Larry Williams Drive

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has voiced strong disapproval with Labour's migration strategy, and he's set to unveil his own solution. Farage will outline his party's plans to tackle small boats crossings, and he's already pledged to detain and deport people coming into the UK illegally. UK correspondent Enda Brady speculates ahead of the announcement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank's move to review banking capital rules has been welcomed by Federated Farmers. Banking spokesperson Mark Hooper says the stricter rules make it difficult for farmers to borrow money - and these changes will make things fairer. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to new reports, overseas interest in NZ-based companies is at a record high. A new survey by Simpson Grierson says 49 percent of international respondents considering moving more money into New Zealand, compared with 40 percent last year. Salt Funds managing director Matt Goodson explains what's driving this change. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, CTU economist Craig Renney and Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! More than a hundred students at Lincoln University are being re-tested after suspicions they used AI to cheat. Is this the right move from the university?  Are we in favour of 4-year parliamentary terms? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 26 August 2025, we're one step closer to a referendum on four year terms. But do we have the right safeguards in place to protect us from rogue Governments and bad decisions? Australia's Channel Nine Chief Political Editor Charles Croucher has the latest on news that Iran has been accused of orchestrating antisemitic attacks in Australia. Fonterra's consumer arm, Pic's Peanut Butter, now Eventfinda - foreign investors are lapping up Kiwi businesses. What's making us so attractive to overseas buyers? Lincoln University's Chad Hewitt explains why they're making a whole class defend their assignments because many of them are suspected of cheating with the use of AI. Plus, the Huddle debates four year terms and whether Universities need to change their approach on AI in exams. 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 f

I think it is significant that David Seymour has walked away from supporting his own bill to bring in four-year terms for the Government. He was the one who introduced this bill - but he's now pulled ACT's support. Every other party in parliament appears to still back it, but he's pulled support because the safeguards that he wanted are gone. His idea was that we increase the terms from three to four years. So you vote the Government and you get three years - and now he wants to make it four years, which basically means giving the Government more power. But he was only okay with that if we balanced it out by taking away some power. And his idea was to allow the opposition parties to control every single select committee, giving them the power. But that part of the plan, the select committee part, has been removed. So David Seymour doesn't support his own idea anymore, which frankly, I think is a good idea, because he has ended up exactly where I have been this entire time. No to four-year terms unless there a

