Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

First of all, can I start by offering an apology to TVNZ? I gave them a bit of grief last night for starting the news bulletin with the peaches, but it turns out I was wrong and they were right. This has sparked a flurry of debate over whether we prefer our Wattie's peaches from Hawke's Bay or whether we don't really care if it comes from China or not.  It's also prompted a statement from Wattie's asking us to support local growers. In other words, can we please buy New Zealand made? Now, that is a very nice sentiment, but let's be honest, that's all it is. It is a sentiment and it's not going to work. I mean, this is me, this is not me being cavalier about how hard this must be for the Hawke's Bay peach growers who are losing their Wattie's contracts. For them, this must be absolutely devastating and I feel terrible for them. But this is me being realistic about the prospect of any 'Buy New Zealand Made' campaign working. Wattie's New Zealand peaches, according to Pak’nSave's online store, are $3.90 a can. Pam's cheap peaches are 99 cents a can. That's a no-brainer, you're gonna buy the 99 cent can. Who is buying the $3.90 can? Grey Lynn? That makes no sense whatsoever. I mean - look, maybe if I thought about it a little bit, which I don't, but if I did, maybe I would pay 10, 20 cents, 40 cents at a push, more for a New Zealand made product. But I would not pay four times as much, it's far too expensive. And I wouldn't even do it in the first place because buying New Zealand made never works, does it? It never has. If it did, we would still be wearing Bata Bullets and buying Juliet Hogan and eating Sanitarium peanut butter. We wouldn't be reading about the closure of manufacturing businesses every other month, which today, by the way, is the Carter Holt Harvey mill in Tokoroa. I do the shopping in our house 90 percent of the time and I don't even know the provenance of the food I'm buying. I do not know where the canned food comes from, I absolutely do not know where the dried goods come from. And often, I'm not even really looking where the fresh fruit comes from. Yep, I know where the meat comes from, but that's basically a given, isn't it? It's simple economics, it always will be. And even if Wattie's has this tiny little hope that there might be a last-minute public rally for the New Zealand grown peaches, I think they already know the outcome, which is why they've already cut the contracts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 16 September 2025, Labour leader Chris Hipkins on a new poll that shows just how many Kiwis are blaming the current Government for the state of the economy - and how many still blame Labour. Peachgate: Consumer's Jessica Walker says the cost of living has got so high that people can't afford to make buying NZ grown a priority. Adoption researcher Dr Barbara Sumner welcomes news that overseas adoptions have been stopped with immediate effect. Former Maori Party leader Te Ururoa Flavell weighs in on Takuta Ferris' anti-immigrant comments. Plus, the Huddle debates whether National should be worried about copping the lion's share of blame for the economy. 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.

A former Māori Party leader says he can't make sense of MP Tākuta Ferris' controversial race comments. Ferris posted a photo of Labour volunteers stating their ethnicities and wrote they were campaigning to take a Māori seat from Māori in the Tamaki Makaurau by-election. The party apologised, but Ferris stood by his comments in a second social media video.  Te Ururoa Flavell says the party has a history of inclusivity and explained many of their candidates in the general sense weren't Māori - being Pasifika, Chinese and Korean. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins says Kiwis are starting to see things are going backwards under the current Government.  The latest RNZ-Reid Research poll reveals more voters blame the coalition for the struggling economy, than the previous Labour Government. This is despite senior Cabinet Ministers claiming a financial mess was left behind by Labour. Hipkins says Labour will set out ways it could improve the economy, but right now the ball's in the Government's court. "We've got to get New Zealand investing in productive businesses, rather than just relying on the housing market going up in value in order to grow our economy."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruapehu's mayor is hoping to reach out to investors to save the historic Chateau Tongariro. A petition with over 15,000 signatures was presented to MPs in Wellington today, as the chateau's future hangs in the balance. Weston Kirton says he wants the Government to break down the barriers preventing the building from getting fixed and provide a pathway for the future. "We know that there are investors out there who are prepared to put forward their money towards this. We're not talking about taxpayers funding this project, we're talking about getting a platform for investors."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Geordie Beamish has won the 3000 metres steeplechase at the world championships in Tokyo, making history in New Zealand track.  He's the first Kiwi to secure a running victory in the 42-year history of the meet. Athletics NZ chief executive Cam Mitchell was present at the race - and says he believed Beamish had it in him.  "It was a pretty special night, it was amazing to be there." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders will no longer be able to look to adopt children from overseas and bring them home from this week.  The Government's Adoption Amendment Bill's been introduced under urgency, and will suspend recognition of unsafe international adoptions to prevent harm.  It also restricts the Family Court from granting adoptions where the adoptive parent or child are overseas. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacks the bill - and reveals why the changes are the way to go. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia and Papua New Guinea will agree to defend each other in the event of a military attack as part of a new defence agreement set to be signed. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is currently in Papua New Guinea to commemorate the country's independence anniversary. Australian correspondent Sam Emery says the defence agreement is designed to protect both nations from security threats, which remain a consistent concern. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's division among Aucklanders over whether more events should take place at Eden Park. The Government's set to review the current regulations impacting the stadium, including the number of concerts taking place and their duration.  Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave weighs in on the debate - and what incoming changes could mean for the future of New Zealand sport. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing pleas for broader changes to adoption laws before an international ban lifts.  The Government's looking to suspend some international adoptions until 2027 while it works on new adoption laws due to safety and child abuse concerns. Adoption researcher Dr Barbara Sumner says other legislation also needs changing, noting overseas adoptees switch to the 1955 Adoption Act on arrival. "There are no guarantees that any adoptive home is safe. No checks, no balances - because once you're under the 55 Act, it's not welfare." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.