Larry Williams Drive

Oil companies are making a killing at the moment.The price of Brent crude is back to levels not seen since early March.But there are a few developments this week that are starting to put pressure on the oil and gas companies.Business commentator Rod Oram joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former president of the Louvre museum has received preliminary charges for alleged antiquities trafficking during his tenure as head of the famous Paris museum.Police in the French capital charged Jean-Luc Martinez on Wednesday with “complicity in organized fraud” and money laundering, according to the Paris prosecutors’ office.The prosecutor’s office said that two of Martinez’ former colleagues in the Louvre's Egyptian antiquities department were also taken into custody this week but released without charges.The Paris prosecutor's office would not confirm French media reports saying that the three men were suspected of taking part in the trafficking of priceless heritage pieces.According to Le Canard Enchaine newspaper, investigators were looking into whether Martinez “turned a blind eye” to false certificates of provenance for five Egyptian antiquities.The newspaper said the pieces including a granite Tutankhamun stele or slab sold in 2016 when the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, a branch of the Paris museum, acqu

The reaction on our text machine took me by surprise earlier this week.It was during The Huddle and we were talking about the Australian election I think and the number of successful independent female candidates and one of our guests used the phrase ‘pale, stale, male’.And boy did the text machine go nuts.Fair enough. Because it is an unfair generalisation.What really interested me though was that I didn’t even really notice the phrase until the texts lit up because I'm inured to it.It’s just so common nowadays to beat up on men.Which brings me to an article in the Herald today.It’s a Listener interview with the author of a book called ‘What Do Men Want” and the author Nina Power argues that it’s time that we stop this gender war.She says we have to “acknowledge that its’ possible for men to be good” which she reckons “seems to be impossible in the discourse around toxic masculinity”.Because the pervasive thinking is that "all masculinity and therefore all men is bad and it doesn’t allow room for the possibl

