Episodes
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has spoken to US President Donald Trump on the phone for the first time since the US election, saying he congratulated Trump on his big win.
The pair talked about deepening ties between NZ and the US.
Former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sir Don McKinnon tells Heather du Plessis-Allan that there will be around 190 prime ministers and presidents eager to speak to Trump, and it seems NZ has been fairly high up in the queue.
“That’s a good sign.”
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today issued an official apology to everyone who was abused in state and faith-based care.
Luxon said the current system for paying redress to survivors is not good enough and announced $32 million of new funding to sort this out.
Seven other public sector leaders have also apologised for their departments’ role in abuse, including Solicitor General Una Jagose.
The crowd met her address with jeers, pushback, tears and booing.
Leoni McInroe is a Lake Alice survivor and attended the apology today. McInroe tells Heather du Plessis-Allan Jagose has been an active part of denying and dismissing survivors stories and should step down.
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon issued a historic official apology to the estimated 200,000-plus people who were abused in state and faith-based care institutions over decades.
Plus, Lindsay McKenzie has been appointed as Wellington City Council’s Crown observer and starts the job tomorrow.
And, the ACT party is supporting removing a broadcasting allocation from taxpayer funding in the lead-up to an election.
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A teacher aide has died in Australia after a truck crashed into a preschool playground.
The crash comes less than two weeks after an 11-year-old was killed and four other students injured after an SUV crashed through a fence in Melbourne.
Australia correspondent Murray Olds tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the teacher aide saved a number of children’s lives by pushing them out of the way in time. Her family has paid tribute to the “cherished mother, wife, daughter and sister”.
Plus, four foreign nationals have been found on a remote island off the northern territory.
And, plant lovers are queueing up to catch a once-in-a-decade whiff of the corpse flower in Melbourne.
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Big old day for the survivors of abuse in state care today because the government through the Prime Minister finally apologised for this.
That is important.
I know you know what they want is redress as well, a whole bunch of them, and fair enough... that will come.
But, an apology also is very important. Especially when you consider how long it has officially not been a big deal that kids went through what they did while they were in the state of care - for it to now be acknowledged as, “yep, absolutely, actually a big deal” and for the state to admit it did wrong.
I think that's really important
Slightly unfortunately, the day has been overshadowed by anger directed at the Solicitor General.
I think this is going to be the thing that everybody remembers about today.
Una Jagose tried to apologise herself today as the solicitor general, she was booed by survivors. She was heckled by survivors. One woman walked out another, turned her back to the Solicitor General while she was talking in a move of protest.
The reason they're so angry is because they want to strip her from her job. They accuse her of covering up what really happened to them.
Now, I'm not going to tell these people that they're not entitled to feel angry because of course they are.
But, what we have to remember when we're discussing the Solicitor General's role in this and even in a lower role previously as a Crown lawyer before she became the Solicitor General, is that Crown lawyers, Crown law, the Solicitor General, they are the Government's lawyers, right?
They act in the best interests of the Crown.
And it's pretty much the same as David Bain's lawyer or even Brenton Tarrant's lawyer or should you or I be accused of something significant, our lawyers - that our lawyers are not there to look after everybody else. They are there to look after us. They're working in the best interests of their clients.
And the same is true of Crown law.
It's really important context when we feel angry at somebody like the Solicitor General or Crown law for what they did.
I understand why Una Jagose is copping it the worst today. It’s much easier to pin the blame on one person, isn't it? Than to pin the blame on a giant system like Government.
And especially when you consider that governments change every few years - one person is much easier to hold accountable than potentially thousands of people for little bits that they did over decades.
Maybe it will make a lot of people feel a lot better if she loses her job.
But remember this, it's not actually going to fix anything.
Not in the past.
And not for kids who are in state care in the future.
Beware the quick solution, because the quick solution may create a false sense that things have been fixed when they really haven't.
The most important thing is that things are actually fixed. Isn't it more important than anything she actually fronted up today?
And so did the Prime Minister and I say that's got to be a good start.
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Sam Cane and Mark Tele’a have been ruled out of this weekend’s test against France.
Cane took a nasty blow to the head in last week’s match against Ireland, which required stitches. It is hoped he will clear concussion protocol in time to don the black jersey one last time –against Italy in Rome- before heading to Japan.
Plus, Super Rugby teams are naming their squads for the 2025 season.
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Research has shown Gen Z does see the benefits of putting down their phones.
Outdoor education organisation Outward Bound surveyed participants from the last five years, aged 20 and under, and found 80% of them wanted to reduce their screen time.
93% say they feel more productive when they aren’t on their phones.
Outward Bound chief executive Malindi Maclean tells Heather du Plessis-Allan putting phones down gives teens an opportunity to rediscover meaningful connection and engage with others on a different level.
With Gen Z themselves saying they want to be on their phones less, Maclean tells Heather she’d like to see social media banned for those under the age of 16, like over in Australia.
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Over in the UK, top restaurant and pub bosses have warned businesses will close and jobs will be cut following last month's Budget.
The sector is facing higher taxes as part of required National Insurance contributions - and many have warned these increases are unsustainable.
