Larry Williams Drive

Despite Labour raising some concerns with the Government's trade deal with India, the move has been welcomed by rural economists. Trade analyst Stephen Jacobi says the Government timed the deal perfectly - and might have had to wait years if they prolonged the negotiations. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog writer and Curia pollster David Farrar and AUT Chancellor Rob Campbell joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  There's growing calls to phase out branded uniforms as parents grapple with rising costs. Do we need to ban uniforms altogether - or figure out an affordable solution?  The Government has indicated that they want to launch their own inquiry into the Mount Maunganui landslide tragedy. Should this replace the one being run by Tauranga Council - or should they work together?  More polls out today, and the date shows NZ First's Winston Peters is on the up. Why do we think this is? What will this mean for the election?  New data shows a quarter of young men don't have any close friends - and more young people feel pessimistic about the future. What do we make of this? Should we be concerned? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ Post is being criticised for its radio silence, after announcing it's withdrawing services from inside 142 stores.  Despite the changes, 90 percent of customers will still be within four kilometres of an NZ Post store.  Postal Workers' Union organiser John Maynard says NZ Post hasn't talked about the hubs being set up to provide good services.  He says it shouldn't be on the unions to promote the positives.  "It's one thing for the company to adjust to changing mail volumes and people's communication methods, but it's quite another to consistently act in a manner which undermines people's confidence in the postal service." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Right, it seems there’s a very good chance that Tauranga City Council is going to have the inquiry they’ve launched taken off them and run by the Government instead. The Government hasn’t actually said those words out loud just yet. What they have said is that there is a strong case for a Government inquiry. But you can read between the lines here - they’re preparing us, and probably most importantly preparing the Tauranga City Council, for the fact that they, the Government, are going to run this inquiry. And they should be the ones running it. The council can’t investigate its own actions like it’s planning to do. No one is going to believe the council if it concludes the council has done nothing wrong - if you follow what I’m saying. And there are plenty of reasons to think the council may actually have done quite a lot wrong here. From the 111 call they claimed wasn’t forwarded to them - until they realised, whoopsie, yes it was - through to reports that council staff were at the campground before the sli

