Podcast appearances and mentions of andrew dickens

Everybody's talking about the Opportunity Party and I'm not quite sure I believe they're anything more than a bit of a sideshow. They haven't cracked 5 percent yet but anyway, there we go. Sir Ian Taylor wrote an opinion piece that was published by Stuff. In it, he said that throughout his life he's been a centre-left voter. That's been his political home. But during the whole Covid period, with the Labour Party's response to Covid and the way it wasted its supermajority when it had, you know, all the power in the House, he became disillusioned. He started talking to people from the National Party and saw that they were having conversations. They were talking to business as well and he says that's what he wanted. He didn't want a party telling him what to do in the way he felt Labour did. So he changed his allegiance, after a lifetime, to the National Party. But now he's becoming disillusioned with National as well, because he believes the tail is wagging the dog. He thinks that, on issues such as the Treaty Principles Bill, pay equity, school lunches and so on, ACT and New Zealand First have too much power. He even suggests that Winston Peters has more influence in the coalition Government than Christopher Luxon and the National Party. So he's disillusioned with them too, and he's starting to say, "I'm flirting with Opportunity because they want to have a conversation." That's what their leader has said: "I want to get away from tribalism." Sir Ian has found himself hacked off with the Labour Party, hacked off with the National Party and hacked off with the whole MMP system. He's been quite beguiled by Opportunity, which says it wants to have a conversation. Now, the problem I have with that is that you don't vote for a party simply because it isn't one of the other two parties that have dominated politics for the past 40 years. You don't vote for someone because you don't want to vote for someone else. You vote for them because of the policies they have. And with Opportunity, as soon as they mentioned a universal basic income, I thought, "Well, I'm out." I've been reading about universal basic income for 30 years. I don't believe it's going to work. Many economists say it's not going to work. Then they added a land tax and I thought, "Well, that's not going to work either." In fact, as we've seen in the costings, all of this is going to cost the country an enormous amount of money. So I'm not voting for Opportunity. It's a sideshow. Sure, it's getting some publicity but I was amazed that Sir Ian Taylor, like too many New Zealand voters, seems to vote for people simply because they're not the people he doesn't like anymore. And that's his only reasoning. Crazy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Tuesday, 4 August, 2026, Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges calls for a split up of gentailers, unlocking billions into the economy. Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick on being booted out of the House. She's claiming double standards. AA road safety spokesman Dylan Thomsen tells us why drivers need to brush up on the road rules. And on The Huddle, Maurice Williamson and Phil Goff on what to do about Winston. 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.

You've got to ask yourself: what on earth was the Migrant Association thinking? This comes after its stunt of guillotining an effigy of Winston Peters because it believes he's racist. It obviously disregarded the fact that many supporters of Peters believe unmitigated immigration allows undesirable migrants to flood the country, the type who think nothing of guillotining a politician or anybody else they disagree with. All it does is reinforce the stereotype of the violent migrant coming to replace the existing population. This is what Peters is railing against. And it's happening at the same time as the case of Ann Widdecombe that rocked the UK, a politician who was bludgeoned to death with a hammer for the crime of being a politician. Now, this was the same example used by people who found Paul Henry's statement about shooting Chris Hipkins distasteful, albeit a joke prompted by some radio jocks. So, if the Migrant Association thought this stunt would strengthen support for its position, then it has clearly failed. I think it should apologise. But that doesn't seem likely because, so far, it has defended the stunt as satire, which it wasn't. As Paul Henry discovered, there is nothing funny about suggesting the assassination of a politician. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Monday, 3 August, 2026, we ask Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa president Anu Kaloti if she'll apologise for "guillotining" Winston Peters in a protest. Constitutional lawyer Graeme Edgeler tells us if it's a good or bad thing that the Coalition government's passed a record amount of legislation under urgency. Former Silver Fern Temepara Bailey on the sweet success of our gold medal-winning Commonwealth Games netballers. And on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly and Josie Pagani on whether beheading is befitting for a migrant protest. 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.

