Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis announced today that the Government will boost New Zealand's screen rebate for the goal of bringing Hollywood back to New Zealand.  Overseas productions will now be able to claim a 25% rebate on what they spend here, up from 20%, when they invest more than $20 million. Australia currently offers up to 40% while Canada and the UK offer around 30%. Harry Harrison said to Heather du Plessis-Allan, "I wish we were sort of higher, but it allows us to play in the sand pit."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heather du Plessis-Allan reveals the details of the report into Dame Noeline Taurua. The report includes the complaints from Silver Ferns players which lead to her being stood down in September. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

British police have launched a manhunt for two wrongly-freed prisoners, including an Algerian sex offender. London's Metropolitan Police force said in a statement it was looking for the 24-year-old suspect after he was released in error. UK correspondent Enda Brady says this is concerning for the Government, who are on the defence after this incident.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prices fell in the latest Global Dairy Trade auction, and it's sparked concern for what this means for the dairy sector. This week's 2.4 percent drop  is the sixth consecutive decline for the GDT auction, and follows a 1.4 percent dip two weeks ago. HighGround dairy analyst Stuart Davison explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2025 China International Import Expo has gotten underway in Shanghai and some familiar Kiwi brands are making an appearance. Fonterra, Zespri, Silver Fern Farms and Comvita are among the big names showcasing their output on the world stage. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Michelin Guide is coming to New Zealand - and it cost Tourism New Zealand over $6 million to get it going. Is this good news for tourism? And is this a worthy investment? Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick has raised concerns with the Government's proposed solutions for rough sleepers - and labelled the Government's response 'hysterical'. What do we make of all this?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday 6th November - Auckland Central MP and Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick tells Heather why she thinks there's "hysteria" around the rough sleeper issue. Police Minister Mark Mitchell reacts to Jevon McSkimming pleading guilty to possessing objectionable material. Famed New Zealand chef Ben Bayly celebrates the Michelin Guide coming to our shores. And the Huddle debates whether taxpayer money should be going to bring Michelin to New Zealand. 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.

How good is this idea of bringing Michelin to New Zealand in the hope that some of our restaurants will get some stars awarded?  Now, this is not free. We have to pay for it and we have to pay actually quite a lot of money for it. It's costing Tourism New Zealand nearly six and a half million dollars, and that's just for the first three years. And I don't know how much you have to pay after that.  But take a look at what the Aussies did when they looked at this  last year. It was going to cost them $4 million for the first year, $5 million for the second year, $7.5 million for the next year, and then basically for a few years thereafter, something like another three years, it was going to cost them another $7.5 million.  By my calculations, in the space of five or six years, they were going to have to fork out to Michelin about $40 million. Aussies looked at it, said, nah, but we've said yes, and I reckon we are doing the right thing.  This is grown-up, first world tourism.  I think about the trip that I just did last weekend to Melbourne with a couple of girlfriends. Food was a huge part of it. The one of us who was doing the bookings found the good places to eat. They found the places that everybody in Melbourne is talking about, got us into those places, lunch and dinner.  This is what tourists do. They come to a city for an event, then they tag on great food, find all the great restaurants and go try them out.  And here in New Zealand, we are really good at food.  The entire time that I was in Melbourne, I kept thinking that for all the raving that people do about Melbournian eateries, actually in New Zealand, you can get just as good, if not, in my opinion, a whole lot better.  And actually, paying $6 million for this is not really all that much.  When you think about what gets spent on tourism campaigns that you can never actually be sure really work.  Back in April, the government pumped twice as much as this, $13 and a half million into advertising New Zealand to Aussies. What do you get for that?  I mean, you get maybe a guess that some Aussie tourists came here as a result.  For this money that we're giving to Michelin, you get actual stars potentially. You get international prestige. You get the sense for tourists that they have landed in a first world city eating international great food.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A meeting between battling factions in Te Pāti Māori's closer to being a reality. The party's faced weeks of turmoil and infighting, culminating in party president John Tamihere calling for the resignation of MPs Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris. The party's leadership has agreed to a meeting next week to work through the issues with its MPs. Iwi leaders met with Takuta Ferris today. Ngāti Kahungunu chair Bayden Barber says Ferris has agreed to attend, but he's yet to hear from Kapa-Kingi. "There's still a glimmer of hope, and that's what we're latching on to. We've asked to bring our huis at the marae, if we can get there before it all falls to bits, that would be the best outcome." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's excitement among Kiwi food experts and hospo giants about what the Michelin Guide's arrival could do for tourism. Tourism New Zealand is investing $6.3 million to bring the guide to New Zealand, and it's estimated 36,000 more international visitors could be drawn in as a result. Executive chef at Ahi and New Zealand Food Story host Ben Bayly says this move will give the nation's food sector more credibility. "Let's face it, gastronomic tourism right now is huge, people are travelling all over the world to eat food - that is their main driver for coming to countries now." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.