Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

In the end, I think Andrew Coster had to go. Look, you realize he's won a big victory today, don't you? Cause it's a big admission from the Public Service commissioner today that Andrew Coster didn't do anything wrong himself. He hadn't committed any personal wrongdoing and it's a big admission also that there was no cover-up. And the reason that it's a big admission is because of the number of times lots of ministers and also the new police commissioner went out there in media and said cover up, cover up, cover up, and then also in some cases said corruption. Now what I think this proves is exactly what I had intimated a few weeks ago. Yes, this was a scandal, but it was not the A plus plus plus plus plus plus scandal that these guys were kind of racking it up to be. That was politics. They wanted to play the game of the bad guys are out, we're the new guys, it's a new broom, that kind of thing. I didn't rate Andrew Coster as a police commissioner. I think he was rubbish at that job, but I always thought that he would be good at running the social investment agency because he's the kind of guy that likes the warm fuzzies and the early intervention, which is what the social investment agency was. It was never about hard policing. He was about warm fuzzies, the Social Investment agency is about warm fuzzies. So it is in a way a pity that the warm fuzzies guy cannot lead the warm fuzzies agency anymore. But ultimately, like Brian Roach said, he had to go because even though he did nothing wrong, the buck stopped with him at the police, and he made a series of bad calls that meant none of us could ever fully trust his judgment again. And he was going to be a political target. Who wants to be the minister or the government that protects the guy that protected Jevon McSkimming, even if he's the guy who didn't know that he was protecting the bad guy? And ultimately, we've probably got away lightly. I didn't want to have to pay him $124,000 but that was the low end of things. That was his notice period. It was probably the very least you could pay him. But count today as a small victory for Andrew Coster because he's cleared his reputation even if he's lost his job.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle Auckland councillor Maurice Williamson and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Andrew Coster has quit his role as CEO of the Social Investment Agency. He'll get paid three months notice, like a few other high profile servants who have recently "resigned". Are you uncomfortable that we're paying people out to quit rather than just sacking them? The school lunch drama between principal Peggy Burrows and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour continues. Who do you think is telling the truth here? Do you care at all? Half of us apparently drive around with lapsed car registrations and WOFs. Is your registration and WOF up to date? Is it too much admin? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 3 December. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster resigned from his position as CEO of the Social Investment Agency following an Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report into how police handled complaints against former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche said the result was 'appropriate', but shared positive experiences working with Coster.  Roche told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "I believe him to be a person of integrity and very values-driven." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2021 retired veterinarian and ex-mayoral candidate Leo Molloy was convicted for knowingly publishing a name in breach of a suppression. In a forum on the NZ Premier Racing Community’s website called “Main Street Cafe” Molloy made a post identifying Jesse Kempson as Grace Millane's killer before he was publicly named.  The Veterinary Council is now seeking censure and a $23,000 fine. "Not one veterinarian ever complained about what I did, and not one member of the public complained for that matter," Molloy told Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper talked to Heather du Plessis-Allan about today's political hot topics. Ex-Police Commissioner Andrew Coster resigned from his role as the CEO of the Social Investment Agency amid an inquiry into his involvement in the McSkimming case. The Treasury is over halfway through a review of state asset ownership, but they say the review is not driven by hope of asset sales.  And, Donald Trump says he can abolish income tax because of how successful the tariffs are.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accusations of mouldy school lunches from Haeata Community Campus has caused much back and forth between principal Peggy Burrows and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour as blame is passed around.  In an effort to get to the bottom of who is telling the truth Heather du Plessis-Allan grilled Seymour about the facts of the situation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grammy award winning popstar Sabrina Carpenter has slammed the White House after using her song 'Juno' in a video of immigration raids.  She called the video 'evil and disgusting'. US Correspondent Jonathan Kearsley told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "I think the administration posts these videos, with music from vocal critics of their own campaign and administration, knowing full well the response they're going to get." Kearsley also chats about the backlash to US strikes on Venezuelan boats, and Witkoff and Putin's unsuccessful meeting in Moscow. He summed up the meeting saying, "essentially there is no compromise, there is no deal." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An estimate from vehicle admin app Bonnet puts half of New Zealanders behind on their WOF or registration. Bonnet CEO Steph Kennard told Heather du Plessis-Allan the cost of living crisis is likely a contributing factor, alongside forgetfulness. Further concerns of financial pressure and forgetfulness are added when considering the incoming implementation of road user charges. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Monday, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown revealed his plan for a 7.9% rates increase to pay for City Rail Link running costs of an estimated $235 million annually.  This is the largest rate rise since Auckland Council was formed in 2010. Questions have begun arising of the legitimacy of Wayne Browns calculation of City Rail Link's projected running costs. Auckland Ratepayers Alliance spokesperson Jordan Williams told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "you're entitled to your own opinion or your political strategy, but you're not entitled to your own facts. And the facts are Auckland Transport have have called this out as being absolute nonsense." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.