Episodes
-
Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and journalist Patrick Gower joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!
The government is bringing back the Three Strikes law - but will it work?
Air New Zealand is hiking domestic airfares - should people be getting angry on how expensive it is to travel within New Zealand?
And is Woolworths making the right move in bringing in body cameras for staff?
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Air New Zealand is warning travel agents that it's about to put domestic airfares up.
It comes at the same time as the national carrier has downgrades its full-year earnings guidance by 10 million dollars.
The fare structure for flights to Australia and the Pacific is also getting a revamp.
Aviation Commentator Peter Clark told Heather du Plessis-Allan the airline doesn't have a choice - as it's own costs have skyrocketed.
He says people will simply have to suck it up.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Missing episodes?
-
The Finance Minister admits there's still a way to go get inflation under control.
Statistics NZ data showed headline inflation has dropped to 4 percent - the lowest number in nearly three years.
But domestic inflation, otherwise known as non-tradeable inflation, is remaining sticky.
She told Heather du Plessis-Allan the country isn't out of the woods yet.
Willis says non-tradeable inflation is still sitting at 5.8 percent - which is still too high.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Labour's calling for the Government to recognise Palestinian independence.
Opposition spokesperson David Parker's written to Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, noting Israel's attacks have killed 32 thousand people in the past six months.
He says the country's ignored two UN resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire, and is in breach of international law.
Parker told Heather du Plessis Allan most other countries recognise Palestine, and we should follow suit to progress towards a two-state solution.
He says affirming Palestine's right to exist as a separate state is a fundamental building block.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The world's warming - but concern about it may be cooling.
An Ipsos survey's found numbers are falling of New Zealanders saying we're failing future generations by not acting on climate change - down nine percent since 2022.
It also found fewer Kiwis believe businesses not combating global warming, are failing staff and customers.
Managing Director Carin Hercock told Heather du Plessis-Allan it seems to be a global trend.
She says it's a post-Covid and high-inflation impact, as countries with higher inflation experience a softening in climate commitment.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Body cameras are being rolled out across all Woolworths' New Zealand stores.
It's introducing a suite of new security measures to de-escalate violent customer confrontations.
Physical assaults on staff have risen 75-percent over the past three years - and serious reportable events are up 148-percent.
Head of Safety, Health and Wellbeing Denva Wren says a lot of work's gone into meeting privacy requirements, and footage will only go to Police.
She told Heather du Plessis-Allan Woolworths wants to hold offenders to account and assure they can prosecute to the full extent of the law.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Minister-in-charge of bringing back Three Strikes Laws is hitting back at claims will worsen inequality in the justice system.
The Government is preparing legislation to bring back mandated prison sentences for violent and sexual criminals for their third offence.
Labour ended the law in 2022 and says it will result in unfairly long sentence, while the Greens say it will disproportionately impact Maori.
But Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee told Heather du Plessis-Allan this is about incarcerating the most serious, violent offenders.
She says she doesn't care what their ethnicity is - if they do the crime - they need to be locked up.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Children's Minister Karen Chhour is facing the Waitangi Tribunal in the High Court today, in a challenge to her summons.
The tribunal summonsed the ninister to respond to their concerns over plans to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act.
It ensures the ministry has regard to a child's whakapapa, and the whanaungatanga responsibilities of whanau.
Commonts on the unfolding situation from Shane Jones and David Seymour have been criticised by Prime Minister.
Newstalk ZB's Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's a tricky case - but the government is standing firm on its changes to the law.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Health New Zealand appears to be making cuts to frontline services despite a government promise this wouldn't happen.
The agency is telling hospital management to encourage staff to take leave, ban double shifts and to not cover sick staff.
It's also asking managers to wipe unfilled roles as part of the budget process.
Chief Executive of Health New Zealand Margie Apa told Heather du Plessis-Allan they need to live within their budget.
She says staff leaders are asked to make sensible decisions.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
As promised the government's bringing back the Three Strikes law.
The Prime Minister and the Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today it’ll be in Cabinet by mid-year.
And they’re changing it just a wee bit.
One of the criticisms of the law is that it sent a guy to jail for kissing a woman on a street in Wellington without consent, but because it was his third strike, he was sent away for the maximum sentence which was seven years.
But that was way too harsh because he had mental health issues and it was a kiss, which is a pretty low-level indecent assault.
