Larry Williams Drive

The new year is getting under way, but concerns have been raised over what investors should focus on for 2026. There's risks impacting the tech sector and experts are hoping things will improve going forward. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The North Island has been hit hard by record-breaking downpours over the last few days, and it's expected to leave an impact on the rural communities in those regions.   Reports indicate livestock won't suffer too badly, but concerns have been raised over the roading damage, which will make it harder to move produce round the country.  The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and broadcaster Mark Sainsbury joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day -and more!  Families of young children with cystic fibrosis are celebrating a Pharmac proposal to widen access to the drug Trikafta, which is out for consultation. How good is this? Donald Trump has laid the groundwork or a future deal involving Greenland and dropped proposed tariffs on NATO countries. What do we make of this? Do we see Trump getting his way here?  A new Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll dropped - and it indicates the current coalition Government could get re-elected. NZ First took a leap to 11.9 percent, what can we take from this?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest operating reports by New Zealand's leading power companies indicate things are looking up. Both Contact Energy and Genesis Energy have confirmed hydro storage is up, meaning both companies are in a better position than expected  Genesis Energy CEO Malcolm Johns explains what this development could mean for Kiwis ahead of the winter season. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 22 January, 2026, we hear from a witness to the landslide at a Mt Maunganui campsite. A father tells us what Pharmac funding for a cystic fibrosis drug will mean for his son. Brad Olsen from Infometrics looks at whether the worst of the brain drain has passed. And on The Huddle, Clare de Lore and Mark Sainsbury have a laugh about Donald Trump confusing Greenland with Iceland. 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.

If you don't know him, Jamie Dimon is the boss of JP Morgan and quite a smart guy, obviously. I've mentioned him a few times on this show because he's a good thinker - and says some pretty reasonable and practical things about big issues. He's spoken about AI and reckons we need to slow down. If we don't slow down, society, he reckons, could tear itself apart. And he's not talking about in ten years. He's talking about soon. In the US, there are 2 million truck drivers who could soon be out of a job when driverless trucks hit the road. That's 2 million men and women going from a pay packet of up to $150k a year to unemployed. And the skills are not transferable. His answer is to slow it down. Phase the technology in rather than hit society all at once, and then you'll probably have to get some Government payouts to compensate workers. Otherwise you'll get civil unrest and chaos in the streets. In New Zealand we have Ubers and taxis ripe for an AI takeover. The same goes for public transport. Robots will