Manufacturing and construction are showing signs of recovery. ANZ's latest Business Outlook survey finds confidence rose 19 points over the last month, to 56%. In terms of past activity, manufacturing was highest, while agriculture saw a marked fall and construction lifted. ASB acting chief economist Kim Mundy told Andrew Dickens the construction sector has been struggling for some time, so this is welcome news. She says it's good to see the rise in residential consents transfer into activity. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Manufacturing and construction are showing signs of recovery. ANZ's latest Business Outlook survey finds confidence rose 19 points over the last month, to 56%. In terms of past activity, manufacturing was highest, while agriculture saw a marked fall and construction lifted. ASB acting chief economist Kim Mundy told Andrew Dickens the construction sector has been struggling for some time, so this is welcome news. She says it's good to see the rise in residential consents transfer into activity. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters escaped censure yesterday from the Speaker after his little outburst against a Green MP. But Mr Peters is still being judged in the court of public opinion. Carmel Sepuloni was jumping up and down demanding he resign, or be sacked, or just go away, which is not going to happen. China complained to MFAT. You've got to hand it to China – they play a subtle ball. They never mentioned Winston by name, calling him a certain politician, and then their Ambassador gave this little zinger saying: "Sometimes, a statement says more about the person that makes it, than anything or anybody else." All this didn't deter Winston, who doubled down and said he was defending democracy. Which is fine. The Green MP was being very interrupty in the House, but you can do that without sounding like an ignorant grumpy old man. And that's what Winston should be most ashamed of. He didn't have a clue about this MP. It was up there with Paul Henry who asked for a more New Zealand Governor General when the Governor General was born and raised here, and had even been the President of Rugby League. Both men looked at the colour of the face and made a terrible assumption. There's a word for that. And they just should have been better prepped before they opened their big mouth and stuck their foot in it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Confidence that cutting regulations to make solar power more accessible - won't jeopardise people's safety. A new Regulation Ministry reports laid out a potential blueprint to legalise plug-in solar and reduce the time and cost of panel installation. Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey shares his thoughts with Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Friday 31st of July 2026, the Government has signed a PPP with the Northland consortium to get the first part of the Northern Expressway built, General Manager of Policy & Advocacy at National Road Carriers James Smith tells Andrew Dickens this is a big step in the project. Acting Chief Economist at ASB Kim Mundy shares his thoughts on the latest ANZ Business Outlook survey. The Ministry of Regulation wants to make solar cheaper and easier to install, Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey shares his thoughts. Plus, UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on all 55 UEFA countries have voted to support a World Cup boycott in protest against Fifa's proposed deal to sell stakes to private investment and wildfires continue to cause problems across England, France and Spain as droughts are also declared . 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.

Freight operators are laying out what they want out of the first stage of the Northland Expressway. The Government's signed a $3.6 billion deal with the Northway consortium to design, build, and operate the 26-kilometre, four-lane expressway from Warkworth to Te Hana. Construction's due to start late next year, with the expressway scheduled to open in 2033. National Road Carriers Association's James Smith told Andrew Dickens they want to see a productive and safe highway network. He says they need facilities along the network for vehicles to pull over safely, as well as spots to empty and flush effluent. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The SPCA says it's devastated by the Government's decision to override official recommendations to ban the public sale of fireworks. A cross-party Parliamentary select committee unanimously recommended the full ban in May – also supported by Fire and Emergency. The Government's opted not to change any laws. SPCA Senior Scientific Officer Dr Alison Vaughan told Andrew Dickens they can't explain why the Government would reject the recommendation. She says the evidence is overwhelming in support of a ban when it comes to animal welfare, the environment, and communities. