Larry Williams Drive

The conflict between Israel and Iran is continuing on - and it's sparked concerns among investors. US President Donald Trump has demanded Iran's unconditional surrender, as he weighs up whether to join Israel's targeting of nuclear sites. Milford Asset Management expert Andrew Curtayne explains the impact of the conflict. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog writer and Curia pollster David Farrar and former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  How do we feel about the Government overruling councils on decisions that negatively impact economic growth, development and employment? Is this necessary? The Government has confirmed they're going to scrap the census - do we agree with this move? Are the Crusaders being mean in banning cowbells from the Chiefs-Crusaders Super Rugby final? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 18 June 2025, you'll never have to fill out another census form! The Statistics Minister explains why he's getting rid of it. US media are reporting Donald Trump is considering whether or not to join Israel in bombing Iran's nuclear facilities. Melatonin will soon be available to buy over the counter for anyone struggling to sleep - and magic mushrooms can soon be prescribed to treat depression. Associate Health Minister David Seymour locks horns with Heather over his plan to strip workers rights from high income earners. Plus, Crusaders boss Colin Mansbridge defends his ban on cowbells for the Chiefs-Crusaders Super Rugby final this weekend. 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.

New data shows consumer confidence has gone up - but overall levels show people are feeling more pessimistic than optimistic about the economy.  The Westpac McDermott Miller Consumer Confidence index rose two points in June to 91.2, a modest rise from last quarter's drop. Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchhod says negative news and the rising cost of living are contributing to an uncertain outlook, but confidence is likely to improve once more mortgages drop. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Inland Revenue Department has unveiled the horticulture sector hasn't paid their fair share of taxes. Over the last 10 months, the IRD has found $45 million dollars of undeclared tax - and almost 100 audits are in the works now, within the sector. Inland Revenue spokesperson Tony Morris says the department is seeing people being paid under the table, undeclared cash sales and withholding tax going unrecorded or not being deducted correctly "It's quite a complex industry - if there's payments going through with cash or what else, it's easy to get lost or for things to happen intentionally, where it's hard to track the money." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Plymouth's mayor is backing Government changes to take away power from local authorities.  Housing Minister Chris Bishop says new regulation in the Resource Management Act would stop councils stalling housing developments.  It would let him override councils on the grounds of their decisions negatively impacting economic growth.  Mayor Neil Holdom says as it is, elected officials have little input in the development of district plans.  "These things suck in millions of dollars, they're basically written by an elite bureaucracy of planners - and they've tied New Zealand up in knots." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To strike or not to strike.  The US President has had talks with officials on joining Israel's attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. Since the initial attack on Friday, strikes have killed at least 224 Iranians and 24 Israelis. Otago University International Relations Professor Robert Patman says the split in Trump's supporter base will make things difficult.  Patman says many MAGA supporters want to stay out of foreign wars.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Crusaders are hoping Chiefs fans will come check out the action at this weekend's Super Rugby Pacific final in Christchurch - but they've suggested leaving the cowbells at home. In a LinkedIn post, Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge promised this would be a game fans would enjoy, but there's no room for cowbells in the stadium. Mansbridge jokingly claimed they'd be melted down and turned into a trophy - but he's serious about the risks. "You go to Eden Park, you go to FMG, you go to any other venue in the country and you've got a bit of leg room and a bit of bum room, but you don't in this place." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Statistics Minister says his agency is well up to transforming how the Census is done in New Zealand, despite previous short-comings. The five-yearly census is being replaced by a smaller, annual survey - and using Government department data. Stats NZ has faced past criticism over poor Census response rates  But Shane Reti says it's ready to turn that around. "There's been some fall-overs with Stats NZ - and actually, part of our job is also to build trust and to build quality with Stats NZ. I believe they'll be able to rebuild their reputation and deliver quality." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is pushing for diplomacy and trade in China  - as he visits with ministers and senior business leaders. Discussions will be held on boosting education and tourism, including attempting to attract more international students to New Zealand. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says the Government could look at making visa changes to make it easier on Chinese tourists. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US is making veiled threats towards Iran - and demanding the country's unconditional surrender. Donald Trump is back in the White House after leaving the G7 summit in Canada early, to deal with escalation in the Middle East. The US President has spoken with Israel's Prime Minister, and says his administration knows exactly where Iran's supreme leader is. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says the US originally stated it wasn't going to intervene - but that appears to have changed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Crusaders don’t want Chiefs fans to bring cowbells to the Super Rugby Pacific final in Christchurch on Saturday. The final is set up as the perfect crescendo to a compelling 2025 season, with the Chiefs, the number one ranked team in the round robin and second ranked Crusaders to duke it out. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave unpacks the ban ahead of the match. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes to allow over the counter sales of sleep drug melatonin in New Zealand - alongside relaxing rules on magic mushrooms as medicine. MedSafe's approved melatonin for sale to adults without a prescription. Psilocybin remains unapproved, but one specifically qualified psychiatrist is now permitted to prescribe it for treatment-resistant depression. Associate Health Minister David Seymour is standing by not revealing the doctor's name -  saying they could get harassed because of people confusing it with a recreational drug. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You know what I’m not going to miss? The census. If there anything that showed how bad Governments can be at embracing technology, it was the census. At a time when Governments collect huge amounts of electronic data about us, it seemed ridiculous that they were also asking us to fill out a paper form and send it in. They already know what we’re earning, the IRD has that. They already know how many babies are being born and how many of us are dying and how many of us getting hitched - Births, Deaths and Marriages has that. They already know how many of us are leaving the country and coming into the country, that’s collected too. They know how many one, two or three bedroom houses there are, that’s all collected already.  And yet - they were asking us to tell them that all again on the census form. Which made the exercise a giant waste of money. The last one cost $325 million and the next one was going to cost $400 million. Now I accept that there is information we will lose.

