Larry Williams Drive

The Government has unveiled new changes for Employment Relations Act aimed at improving labour market flexibility - but it's raised some concerns. One of the proposed changes includes introducing an income threshold of $180,000 above which a personal grievance for unjustified dismissal cannot be pursued. Director and Head of Practice at Jennifer Mills & Associates, Jennifer Mills, says this threshold seems 'arbitrary'. "I would have thought that all employees would have the right to access these grievance protections - what's worse is somebody who earns over $180,000 doesn't have a right to have any information about the decision to terminate their employment and they don't even have an opportunity to respond to a proposal." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'll tell you what I'm gonna be watching with some interest in the next few weeks -  that employment bill that ACT has just introduced to Parliament that would make it a lot easier for employers to fire staff who earn more than $180,000 because those high earning staff would not be able to take personal grievance cases for justified dismissal. Now, I say high earning with air quotes, because while yes, these people do earn a lot more than the average wage, I don't think that they earn so much that they can be considered, I don't know, rich pricks and treated so callously as to simply fire them without them having any recourse. Many of these people, I think, will probably be raising families - because you don't earn $180,000 plus if you're in your early 20s, do you? These are people who are in management, maybe even in upper management, and I'd imagine that they've got families to feed and families to look after, so I imagine these people would be amongst the most stressed if they could just lose their jo

New research indicates most of Gen Z aren't aiming for leadership roles in their future careers. An annual Deloitte survey says only six percent of Gen Z respondents stated they had leadership aspirations.  Nelson's deputy mayor Rohan O'Neill Stevens is within the Gen Z age range - and he says this survey shows this group has different goals to their predecessors. "When you look at the top scoring results there, it's things like maintaining a good work-life balance and achieving financial independence - which doesn't necessarily exclude leadership as a part of that."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An architect is pushing back on plans to demolish Wellington's Gordon Wilson Flats - on the Terrace. They were built in the late 1950s and have heritage status for being relatively unique social housing. Housing Minister Chris Bishop has intervened to let owners, Victoria University, demolish the building, which it'll replace with student accommodation. Architect Ken Davis says it's part of our cultural heritage. "If we pull it down, we're destroying some existing viable housing units that already exist - they only need to be refurbished."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ardie Savea's urging Moana Pasifika fans to stick with the team - after confirming he won't play Super Rugby next year. The All Blacks vice-captain is taking up a second Japanese sabbatical in 2026 - returning to the Kobe Steelers team he played for last year. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minister Deborah Russell raised a few eyebrows after dropping the f-bomb in the House. ACT's David Seymour has been quick to criticise this - and it's sparked further discussion. Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls wonders if this is an attempt to grab attention - in line with similar scandals. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese missed out on an upcoming meeting with Donald Trump after the US President left the G7 summit early. Trump completed an earlier meeting with UK Prime Minister Starmer, where the pair were able to discuss the future of the AUKUS alliance. Australian correspondent Murray Olds said Albanese will have other chances to meet with Trump. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Royal Commission of Inquiry into mental health care is looking unlikely - despite pressure over repeat killings by two patients. Hillmorton Hospital resident, Elliot Cameron, murdered his 83-year-old Christchurch gardening client in October, with new revelations he killed his brother 50 years ago. This year, another man was found not guilty on insanity grounds - for killing a second time.  Minister Matt Doocey says questions are being asked on clinical decisions.  Doocey says he expects the external reviews and coronial inquests to be answering these questions, as that's why they take place.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concerns the Israel and Iran conflict is about to escalate, as Donald Trump leaves the G7 summit early. The US President's cut his time in Canada short - not long after telling people to evacuate Iran's capital, Tehran. Channel 9 chief political editor, Charles Croucher, says the whole world is watching. "It seems, from what's coming out of America that the US aren't directly involved in whatever happens next, but it's clear that they've been told - or at least it appears they've been told - that something is about to happen." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A housing advocate says New Zealand's homelessness is the worst she's seen in 20 years.  The Government's celebrating one-year of its Priority One policy - which moves families out of motel rooms into secure housing.  Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka doesn't believe any increase in rough sleeping is due to Government policy.  Lifewise chief executive Haehaetu Barrett says she disagrees.  "We didn't have appropriate pipelining happening for people coming out of the motels who had been stuck there for more than two years - and a lot of the habits we've been seeing on the streets today actually started in the motels." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Large protests are held in Spain, Italy and Portugal calling for a curb on mass tourism - with Barcelona organisers telling demonstrators to bring water pistols to shoot at holidaymakers.  Campaigners say excessive levels of tourism are forcing locals out of affordable housing, raising the cost of living and making the city centres 'unusable'. UK correspondent Gavin Grey unpacked the protests further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Labour minister Stuart Nash joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!   Heather's disappointed that the Government hasn't followed on after all their talk on reform. They've only gotten rid of 2000 public servants so far - what do we make of all this? Chris Luxon copped some backlash after he started talking about potentially cutting sick leave entitlements from 10 back to 5 days - then had to clarify that that's actually not on the Government's agenda. Was this mishandled?  Woolworths has launched tearless onions. Would you buy them? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel and Iran have been engaged in air strikes for several days now - and experts have wondered what the conflict could mean for the wider world. It's day three of the latest conflict, as the two countries exchange deadly attacks following Israel's initial assault on Friday.  Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly unpacked the market reactions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid an ongoing shortage in professional therapists, Kiwis are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence for help with their mental health issues. Minister Matt Doocey has claimed up to 20 percent of New Zealand's unmet mental health needs could be solved using chatbot services like ChatGPT. Clinical psychologist Jaqui Maguire says the technology is helpful in some cases - but it's unlikely it can completely fill the gap. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 16 June 2025, Foreign Minister Winston Peters tells Kiwis in Iran and Israel to get away from the "arc of danger" but the ways out are limited. Are your sick leave entitlements on the chopping block? The Government walks back the PM's claim that the entitlement might soon drop from 10 to 5 days. Roles reversed? Heather gets a telling off from Finance Minister Nicola Willis. Plus, the Huddle debates whether National is turning out to be Labour in a blue jacket and the taste of tearless onions. 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.

