Larry Williams Drive

The Finance Minister is staying tight-lipped on whether another extension to fuel tax cuts is on the horizon. The Government pushed out the 25-cent reduction to petrol prices until the end of January, to ease the sting from high inflation. Low road user charges and half-price public transport fares are enjoying a similarly long stay of execution. Grant Robertson told Heather du Plessis-Allan the intention is to stick to that plan - to balance the cost of the lost income. But he says Covid-19 has taught us we must be nimble, flexible and responsive. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our new code of practice to tackle online harm has come under fire. It's been signed by Netsafe, NZ-Tech and the big five tech companies in Meta, Amazon, Ggoogle, TikTok and Ttwitter. But user-advocacy groups are criticising its lack of accountability. Tohatoha CEO Mandy Henk joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick has ruled herself out from running for the party's co-leadership. In a statement posted to Facebook, Swarbrick said there had been a lot of speculation in recent days since co-leader James Shaw was ousted from the position at the Greens' annual conference. "What happened at our AGM was unprecedented and I, like all of our Green MPs, wanted to respect the process and take time to reflect and listen. That reflection will continue in the coming days and weeks. "I am not in the running for the Co-Leadership. Thank you to all of the lovely and kind people who've expressed their confidence in me. I will continue my work as Auckland Central's MP, in my Parliamentary portfolios and on Finance and Expenditure committee." Earlier today Shaw confirmed he would contest the leadership, saying he was quietly confident of being re-elected. "I am in it to win it," Shaw told reporters saying he had spoken to party members and family and had decided to stand again as Green Party co-leader. Shaw made th

Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper returned to the airways as he joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss his view on the political landscape during his time on the sidelines, Green Party co-leadership and Local Government NZ's statement regarding Three Waters. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Dutton has slammed Anthony Albanese for not suspending travel to Bali, warning the Prime Minister “needs to explain” what’s going on. Calling on Australia to close its border to Indonesia to stop the spread of foot and mouth disease, Mr Dutton warned any spread of the illness could devastate Australia’s livestock industry. “I believe we should shut the border,’’ Mr Dutton said. “I think the Prime Minister needs to explain why that has not happened.” Australia remains foot and mouth disease-free for now, although fragments have been discovered in imported meat products. They did not include live virus. New measures have been introduced which ensure travellers arriving from Indonesia will have to walk across mats to sanitise their shoes. But the Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has accused Mr Dutton of playing politics with the issue. He also defended the decision not to screen all tourists returning from Indonesia. “We have never said that every single passenger returning from Indonesia is being thorough

Newstalk ZB sports commentator and Weekend Sport host joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to give his thoughts on the removal of Brad Moar and John Plumtree and subsequent appointment of Jason Ryan to the All Blacks coaching staff. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The lawsuit against World Rugby over brain injuries has been launched today. More than 100 former players are taking legal action, including all black Carl Hayman who revealed he has early on-set dementia last year. The players allege there was a failure to protect them. Former All Blacks doctor Dr. John Mayhew joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is hopeless from the All Blacks, isn’t it?  Hardly anything has changed in the squad. Sam Cane is still the captain. Fozzie is still the coach. The apparently hopeless assistant coaches have all kept their jobs. They’re not elevating Joe Schmidt and he's not travelling to South Africa to help them with the Rugby Championship. All that talk of big changes has come to nothing. We have basically the same team heading to South Africa as the team that just had their butts whipped by the Irish.  There are only two changes: Ethan de Groot and Shannon Frizell. If this isn’t locking in mediocrity, I dunno what it is: picking the same group of players and coaches who just lost and hoping they will do better. It’s disappointing because if ever there was a case to make a change and have the public support, it was this week. We the fans want it. We want change. We want them to try. And yet they’ve decided for goodness only knows what reason to keep plugging away with their poorly performing captain and coaches. I don

Italy is headed for an early election after its president accepted Premier Mario Draghi's resignation Thursday and decided there was no possibility for cobbling together another government following the rapid collapse of the ruling coalition. The demise of Draghi’s coalition in the eurozone’s third-largest economy and the uncertainty of what Italian voters will decide at the polls have dealt a destabilizing blow to the country and Europe amid rising inflation and Russia’s war in Ukraine. Dissolving Parliament "is always the last choice to make, especially if, as in this moment, there are important tasks to carry to completion,'' President Sergio Mattarella said in a brief speech at the presidential Quirinal Palace, where Draghi had tendered his resignation hours earlier. Mattarella's office said the election will be held Sept. 25. He appealed to political parties in their campaigning to keep in mind “the superior interests” of the nation. Citing soaring food and energy prices, he noted that those suffering th

