Larry Williams Drive

On the face of it, this coastal shipping decision from James Meager seems like an odd one. It's a win for truckies, like it or not, we're about to get 500 extra trucks filled with 15,000 tonnes of bulk cement on the road each month. But it's bad for coastal shipping, even though the Minister says it's actually good for coastal shipping. Let me explain. There's a cement company that wants to ship its product round the country, but its current ship is old and buggered. So a new one is coming to the rescue, but in the meantime, they've sorted a temporary ship for three years to fill the gap. Well, they did. Until the Minister, James Meager (Assoc. Transport) stepped in and said Nah. You can't operate that vessel here because its foreign-flagged ship. Meager says he's simply following the law. The vast majority of goods being moved around the country from local ports are on kiwi boats with kiwi crew, making sure we have kiwi jobs etc. All very well and good. Except there's apparently no alterative for the cement

The country's largest cement supplier says we'll soon have over 500 more trucks on the road every month to move cement across the country.  They recently requested to use a foreign-flagged vessel with foreign crew to operate for three years while a new vessel was built to replace their outdated M-V Buffalo.  But this request was declined by the Associate Transport Minister, James Meager.  He told Ryan Bridge that, "you tend to only give authorizations to carry things for a very short or temporary period, to make up a bit of a gap. And in this instance, it just didn't meet that criteria." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are signs that green shoots are starting to flourish economically.  The latest card spending data from Stats NZ shows retail spending was up 1.6-percent last month, compared to November last year.  Spending was up across the board - on the likes of groceries, household items and clothes. ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Ryan Bridge that the GDP for the second half of the year has had a strong rebound.  He says they're expecting 0.8 percent for the upcoming quarter. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could different portion sizes for each sex reduce obesity? According to one UK-based expert, it could.  Professor Naveed Sattar says portion sizes at restaurants are often calibrated towards an adult male - and could be too much for women, children and shorter people.  Nutritionist Mikki Williden told Ryan Bridge that there's lots of variables.  She says the focus shouldn't be on the difference between the sexes - but smaller portion sizes generally isn't a bad option.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden's refutes claims her minimum wage increase is 'piddly'.  The minimum wage will rise to 23-dollars-and-95-cents next April -- a 45 cent increase.  Labour's called the hike 'piddly and weak' -- while also claiming in real terms, it's a pay cut for some New Zealanders.  Van Velden told Ryan Bridge that's simply not true as it aligns with forecast inflation.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Gloriavale leader Howard Temple has been sentenced to 26 months in jail for sexual offending.  He had indecently assaulted young women and girls over a 20 year period at Gloriavale as recently as 2022. It comes as newly released documents show just how explicitly the government has been warned by its agencies that Gloriavale is not a safe place for women and girls.  The lawyer who previously represented Gloriavale leavers Dennis Gates told Ryan Bridge that, "What you basically have here is institutionalised domestic violence on a macro scale." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, a last minute offer from the health secretary could stop a planned doctors' strike from going forward. Resident doctors are set to go on strike next week over pay, working conditions and lack of training opportunities. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the nation is being hit hard by a flu surge and authorities are warning people to start wearing masks again. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global dairy market is expected to face a period of weaker commodity prices off the back of a growth-filled 2025. According to Rabobank's Q4 Global Dairy Quarterly Report, global milk production growth is estimated to have peaked in Q3 2025. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Ali Jones from Red PR and Brigitte Morton from Franks Ogilvie joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  The Taxpayers' Union has released some packaged fudge taking aim at Nicola Willis' track record as a Finance Minister - ahead of the debate between her and Ruth Richardson that's supposed to be taking place. What do we make of all this?   The US is reportedly looking to require tourists to hand over their social media accounts in order to travel there. How do we feel about this? Would it put you off travelling to the US? Cancer diagnoses are set to skyrocket in the next 20 years, but experts say at least half of these could be prevented if we smoked less, drank less, ate better and got more exercise. Do we need to take more responsibility for our health?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump has every right to crack down on the American border. There are problems there that we, down here in little old New Zealand, just don't understand. Illegal migration sounds to us like a far away and non-threatening concept because, well, it is. Thank you, ocean. And if you believe everything the liberal international media serves up and that this is an issue invented by tyrants like Trump to retain their grip on power, look at Starmer, the lovely leftie Labour leader of Great Britain. In case you missed it - Starmer, this week, has signed a piece of paper asking Europe to kindly redefine human rights because the current definition is a little too generous. Yes, Labour's man at number 10 wants to narrow human rights. He wants to be able to kick more asylum seekers out of Britain, because the cost and burden of daily arrivals of boats is simply unsustainable. And the British public had enough of it long ago. Enter Farage. So this is not a figment of a dictators' imagination, but a genuine

