Larry Williams Drive

The proposed privately-backed NZ20 competition will be readjusted for a 2028 launch instead, NZ Cricket confirmed.  Organisers have pushed back the launch by a full year, abandoning plans to mark out their run-up in January 2027. NZ20 establishment committee chair Don Mackinnon says it's a shared decision between the organisation and NZ Cricket - and it's important to get things right. "Unfortunately, the window that we've got for January '27 is just too tight, particularly with the other commitments that we've locked in for test cricket. So it makes good sense." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's confidence from some that the hantavirus outbreak won't turn into another worldwide pandemic. Passengers are being evacuated and returning to home countries, including one New Zealander. Authorities say one of five French passengers developed symptoms flying to Paris, and will isolate until further notice.  Otago University epidemiologist, Michael Baker, says person to person transmission is very unusual for this virus. "And when they're investigated, these are often people who are living in the same house or the same bedroom or are spending a lot of time together - it's not from casual contact."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A political science lecturer says party affiliation isn't everything in Māori seats, as Mariameno Kapa-Kingi breaks away. She's cut ties with Te Pati Māori to create the Te Tai Tokerau Party and run in the seat of the same name. Te Pati Māori's wished her well - but is promising to put up another candidate to take her on.  Victoria University's Lara Greaves says it's an open race for all seven seats.  "They're hyper-local, so local issues are really important - but also, sometimes, strategy is important. Again, really hard to tell."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coalition appears to have good odds of winning the next election, largely thanks to New Zealand First.  The NZ Herald - Motu Research Poll of Polls suggests there is an 88.3 percent probability the coalition will win a second term.  The model shows it's extended its lead over the opposition by two points in the last 12 months. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained how this data is calculated - and whether voters can take it seriously. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The right wing One Nation party is uprooting Australia's status quo - scoring a seat that had long been a conservative stronghold. Candidate David Farley won more than 57 percent of the vote in the regional Farrer by-election, triggered by former Liberals leader Sussan Ley's ousting.  Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says One Nation is eyeing off seats in other areas, and it's unclear what this could mean for Labor ahead of the next election.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chairman of the NZ20 accepts it became an inevitability that they would need to delay the launch of the franchise cricket competition until 2028. Don Mackinnon says they reached the point that it couldn't be done properly this summer with the Black Caps touring Australia and then welcoming Sri Lanka soon after. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Education has told schools receiving free lunches to not let children take home leftover meals. The Ministry has cited food safety concerns - and says uneaten meals should be returned to the supplier to avoid extra risks.  Hora Hora school principal Pat Newman says his school's seen no incidents of any students getting ill from leftover food.  "There's no proof - the only lunches that anyone's gotten ill from is the ones that were supplied from the Ministry in the first place. We actually take better care."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 8 May, 2026, Winston Peters insists he won't support efforts by the National Party to raise the retirement age. We talk to one of the women who's accused Sir Rod Drury of inappropriate conduct about him handing back his New Zealander of the Year award.   The New Zealand Herald's media insider Shayne Currie on who should succeed Maiki Sherman as TVNZ's political editor. And on the Sports Huddle, Adam Cooper and Paul Allison discuss Luke Metcalf's future with the Warriors. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon plans to start lifting the pension age if National get back into government after the coming election. Bipartisan support will most likely be needed to make this happen as parties, like NZ First, are staunchly against the reform. "Please do not attack grandmother and grandmother's savings to try and disguise for a brief time your economic incompetence," Winston Peters said to Heather du Plessis-Allan LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If it’s not already obvious to you, the fact that Maiki Sherman has lost her job should now make it very clear: the media—especially the state broadcasters, both of them—are about to find out what it means not just to make and report the news but to be the news. Just look at what’s happened this week alone. And this is only a sample—this has been building for some time.In one week, TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman has lost her job over poor behaviour in a minister’s office. David Seymour, the ACT Party leader, has taken a significant swipe at RNZ for hiring John Campbell, who is well known for voting left—something he’s said himself. Seymour has even gone so far as to suggest the head of RNZ should lose his job over it. Then there’s the BSA, effectively the head girl telling everyone off for bad jokes at the party, being abolished. The politicians are coming for the media and Sherman’s case is an example of that. The National Party lined her up. They complained about her allegedly door-knocking Stuart Smit