Keir Starmer and Donald Trump today signed off a UK-US trade deal at the G7 summit in Canada. The two leaders then presented the deal, revealing that the UK aerospace sector will face no tariffs at all from the US, while the auto industry will have 10 percent tariffs, down from 25 percent. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this will come as good news for the UK's auto industry - and jobs will be saved as a result. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farmer confidence remains at a near-record high, according to the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey. Farmer confidence in the broader agri-economy was unchanged at a net reading of +44 percent following consecutive lifts in the previous three quarters. The Country's Jamie Mackay unpacks the survey results further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food prices increased 4.4 percent in the 12 months to May 2025, following a 3.7 percent increase in the 12 months to April 2025, according to figures released by Stats NZ. Higher prices for the grocery food group and the meat, poultry and fish group contributed most to the annual increase in food prices. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen unpacks the factors behind this data. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Ali Jones from Red PR and Ali Jones from Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issue of the day - and more! Minister Chris Bishop has given the green light for the demolishing of the Gordon Wilson Flats after stripping them of their heritage status. What do we make of this? Why do we think most of Gen Z aren't interested in pursuing leadership positions anymore? Do they lack ambition? Is it fair to allow employers to sack highly paid workers without the proper process? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One expert has warned China has lost trust in New Zealand as a trading partner - and it could impact the current FTA. Prime Minister Chris Luxon is leading a trade delegation to China, with a meeting with China's President Xi Jinping set to take place this coming Friday. Mahon China Investment Management CEO David Mahon says Luxon's sending over a modest delegation over a short timeframe - and it's sending the wrong message to China. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 17 June 2025, the Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey gets a grilling following calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into forensic mental health. It comes after two shocking cases of people being killed by mental health patients.   US president Donald Trump has left the G7 summit early to deal with the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, after warning 10 million residents of Tehran to evacuate their city. Channel 9 correspondent Charles Croucher tells Heather it seems that Donald Trump has lost control of the global situation. Should people who earn over $180,000 be able to get sacked more easily? Heather thinks not! Plus, the Huddle debates about heritage rules and whether the Gordon Wilson Flats are ugly and should be demolished. 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.