Larry Williams Drive

A referendum on increasing the parliamentary term to four years is looking highly likely.  This is despite a Select Committee Report confirming ACT - who proposed the bill - will only support it if stronger checks and balances are built into the system. This includes more powers to the opposition in committees. But Justice Select Committee Chair Andrew Bayly says they're suggesting possible dates.  "It's had almost unanimous agreement across the Committee that we should put it to referendum - the question is when." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand film and television producer John Barnett died on Sunday night, according to new reports. Barnett's known for working on some of the country's highest grossing films - including Footrot Flats, Whale Rider and Sione's Wedding. He ran South Pacific Pictures, the country's largest production company, from 1992 to 2015, and was made companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to film and television in 2019. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper recalled his experience working with John Barnett. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran's ambassador to Australia has been expelled after intelligence revealed the Iranian government was behind two anti-Semitic attacks in Australia. The ambassador, as well as three other Iranian officials, have been given a week to leave the country. Australia's also suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran, and designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist entity. Australian correspondent Murray Olds explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Christchurch documentary maker is throwing her support behind a bill aiming to ban under-16s from social media after completing a 'distressing' social media experiment. Nadia Maxwell set up pages on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat posing as a 13-year-old - and was quickly bombarded with content related to eating disorders and mental health issues.  She says she attempted the experiment before and after new safeguards for teens were introduced, but didn't notice much of a difference. "The only positive difference that I saw was that in part one there was a lot of oversexualised content - and so that's dropped down. But in terms of the sort of content you'd want your average 13-year-old sitting down in front of every day, there's so much heavy and distressing stuff."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TVNZ has opened a new 'game-changer' battleground with Sky TV - it will launch a pay-TV offering, starting with next year’s FIFA World Cup. TVNZ recently confirmed  it had successfully won the rights to the world’s biggest sports tournament, starting next June in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It confirmed it will screen All Whites matches and other selected games free - but for access to the full schedule of matches, people will need to pay for an event pass on TVNZ+. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People convicted of crimes in England and Wales could find themselves barred from going to pubs, concerts and sports matches under proposed new rules. The Government is looking into making changes to new sentencing rules, which will give the courts more power to enforce bans.  UK correspondent Gavin Grey explained that these changes could be a deterrent to criminals.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell has indicated rate cuts could be on the cards soon. Powell indicated the tariffs were making an inflationary impact, but he explained the impact could still be temporary. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Campervan company Tourism Holdings has reported a bottom line net loss, which they're claiming reflects the economic situation in the US. Despite the weak results, the company's hopeful about incoming future growth, which is supported by  forward rental bookings showing double-digit percentage revenue growth in all markets except the US Tourism Holdings CEO Grant Webster explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  New data shows older police officers are concerned about the skills demonstrated by the younger graduates - is this a case of older cops projecting on young people or are their concerns valid? Housing Minister Chris Bishop recently said it was a good thing that house prices were dropping - what do we make of this?   Prime Minister Chris Luxon recently claimed he would have liked the Reserve Bank to cut the OCR more. Was this out of line?  Do we go on holidays with our friends?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'll tell you what I found interesting over the last few days it's the enormous surprise at the start, and now the debate about Chris Bishop saying it's a good thing that house prices are falling. He was asked about this on Friday and he said, yes, it's a good thing and that we've got to decouple the idea that the New Zealand economy is driven by house prices - labelling it 'artificial wealth'. The immediate response to that was shock that anyone could say it, but especially a National Party minister.  And now, 3 days later, there are still newspaper pieces expressing surprise that he's got away with it - in contrast to for example, Metiria Turei, who got smacked down for it, and Jacinda Ardern, who wouldn't go there. And what's more, the surprise is that the Prime Minister has now apparently contradicted him and said, no, he does want some modest and consistent house price rises. Look, Chris Bishop has got away with it because he's right. It is actually a good thing that house prices have come

