winter energy payment should be instead put towards a solar subsidy. "What I do think that we need is an off-ramp, a way to permanently reduce household exposure to rising electricity costs so that we don't have to keep paying the winter energy payment and perhaps in 20 years we won't need it at all," O'Sullivan told Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Right now, Australia is agog that One Nation is the highest-polling party and talk has turned to Pauline Hanson as Prime Minister. Former Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, who beat One Nation back in the 1990s, has issued a warning: confusing One Nation with the people who vote for it is a serious mistake. He argues many One Nation supporters are decent, hard-working Australians who feel ignored by the major parties. They're anxious about rising living costs, job security and how AI will reshape the workforce. Sound familiar? At heart, they believe Australia is heading in the wrong direction and no one in power is listening. Beattie says One Nation has tapped into these fears with a powerful scare campaign, blaming immigration for everything from housing prices to electricity costs. However, he argues the party remains “a party of complaint” - offering anger rather than solutions. He then lays out what the major parties must do to win back trust: deliver a clear, skills-based immigration policy; explain the benefits of multiculturalism; paint a genuine vision for Australia in 2050; prepare workers for an AI-driven economy; back innovation in key industries; invest seriously in regional infrastructure; and provide meaningful, ongoing cost-of-living relief - not one-off handouts. Doesn't that sound good? Wouldn't you like that here? In fact, it's advice that could easily be applied here - and heard by our mainstream parties - as supporters drift towards the Māori Party, ACT and New Zealand First, which are also, in many ways, parties of complaint. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Wednesday, 3 June, 2026, Wellington mayor Andrew Little says he agrees with amalgamation but thinks the government's set an unfair timeframe. We talk to the Hospitality NZ chief executive about a dramatic rise in closures in the industry. Football commentator Jason Pine now fears for what England will do to the All Whites after a humiliating loss to Haiti. And on The Huddle, Jack Tame and Maurice Williamson debate whether the Te Huia train trip between Auckland and Hamilton is worth it after a fares increase. 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.

Secretly, I think Nicola Willis and Winston Peters are enjoying their performative scrap against each other. Their war of words highlights the differences between each party and their philosophies and that's handy in an election year. Nicola's warnings over superannuation reinforce her credentials as the representative of fiscal prudence - the guardian of our economy. Winston's refusal to change super in any way, shape or form reinforces his credentials as a defender of the rights of the elderly. But it also reinforces something we should never forget about Winston Peters. He's in this Government and is being seen, along with his coalition partners, as a warrior against excessive Government spending. Yet his track record suggests otherwise. I mean, who can forget his Provincial Growth Fund - that $3 billion lolly scramble that was criticised by the Audit Office for a lack of oversight? Even in this coalition Government, he has continued to have a slush fund for regional development. The New Zealand First Regional Fund is a $1.2 billion capital fund established in the coalition agreement. And now, his Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been revealed to be a major funder of the Moana Pasifika rugby side since its inception. There is also talk he is willing to mount some sort of salvage campaign, again using taxpayers' money. I think it's important to remind ourselves that, in some respects, Winston Peters is an old-fashioned conservative -but he also resembles an old-fashioned socialist who believes in the primacy of Government and in the paternalistic splashing around of public money to curry favour. These are all things to remember if you are abandoning National for New Zealand First under the false belief that Winston will introduce greater financial rigour than already exists. It also serves as a reminder of why Winston went with Labour back in 2017 in the first place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Tuesday, 2 June, 2026, we talk to Local Government Minister Simon Watts about a ban on unelected people having voting rights on council committees. We look at who'll benefit from a merger between TSB and Heartland Bank. Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman on if it's worth having a discussion on our no-nukes stand. And on The Huddle, Liam Hehir and Carmen Parahi on whether there should be government support to save Moana Pasifika. 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.