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 11 December 2025, the Health Minister reacts to a report that predicts the number of cancer diagnoses is expected to skyrocket - and why he wouldn't eat KFC. US Immigration lawyer Brian Hunt explains why travellers to the US will soon be asked to provide five years worth of social media history - and what border officials will look for. Jetstar has been rapped over the knuckles for using dodgy scales at Wellington Airport. Plus, the Huddle debates Nicola Willis' fudge and why the big debate against Ruth Richardson has taken on such a life of its own. 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.

The water service delivery plans have been submitted by local councils and evaluated, and the total is set to hit over $47 billion. Councils handed over these proposals as part of the Government's Local Water Done Well scheme and the Local Government Minister is hopeful these plans will go on to benefit ratepayers. Minister Simon Watts says these proposals have all been signed off and things are in a good place to get going.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Singapore Government has teamed up with New Zealand-founded start-up The Fractional Directory for a new pilot programme. The project will pair fractional leaders - experienced professionals who work with multiple organisations on a flexible basis - with Singaporean companies. Company CEO Michelle Allbon says this may seem similar to consultant roles, but there's some key differences. "The different between consulting and fractional is that a fractional leader is fully embedded...we've seen this be really, really effective, it's not just giving them advice and throwing their PowerPoint over the wall." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomats to start using the Times New Roman font again, reversing a change made under the previous administration. Rubio's predecessor, Antony Blinken, made the switch to Calibri in 2023, saying it was more accessible for people with visual disabilities - a change Rubio labelled 'wasteful'. Monolith typeface designer Alistair McCready says Calibri's more suited to readers by design, but it depends on the individual.  "There's all sorts of things that go into reading, not just the way you see or how clearly you can see - it's how you interpret letters and shapes." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumer NZ says travellers could struggle to get a refund - after revelations two Jetstar baggage scales at Wellington Airport may not have been accurate. Checks after a complaint in September, revealed the portable scales were uneven and below approval standards. Jetstar’s been told to pull them out until they’re re-verified. Consumer NZ Advocacy Head, Jessica Walker, says if Jetstar charged too much, people could be entitled to repayment. "If they can prove that they were overcharged, then that would be ideal. But the fact that Jetstar is saying that people weren't overcharged absolutely makes this trickier."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few details are known about a possible law to make tourists entering the US provide five years of social media history. It would affect those currently able to visit visa-free, including New Zealanders, Australians and Brits. Officials could request social media information, email addresses, phone numbers, and information about family members. US immigration lawyer Brian Hunt says based on previous policy, we can infer what the US hopes to achieve. "I think they're looking for pretty extreme language when it comes to anti-Semitism - and then they also said they're vetting for anti-American activity."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister says predictions cancer diagnoses will increase isn't cause for panic.  A new report has found the number's likely to double in the next two decades.  Simeon Brown says much of that will be down to the ageing population and general population growth. He says that should still prompt Government action.  "We have to continue to invest, to ensure that we have more access to cancer treatments, cancer medicines, diagnoses - all of the things that this report has highlighted." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis is defending her economic track record in the face of a lobby-group's satirical campaign. The Taxpayers' Union has sent MPs Nicola Willis-branded fudge, claiming she favours treats today and taxes tomorrow. It suggests Willis should cut spending more. Willis says the Government has reduced taxes and delivered significant cost savings - while keeping frontline services. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained why Nicola Willis is keen on making the debate with Ruth Richardson happen. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourists entering the United States could soon have to provide a five-year social media history. The proposed new requirement would affect those who are currently able to visit visa-free, including from New Zealand and the UK. It'll see officials requesting social media information, email addresses from the last decade, phone numbers, and information about family members. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says many Australians travel to the US every year, and this change will likely slow down tourism further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another leg-side strangle for the Black Caps post-lunch on Day 2 of the second cricket test against the West Indies in Wellington. Daryl Mitchell has joined Devon Conway in giving a little tickle to the keeper trying to glance the ball. The hosts are still on track to power past the Windies' first innings 205 - 220 for five at tea. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.