Larry Williams Drive

Nicola Willis says uncertainty over Donald Trump's tariffs drove down GDP in the June quarter. But the Finance Minister admits has admitted she was surprised to see the economy's contracted 0.9 percent. She says there was consensus that GDP would drop, but most forecasts had it at 0.3 percent. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crusaders fans are questioning their loyalty after prices for the next season at the new stadium revealed a 40 percent increase. The memberships cover three games at the old Apollo Projects Stadium and 4 at the new Te Kaha Stadium - and fans have balked at the new ticket prices. Sports commentator Nick Bewley says he'd suspected a big price jump was coming, given the stadium costs. "To be perfectly honest, I've felt that this was always going to be a big jump because the stadium costs at least half a billion dollars." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tesla today announced its Full Self-Driving (FSD) service has now been activated in New Zealand and Australia. Both countries are the first right-hand drive markets to access this technology, which had previously been kept inactive until now. Kiwi motorsport driver Greg Murphy has raised concerns about this, given Tesla's record. "Tesla haven't got a clean record when it comes to the autonomous vehicles around the world, with a few lawsuits that have taken place in various places." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's on the defensive, after the latest sharp drop in GDP. The economy's contracted 0.9 percent in the June quarter - far more than anyone was expecting. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper weighed in on the latest data - and speculated about when things could improve. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is due to meet with Donald Trump soon, off the back of his visit to the Pacific. This follows Albanese’s failure to secure a defence treaty with Papua New Guinea delayed amid concerns about sovereignty. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says the pressure's on for the Prime Minister.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crusaders fans have voiced concerns  after prices for the next season at the new stadium revealed a 40 percent increase. The memberships cover three games at the old Apollo Projects Stadium and 4 at the new Te Kaha stadium. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave discussed the situation further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly half of Kiwis think equality has already been achieved.  And 1 in 3 young men think equality has gone too far. These results come from the National Council of Women of New Zealand's 2025 Gender Attitude Survey. Council President Dr Suzanne Manning says the views are outdated and entrenched. "What men see is being comfortable with the status quo, and all these rules that are put in could take their privileges away from them."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has arrived in the UK for his much-anticipated state visit.  He's being welcomed by King Charles at Windsor Castle, and will also meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, political commentator and lawyer Liam Hehir and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! There's another case of a judge ordering police to give back a gang member's patch. Is there a loophole that needs fixing here? Rawiri Waititi made headlines after he only answered questions in te reo Māori in Parliament. What do we make of this? Should we make it easier for overseas born kids with Māori heritage to gain citizenship? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is looking to move forward with plans to change who is liable for defective building work, and it's raised questions about what this could mean going forward. For decades, all parties involved in a build have been jointly liable for problems, with local councils mostly picking up the tab. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch-headquartered Brooksfield Homes is looking to bring a new style of townhouse to Auckland.  Reports claim the company's planned eight new Pt Chevalier homes on two sites, with a projected end valuation of $11.6 million. Brooksfield Homes managing director Vincent Holloway says a lot of people want to live in similar heritage properties found in Grey Lynn or Ponsonby - but prices keep many out of reach. "People are wanting that in a home, so we aim to do that in a smaller scale in a cheaper area, basically."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 17 September 2025, Oscar nominated Kiwi actress Keisha Castle-Hughes tells Heather why she wants Maori who are born overseas to have easier access to citizenship.   Singer Tiki Taane explains why he's taken his songs off global streaming platform Spotify. Royal historian and consultant to Netflix' "The Crown" Robert Lacey speaks to Heather about the pomp and circumstance being prepared for Donald Trump's big state visit at Windsor Castle. Plus, the Huddle debates whether the gang patch ban needs tightening after a second case of an empathetic judge handing a Mongrel Mob member his patch back. 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, Shanan Halbert from the Māori Party doesn't like the fact that Rawiri Waititi answered all his media questions about Takuta Ferris in te reo Māori. Now, if you haven't caught up on this, this is what happened yesterday when the Māori Party came face to face with the press gallery. It was the first time since Tākuta Ferris has doubled down and then tripled down for his anti-immigrant comments and then ignored his leader's orders to delete the video. And then the leaders started, by the looks of things, ignoring media requests for interviews. So yesterday, when the media finally had a chance to ask Rawiri about it for the first time, he refused to speak English and he would only answer in Māori, because he said it's te reo Māori week. And Shanan Halbert from the Labour Party didn't like it because he thinks that Rawiri is creating an "exclusive bunch" of Māori. Which is presumably Māori who can speak Māori, and that, by the looks of things, excludes him. Well, tough bickies. If Shanan doesn't want to f

Many of New Zealand's biggest musicians are boycotting Spotify and ditching the platform amid accusations of exploitation. Tiki Taane and The Bats are among the big names getting behind Boycott Spotify NZ and other Kiwi bands like Carb on Carb, Synthetic Children and Recitals have signed the statement calling for better treatment.  Taane has cited greed, corruption and investment in European defence technology company Helsing as some of the key reasons why he's walking away. "I love music, I love creating music, but I also have to take a stand against corruption, against greed, against war, against murder - the easiest thing for me to do to help support that is to take my music off the platform and cancel my subscription."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There could be more cases of judges handing back seized gang patches to gang members convicted of wearing them in public.  Law professor Al Gillespie says the law allows discretion for judge, and they'll use it.  This week, a judge ordered police give back a patch seized from a Lower Hutt gang member.  Police Minister Mark Mitchell calls the decision disappointing and confirmed police are appealing. But Gillespie says the judge was within his rights to make the decision.  "We could see more, I think that's quite possible. And if you do disagree with it, that's fine - but change the law." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Actress Keisha Castle-Hughes is getting behind a push to change citizenship access for Māori born overseas.  The Waitangi Tribunal's considering a claim by Australian born John Ruddock, which calls the fact his children can't get citizenship, unconstitutional. Ruddock, who's descended from a Treaty of Waitangi signatory, has citizenship by descent.  Castle-Hughes she has given evidence, after she struggled to get citizenship for her own daughter. "Aotearoa is the only place that she can go to kura kaupapa, that she can go to kohanga reo, that she can participate in life as a tangata whenua in that capacity." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A security analyst's surprised the Chinese Embassy is taking such issue to one of its citizens being searched. It says a Chinese citizen was subject to an interrogation and harassment at a New Zealand airport - with their personal devices taken away. Foreign Minister Winston Peters says the embassy's statement is no risk to the NZ-China relationship. Security analyst John Battersby says there's some surface level tension on display. He says it does follow a threat environment report highlighting China, which it disputed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New GDP figures are set to be unveiled tomorrow, and there's concerns from experts that the economy is struggling. The upcoming GDP data is projected to show an economy under pressure, as earlier forecasts of an incoming rebound look less and less likely. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the Finance Minister is trying to soften the blow and put things in perspective. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Kirk's murder accused allegedly told his roommate about the fatal shooting. 22-year-old Tyler Robinson is facing seven charges including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. US prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. US correspondent Charles Feldman says Robinson exchanged a series of texts and left a note for his roommate reportedly confessing to the murder. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The return of Cam Roigard from a foot fracture headlines 13 players released by the All Blacks to NPC duty this weekend. Roigard hasn't played since the second test against France in Wellington in July. He'll come off the bench for Counties-Manukau as they face Auckland on Saturday in Pukekohe, with the visitors from the other side of the Bombays facing an injury crisis and delaying their official team naming. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.