UK correspondent Gail Downey says the sector has already undergone a financial rough patch as it struggles to recover from Covid-19.
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The markets have reacted strongly to Donald Trump returning for his second term in the White House.
The US dollar, stocks and bitcoin all surged after his win - but experts are wondering if this will continue.
Mark Lister from Craigs Investment Partners unpacked some likely outcomes.
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Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and motivational speaker David Letele joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
There's outrage and concern from rate-payers over a million-dollar Christmas tree set to be built in Auckland's city centre. Do we support this? Will this help bring more people in?
The Government raised a few eyebrows after initially banning journalist Aaron Smale from Tuesday's Abuse in Care apology - and then reversing the ban. Is this a bad look?
It's been a big week for president-elect Donald Trump - he's already expressed interest in pulling America of of the Paris climate agreement. What do we make of this?
Does Liam Lawson have a point in suggesting the New Zealand national anthem be played for the McLaren victories?
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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday 11 November, the Government's decision to ban journalist Aaron Smale from Tuesday's Abuse in Care apology - and then reverse the ban - raised a few eyebrows. Newsroom's Mark Jennings joined Heather to discuss.
On the subject of Tuesday's apology, Minister-in-charge Erica Stanford unpacked the new measures the Government would be taking to ensure future abuse cases don't happen.
A million-dollar Christmas tree set to be built in Auckland's CBD has sparked concern and outrage from Auckland CBD's ratepayers. Heart of the City's Viv Beck explained why this move is good for the city.
Plus, the Huddle takes a look at president-elect Donald Trump's first set of announcements following his return to power.
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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The Local Government Minister says Wellington Council's new Crown observer will deal with relationship issues and help them get their long term plan over the line.
Former Chief Executive Officer of Tasman Gisborne District Councils, Lindsey McKenzie, has been appointed to the role.
Simeon Brown says he will be in place until July 31st, 2025.
He says that will mean he's with them until the Long Term Plan is due.
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The Finance Minister says she's not jumping to conclusions on whether New Zealand will be affected by potential Donald Trump Administration tariffs.
The president-elect has proposed tariffs of up to 20 percent on imported goods from most trading partners.
Nicola Willis says the current trade settings with US seem to be working.
"It's clear the Americans like what we're selling. Equally, we import a heck of a lot from the Americans - it works for both sides. We have a close, positive relationship."
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There's outrage among taxpayers over the projected cost of downtown Auckland's Christmas tree.
The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance has raised concern about the 18 metre Komititanga Square tree, which reportedly costs $1.3 million.
The council is stumping up $800,000 for it, with Heart of the City and Precinct Properties covering the rest.
Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck says it's not being paid for out of general rates.
"The council is putting in a contribution of the city centre-targeted rate, which is paid for by city centre property owners, businesses and residents."
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The hunt is on for ideas for shifting seagulls as a flock causes havoc on Christchurch's New Regent Street.
The protected birds are over-running the tourism hotspot.
They're returning to nest after settling in the foundations of a demolished Armagh Street building.
Belle Cafe manager Casey Alderson says the seagulls dive-bomb for people's scraps without fear.
"Small children don't freak them out that much, so they're not hesitant to swoop down in front of a small child and take whatever they have on their plates."
Alderson says after failed attempts to deter the birds, ideas would be helpful.
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Organisers of a hīkoi making its way down the country to Wellington say it's about more than just opposing the Treaty Principles Bill.
Marchers are still north of Whangarei, and expect to be in the Capital between Monday and Tuesday next week.
Organiser Eru Kapa-Kīngi says the hīkoi's true purpose is to defend Te Tiriti of Waitangi - and he explained the bill was just part of a bigger ignorance about what the Treaty really means.
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The Government's taking steps towards preventing any more abuse in care going forward.
It's introducing a bill tomorrow prompted by the Abuse in Care inquiry, after the Prime Minister's national apology.
The bill includes a ban on strip-searching children - and stronger regulations on who can work with children.
Minister-in-Charge Erica Stanford says the Government is looking to utilise full-body scanners in the future to prevent young people from being strip-searched.
"Instead, we'd be putting in place individual search plans where young people knew what was going to happen and they had more control over how it happened."
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The Prime Minister says complexity has slowed the delivery of redress for Abuse in Care survivors, not cost.
Chris Luxon will apologise in Parliament tomorrow, after a Royal Commission report cast light on decades of harm in state and faith-based institutions.
Legislation to improve protections for children and disabled adults - and improve Government record keeping - will then have its first reading.
Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says delivering financial redress for survivors will take more time.
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Over in Australia, opposition leader Peter Dutton is experiencing a boost in popularity with potential voters.
According to a new Newspoll survey, 41 percent of respondents are likely to back Dutton as their preferred Prime Minister over Anthony Albanese.
Albanese still leads with 45 percent of the vote, but disapproval for the Prime Minister is growing.
Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says people are getting sick of high interest rates and increased house prices with no sign of respite.
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The All Blacks are hailing a 'next task' mentality as key to their statement victory over their Irish rivals in Dublin.
The 23-13 win included just one try for each side - and was largely a hard fought, back-and-forth test match.
Sportstalk host Jason Pine unpacks the victory.
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