A move for schools to leave branded uniforms to reduce costs for parents. Some are calling for rules to be modernised - to let students wear plain, generic clothing. It's been done in countries like Puerto Rico for years. Albany Senior High School Principal, Claire Amos, says it’s increasingly common for Kiwi students to wear coloured items without logos or embroidery. "They're often pretty much the same as what was their uniform - it's just no longer logoed, it's just a simple culottes, or skirt, or pants, and a top."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new year is well underway and people will be looking to get in shape, but one expert says not every social media trend is worth following on your fitness journey. Between the 75 Hard challenge and Zone 2 training, there are trends that work and trends that are less effective, depending on your level of fitness. Personal trainer Alex Flint says going too hard will lead to soreness, fatigue and late-night snacking, which can do more harm than good. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's considering a wider inquiry into last week's Mount Maunganui landslide tragedy. Six people remain missing - with recovery efforts slow faced by the unstable land, with floral tributes surrounding the cordon. Cabinet's discussing allocating funding to areas hard hit by severe weather. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell says he's spoken to Tauranga mayor Mahé Drysdale - but the council may still proceed with their own investigation.  "Obviously, they'll have to work through their own process in terms of what they want to do, but Mahé knows that we're committed to doing a Government inquiry." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament returned today for the first session of 2026, and the focus has turned to campaigning for the upcoming election. Hipkins and Luxon made their statements, with Luxon applauding the coalition's track record and Hipkins accusing the Government of being all about slogans, not delivery. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper recapped the debate. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, a 31-year-old man was charged after a homemade bomb was thrown into a crowd at an Invasion Day rally in Perth yesterday. The man was charged with committing an unlawful act with the intent to harm, and making explosives under suspicious circumstances, and he's set to appear in court later this week.  Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the bomb was reportedly made out of ball bearings, screws and liquid in a glass container - with investigations still ongoing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A child psychologist thinks social media use is hindering young men from making friends.  Data from Outward Bound shows one in four young men tell them they have no close friends.  Psychologist Sara Chatwin says that's abnormal against historic behavioural patterns. But she says her profession's seeing the trend firsthand and social media is making the young passive and isolated.  "It means that they're just sitting there and looking at stuff and roaming around and allowing algorithms to lead them down rabbit holes. They're not actively seeking out friendships." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks head coaching vacancy came too late for Vern Cotter's consideration. The Blues head coach will switch to the Queensland Reds for the 2027 and 2028 Super Rugby seasons. Cotter meets NZR's criteria, having coached Fiji and Scotland, but was blindsided Scott Robertson's axing. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, policing efforts are set to see a significant shakeup with the launch of a new 'British FBI'. The UK Government unveiled plans for a new National Police Service designed to take on fraud, cyber-crime, and terrorism, leaving local police to focus on everyday issues.  UK correspondent Mike Pearse says the National Police Service will work with police forces worldwide to bring down crime. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's been growing debate over how Auckland's CBD can be revitalised after years of uncertainty and economic decline. The $5.5 billion City Rail Link is due to be built at the second half of the year and it's promised to bring in economic benefits, but it's unclear if it'll get the city in motion.  Kiwi entrepreneur Andrew Barnes says a lot of shops and businesses have been closed, and it's not as attractive to prospective visitors.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has been upping the pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut rates. The US Federal Reserve is set to convene next week, and it's looking likely that they'll keep rates on hold at this stage. Harbour Asset Management expert Shane Solly unpacked the speculation further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Donald Trump sparked some outrage following his criticism of allied efforts, including New Zealand, in Afghanistan. Were his comments out of line?  New Zealand Rugby has unveiled their updated criteria for a new All Blacks coach - applicants must be from New Zealand and have international head coaching experience? Do we think this is the right move?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 26 January, 2026, we explore how long Mount Maunganui's likely to remain off-limits in the wake of the landslide. Interim New Zealand Rugby boss Steve Lancaster gives us details of the search for the next All Blacks coach. An entrepreneur outlines how he'd give Auckland's CBD a makeover. And on The Huddle, Phil Goff and Trish Sherson have harsh words for Donald Trump's criticism of allied efforts, including New Zealand, in Afghanistan. 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.

As the human tragedy at Mt Maunganui continues, the timeline around warnings and what authorities knew and when they knew it is becoming clearer. Fire and Emergency has confirmed it received a 111 call about landslides on the Mount before 6 o’clock on Thursday morning. As you would expect, it has a robust record-keeping system, which records that call as being at 5.48am. The slips at that time did not affect life or property, and so three minutes later at 5.51am, Fire and Emergency says it notified Tauranga Council as the landowner responsible. But here’s where it gets tricky. Tauranga City Council’s CEO initially said there was no record of the call at the council’s end. Then he was corrected - and that the council did actually receive that call. But given all of the staff who were working and the various calls they were receiving as they responded to weather problems that morning, it’s going to take a bit of time and the independent review to work out the timeline at the council’s end. Personally, I had no

Finance Minister Nicola Willis is hoping inflation can drop back into the Reserve Bank's target band off the back of the latest data. The annual inflation rate for 2025 was 3.1 percent, up from 3 percent for the year to September. Willis says the Government supports the Reserve Bank getting back to their target band of 1 to 3 percent. "It's inflation that's the broadest driver of the cost of living. At the same time, interest rate reductions have been really important to recovering our economy after a very difficult period, but it's always the case that as the economy recovers, you do expect that eventually interest rates do go up." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's belief among experts that New Zealand depends on the World Health Organisation for disease prevention and health promotion.  The US officially withdrew from the WHO last week.  Now Winston Peters has questioned the organisation's effectiveness and how it's using its funding.  Former WHO director Dr Rob Beaglehole says while the WHO has room to improve, New Zealand ultimately benefits from membership - especially given that future pandemics are 'inevitable'. "The only way to respond effectively, apart from closing borders for a short time, is going to be to work with other countries together." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is the benefactor of the World Surf League granting its athletes the left hand break they've been begging for. Raglan's Manu Bay will host the newly instated New Zealand Pro in late May. Surfing New Zealand CEO Ben Kennings says says this is 'huge' for the sport's place in New Zealand. "We can't wait to host those best surfers in the world, it's going to be pretty spectacular." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.