Families of young children with cystic fibrosis are celebrating a Pharmac proposal to widen access to the drug Trikafta, which is out for consultation.  It's been funded for children over 6 since 2023, but the agency's now proposing extending it to under-sixes. Liam Rooney's child has cystic fibrosis and he says his family was looking for other ways to get it.   "I'd already spoken to my boss over in Australia about the potential for us to move over if things got worse."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's signs the brain drain could be slowing, according to new reports. A total of 67,800 citizens left the country in the year to November 2025, many for Australia - for a net loss topping 40,000. In the year to the November before, the net migration loss of Kiwis reached almost 44,000. Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen says most trends have plateaued. "Instead of seeing huge numbers of Kiwis that have continued to move out - yes, they're still high, but they're not continuing to increase."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump may have secured a diplomatic win, claiming he's laid the groundwork for a deal involving Greenland. The US President's spoken at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland and held talks with NATO leaders. He’s ruled out using military force to take the Arctic island and is dropping threats of slapping tariffs on NATO countries. Marco Rubio's Former Chief of Staff, Matt Terrill, says more negotiations are expected - but Trump seems to be getting much of what he wants. "Based on reporting, it appears that there's going to be the ability, it sounds like, for the United States to gain control of key pockets of land." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Authorities haven't tied down exact numbers of people missing, after the land gave way at Mount Maunganui's Beachside Holiday Park.  The landslide took out tents, cars, caravans, a toilet block, and the hot pools about 9.30am this morning.  The total unaccounted for is in single digits - including young people - with searchers including dog teams carefully probing the site. The nearby Surf Club being used as an emergency hub has now been evacuated as a precaution. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell says geo-scientists are worried the Mount could slip again.  He says police are still working out who was at the park today.  "It's a matter of now going back, checking CCTV, camera footage and just working that out and just trying to get a very clear picture of who might have been impacted."  Meanwhile, two people are still missing after a slip on Tauranga's Welcome Bay Road. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ First is starting the election on a high note, recording its best-ever result in the Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll out today. The poll results, if reflected on election day, would see the current coalition Government re-elected, but National continues to trail Labour in the party vote. The highest jump in the poll has been recorded by NZ First, who are up 3.8 points to 11.9 percent - its highest-ever result since the poll began in January 2021. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says this is a significant development for NZ First. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, today has been marked as a National Day of Mourning for the victims of December's Bondi terror attack. The Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales are expected to illuminate national institutions on Thursday night as 'symbols of light' this evening. Australians have also been asked to mark a minute's silence to honour those who were killed in the attack. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged Australians to support the nation's Jewish community.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 38th America's Cup match will be contested from July 10 next year and extend, if required, to July 18. The news has been revealed at a shindig in Naples, the host city. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A witness has described a loud cracking sound as a massive landslide slumped across Mount Maunganui’s Beachside Holiday Park this morning, taking out tents, caravans, and a toilet block - and hitting the hot pool.  Searches have continued all day - and fewer than 10 people remain unaccounted for, including young people. Evacuees from the park gathered at the local surf club have now been moved, out of concerns the land could move again. Officials say they won't stop looking until everyone is found, after pausing briefly this morning due to unstable ground. Witness Nix Jaques was there. She says a frantic man and woman told her two loved ones were stuck in the shower block. "They were trying to move into that space, so it was trying to fade and then come away." NZ Herald reporter Michael Morrah was also on the scene and he says search and rescue teams are still working to recover the missing people. "It is a huge task, as there is just tonnes and tonnes of dirt and debris that is covering the campsite at

The European Parliament is planning to suspend approval of the US trade deal that was agreed to last July, according to new reports. Donald Trump has been ramping up his efforts to acquire Greenland, including threatening new tariffs over the issue. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says this could see US-based companies barred from EU contracts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts have indicated the Reserve Bank could be done cutting the OCR for the moment, and there's questions about what this could mean for homeowners. The window of time borrowers had to lock in longer term fixed rates after the OCR cut and before they started rising was narrow, and reports indicate they could have missed their chance. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accounting software business Xero has started 2026 on a low note, with the share price dropping significantly. This is in line with other challenges in the technology sector, which have seen noticeable drops. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! We've finally got an election date - it's November 7th. Who do we think will win at this stage? Any other predictions?  New data shows 65 percent of Kiwis want to ban under-16s from social media. Will this be a vote winner this election cycle?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So we've got an election date, and it's the date pundits have been picking since late last year - November 7th. This election is National's to lose. The only question really is how much influence ACT and or New Zealand First will have in any future Government. Don't get me wrong - it'll be a close race. Here's some easy picks - National will get more votes than Labour, New Zealand First will outperform ACT, New Zealand First will steal from Labour and nip at their heels, Te Pati Māori's reputation is already in the bin so the Māori seats are anyone's guess at this point. And Winston Peters, as always, will decide who actually wins the election. He's ruled out working with Chippy but not Labour. Here's the crucial point. Winston Peters cannot, politically, enter a deal propped up by or supported by the Greens or Te Pati Māori. In pretty much every poll this term, Labour has needed both of them to get close to the magic 61 seats. Now, you could argue that National might stumble and Labour could surge.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 21 January, 2026, Christopher Luxon's announced the election date - we look at who's in poll position. A witness to a shop worker's stabbing in Auckland tells us how he confronted the attacker. Martin Snedden on the difficulties of the job with our three top sports - rugby, netball and cricket - without leaders. Plus, on The Huddle, Jack Tame and Phil O'Reilly debate the election and the overwhelming support for a social media ban among Kiwis. 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.