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transparency is being welcomed in the Government's response to the Covid Inquiry. It's issued its response to the Covid Inquiry, accepting all recommendations to varying degrees. The Government agrees information on key decisions during any future pandemic will be made public within five working days, which didn't happen with vaccinations. Lawyer Matthew Hague, who fought against Covid vaccine mandates, told Andrew Dickens the biggest lesson we've learnt is governments will do what's politically expedient at the time. He says action points like strengthening rule of law and protecting fundamental rights are positive changes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Government has officially granted the first new offshore oil and gas exploration permit since reversing its ban, awarding it to Adelaide-based Australian explorer EnZed Energy. EnZed Energy, an Australian start-up. So, it's their first rodeo. They get a 12-year petroleum exploration for a 546-square-kilometre zone in the offshore Taranaki Basin, east of the currently producing Kupe gas field. Some have made a lot of the fact that EnZed were the only applicants, but others say that's because the opposition are still threatening that the ban could come back which is giving explorers cold feet. Now I have no problem with exploration, but I also have no problem with a ban. But a ban can only happen if New Zealand has a viable replacement plan in place – when Labour introduced the ban that was not the case. But I also know that based on the past 150 years of exploration, the chances of a commercially viable find are low. So good on them and good luck. But my other takeaway is that the only people who could find the capital for this sort of work is Australian, and that shows up our basic economic weakness. A lack of capital for investment. Not just in oil and gas exploration, but for every big idea. We don't need to find oil or gas. We need to find a money tree.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Defence Minister's tight lipped over how much the Government will fork out for one-way military strike drones. It's looking into the human-operated machines which explode on a target and serve as a lower-cost alternative to missiles. The Government's also considering unarmed long-range aerial drones for maritime surveillance. Chris Penk told Andrew Dickens they'll be spending what they need to, to get a result. He says an increasing percentage of their defence budget, which is also growing, will be available for drones. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It took a while for the Commonwealth Games to get going, but yesterday they did. Lewis Clareburt took gold in the 200 metres butterfly with an insane burst over the last 50 metres, in a race even he called stupid. It was a good feeling for the nation, because no disrespect to the earlier medallists, it's gold that gets the nation going. It's been a funny old Comm Games thus far. It's a scaled down replacement event after Victoria lost their bottle and cancelled their scheduled games. And it's been plagued by no shows from high-performance athletes who thought it beneath their participation. But it's a good meet. To win at the Commonwealth Games still supersedes any win in a national competition. To be the best swimmer amongst nations like Australia or England, or any of the 74 nations present, is a big thing. By the way, this is a record number of countries. When Christchurch hosted back in 1974, they were called the Friendly Games. Watching the coverage from the Crowd Goes Wild team, which is on both Sky and 3, they've got into that vibe. They celebrate the great but also the wacky, the loose and the fun aspects of the Games with their tongues firmly in their cheeks. It's a good watch and a healthy antidote to the cynical and world-weary news we get day in and day out from a globe mired in difficulty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The success of Supercars' first double header weekend is being hailed, despite one day being lost due to a major storm. The two events generated more than $21 million in visitor spend, attracting 95 thousand petrol heads across Taupo Park one weekend and Christchurch the following one. A full day of racing was cancelled in Taupo, due to Cyclone Vaianu. Taupo District Council events and venues manager Steve Giles told Andrew Dickens visitors were already in town and hunkered down during the storm. So he says that while they didn't race, they also didn't lose the visitation that had already arrived. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwifruit growers are welcoming seasonal workers being given more flexibility to change jobs. The Government's tweaking the RSE scheme, focusing on accommodation standards, clarifying rules, and strengthening pastoral care. It includes making online access for workers mandatory and creating more opportunity for them to switch between accredited employers. New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated CEO Colin Bond told Andrew Dickens that they're changes employers, and the Pacific, have been asking for for a while. He says that after 20 years, the schemes gotten very complex, so this is an opportunity to simplify and make sure everyone understands the requirements of the scheme. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A digital marketing agency says more New Zealanders are turning to TikTok to decide where to eat and shop. A new Infometrics report shows the app supported almost 10 thousand local jobs last year and helped boost the local economy by an estimated $1.2 billion. It reveals more than 300 thousand New Zealand businesses are using the platform each month. Squid Group founder Laurence Carey told Andrew Dickens it's becoming a useful research tool. He says it's without a doubt the easiest way to find a restaurant to eat at or something to do. