Larry Williams Drive

Concerns have been raised by iwi Ngāi Tahu over the Central Otago gold mine proposed by Santana Minerals. At a hearing of the Fast-track expert panel in Dunedin on Tuesday, Kā Rūnaka, made up of four rūnaka representing southern Ngāi Tahu hapū, said they opposed the project.  ACT's Simon Court says Ngāi Tahu reportedly asked for shares in the gold mine - or for an alternative deal to be established.  "From the outside looking in, some people are calling this the 'great Santana shakedown'. But that's not how New Zealand should be, because all of these costs end up flowing either into household bills - or it means fewer jobs."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Palmerston North woman almost lost her house when a liquidator mistook her for someone else. The woman, 29-year-old army medic Kim Dwyer, was mixed-up with an Auckland company director with the same name. Dwyer says the liquidator has refused to compensate her for the $1735 she paid in legal fees. "He says that I should have contacted him, which, obviously, I don't know how I would have done that - because they didn't know I existed."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions have been raised over the media's handling of an incident concerning TVNZ's political editor, Maiki Sherman. Reports have emerged that TVNZ threatened to sue Newstalk ZB after a producer raised questions with the state broadcaster about Sherman's alleged use of a homophobic slur. Massey University Journalism Programme Leader James Hollings says TVNZ has handled this situation poorly. "It's not a good look, really, when you're a public broadcaster, to be telling another news outlet not to run a story about something."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's crackdown on the misuse of nitrous oxide appears to target the areas of most harm.  The gas is increasingly becoming a health risk - particularly when it is inhaled in high quantities.  Imports of the gas will soon need approval from the Director-General of Health, while large canisters, also known as nangs, will automatically be classified as psychoactive substances. The Drug Foundation's Hayden Eastmond-Mein says these canisters are the biggest issue.  "Historically, nitrous oxide has been relatively low-harm in terms of drugs, but that was based on the kind of classic, smaller canisters that people might have seen."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UAE's exit from OPEC will deliver a painful blow to the oil cartel and its de-facto leader.  The Gulf State is walking away from the group after nearly six decades - following longstanding tensions with Saudi Arabia. The UAE suggests this will help it meet growing global energy demand in the long term, and give it more flexibility. Middle East Analyst Gordon Robison says OPEC is already a shadow of its former self. "I think a number of the smaller countries in OPEC are beginning to be uncomfortable with the degree to which Saudi Arabia treats them as essentially subordinates." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis has taken aim at Shane Jones' 'butter chicken tsunami' comments today, following the Government signing the NZ-India trade deal. NZ First has criticised the free trade agreement, with Winston Peters claiming both National and Labour have signed the country's future away. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the gloves were off in Parliament today, as we get closer to the election.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles has highlighted the special relationship between the UK and the US, while speaking at the White House State Dinner. He also addressed Congress this morning, marking only the second time a British monarch has spoken on Capitol Hill. US-UK relations have been strained since the US launched its war on Iran. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says the speech was well-received, and King Charles delivered the speech with humor. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coach Rob Penney is hopeful the Crusaders will harness the energy of a stunning Super Round for Friday's blockbuster showdown against the Hurricanes in Wellington. Penney says christening the new One NZ Stadium at Te Kaha has been great for the team's spirit. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scrapping NCEA is seen as a chance to highlight the importance of the trades. A New Zealand Initiative report argues replacing the main secondary school qualification could be a chance to help ease skills shortages in construction and healthcare. Its calling for subjects to be designed with industry boards and students in mind. NZI Senior Research Fellow Dr Michael Johnston says there's hundreds of apprenticeships available, and more students should be given 'industry training' for the trades. "It could be electrical engineering, it could be mechanical engineering, it could be construction, animal husbandry, these kinds of things."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles and Queen Camilla spent the day with the Trumps at the White House, beginning their four-day US state visit. The royal visit follows the weekend shooting outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner - with a gunman charging a security checkpoint outside the Washington Hilton. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the royals will be walking a 'diplomatic tightrope', given the tensions between the US and UK amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While most of the world will hold interest rates and wait out the energy shock, Australia and New Zealand are set to lift their rates up. Both nations are looking to bring down inflation, and the ongoing fuel crisis is set to pose additional economic risks.  HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham explained why this is the case. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand and India have signed a landmark FTA - which is set to slash tariffs on Kiwi exports to India. The agreement will now be examined by Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee before legislation is introduced to bring it into force.  The Country's Jamie Mackay explains how Kiwi farmers will benefit from this arrangement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ll tell you what I found most surprising about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump at the weekend: the number of people who do not believe it really happened or that it was a genuine attempt at all. There are a remarkable number of people who believe the incident was staged and who are openly discussing that belief, including claims that Trump was not actually shot through the ear a couple of months ago. Well, it was more than a couple of months ago - but you get the idea. Within hours of the attempt on his life, the term “staged” appeared in more than 300,000 posts on X. A former CIA agent has gone public saying he thinks it was staged because security moved JD Vance before they moved Donald Trump, which he says is against protocol. Trump, of course, hasn’t helped matters. In his first news conference afterwards, he argued the assassination attempt proves he needs to build a new ballroom because it would be much safer. That is obviously not the logic of a normal person who has just been in the same b

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! There was another assassination attempt on Donald Trump over the weekend, but some have written this off as a 'false flag'. What do we make of this? Do we believe the conspiracies?  The Maiki Sherman saga - what do we make of this? Should TVNZ sack her?  The New Zealand-India FTA has been sorted out - what do we think of this?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 28 April, 2026, the BusinessDesk's Dileepa Fonseka outlines the detail from the Free Trade Agreement with India. We talk to the National Road Carriers about whether loosening restrictions on trucks will cause more potholes on our roads. New Zealand Cricket's new chief executive Geoff Allott tells us how excited he is about NZ20. And on The Huddle, Maurice Williamson and Josie Pagani discuss whether there really has been an assassination attempt against Donald Trump. 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 Government says there will be downsides to loosening restrictions on heavy vehicles. Trucking lobby group Transporting New Zealand is calling for weight restrictions to loosen immediately, not just in Phase Two of the fuel response. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says the Government's looking into options they can implement quickly - and they're weighing up the benefits and drawbacks. "I wouldn't rule out progressing them in Phase One, because actually, what they'll do is reduce the cost of fuel for major diesel users."   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A controversial statue in Auckland honouring women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Army during World War II won't go ahead.  The Devonport-Takapuna Board has voted 4 to 2 to deny the Korean Garden Trust the permission to build it at Barry's Point Reserve in Takapuna.  More than 600 people had given feedback on the statue, including the Japanese Embassy - who opposed it.  Devonport-Takapuna Board Chair Trish Deans says the statue was a 'political statement' - and it didn't have a place in this context.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert has noticed there doesn't appear to be any significant surprises in New Zealand's new trade agreement with India. The agreement was signed in New Delhi overnight, and will reduce or eliminate tariffs on 95 percent of exports to the world's largest country. BusinessDesk senior journalist Dileepa Fonseka says there's no numerical limits on the international student numbers, but we can make tweaks if needed.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The popularity of American sports could keep growing here - as streaming giants compete for viewers. Disney Plus is pushing its ESPN sports offering across Australasia with a new lower-cost subscription plan. Media commentator Duncan Greive says younger audiences are increasingly turning to American sports on global platforms over watching traditional sports like rugby and cricket. "The had a moat as wide as the Tasman around them in terms of TV and radio - now with YouTube and TikTok, rugby doesn't have the kind of hold over them."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A truck-drivers advocate says relaxing freight restrictions will have very little impact on infrastructure.  The Government's planning to increase truck load limits and allow freight to move during off-peak times, if we go to Phase Two of the fuel plan.  Multiple sector organisations and companies say the changes should just be implemented now.  National Road Carriers Spokesperson James Smith says it won't cause any more potholes.  "If you're operating within the existing axel mass limit and all you're doing is increasing the total at the end, the actual pavements aren't going to notice a difference."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.