So, this government is fixing that up by only applying the Three Strikes law to higher level crimes. The crimes that would qualify, once sentencing principles are applied, will be for two years in jail or more.
We're talking things like aggravated injury, wounding with intent to injure, indecent assault and so on.
Now, this is not our first rodeo with the Three Strikes law, is it? So, we already know the arguments about this, don’t we?
Labour has come out saying it won’t work and it doesn’t deter criminals.
The Greens say it will lead to grossly unfair results that disproportionately impact Māori.
And probably both are true. But that’s not the point, is it? The critics of this law completely miss the point.
The point of the Three Strikes law is to punish criminals who keep on hurting people.
And that’s okay. We don’t need to apologise for sending bad people to jail.
This is such a good example of how the crime and justice argument has for years lost the plot. This always turns into an argument about the rights and dignity of the criminal.
Is it too hard on them? Is it bad for their rehabilitation?
Of course, we want to rehabilitate. But that’s an add on. That’s not the reason we put them in jail.
We put them in jail to punish them for what they do and to keep us safe from them.
And if they don’t get the message the first time and they don’t’ get the message the second time, frankly, they should go in longer to keep us safe from them for longer.
So, there is nothing to be ashamed of for, as the Greens say “the Government [being] hell-bent on funnelling more and more people into prisons.”
If they’re committing serious crimes, repeatedly, that is exactly where they should be funnelled.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Google has dominated the search market for almost 20 years, but with the new introduction of generative AI, does the company face an existential crisis?
Fund Manager Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss his thoughts.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has met the President of the Philippines, and promised to be more engaged on the defence front and on trade.
Plus, two ministers questioning the value of the Waitangi Tribunal continuing are rebuked by Luxon. And, Wellington feels the pinch of public servants being laid off.
ZB Senior Political correspondent Barry Soper wraps the political week.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Meta has begun incorporating new versions of its AI-powered smart assistant software across its apps, which include Instagram, Whatsapp, Messenger and Facebook.
Users can ask the software to create images, write love letters, write a cover letter and more...
Tech commentator Paul Spain of Gorilla Tech tells Heather du Plessis-Allan that the software being used inside apps by Meta makes AI more accessible.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Sport journalist Jim Kayes and Newstalk ZB sport news director Clay Wilson join Heather du Plessis-Allan for the Sports Huddle.
Is James Fisher-Harris the best signing in Warriors history?
Do women need a smaller rugby ball?
And, will NZ have enough netball players to make up three teams?
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Law Society has penned an editorial saying we should be less critical of judges to protect democracy. The editorial warns being overly critical of judges could cause the public to lose confidence in the judiciary system.
President of the Law Society Frazer Barton tells Heather du Plessis-Allan that it is okay to analyse, discuss and debate decisions but it is not okay to personalise it.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Taylor Swift’s much hyped new album has dropped. The Tortured Poets Department features 16 songs, at one hour and five minutes duration.
Newstalk ZB intern Ava Whitworth gave it a listen and tells Heather du Plessis-Allan just what the lyrics reveal.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Angela Blackmoore’s murderers have been sentenced to life in prison.
David Hawken and Rebecca Wright-Meldrum were found guilty of her murder last year and had their sentences handed down today, almost 30 years since the slaying in Christchurch.
Angela’s former partner Laurie Anderson read a victim impact statement at the sentencing. He tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the family feel relief and a sense of closure.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
A US official has reported Israel has bombed Iran. Damage is being assessed as the world watches on at how Iran is going to react.
Meanwhile, a complete jury has been selected in the criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson tells Heather du Plessis-Allan that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has not let the defense know who the first witness is due to concerns the former president may post on social media about them.
And, Elon Musk is funding a campaign to combat “relentess attacks on free speech”.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Israeli missiles have reportedly hit a site in Iran, beginning a counter-attack after Iran fired dozen of missiles.
A senior United States official has reportedly said missiles have hit a site in the Iranian city Isfahan. However, Iran is downplaying the attack saying the strike was not successful.
Professor for International Relations at Otago University, Robert Patman tells Heather du Plessis-Allan that the strike is very significant on many fronts with reports that Israel may have targeted nuclear facilities in Iran. The Biden administration have warned Israel not to retaliate against Iran and have expressed fears of the rise of the price of oil.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Show more