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More evidence in black and white of the need for more investment in water infrastructure. The Water Services Authority's third annual Network Environmental Performance Report finds there is an average 31 wastewater overflows a day. It also finds some 15% of assessed drinking water and wastewater pipes are in poor condition. Water New Zealand chief executive Gillian Blythe told Andrew Dickens there also needs to be stronger protections for drinking water sources. She says it's looking to see if regulations are fit for purpose, or whether there needs to be urgent changes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A digital marketing agency says more New Zealanders are turning to TikTok to decide where to eat and shop. A new Infometrics report shows the app supported almost 10 thousand local jobs last year and helped boost the local economy by an estimated $1.2 billion. It reveals more than 300 thousand New Zealand businesses are using the platform each month. Squid Group founder Laurence Carey told Andrew Dickens it's becoming a useful research tool. He says it's without a doubt the easiest way to find a restaurant to eat at or something to do. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As if the world hasn't already got enough to worry about what with war, and fuel crisis and inflation, there comes another concern This weekend The Independent published a piece on UK Farmers warning that food shortages are just 10 days away for the UK and there are signs that suggest they've already arrived Farmers have sounded the alarm about a growing food crisis, and experts say that Britain's food insecurity needs to be treated as a growing national emergency. Global conflict combined with climate change are affecting fragile supply chains These days Britain produces about 60 per cent of it's food compared to 80 per cent in the 80s. the shortfall met by imports principally from the EU which has been affected by Brexit and the fuel crisis They're particularly vulnerable when it comes to fruit and seasonal vegetables. Already there are shortages and they're getting worse and the prices are climbing New Zealand on the other hand is considered to have one of the most secure food supplies in the world. Basically, we make more than we eat. We currently grow enough food to feed 40 million people Even in a major global crisis New Zealand would remain one of the best placed countries to feed it's own population And while we might not export oil or mobile phones or plastic knick knacks the one thing every single person in the world needs is food. And in that we are resilient and food is a good product to making But as we enter an election once again our food manufacturers are going to be urged by the environmentalists to cut production to meet climate change targets when in fact the world will be begging us to make even more food The greenies are worried about the globe but the thing the globe needs most of all is food and water. And I wonder if New Zealand First might be better advised to put a billion into making our farms efficient and clean rather than in a survey on whether we have any mythical oil or gas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bay of Plenty MP says fresh slips at Mauao in Mt Maunganui put further strain on the community. Adams Avenue remains closed after eight-thousand cubic metres of debris came down over the weekend. Three have been three slips near the original landslide which claimed six lives in January. MP Tom Rutherford says told Andrew Dickens the restored track to the summit - hasn't been impacted by these events. He says the slips have been in the area of the original January landslide. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support for National's paid parental leave policy, from at least one business leader. The party's promising to extend paid parental leave from the current 26 weeks, to 30 weeks by 2029 if re-elected, with further increases possible if finances allow. Parents would also have more flexibility to share, or take leave at the same time. Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson told Andrew Dickens that most small businesses would already be paying for some additional cover regardless. She says hiring someone for slightly longer, could make things easier, as it can be challenging finding someone for a short term role. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support for National's paid parental leave policy, from at least one business leader. The party's promising to extend paid parental leave from the current 26 weeks, to 30 weeks by 2029 if re-elected, with further increases possible if finances allow. Parents would also have more flexibility to share, or take leave at the same time. Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson told Andrew Dickens that most small businesses would already be paying for some additional cover regardless. She says hiring someone for slightly longer, could make things easier, as it can be challenging finding someone for a short term role. