Larry Williams Drive

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 24 September 2025, first we got Ikea and now we get a Swedish Reserve Bank Governor! Finance Minister Nicola Willis tells Ryan Bridge why Dr. Anna Breman got the top job. US president Donald Trump's visit at the UN was as fiery as expected, including getting stuck on an escalator! US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley was there for it all. Auckland Council has officially voted in favour of 15-storey apartment blocks along major arterial routes in central Auckland. NIMBYs can still protest during the consultation protest though! Should Kiwis pay to park at our national parks? Federated Mountain Clubs are not happy with it. Plus, the Huddle debates the damning result from today's Mood of the Boardroom. 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 Swedes do central banking a little different to us, and I reckon it's good news we've got a Swede in charge. Riksbank - their RBNZ equivalent - is really big on this thing called transparency. There's three things to know - this is stuff they do that we don't, currently. 1. They rank amongst best performing on openness and honesty in the world.2. They publish an actual forward forecast for the OCR - we don't.3. They publish alternative scenarios and minutes. In the minutes, you get to see which of these guys voted which way and their justifications for dong so. Currently, we don't even get to know which way the committee members voted, let alone why. And remember, the Fed in the US and the Bank of England do - as does Riksbank. So here's hoping the Swede in charge will help shake things up and that changes will be made and sunlight will be shone. A new dawn, perhaps, for 2 The Terrace, after a dark and cloudy rollercoaster ride of terror under Adrian Orr. Her name is Anna Breman and her CV reads

AI and technology stocks are continuing to have a significant presence in the market - but which companies are leading the charge? Broadcom and Oracle are among the companies that have generated positive results, and Nvidia made headlines following its $100 billion investment in OpenAI. Milford Asset Management's Andrew Curtayne explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Treasury has raised the alarm over the state of New Zealand's public finances as part of its long-term fiscal forecast. Record levels of Government spending, increasing health costs and an ever-growing aging population are among the concerns set to create additional fiscal pressures for the country, according to new reports. Treasury warned Net Core Crown Debt is set to hit 200 percent of GDP by 2065. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says some of these concerns were flagged as early as 2021 - and we need to start thinking about solutions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister is not sharing the same fears as retailers over the surcharge ban. Scott Simpson says the legislation banning surcharges like PayWave is before the Select Committee and will be in place by next year.  36 business associations have written a letter warning the ban could be passed on through increased prices. Simpson says a lot of businesses don't use surcharges - so won't be impacted or need to raise prices. "The ones that choose to add that pricing in will be actually competitively constrained in the marketplace by those businesses that choose not to do so." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Visitors will have to pay $5 an hour to park at Aoraki/Mt Cook as part of a parking trial set to be carried out this summer. Fees will include a day rate of $25 and $60 for an annual pass for regular users, which applies to anyone living outside the Mackenzie District - while residents will pay $10 per year. Federated Mountain Clubs president Megan Dimozantos has voiced disappointment with the idea that Kiwis have to pay the same rates as international visitors. "It will, unfortunately, have an impact on low-income families that are struggling with the cost of living crisis, so I don't know that this is really a solution in its own right."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three hundred potential candidates were identified in the hunt for our new Reserve Bank Governor. The role has gone to Anna Breman, who was the First Deputy Governor of Sweden's central bank. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says it was a a tough competition amongst candidates. "The Reserve Bank went through a process of both advertising and also doing a large international search to consider people that could be qualified for the role."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new housing density plan is going ahead following a heated Auckland Council debate. The plan which allows more housing near transport hubs and fewer in natural hazard zones, has passed with 18 in support and 5 opposed. It will remove 27 percent of Special Character Areas. Councillor Shane Henderson says the plan now goes out for public consultation.  "It's time for people to feedback in and say - look, we might have gotten this or that area wrong, or make some adjustments to people's neighbourhoods and things like that. It's really important that we allow people to have their say."  Housing and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has welcomed the decision. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Reserve Bank Governor is pledging to build trust and credibility. Sweden's Anna Breman has been announced to lead  the central bank, taking over from interim Governor Christian Hawkesby in December. She'll be the first woman to ever hold the role - selected from more than 300 candidates who were initially identified. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says Breman has revealed the new core ideals of the RBNZ under her leadership - and has voiced her commitment to transparency.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump lashed out at the world on climate change and immigration while addressing the UN's General Assembly.  With a MAGA style rally speech, Trump began by touting his own domestic achievements.  He went on to say the United Nations doesn't come close to its tremendous potential. Trump also claimed open border policies are a failed experiment and warned against the 'green scam'.  