It’s been three years since Julie Anne Genter’s secret letter over Wellington’s transport plan.Today, the NZ Herald was able to get their hands on it.Genter sent the letter in 2019 to then Transport Minister Phil Twyford when she was Associate Minister of Transport during pre-consultation on the Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) indicative package draft Cabinet paper.She wrote that she was concerned state highway components of LGWM did not align with the project's own goals or the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport, such as mode shift and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.NZME Senior Multimedia Journalist Georgina Campbell joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy Satterthwaite is one of five White Ferns going without a contract renewal for next year.The decision was controversial given Satterthwaite’s accomplishments in her long international career, with Amelia Kerr hitting out at NZC on social media.Matt Lodge has addressed his messy exit from the Warriors.Lodge said “there was no argument” between himself and club owner Mark Robinson.It was later revealed he had received a payout of around $700,000 upon leaving.Phil Gifford and Lavina Good joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss the week’s sports newsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five long time White Fern players have not have their contracts renewed including Lea Tahuhu, Frankie MacKay and of couse, Amy Satterthwaite.Satterthwaite was particularly controversial, with Frankie MacKay and Amelia Kerr hitting out at NZC.Instead of renewing their contracts, NZC opted to sign six new players.NZC General Manager of High Performance Bryan Stronach joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apart from Kiwibank, no other bank appears to have changed their mortgage rates.Kiwibank has changed theirs as a result of the OCR going up on Wednesday.But why haven’t the other banks followed suit?Independent economist Tony Alexander joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A brutal stabbing on a quiet central Auckland walkway has shaken the Mount Albert community.Police have launched a manhunt for a 22-year-old after a man was found dead in Roy Clements Treeway on Tuesday night.The wanted man is known to frequent Sandringham and West Auckland, is considered dangerous and should not be approached.National list-MP based in Mount Albert Melissa Lee told Heather du Plessis-Allan this is an unusual tragedy for her electorate.“Quite shocking for the community actually, and I’ve been trying to gauge how they’re actually coping with it. Many people are concerned that it’s actually happened in their own backyard.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacinda Ardern is meeting US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday in the US.It's only the third-such formal invitation a New Zealand Prime Minister has had from the White House in the past 20 years.Former Prime Minister Sir John Key visited the White House twice in his time.He told Heather du Plessis Allan it's great Ardern will get the opportunity.“They’re always important in terms of relationship building, but I’d be very surprised if they come out with any sort of immediate deliverable.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's spoken about gun reform during her trip to the United States.Jacinda Ardern has appeared on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, made the Harvard commencement speech and has a meeting planned with President Joe Biden.Chief Political Reporter Jason Walls told Heather du Plessis Allan Ardern got a standing ovation when she made comments about New Zealand banning semi-automatic rifles and assault weapons.“I think she could’ve gone further on that but afterwards when we were talking about her, she said it wasn’t her place to make comments like that, it’s not her place to interfere with US policy.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accusations Texan law enforcement dropped the ball at the Uvalde shooting.There are reports the teen who killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday, entered the building unobstructed.US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says told Heather du Plessis-Allan delays in responses by police and border patrol agents are being widely discussed.He says parents were held back, which would have gone against their parental instincts, but may also have saved lives.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warnings its far past time Gloriavale asks the outside world what is appropriate and what is not.The secretive Christian community has apologised today after several members were charged for child and sexual abuse crimes.The Employment Court also found some ex-Gloriavale members were used as employees from the age of six.Its leaders say they're now figuring out the difference between chores, farming duties appropriate for children and commercial work.But NZ Herald Reporter Anna Leask told Heather du-Plessis-Allan the current leaders were born there and lack perspective.“Do you know that having a child working in a pig farm for 17 hours a day – do you know that that’s dangerous and strenuous and not OK, or is that just what you did?”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johnny Depp's defamation trial against Amber Heard is nearing a close – and it's been a pretty wild ride so far. Depp alleges that Heard defamed him by accusing him of domestically abusing her when they were a couple, which he denies. As we heard last hour, British supermodel Kate Moss today denied a longstanding rumour Depp had pushed her down a flight of stairs, and Depp took the stand to defend himself too. US correspondent Sean Mandell has been closely following the trial, he joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sacred Heart College's Principal is raising concerns about new school uniform guidelines. The Human Rights Commission has released non-binding standards, to help schools align their policies with the Bill of Rights. Patrick Walsh told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's uneasy about the freedom of political expression, which involves banning gang colours in some schools. “And we would want the support that if schools have bans on these things and a complaint goes to them that they would give deference to boards and principals to make decisions to prohibit them on health and safety grounds.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do we really need the Human Rights Commission to make guidelines on school uniforms? Shouldn't it be left up to schools to navigate this?  Were you shocked when you read about China's potential deal with 11 Pacific Nations? The Police Minister revealed her big plan to deal with ram raids and it's worth 6 million dollars. A workforce consultant has recommended aligning work hours with school hours without any pay cuts. Is this ridiculous or a good idea? Clare de Lore, journalist, and Neale Jones, former Chief of Staff to Jacinda Ardern, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan on the Huddle. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt Lodge reportedly received a 760k NZD golden handshake from the Warriors upon leaving the team. Aussie tennis bad boys Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic are having a fiery social media feud. D’Arcy Waldegrave, host of Sportstalk, joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boris Johnson is clinging on despite claims of a cover up over the ABBA party in his flat. Welsh councillor quits over rumours he is Banksy. Police seize passports of 880 England soccer fans ahead of Germany match. UK correspondent Enda Brady joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it time for Spark to call time on Spark Sport? That's the question analysts are asking, given Telcos from around the world are now offloading their sports offerings. Jarden's head of research Arie Dekker says a managed exit also makes sense for Spark. Arie joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might feel all doom and gloom when it comes to the i-word... Inflation. But are there actually already signs that things are looking up again. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra's announced its opening forecast farmgate milk price for the season. Zespri says global sales have exceeded four billion dollars for the first time. A quick tribute to one of NZ's leading, and most entrepreneurial, travel agents. Host of the Country Jamie Mackay joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.