Opportunity Party, previously TOP, are coming in hot this election with a brand new leader Qiulae Wong.  Wong joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss the party's campaign policies including universal basic income. She says the Opportunity Party is appealing to dissatisfied Green, National, and Labour voters.  "We are certainly seeing people from across the political spectrum coming to Opportunity." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the UK, Labour's bracing itself for a set of local, Scottish and Welsh election results. Reports claim a poor showing in these elections could bring about the end of Keir Starmer’s prime ministership, and significant losses are projected.  UK correspondent Enda Brady says there's growing calls for Starmer's resignation already - and people are losing confidence as Reform gets more attention.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cost of computer components has shot up, and there's concerns about what it could mean for the tech sector. The shortage of memory chips has prompted tech investors to worry about what this could mean for the market. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protein is seeing a surge in popularity all over the world, and that's great news for Kiwi farmers. Reports claim a boom industry has developed around supplying high protein calories for those who are losing muscle mass from taking weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.  The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, broadcaster Mark Sainsbury and Thomas Scrimgeour from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  The Government has confirmed it plans to investigate the City Rail Link project, after reports revealed it could have cost $2 billion less. Do we think this review is needed? Is it time to lift the Super age from 65? Another economist has warned we can't keep kicking the can down the road. What do we think?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 7 May, 2026, Steve Lancaster is finally confirmed as the new chief executive of New Zealand Rugby. We talk about the prospect of an Anzac test. Conservation Minister Tama Potaka on changes that could see reserve land put up for sale. Youthline chief executive Shae Ronald tells us about the biggest issues confronting those aged 12 to 24. And on The Huddle, Mark Sainsbury and Thomas Scrimgeour are aghast at Wellington City Council's highest earners still potentially getting "golden handshakes" if they're fired. 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.

Now, you would have thought that after all the publicity Wellington City Council has been getting - and the paid staff have been getting - for being caught doing things behind the backs of elected councillors, they probably wouldn’t do it again. And yet, here we are. They’ve been caught doing it again. The latest revelation is that they have decided to exempt themselves from a Government law brought in about three months ago. The law prevents employees who earn more than $200,000 from taking personal grievance cases against their bosses if they are fired. In other words, there will be no golden handshake if you’ve been sacked while earning that kind of money. But guess what? Wellington City Council bosses decided they weren’t going to follow that law and exempted 42 of their staff from it. That’s quite unbelievable, because the law is intended to make it easier for employers to remove incompetent managers who have been doing very little for years on end. And Wellington City Council knows it has a problem. A r

The Conservation Minister says the new planned reforms of conservation law will benefit Kiwi businesses and biodiversity.  It lays the groundwork for reinvesting revenue from charging international tourists - estimated at about $60 million a year - back into conservation land. It also speeds up the Department of Conservation signing off leases and permits. Minister Tama Potaka says this will modernise legislation that was in need of an update. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rise in AI has seen demand for professionally written CVs in a bid to stand out against algorithms. Experts say while AI can be useful to screen hundreds of applicants faster, it's created a transparency gap between employers and jobseekers. CVs by Sarah director Sarah Wrightson says the screening software rules out applicants before a human gets a chance to look at their CVs, and it results in qualified applicants getting filtered out. "I've had clients come to me saying that they've applied for 80 jobs and heard nothing back - and often, they've actually got really solid experience. The software's looking for alignment and clarity, humans read context, the software doesn't."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Infrastructure Minister suspects the grandeur of Auckland's City Rail Link stations will surprise users. Chris Bishop's announced the build will be reviewed - after the project's former boss claimed it could have been completed for half the $5.5 billion spent.  Bishop says the architecture is amazing, and some might describe the stations as palaces.  "They're going to be incredible, but they come at a price. And you've just got to weigh up whether or not it's worth the price, and like every other project, we should do a review once it's open."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.