US correspondent Jonathan Kearsley labelled the speech 'extraordinary' and raised concerns over what this could mean for the US' relationship with allies. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Midcourter Kimiora Poi believes the Silver Ferns are only just starting to feel like their old selves heading into the second test against South Africa in Napier tonight. The Ferns have had to quickly adjust to Yvette McCausland-Durie's interim leadership as coach Dame Noeline Taurua was stood down for the series. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's hoped Pharmac's latest funding proposal will save hospitals and patients valuable time. It's looking at funding five new medicines - for breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, eye conditions, and lung cancer. The proposal includes a new under the skin injection treatment, which could replace some IV infusions. Roche New Zealand Country Medical Director Dr Kerryn Symons says the injection takes just a few minutes, when infusions usually take several hours. "Our calculations show that over a period of five years, that the number of hours released in the infusion clinics is about 45,000." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seven charities have dropped the Sarah Ferguson as a patron, after an email from 2011 emerged in which she called sex offender Jeffrey Epstein her 'supreme friend'. Julia's House, a children's hospice, was the first to remove Duchess of York - saying it was 'inappropriate' for her to continue in the role. A raft of others lined up behind them, and the British Heart Foundation said she would no longer be its ambassador. UK correspondent Enda Brady says it's likely more charities will follow suit. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 23rd September 2025, Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden talks through the changes to our annual and sick leave entitlements. Ryan asks NZ First Deputy Leader Shane Jones whether the party is playing politics by invoking its "agree to disagree" clause over the government's latest immigration changes. We hear Autism New Zealand's reaction to the Trump's administrations "discovery" around the condition. And the Privacy Commissioner has a warning for retailers who post CCTV video and images of apparent shoplifters on social media. 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 Privacy Commissioner has issued a warning for retailers who aim to publicly shame shoplifters. The Commissioner says businesses posting CCTV footage and images of crimes on social media causes 'real harm' - and doing so breaks privacy laws. Michael Webster says many of these images are posted to shame the perpetrators as opposed to sharing information - which breaches the Privacy Act.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, lawyer Brigitte Morten and AUT chancellor Rob Campbell joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  We're all waiting on Winston Peters to reveal if New Zealand will recognise a Palestinian state. Which way do we think this will go? NZ First invokes the agree-to-disagree clause over the Government's new residency pathways. Are NZ First right to do this? And are they trying to make immigration a big election issue next year? The Government's made some new changes to the Holidays Act - will this be good for businesses and employees alike?   US President Donald Trump has linked paracetamol use during pregnancy to autism. Should we take this seriously?  Sir Don McKinnon's idea to kickstart New Zealand is for us to host the Commonwealth Games. Is that really the best way forward? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A group of Southland farmers say there is a way to profitability for Alliance Group without selling off 65 percent of the co-op. Alliance shareholders are set to vote on whether to accept a deal from Irish company Dawn Meats, which was offering $250 million for a share in the New Zealand co-operative. The Country's Jamie Mackay weighed in on the offer - and whether Alliance Group is likely to consider this. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business NZ says the Government's making workers leave simpler and more cost-effective. It's announced a new hours-based annual and sick leave accrual system, including flexibility of being able to take only the hours needed off work rather than a full day. It'll also mean part-time workers will no longer have a minimum sick leave entitlement. Business NZ's Paul Mackay says leave's always been accrued, but there were other rules attached. "The Government has simplified it by saying - you accrue leave or you earn leave as you go, it's effectively money in your bank and you will take out from that bank of leave when you want it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Palestine's Deputy Foreign Minister has shared his view on what it means to recognise a Palestinian state. Foreign Minister Winston Peters will announce New Zealand's position on Saturday, at the United Nations general assembly in New York. At least 150 nations have recognised a Palestinian state, including France, Australia, Canada, and the UK. Omar Awadallah from the Palestinian Authority says it's about recognising the people, Government, and territory of Palestine. "You recognise the ideas, the principles upon which those people are acting." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston’s back, banging the trusty old immigration drum. Election next year, so no surprises there. Nor should there be any surprise that National’s keen to keep skilled workers in the country. It’s what business wants. And, generally speaking, what business wants - with a Government right-of-centre - it gets. So before we go barking mad on migration, let’s look at the facts. Is this an Oprah car competition, carte blanche residency lolly scramble? No. The numbers? Somewhere between 3,500 and 9,000 people. Which barely touches the sides of our 4.3 million working-age population. Will they flood in from all corners of the earth? No. They’re already here. You have to be working here in order to qualify and proven yourself. You have to be well-paid - at least $36 an hour - and qualified. This is not a low-rent crowd. Is this a back door into Australia? Well, it can be. But to get through that door, you first have to become a citizen of New Zealand. Let’s call that a 10 year process, plus the