Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Protestors who are not fans of being pepper-sprayed, handcuffed or locked up in a police cell were taught how to avoid these unsavoury events at a training event. The Protest Skills Night event, organised by Climate Liberation Aotearoa was held in Otago and aimed to show protesters how to demonstrate their points using "non-violent direct action techniques". The Country's Jamie Mackay had some strong opinions on this event. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 24 July 2025, the Government is making significant changes to voting rules. Same day enrolments are gone and you must now enrol to vote before early voting starts two weeks before election day. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith speaks to Heather. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she still has confidence in the chair of the Reserve Bank, Neil Quigley, as more details are revealed about Adrian Orr's alleged behaviour before he quit his job as Governor. A group of doctors and nurses want politicians to waive their right to private healthcare while they're in power, so they can get a better feel for the constraints of the public health system. Plus, the Huddle debates whether people who enrol to vote on the day are dropkicks.   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, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  A group of healthcare workers want MPs to waive their and their families' private healthcare during their time in office to ensure they're not insulated from the realities of our public health system. What do we make of this? The Government is set to scrap same-day enrolment as part of a planned electoral law overhaul. Is this change necessary - or bad for democracy?  Does Reserve Bank chair Neil Quigley need to resign because he failed to mention that Adrian had lost his cool at a Treasury staffer? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's be honest with each other about something. That increase in rough sleeping that the cities are anecdotally reporting to that homelessness report will be caused by the shutting down of those emergency motels. I know the Government's trying to avoid having to admit that, but that is the big thing that's changed since the election. They've shut down the motels and some of the people who were in those motels, or who might have gone to those motels, have ended up on the streets. And I don't think that that's unexpected. That is not an unexpected consequence of taking a tougher line on the motels. Now, don't see me as tough or hard-hearted on this. I don't want anyone sleeping on the streets and I venture most of us don't. But I still think that shutting down those motels was a good idea because that was out of hand, wasn't it? I mean, spending $1.4 billion on emergency accommodation in six years was just way too much money. I prefer the line the Government's taking at the moment, which is to put the obligation where it actually should be, which is on family and friends. Which is to say that if someone finds themselves, God forbid, without a roof over their heads, the first place that they should go for help is not the state. It should be their mum or their brother or their auntie or their son or their friend. And only then when all of their options are exhausted and they really have no one to turn to, then should they turn to the state. But that is not what was happening with the emergency motels. The state was the first port of call. If you think about it, the state has stepped in to take over a lot of roles that we normally would have relied on each other for. And in some cases, it's unavoidable and in some cases it's for the best, for example - police, or whatever. But in this case, let's be honest, $1.4 billion is a lot of money that could have been spent on anything else that we are running dry on right now. Healthcare, cops, education. So actually, the first place you turn to if you don't have somewhere to sleep is your family. Only at the end of the road should the state step in. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing calls for politicians and their families to give up private healthcare when making decisions for the country.  A letter signed by health workers argues MPs should rely on the public EDs, waitlists and services used by everyone else.  Spokesperson Doctor Marcus Lee says health workers are frustrated with the public system.  The Northland cardiologist says it comes down to accountability and integrity - and means politicians will have skin in the game.  "It's personal for us, it's personal for lots of Kiwis - they make policy decisions that impact a lot of people in New Zealand. So it is personal." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stock exchange operator NZX chief executive Mark Peterson has resigned from the role - and will step down at the end of April 2026. Peterson explained that the time was right for him to stand down and for the board to look for a new chief executive. He says he's overseen plenty of challenges and successes in the role over the last few years. "You've got to make these tough calls - but we've also, at the same time, got to a period in the exchange where we've ticked off a bunch of expectations and objectives...really, it's the right time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Green Party is pushing to reinstate passenger rail across the country - starting by connecting Tauranga and Auckland.  It's launched a petition targeting the Minister for Rail to get it done.  The party says it would cost $10 million over four years to extend the Te Huia train to Tauranga.  But Transport Spokesperson Julie Anne Genter says it will cost more to achieve the long-term vision.  "Total budget for all the projects, including a transformational improvement to the rail network - which would mean a two and a half hour train journey between Tauranga and Auckland - is about five and a half billion." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's repeating dismay over the Reserve Bank handling of its Governor's abrupt resignation. It's been confirmed chair Neil Quigley apologised to Treasury over Adrian Orr's behaviour, just weeks before he quit. It wasn't released through official information requests - and follows the central bank also apologising over its management of the departure. Nicola Willis says she was aware emotions were running high at the time.  "Yes, I do have confidence in Neil Quigley. I have also, however, previously shared my disappointment at the way information on the way information on this matter has been shared with New Zealanders." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government says its overhaul of electoral laws - will bring swifter and simpler election processing. It plans to end same-day enrolments - with a cut off 13 days before election day.  The Justice Minister says late enrolling contributed to vote counting ballooning to three weeks.  Paul Goldsmith says it could have grown to four weeks, without change. "More and more people have been enrolling on election day - or just before - and that all has to be sorted out before they can do the vote counting, so we're just having to get the system sustainable because we're proud of our electoral system and we want it to work well." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Justice Minister is moving to overhaul electoral laws, calling them outdated and unsustainable. He'll end same-day enrolment and prohibit offering free food, drink and entertainment near a voting place. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper agrees with these proposed changes - and suggests it could speed up the vote-counting process. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.