Larry Williams Drive

Look, maybe I'm being naïve, but I'm not that stressed at the news that 3 people were allowed to start police college without passing the fitness test. Were you? I mean, it seems to be more important to just have police officers and more police officers walking the beat and providing a reassuring presence than it is to be absolutely sure that they can do a vertical jump and run 2.5 km in 12 odd minutes. I don't know - when was the last time you saw Bobby sprinting 2ks down the road and jumping over a wall to catch somebody, right? Doesn't seem like it's all that frequently happening in modern policing - certainly in cities. But it doesn't mean we haven't got a problem. We've got a problem here. The problem is that the Government is still pretending that it can pump out 500 new police officers by November 27. That's not gonna happen. I mean, they are trying absolutely everything to be able to meet their target. They've bumped up the number of training spots they've got at the police college from 80 t

New reports reveal the identities of serving members of Britain's special forces had been published online for more than a decade. This security breach saw the names and ranks of at least 20 elite soldiers listed in documents that were publicly accessible online. UK correspondent Gavin Grey unpacked the mass reactions to this development.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first 100 days of the new Donald Trump administration have seen capital markets undergo a turbulent few months - but things appear to be stabilising. The tariffs have seen the markets take a noticeable dip, but things have turned the corner this week. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explains the factors behind this. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 28 April 2025, reputable builders will be able to sign off on their own work without council inspections. Heather asks the Building Minister how any leaky homes-like disasters will be prevented. Dunedin councillor Jim O'Malley explains why his council won't be reducing speed limits around schools like the Government asked councils to. Finance Minister Nicola Willis reveals she won't be announcing a tax on charities at the Budget - and throws her colleague Scott Simpson under the bus. Plus, the Huddle debates whether councils should be able to take unpaid rates from your mortgage, and whether cops should still have to pass fitness tests. 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.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson and Sherson Willis PR and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  How do we feel about councils taking unpaid rates out of people's mortgages? Is this a fair move - or an over-reach?  Police are investigating after three recruits were admitted for training despite failing their physical test. Do we think police should still pass a physical test - or is this irrelevant?  How do we feel about tradies being able to self-certify their work? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's Airports Association has voiced disapproval with the latest review of their regulatory arrangements - and suggested the scrutiny needs to be on Air New Zealand. MBIE has launched another review of airport regulations, just three weeks after the Commerce Commission gave Auckland Airport the tick of approval for an upgrade. NZ Airports Association CEO Billie Moore says it's clear there's plenty of strain on the domestic market - and Air New Zealand has a 'monopoly' over that market. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister is calling on Auckland Council to be transparent about its Waitākere Ranges management plan.  The proposed plan would see Iwi, the Department of Conservation, the Council and local boards on a committee.   Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she's heard a range of views about whether or not it equates to co-governance.  She says they should come clean about it to reduce confusion.  "And I think they should be very clear with their ratepayers about what they're doing - and why they're doing it." Auckland Councillor Richard Hills says the board doesn't have final say and is only for consultation and suggestions.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Councils are taking millions of dollars of unpaid rates through people's mortgages.  A little-known clause of the Local Government Act gives councils the power to force banks or finance companies to cover unpaid rates.  It's used as a last resort after exhausting all other avenues to getting rates paid. Taxpayers' Union Local Government Spokesperson, Sam Warren, says it wouldn't be needed as much if there was more sensible spending.  "I want to see a lot more done by councils to rein in that spending and get rates down as low as possible so this doesn't happen."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Firefighters Union says a recent life-threatening equipment failure at Thursday's massive North Shore Recycling Plant blaze wasn't the first. Two firefighters needed rescue when their aerial unit broke down above the dangerous Wairau Valley blaze. Vice president Martin Campbell says this again highlights that the fleet is ageing and poorly-maintained. "In the days leading up to it, there were several faults with it - but unfortunately, we just don't have the trucks out there to replace it with and they don't have the time and money to make sure it's working properly." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Association is underlining why aspiring recruits need to pass the physical aptitude test before joining police college. Police are doing an audit after revelations three applicants got in - even after failing to meet fitness requirements. Association Vice President Paul Ormerod says the college requires learning across driving, firearms, hand to hand combat - and more. "If your physical condition isn't up to at least the minimum level - invariably, you'll be injured and that'll put more pressure on your learning and it could probably even delay your graduation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A promise tradies have to get it right when they sign-off their own work under new rules. The Building and Construction Minister has announced a scheme to let approved firms and tradies like plumbers and drainlayers self-approve work on simple residential jobs. Companies deemed reputable could opt-in. Chris Penk says they'll have to undertake a process of promising quality. "And there will be standards, obviously, that they've got to continue to meet, they've got to have the right sorts of assurances and insurance in place as well - so they've got every incentive to get it right." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First and ACT are opposing an Auckland Council plan for the Waitākere Ranges.  The council wants to set up a committee including iwi, the Crown and Auckland Council.  NZ First MP Shane Jones says it could easily morph into co-governance and ACT leader David Seymour claims it could let unelected decision-makers close tracks and dictate land use. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says the ball's in National's court on this matter. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's less than a week to go before the Australian general election- but new polls show Labor is holding an early lead. The latest national Newspoll has given Labor a 52–48 lead, unchanged from the April 14-17 poll. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says the Opposition has tried to turn their luck around over the last couple of weeks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eyes forward at Auckland FC as they shake off the dust of their A-League Premiers' Plate celebrations. The expansion side secured the silverware over the weekend and marked the occasion with a 1-nil home win over Perth. Sportstalk host Jason Pine unpacked some theories behind the team's success.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dunedin City Council is planning to keep existing speed limits around the city's schools in place, despite a directive from Government. The report being considered at Wednesday's council meeting will recommend all but one school keep its 30km per hour speed limit - with the remaining school only increasing to 50km during non-peak hours. The council has been asked to provide a list of speed limit reversals on 'specified roads' to the New Zealand Transport Agency by Thursday. Dunedin City Councillor Jim O'Malley says these speed limits have been in place for a long time - and many in the community don't want them to change. "We know that when another Government comes in, they'll want them back to where they were before, so it would pretty much be a futile waste of effort, to be honest." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK is still hoping to work out a trade deal with the US - but early reports indicate it's quite a way off. Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently arrived in Washington DC, and she's warned negotiations will take time. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the UK economy needs the extra help, but it's unlikely a deal will come by the end of the week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has spent the past week verbally attacking Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and it's prompted concerns from the markets. Trump recently claimed the US economy could slow down unless interest rates were lowered immediately - and said that Powell's termination 'cannot come soon enough'. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains what this could mean for investors. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local cheesemakers have voiced concerns about the competition created by supermarket-produced home-brands. Smaller brands have been forced to scale back on production to reduce their reliance on the supermarkets - in a bid to focus on filling niches that appeal to Kiwi cheese lovers. The Country's Rowena Duncum explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumer confidence has gone back up - but new data indicates people are also worried about inflation. The latest ANZ-Roy Morgan survey shows consumer confidence rose 5 points to 98.3 in April - but inflation expectations soared 0.5pts to 4.7 percent, the highest reading since July 2023. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann unpacked the factors contributing to this data. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, broadcaster Mark Sainsbury and Infrastructure NZ's Nick Leggett joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! How do we feel about the fact that we're buying new cars - and paying for their maintenance - for our former Prime Ministers? Should taxpayers be funding more locally made reality shows?  ACT and National are at odds over the ACC's race-based policies - what do we make of this?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.