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 25 August 2025, did the PM overstep when he said he thinks the Reserve Bank should have cut the OCR more than they did? Finance Minister Nicola Willis says no but banking expert Dr Claire Matthews says yes! The Police Association's Chris Cahill says senior police officers are being too harsh on their new young colleagues - after a survey found the oldies don't think the young ones are not up to scratch. A concert promoter and a hospitality boss weigh in on what we should do to attract more big events to NZ. Pic Picot tells Heather why he decided to sell a 51% stake of his brainchild Pic's Peanut Butter to an Australian company. Plus, the Huddle debates whether house prices need to fall, and whether Chris Bishop is just a brave politician saying it out loud. 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 inform

Further work on tackling the supermarket duopoly is in the wings. The Finance Minister claimed an update is imminent on plans to improve competition in the supermarket sector. She says this has been an issue for decades - and she'll have more to say in coming weeks. Nicola Willis says the announcement won't be a 'silver bullet' but it will reveal what the Government's been working on. "I'm not going to be announcing an international supermarket chain with 50 stores that's going to be opening up next month." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The police union says senior police officers' apparent lack of confidence in incoming cops will provide an opportunity for development.  Senior officers have criticised the quality of new officers in a police college survey. More than half believe new staff were 'barely' or 'not at all' well equipped with procedures around making an arrest. Police Association President Chris Cahill says it demonstrates where effort is needed. "We've always said over the years that the group after us aren't as good as we were and there's an element of that in there, but it certainly gives a steer where they need to put more resources in LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A private Australian firm has bought a majority stake in the famous Kiwi peanut butter firm Pic’s. The hugely successful Nelson-based company is now 51.3 percent owned by Melbourne-based Scalzo Foods, with founder Pic Picot keeping the rest. Picot says he's happy with this move, as the company needs the extra money. "We have big plans and we were getting sort of stuck with a bit too much debt - and I'm ready to do other things." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pharmacist says her industry's under an unsustainable amount of pressure, off the back of two high-profile cases. New reports revealed a pharmacist failed to consult a man's GP three times on his blood thinner medication before he suffered a fatal brain bleed. Meanwhile, a Dunedin woman suffered an overdose of fentanyl after being given six times her prescribed dosage. Mangawhai Pharmacy director Lanny Wong says we need to rethink how pharmacists are funded. "For the last two decades, we've been doing the same type of work for less. So in order to keep our business viable, we need to dispense more prescription." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A banking expert believes changes to capital requirements would impact home loans and other lending. The Reserve Bank's seeking feedback on proposals to lower the requirements. The Government is concerned the current settings are inhibiting economic growth.  Head of Massey University's Finance school, Dr Claire Matthews, says a lot of people have said the bank's gone too far with those requirements. "It's just taken the Government intervention to actually force them to have another look at it."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's stressing he doesn't tell the Reserve Bank what to do, but does offer his view. Chris Luxon told Mike Hosking this morning he gives interim Governor Christian Hawkesby his reckons before the OCR's set. Speaking this afternoon, Luxon denied he has any influence over the bank's decisions.  Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper wonders if this is still too much for Luxon. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deadly mushroom cook Erin Patterson will face members of her husband’s family for the first time after a jury found she murdered three people with a poisoned beef Wellington. Patterson was found guilty of  three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder last month relating to a fatal lunch she hosted in the Victorian country town of Leongatha more than two years ago. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says over a dozen members of her victims’ families arrived for the hearing - but Patterson has yet to make a statement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hope among fans that the All Blacks can bounce back as they gear up to face the Springboks next week at Eden Park. The All Blacks crashed to their first loss to Argentina on Argentinian soil - and fourth defeat to Los Pumas overall. Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon recently claimed he wants a constant flow of events to draw in international guests in order to stimulate the economy. This follows big names in the tourism sector, like Sudima Hotels, calling for further investment into major events.  Eccles Entertainment founder Brent Eccles says the nation's major events fund has only covered sporting events, not concerts. "It's quite a long lead time to access the fund - and with contemporary music, you don't have that lead time, it's pretty hard and fast. So we'll never quite be able to qualify." Steve Armitage Hospitality NZ chief executive agrees extra funding is needed to bring more events to New Zealand.  "There are a lot of other artists I think it'll be great to bring here - Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles... first class, international entertainment works well in a stadium." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.