NZME is reporting an almost 12 percent rise in half-year earnings. The media company - which owns Newstalk ZB and the Herald - is reporting growth across audio, podcasts, subscriptions, and the OneRoof property website. CEO Michael Boggs says this is a strong result, given the tough economic environment, but there's hope for more growth.  "People are seeing green shoots, but sadly, I've been saying that for the last year in every one of our results announcements...this time, we've not done any forecast based on green shoots."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than a hundred students at Lincoln University are being re-tested after suspicions they used AI to cheat.  An entire post-graduate finance class is suspected of wrongdoing, with a threat of disciplinary action if they can't individually explain their workings in an in-person presentation involving coding and answering questions. The university's Provost, Professor Chad Hewitt, explained there are some cases where they allow the use of AI - but in this case, students were expected to use their own brain.  "The course has just identified a high number of suspected cases - as a consequence, the easiest thing to do is to bring the students in and ask them questions." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Events discovery platform Eventfinda could soon reach global markets, with help from Ticketek Entertainment Group. The live entertainment business has acquired Eventfinda, subject to conditions. Eventfinda will continue to operate under the same brand, and says clients can be assured that it’s business as usual. Co-founder James McGlinn says the team's 'overjoyed' with the new deal. "It couldn't come fast enough, we're really excited about it."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New intelligence reports have linked Iranian officials to multiple attacks against Australia’s Jewish community. Iran's ambassador to Australia and three other Iranian officials have been expelled and given a week to leave the country.  Australia's also suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran and designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist entity. Australian correspondent Charles Croucher says this is an 'unusual situation' and investigations are still ongoing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A referendum on increasing the parliamentary term to four years is looking highly likely.  This is despite a Select Committee Report confirming ACT - who proposed the bill - will only support it if stronger checks and balances are built into the system. This includes more powers to the opposition in committees. But Justice Select Committee Chair Andrew Bayly says they're suggesting possible dates.  "It's had almost unanimous agreement across the Committee that we should put it to referendum - the question is when." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand film and television producer John Barnett died on Sunday night, according to new reports. Barnett's known for working on some of the country's highest grossing films - including Footrot Flats, Whale Rider and Sione's Wedding. He ran South Pacific Pictures, the country's largest production company, from 1992 to 2015, and was made companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to film and television in 2019. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper recalled his experience working with John Barnett. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran's ambassador to Australia has been expelled after intelligence revealed the Iranian government was behind two anti-Semitic attacks in Australia. The ambassador, as well as three other Iranian officials, have been given a week to leave the country. Australia's also suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran, and designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist entity. Australian correspondent Murray Olds explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Christchurch documentary maker is throwing her support behind a bill aiming to ban under-16s from social media after completing a 'distressing' social media experiment. Nadia Maxwell set up pages on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat posing as a 13-year-old - and was quickly bombarded with content related to eating disorders and mental health issues.  She says she attempted the experiment before and after new safeguards for teens were introduced, but didn't notice much of a difference. "The only positive difference that I saw was that in part one there was a lot of oversexualised content - and so that's dropped down. But in terms of the sort of content you'd want your average 13-year-old sitting down in front of every day, there's so much heavy and distressing stuff."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TVNZ has opened a new 'game-changer' battleground with Sky TV - it will launch a pay-TV offering, starting with next year’s FIFA World Cup. TVNZ recently confirmed  it had successfully won the rights to the world’s biggest sports tournament, starting next June in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It confirmed it will screen All Whites matches and other selected games free - but for access to the full schedule of matches, people will need to pay for an event pass on TVNZ+. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People convicted of crimes in England and Wales could find themselves barred from going to pubs, concerts and sports matches under proposed new rules. The Government is looking into making changes to new sentencing rules, which will give the courts more power to enforce bans.  UK correspondent Gavin Grey explained that these changes could be a deterrent to criminals.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell has indicated rate cuts could be on the cards soon. Powell indicated the tariffs were making an inflationary impact, but he explained the impact could still be temporary. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Campervan company Tourism Holdings has reported a bottom line net loss, which they're claiming reflects the economic situation in the US. Despite the weak results, the company's hopeful about incoming future growth, which is supported by  forward rental bookings showing double-digit percentage revenue growth in all markets except the US Tourism Holdings CEO Grant Webster explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  New data shows older police officers are concerned about the skills demonstrated by the younger graduates - is this a case of older cops projecting on young people or are their concerns valid? Housing Minister Chris Bishop recently said it was a good thing that house prices were dropping - what do we make of this?   Prime Minister Chris Luxon recently claimed he would have liked the Reserve Bank to cut the OCR more. Was this out of line?  Do we go on holidays with our friends?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'll tell you what I found interesting over the last few days it's the enormous surprise at the start, and now the debate about Chris Bishop saying it's a good thing that house prices are falling. He was asked about this on Friday and he said, yes, it's a good thing and that we've got to decouple the idea that the New Zealand economy is driven by house prices - labelling it 'artificial wealth'. The immediate response to that was shock that anyone could say it, but especially a National Party minister.  And now, 3 days later, there are still newspaper pieces expressing surprise that he's got away with it - in contrast to for example, Metiria Turei, who got smacked down for it, and Jacinda Ardern, who wouldn't go there. And what's more, the surprise is that the Prime Minister has now apparently contradicted him and said, no, he does want some modest and consistent house price rises. Look, Chris Bishop has got away with it because he's right. It is actually a good thing that house prices have come