Biden administration officials are concerned that China could seek to declare a no-fly zone over Taiwan ahead of a possible visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as an effort to upend the trip, potentially raising tensions even further in the region, a US official told CNN. China could also respond by flying fighter jets further into Taiwan's self-declared air defense zone, which could trigger a response from Taiwan and the US, the official added. They did not detail what a possible response would entail. China has sent warplanes into Taiwan's self-declared air defense zone identification zone many times in recent months, an act which does not violate any international law but which usually results in Taiwan taking precautionary defensive measures, including sometimes scrambling its fighter jets. Chinese planes have not entered the island's territorial airspace -- the area extending 12 nautical miles from its coastline. The State Department has called on China to cease its intimidation of Taiwan. Pelosi has bee

Ian McCrae has retired as Orion Health CEO after 30 years on the job. McCrae says he's going to remain as a director and major shareholder while keeping a hand on product development. It comes after a bout with brain cancer, and he says after 30 years at the helm, it's time for him to step back and take up a background role. Business commentator Rod Oram joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Forget Friends – Shortland Street has been touted as a show to watch for new migrants coming here to learn English. A Few Quiet Yarns is a company that organises networking events in the IT industry to help 'new Kiwis' get a better handle of our culture. A Few Quiet Yarns founder Ryan Ashton joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No changes from the All Blacks today. After a week of speculation, the All Blacks have named a largely unchanged squad for the Rugby Championship, and are choosing to back underfire coach Ian Foster. Meanwhile, Joe Schmidt won't be travelling to South Africa with the side. Reece Walsh has been benched for the Warriors' clash with the Raiders this weekend. Walsh struggled in last week's loss to the Eels, and has been swapped for Chanel Harris-Tavita in the full-back role. Jim Kayes and Miles Davis joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss the week's sports newsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A police report suggests groups of ram raiders are meeting in juvenile detention. It shows there's been a 400 percent increase in the smash and grab offences in the past five years - with 436 in the year to July. About 76 percent of those caught are under the age of 18 - and only 37 percent of ram-raids result in enforcement action. Youth development worker Aaron Hendry told Heather du Plessis-Allan disconnecting youths are making friends in juvie. He says they aren't receiving support when they leave and must fend for themselves - so those relationships carry on into the community. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has issued a strongly worded recommendation to schools to enforce mask-wearing for the first four weeks of Term 3. But it's stopped short of making masks compulsory nationally, instead leaving it to each school to decide for itself. Auckland Primary Principals Association President Wendy Kofoed told Heather du Plessis-Allan that in her experience parents are hugely supportive of students wearing masks. “This is just part of our school culture. And it's one of the reasons I think we've been able to minimise student and staff infections in our school.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Cane is still the All Blacks captain and Ian Foster is still the All Blacks coach. After speculation of widespread changes, nothing happened. The team naming for the Rugby Championship is not that much different to the squad that lost the Ireland series. Former All Black and NZME rugby commentator Ant Strachan joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has lashed out at what he says were "spurious allegations" levelled against two men acquitted over donations fraud today. The former deputy prime minister's comments come after an anonymous duo — accused of obtaining by deception after donations to the New Zealand First Foundation (NZFF) — were this morning found not guilty in the High Court. "From the moment these spurious allegations were first raised and then perpetuated by many in the media, day after day, and month after month, I maintained that there had been no wrongdoing," Peters said after the verdicts by Justice Pheroze Jagose, who presided over the judge-alone trial last month. Peters has distanced himself from NZFF, which the court heard was established to help modernise and raise funds for the party, and has strenuously denied any wrongdoing after it first came under scrutiny in media reports during November 2019. The accused pair were charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) just before the 2020 general e

Despite desperate pleas from aides, allies, a Republican congressional leader and even his family, Donald Trump refused to call off the Jan. 6 mob attack on the Capitol, instead “pouring gasoline on the fire” by aggressively tweeting his false claims of a stolen election and celebrating his crowd of supporters as “very special," the House investigating committee showed Thursday night. The next day, he declared anew, “I don't want to say the election is over." That was in a previously unaired outtake of an address to the nation he was to give, shown at the prime-time hearing of the committee. The panel documented how for some 187 minutes, from the time Trump left a rally stage sending his supporters to the Capitol to the time he ultimately appeared in the Rose Garden video, nothing could compel the defeated president to act. Instead, he watched the violence unfold on TV. “President Trump didn’t fail to act,” said Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a fellow Republican but frequent Trump critic who flew combat missions in Ira

No change for the All Blacks so far on and off the pitch. The squad for the Rugby Championship is largely unchanged, with Cane remaining captain and Ethan de Groot and Shannon Frizell being called in from the Ireland series. Behind the scenes, Foster remains the head coach and Joe Schmidt has been left out for South Africa. Weekend Sport host Jason Pine joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A senior lawyer maintains handing home detention sentences to repeat drink drivers isn't letting them off the hook. It comes after a recidivist drunk driver killed a woman in February - but was only sentenced to an 11 months home detention. Steve Cullen told Heather Du Plessis-Allan it's a fair ruling - as we have one of the most incarcerated populations in the western world. “What use is jail with this type of offending? It’s not deliberate homicide, they’ve made a poor choice after consuming alcohol.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.