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The changes to the way we vote. Voters will no longer be able to rock up on election day and register to vote thanks to a law change made last year, and Chris Hipkins isn't happy. The Labour Leader says the Electoral Commission isn't doing enough to make sure New Zealanders are enrolled to vote, and he's concerned that people will turn up on Election Day and find that their votes won't be counted because they're not on the electoral roll. In the past, they could see all the flags, think, “Oh, what's that all about?", wander into a voting station, “Oh, I'm not on the... Oh, I'd quite like to vote, I'm not on the roll." “No worries," the nice people at the voting stations would say. “We'll sign you up." So they'd be signed up, they'd be able to vote, and their vote would then be counted as a special vote. At the last election, more than half a million special votes needed to be counted. Not all of these were numpties, of course, who didn't realise that they weren't on the electoral roll, or people who'd been scooped up along with a van full of the halt, the lame, and dispossessed to come along and cast a vote, who were just told, “Look for the pretty colour and tick that box." Some of the people were in hospitals, some were on the unpublished electoral roll, some were living overseas, and just on that, allow me to clamber onto my favourite hobby horse: if you have been living overseas and you have borrowed money from the taxpayer to get your degree and you haven't paid it back, and you don't have a payment plan in place to pay it back, you shouldn't be able to vote. Overseas student loan borrowers owe us $4.5 billion, and only 23% of them are meeting their repayment obligations. If I were King or Queen, I'd be like, “Right, you miserable lot, not one of you gets the right to say how we spend taxpayer dollars until you've paid back the taxpayer dollars you've borrowed, or until you are signed up to a payment plan that ensures you will pay back what you've borrowed. If you're not on a payment plan, get stuffed, your vote doesn't count and you can't cast a vote." So that would be me, I digress, but I will still seethe quietly. The Electoral Commission has estimated that around 55,000 votes could be disallowed under the new law. Around 73,000 could have their electorate votes disallowed but their party votes counted because they were enrolled to vote but they weren't at the address listed on the roll. Labour's justice spokeswoman, Camilla Belich, spoke to Andrew Dickens on Drive last night about her concerns. “Well, we're really worried that people who just want to go along on Election Day and cast their vote will be prevented from doing that. And the Government will say, “Well, maybe they should have done it in advance," but we know that a lot of people don't think about voting until around the election period anyway, and we're worried that this will limit their ability to participate in our democracy, thus ironically affecting the government's mandate to govern. So we think that politicians should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder, and unfortunately the Government is doing the opposite.” So people don't realise they're going to be turning 18 and will need to vote? People don't check whether they're on the electoral roll before the Election? The Commission is about to launch a major awareness campaign. They will be writing to 3.6 million New Zealanders asking them to check their enrolment details are up to date and advising them of the changes that they won't be able to just rock up on Election Day. The only problem is, if your enrolment details aren't up to date, the letter's not going to reach you, is it? It seems to be a bit of a waste of time and money. And is it the Commission's job? I mean, Labour seems to think it is. It's the Commission's job to chase down every last voter in this country and offshore, take them gently by the hand, guide them through the process, and then let them loose in a voting booth. If you can't get your act together, then should your vote even count? If you owe the taxpayer $4.5 billion, should your vote count? I would have thought, and go ahead and call me a miserable old bat and a Tory-loving Fox News ZB, but it's up to you, not the Electoral Commission, to make sure you can vote. Voting is a precious, precious right, and when you've had it for so long, you probably take it for granted, but there are people dying right now for the right to vote. If you don't take it seriously and you don't treasure the right to vote, you shouldn't bloody have it. If you're just going to be bundled into a van with the halt, the lame, and the dispossessed and taken down to put a tick next to the pretty colour, should you be voting? No. Not at all. You can enrol, you can check, you can update your details online at vote.nz. Even the website couldn't be simpler: vote.nz. Or you can call a freephone number and ask for an enrolment form to be sent to you. That should be all anyone needs. Writing to 3.6 million New Zealanders – if your voting details are up to date, you don't need the letter. If your enrolment details aren't up to date, you're not going to get the letter. It seems utterly pointless and futile and hopeless. Vote.nz. If you can't manage to enrol and it's beyond you to check your details are correct, you know what? Stay home. We don't want you voting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rhythm and Vines festival has announced 2026 will be their final year in Gisborne after 24-years in the region. The new location is yet to be revealed. CEO Kieran Spillane told Andrew Dickens they want to make this years R&V 'the biggest and the best' so far. "We really want to go out with a bang and say a huge thank you to the wonderful people of Gisborne who have helped, and supported this festival over the years." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Consumers Price Index (CPI) has increased 4.1% in the 12 months to the June 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. As expected, the increase can be partially contributed to the US-Iran war as the largest upwards contributor to the annual inflation rate was petrol, up 27.5%. Finance Minister Nicola Willis is labelling annual inflation hitting its highest level in more than two years a “Trump spike”. Former Reserve Bank senior economist Michael Reddell told Andrew Dickens that economists don't tend to look at the headline numbers but they will be digging through the numbers to find trends. "It's a bit like the famous line about democracy, you know, it's not a perfect system, it's just better than any of the alternatives that have been tried, and inflation targeting is a bit like that as well. It's definitely not perfect." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Tuesday, 21 July, 2026, former Reserve Bank senior economist Michael Reddell on what a higher inflation rate of 4.1% could mean for interest rates. Rhythm and Vines is about to bow out of Gisborne. We find out why with chief executive Kieran Spillane. Ponsonby News editor Martin Leach is baffled by a threat he's received from the Auckland mayor. And on The Huddle, Sarah Trotman and Mark Sainsbury on whether Wayne Brown's out of line. 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.

President Donald Trump on Monday announced sweeping tariffs against Canada, including 50% on electrical equipment and machinery which are among the steepest tariffs his administration has levied against any country. Director of international policy at the New North America Institute, University of Calgary, Carlo Dade said they are concerned that pushing back against the tariffs would result in consequences. "We've largely accepted that sticking our head up would get us hit hard by the Americans," he told Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local newspaper Ponsonby News received a threatening email from Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown earlier this month after publishing an opinion piece by councillor Mike Lee. In the email, sent on July 3, Brown said, “if you are just going to publish Mike Lee bagging me then your paper will die”. "You know, I've been publishing and editing magazines since 1990, and I've never ever had an email like that," Leach told Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour is concerned that the Electoral Commission is not doing enough to enrol voters ahead of this year's election following changes to the law made by the current Government, which mean that voters cannot enrol or update their enrolment on election day or during the advanced voting period. This means that if the contact details associated with your enrolment are incorrect, your vote could be discounted. Labour justice spokesperson Camilla Belich told Andrew Dickens their concerns are that the changes will limit people's ability to participate in democracy. "We think that politicians should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder, and unfortunately the Government is doing the opposite," Belich said. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, this cost of living crisis is not going away anytime soon, despite what any number of New Zealand political parties promise they can do about it. The inflation figures are out. It's gone up by one percentage point and there's now a four in front of it. A large part of that cost is petrol, which we can do nothing about. Diesel is up 7.1%. But even excluding tradable inflation, which we can't influence, non-tradable inflation is still above the Reserve Bank's arbitrary target band. It came in at 2.9%. That's up from 2.4% a year ago. There's stuff in there that really gets our goat, like the 12% rise in electricity prices. Rates are up 8.8%. That's the non-tradable stuff. We can influence that but we're not. It's all going up. But all this increases the pressure on the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates to squash these price rises. The problem I have with that is that the nascent recovery we're starting to see gets squashed as well, forcing us into a longer period of downturn and stagnation. And that's because this simplistic inflation target does not take into account all the complex wheels that spin in an economy. It's this brutal, simplistic measure that served us so well when it was first introduced 30 years ago but is now seeing us boom and bust, lurching up and down on a rollercoaster that, you have to say, is no good for long-term economic planning. There is a strong argument for a new way of calculating our economic position rather than relying on a single inflation figure. But it's going to take a very smart person to figure that out. So until then, the fairground ride that is our macroeconomic setting will continue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Monday, 13 July, 2026, beloved New Zealand actor Sam Neill has died at the age of 78. Film Commission chief executive Annie Murray says he was one of the genuinely good guys. On The Huddle with Trish Sherson, Josie Pagani pays tribute to Neill, who was a family friend. Automobile Association fuel spokesman Terry Collins says fill up your car now. And a bumper long weekend on our big skifields has NZSki chief executive Paul Anderson buzzing. 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.

