Unionised secondary teachers who say kids' needs aren't being met in school will strike next week, nationwide.

They'll step away from the job next Wednesday after rejecting a three percent pay increase over three years.

The PPTA says experienced teachers will be crucial to successfully rolling out proposed Government NCEA reforms.

President Chris Abercrombie says the teachers introduced a counter-offer, but it's up to the Government to do their part.

LISTEN ABOVE

Unionised secondary teachers who say kids' needs aren't being met in school will strike next week, nationwide.
They'll step away from the job next Wednesday after rejecting a three percent pay increase over three years.
The PPTA says experienced teachers will be crucial to successfully rolling out proposed Government NCEA reforms.
President Chris Abercrombie says the teachers introduced a counter-offer, but it's up to the Government to do their part.
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Chris Abercrombie: PPTA President on secondary school teachers announcing a strike to take place next week

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/263079cd-cc12-4bd8-9cfd-b33800845cfe/transcript

For the first time, the odds driving past an NZ-built motorhome are higher than ever.

After a boom-bust cycle during COVID, New Zealand's motorhome market is starting to stabilise, and it's no longer a boomer-dominated market. 

Kiwi motorhome company TrailLite's joint Managing Director Shaun Newman says, "for a lot of people, a holiday house isn't a viable option for them anymore."

He says motorhomes and caravans offer a cheaper and more versatile holiday for families.

LISTEN ABOVE

 

For the first time, the odds driving past an NZ-built motorhome are higher than ever.
After a boom-bust cycle during COVID, New Zealand's motorhome market is starting to stabilise, and it's no longer a boomer-dominated market.&nbsp;
Kiwi motorhome company TrailLite's joint Managing Director Shaun Newman says, "for a lot of people, a holiday house isn't a viable option for them anymore."
He says motorhomes and caravans offer a cheaper and more versatile holiday for families.
LISTEN ABOVE
&nbsp;

Shaun Newman: TrailLite joint Managing Director says younger kiwis are taking an interest in motorhomes

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b4c84587-8d76-4b49-be25-b4ed016e57b2/transcript

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 23 October, 2026, is the election over for Chippie after the gang fiasco? We question the Labour leader.

An expert's warning to check your connections after a cyber security flaw takes down websites around the world.

Business is booming for motorhomes - and it's not just Boomers buying them.

And one of our Sports Huddlers, Nathan Limm and Lavina Good, makes a big call on our highest-performing team of the year.

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 23 October, 2026, is the election over for Chippie after the gang fiasco? We question the Labour leader.
An expert's warning to check your connections after a cyber security flaw takes down websites around the world.
Business is booming for motorhomes - and it's not just Boomers buying them.
And one of our Sports Huddlers, Nathan Limm and Lavina Good, makes a big call on our highest-performing team of the year.
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 23 October 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/e6621cae-9bf6-445c-b990-b4ec0066b54c/transcript

Oh, I tell you what, I cannot see Chris Hipkins winning the election now.

I mean, if you thought that Mongrel Mob fiasco was bad before, it's got so much worse for Labour. Their candidate has quit and Chris Hipkins himself now looks like he's been fibbing to the public.

It turns out, now that we've seen the video of Kerrin Leoni at the Mongrel Mob event, that it wasn't at all the family gathering Labour told us it was. She was there in her red Labour jacket with a placard featuring a picture of herself and Chippy, telling gang members to enrol and change the government.

That doesn't look like a family barbecue, does it? I don't know how many family barbecues you turn up to wearing your work jacket.

I also don't know how many voters are going to believe Hipkins when he says he didn't know about it and that Leoni misled him. Anyone paying attention would have seen Labour doing a fair bit of misleading themselves.

When Leoni was first accused of meeting the Mongrel Mob the week before the Green and Māori parties had, Labour said it wasn't true. They said she hadn't met the gang the week before. But she had. It was nine days before, not seven, and that looks very much like Labour playing silly buggers with the timeline so we'd never know the event had happened.

If they were prepared to mislead us on that, do you really believe they didn't try to mislead us when they said, "Hey, it's just a family event," when it was actually a political event?

This is devastating for Labour because it's no longer just about whether you share Labour's values or what you think about criminals and gang members. It's now also about the integrity of the party leader and whether he and the party tried to hide this from voters.

My suspicion is that, yes, they very much did.

And that, with only two weeks until election day, is, in my view, unsurvivable for Labour short of a miracle.

LISTEN ABOVE

Oh, I tell you what, I cannot see Chris Hipkins winning the election now.
I mean, if you thought that Mongrel Mob fiasco was bad before, it's got so much worse for Labour. Their candidate has quit and Chris Hipkins himself now looks like he's been fibbing to the public.
It turns out, now that we've seen the video of Kerrin Leoni at the Mongrel Mob event, that it wasn't at all the family gathering Labour told us it was. She was there in her red Labour jacket with a placard featuring a picture of herself and Chippy, telling gang members to enrol and change the government.
That doesn't look like a family barbecue, does it? I don't know how many family barbecues you turn up to wearing your work jacket.
I also don't know how many voters are going to believe Hipkins when he says he didn't know about it and that Leoni misled him. Anyone paying attention would have seen Labour doing a fair bit of misleading themselves.
When Leoni was first accused of meeting the Mongrel Mob the week before the Green and Māori parties had, Labour said it wasn't true. They said she hadn't met the gang the week before. But she had. It was nine days before, not seven, and that looks very much like Labour playing silly buggers with the timeline so we'd never know the event had happened.
If they were prepared to mislead us on that, do you really believe they didn't try to mislead us when they said, "Hey, it's just a family event," when it was actually a political event?
This is devastating for Labour because it's no longer just about whether you share Labour's values or what you think about criminals and gang members. It's now also about the integrity of the party leader and whether he and the party tried to hide this from voters.
My suspicion is that, yes, they very much did.
And that, with only two weeks until election day, is, in my view, unsurvivable for Labour short of a miracle.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: I cannot see Chris Hipkins winning the election

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/37970d7e-f0b7-46b3-85c4-b4ec006237b9/transcript

Chris Abercrombie: PPTA President on secondary school teachers announcing a strike to take place next week

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