Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

KiwiSaver is undergoing some reforms, and former Mercury head Fraser Whineray is hoping to make it more competitive with Australia.  The new changes are set to kick in this week, with the default contribution rate for both employees and employers rising from 3 percent to 3.5 percent. Whineray explained how these changes will benefit Kiwis in the long run. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Brent crude oil price is on track for a record surge as the conflict in the Middle East continues. Oil prices have been climbing all month as a result of the conflict and experts have raised concerns. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's looking at ways to keep hold of even more fuel than legally required.  Fuel stocks have risen as of last Wednesday, with 27.9 days of petrol, 21.7 of diesel and 25.3 of jet fuel in the country.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis says the Government's now exploring more options to guard against supply risks "We want to be prepared if the worst happens and they can't get enough fuel for New Zealand."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fixture between Tottenham and Auckland FC has offered former Spurs defender Ledley King the chance to finally come to New Zealand. The two sides will play a match at Eden Park on July 26. The former Tottenham captain turned club ambassador said this will be exciting news for Kiwi fans. "Judging by the reaction, judging by the fans that I've met just in my short time here - and I've heard about the Auckland FC fans, we're really hoping we can sell it out." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 30 March, 2026, we ask a defence expert if a US ground invasion risks prolonging the war in Iran. We talk to an education official about what can be done with half our secondary students ignoring a ban on phones in schools. Tottenham Hotspur legend Ledley King tells us why he's excited about his club playing Auckland FC. And on The Huddle, Maurice Williamson and Josie Pagani debate the merits of street graffiti. 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.

Geez, that old LNG terminal idea didn’t last long, did it? Seven weeks - that’s it. From the moment it was announced on February 9 to the first knife stuck in it today, seven weeks to the day. Now, before you come at me arguing that the LNG terminal hasn’t been killed - yes, it has. It is dead. The Herald report this morning that multiple ministers are privately admitting they may have to kill the project did not happen by accident. This is Politics 101 when you’re winding something down. You start slowly and by the time you actually kill it - say in two or three months - people have already got used to the idea. Then factor in that the Prime Minister was on Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning and didn’t sound super enthusiastic. That, I think, backs up the suspicion. Now, if you wanted to pull me up on anything, it’s that it’s not 100 percent dead. There’s always a chance something changes and it slips through. But today, I’d put the chances of death at 80 to 90 percent. And it’s not for the reasons we’re being told - namely that gas prices are now too high because of Operation Epic Fury. We already knew seven weeks ago that an LNG terminal would be at the mercy of international gas prices. That was one of the main warnings about the idea. At the moment, we pay domestic gas prices. The minute you start importing LNG, you’re paying international prices. The real reason this is being cut is because it was never a good idea. And I think they had to run it out long enough to truly realise how many people thought it was a bad idea. Spending $1 billion on what is essentially a short-term fix is a hell of a lot of money - and that’s assuming it comes in on budget. Given what we know about infrastructure projects in this country, it could easily cost a lot more than $1 billion. And it is a short-term fix. Unless we suddenly strike a big gas discovery in the next few months, this country is going to have to wean itself off gas. You’re going to have to stop using gas and start using something else - probably electricity in homes and something different again for industrial and commercial users. Storing gas in a terminal was only ever about managing the transition while we moved away from gas. That’s an enormous amount of money to spend on a transitional solution. On top of that, forcing people to pay for it through an LNG levy was political toxin - especially during a cost-of-living crisis. So now you’ve got double political toxin, in a cost-of-living crisis that’s just been supercharged by a war in Iran. So consider this one already dead - because it was never a good idea in the first place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland councillor Maurice Williamson and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! There's debate around the rules surrounding street art after prolific graffiti artist Karl Truell was charged in Auckland. Is there a place for this?  Donald Trump has revealed he's weighing up seizing the key Iranian island of Kharg - which holds the country's major oil terminal. What do we make of this?  Is the LNG terminal dead? Reports indicate that multiple ministers have privately admitted they may have needed to kill the project. Do we think this is done?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Street artists are calling for clearer rules around their craft, after one prominent artist was charged. Wellington Central MP Tamatha Paul has voiced support for prolific graffiti artist Karl Truell - aka 'Pork' - after he was fined in Auckland. Auckland street artist Jesse Jensen says there's no spaces for people to paint legally - and changes need to be made. "There just isn't an outlet, it's like how skating used to be - now you've got skate parks. Well, where's the art parks?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A sovereign citizens expert believes the death of Aussie fugitive Dezi Freeman will be seen as evidence of corruption.  The 56-year-old's believed to have been killed by police this morning. The self-proclaimed sovereign citizen - a person who doesn't recognise the state - was wanted for allegedly murdering two officers in Victoria's Porepunkah last August.  University of New South Wales' associate professor Harry Hobbs says these initial killings sparked conspiracy theories from other movement members.  "I expect the same thing will happen here - people engaged in this behaviour will craft a narrative that says the state has acted in a tyrannical form."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government wants to keep more fuel in New Zealand as the Middle East conflict threatens supply chains.  Fuel stock levels have risen as of last Wednesday, with over 50 days worth of petrol, diesel and jet fuel remaining or en route.  The Government's exploring ways to increase fuel stocks above minimum obligations to guard against supply disruptions.  Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.