Oil prices. Oil prices are back, baby. At the moment, West Texas crude is sitting near US$74 a barrel, while Brent crude is around US$79. Prices are up slightly, rebounding as tension continues between the United States and Iran. Looking at the oil trading charts, West Texas crude has fallen to almost its lowest point in quite some time. But if you look at the futures markets, the expectation is that prices will rise. Some analysts say that could very well happen when US markets open tomorrow - Monday in the United States, which is Tuesday for us. So, where are we with oil prices? Geopolitically, the ceasefire signed on June 17 has effectively collapsed. The United States has struck more than 170 Iranian military targets across Tehran and key locations in the south. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone strikes on US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, causing casualties across multiple areas. Donald Trump has warned that 1,000 missiles are "locked and loaded", while US intelligence, backed by Israel, says Iran has developed fresh plots to assassinate Trump on US soil. Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is open. Iran says it isn't. Does that sound like peace to you? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The biggest story of the week hit on Wednesday. And no, the biggest story of the week wasn't fare caps on public transport. I mean, that was - they say - a $65 million policy that I reckon is three times that, but it wasn't the big one. It wasn't whether or not Labour had a tent at Fieldays either. I mean, hello - come on. It was when Christopher Luxon released a $51 million policy to accelerate the rollout of technologies onto farms to reduce emissions and remain competitive in the global market. This is the policy that Winston Peters has come out and questioned: “Why are we doing this? Why are we doing this? Why are we doing this?” I'll tell you why in a moment, Winston. But it wasn't actually the policy itself that was big. It was the Prime Minister saying we will not be buying $5 billion worth of carbon credits because we are looking like failing to meet the targets we agreed to under the Paris Climate Accord. Can I repeat? He said we will not be buying $5 billion worth of carbon credits - despite what Winston says today. But he did say, on the emissions targets, “We haven't given up”, and that hitting emissions targets is hard. Then he said, “But we'll give them a good go.” How Kiwi is that? Now look, Winston, this is no great shame. No industrialised economies - like the US, the EU as a whole, or the big emitters - are on track for a two-degree Celsius pathway based on their actual policies. They're not hitting the targets. And the Paris Agreement is exactly what it says it is: an agreement. But remember, we retain our sovereignty - our right to do what we see fit and what we're able to do. Just the same way that the United Nations has no real authority over us, despite what you'll hear from right-wing commentators and a plethora of talkback callers who say they're controlling us and our sovereignty. No, they're not. They make suggestions. We then decide what we're going to do. The Prime Minister has decided we will not pay $5 billion for carbon credits because we're not going to meet the targets we signed up to under the Paris Climate Accord. At the same stand-up, Todd McClay said the job of emissions reduction is a responsibility of farmers. It's not the government's job to force change. Here's $51 million for you to find some way to cut your emissions a bit. Give it a good go, mate. Give it a good go. And that is a message that most farmers will welcome. They hate being portrayed as wreckers of the environment when the environment is at the heart of their business. They want to do something - give them some money to do it - but don't tell them they're not doing enough. It's also important to signal to overseas markets - which are becoming leery of buying New Zealand products because of our carbon footprint - that we're still committed to making changes and that we are trying. Labour and the Greens' hard hits on the way we farm and generate energy, I thought, did far more damage to New Zealand Inc than they did in helping the environment. So I'm happy to give it a good go without killing the goose that lays the golden egg, and I think farmers are too. And I think the Prime Minister got the balance right. LISTEN ABOVESee 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.