This morning, the Prime Minister was asked about the 2000 public servants that had lost their jobs. 2000 are out but 64,000 remain. Chris Luxon saw nothing wrong with that.   That right there is part of the reason why this Government is polling so poorly, because it's all talk, isn't it, bugger all action. Now I'm sorry. I realize this is a lot to start the week with - we're starting strident. I don't mean to continue like that - but were you as surprised as I was to hear that we've only cut 2000 public servants? And were you even more surprised that the Prime Minister's explanation is no more than a verbal shrug? This, I think, will be profoundly disappointing to a lot of people who expected this Government to get public spending under control. And cutting public servants is part of getting that spending under control. There is no reason why we have as many public servants as we have today. 63,000 - there is no reason why we have more than double the 30,000 public servants that we had in

The Finance Minister made it clear she was unimpressed with the way the RBNZ handled public communication around Adrian Orr’s departure. Reserve Bank board chair Neil Quigley recently revealed he 'regretted' the time it took to release information around Orr's surprise resignation. Nicola Willis says the central bank could have provided some clarifying statements more promptly than they did. "As soon as they'd worked through what they could say with the former governor, there was obviously significant public interest in that information. And it would have been in everybody's best interests for them to share that at an earlier junction."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doctors specialising in menopause have expressed relief following Pharmac's recent u-turn.  Pharmac has announced it'll fund both the Estradot and Mylan brands of hormone replacement patches from December, after public consultation. It follows backlash in response to its decision to switch suppliers  Menodoctor Clinical Director Dr Linda Dear says this is the news they needed to hear.  She says it's good to have these options because one may work better for some women than the other - and added losing Estradot recently was devastating. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's questions over how well vaping regulations will be monitored. New rules come in tomorrow, including stricter advertising restrictions for vape retailers and a ban on disposable vapes Aspire Aotearoa Tobacco Control's Doctor Jude Ball says non-compliance is a problem overseas. But she says the number of enforcement agents has increased, so she's expecting the rules to be enforced. "These measures are designed to protect children and young people from a predatory industry, so without that enforcement, they're really meaningless." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Workers may soon be eligible for different amounts of sick leave based on the hours they work.   This morning, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon revealed the Workplace Relations Minister is looking at altering the current 10 day entitlement. Brooke van Velden says Cabinet has already agreed to develop a pro-rated sick leave system.  "Is it fair that someone who works maybe one day a week, maybe two days a week gets the same sick leave entitlements as someone who works full-time? We would say no, as a Government."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.