The Defence Minister says New Zealand will think carefully about joining the recently signed defence alliance between Fiji and Australia.

The Ocean of Peace Alliance was signed by the leaders of Australia and Fiji last week, but concerns have been raised over how it could impact our relationship with China. 

Minister Chris Penk says working together is important for all Pacific nations and there's a potential role for New Zealand in there. 

"We'll consider carefully the obligations under that - at the moment, it's just between Australia and Fiji, and we congratulate them for working together on matters of regional security." 

LISTEN ABOVE

The Defence Minister says New Zealand will think carefully about joining the recently signed defence alliance between Fiji and Australia.
The Ocean of Peace Alliance was signed by the leaders of Australia and Fiji last week, but concerns have been raised over how it could impact our relationship with China.&nbsp;
Minister Chris Penk says working together is important for all Pacific nations and there's a potential role for New Zealand in there.&nbsp;
"We'll consider carefully the obligations under that - at the moment, it's just between Australia and Fiji, and we congratulate them for working together on matters of regional security."&nbsp;
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 Penk: Defence Minister on New Zealand looking into joining the Ocean of Peace Alliance

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a80d09f7-1d35-492c-a4a4-b486008234c5/transcript

Is professional netball in New Zealand now in a death spiral?

Unless something really significant happens to change the trajectory, are we watching the death spiral of a sport?

I think all netball fans should be very concerned about the financial revelation from Netball New Zealand's chair: the organisation is expected to run at a loss of $6 million a year and it does not have enough money to absorb losses like that indefinitely.

The last time I checked, Netball New Zealand had around $12 million in the bank. If that's still roughly accurate, they'll now have about half of that left and possibly even less.

If they can't afford to run the competition next year in the same way they did this year, then surely the most obvious option, though not the only one, is to ask players to either play for free or accept another pay cut on top of the reduction they've already taken this year.

And if players are asked to take another pay cut, or even play for free, isn't the most obvious response for the best of them to leave and play in Australia or the UK, where they can earn reasonable money?

Let's say six players decide they need to be paid for the work they do and head overseas. I'm making that figure up but let's go with it. We've already lost eight players from the competition this year. Suddenly, we're talking about a dozen or 14 players leaving. That's the equivalent of two teams' worth of talent disappearing from the competition.

Now you've got a much less compelling competition next year because the best players are gone.

In that scenario, does TVNZ look at a significantly weaker product and decide, "I'm not sure we want to broadcast that"? And even if they do decide to stick with it, do the rest of us, the fans, tune in and think, "This isn't much good. All the stars are gone," and then stop watching?

If the audience falls away, do sponsors start leaving as well because they're no longer getting the reach they expected for their investment?

And if all of that happens, netball surely generates even less revenue in the years ahead. Does the cycle then begin again? With less money coming in, do players get asked to take another pay cut, prompting more departures and continuing the downward spiral?

You can see how this could keep happening, over and over again, until there's very little left.

That's why there has to be a circuit-breaker. Something has to interrupt the cycle.

I don't know what that solution is. Is it privatisation? Is it joining the Australian league? I don't know. But it's clear that something major will be required to secure the future of Netball New Zealand.

Because if it wasn't already obvious, the numbers should make it crystal clear: professional netball in this country appears to be at the beginning of a death spiral.

LISTEN ABOVE

Is professional netball in New Zealand now in a death spiral?
Unless something really significant happens to change the trajectory, are we watching the death spiral of a sport?
I think all netball fans should be very concerned about the financial revelation from Netball New Zealand's chair: the organisation is expected to run at a loss of $6 million a year and it does not have enough money to absorb losses like that indefinitely.
The last time I checked, Netball New Zealand had around $12 million in the bank. If that's still roughly accurate, they'll now have about half of that left and possibly even less.
If they can't afford to run the competition next year in the same way they did this year, then surely the most obvious option, though not the only one, is to ask players to either play for free or accept another pay cut on top of the reduction they've already taken this year.
And if players are asked to take another pay cut, or even play for free, isn't the most obvious response for the best of them to leave and play in Australia or the UK, where they can earn reasonable money?
Let's say six players decide they need to be paid for the work they do and head overseas. I'm making that figure up but let's go with it. We've already lost eight players from the competition this year. Suddenly, we're talking about a dozen or 14 players leaving. That's the equivalent of two teams' worth of talent disappearing from the competition.
Now you've got a much less compelling competition next year because the best players are gone.
In that scenario, does TVNZ look at a significantly weaker product and decide, "I'm not sure we want to broadcast that"? And even if they do decide to stick with it, do the rest of us, the fans, tune in and think, "This isn't much good. All the stars are gone," and then stop watching?
If the audience falls away, do sponsors start leaving as well because they're no longer getting the reach they expected for their investment?
And if all of that happens, netball surely generates even less revenue in the years ahead. Does the cycle then begin again? With less money coming in, do players get asked to take another pay cut, prompting more departures and continuing the downward spiral?
You can see how this could keep happening, over and over again, until there's very little left.
That's why there has to be a circuit-breaker. Something has to interrupt the cycle.
I don't know what that solution is. Is it privatisation? Is it joining the Australian league? I don't know. But it's clear that something major will be required to secure the future of Netball New Zealand.
Because if it wasn't already obvious, the numbers should make it crystal clear: professional netball in this country appears to be at the beginning of a death spiral.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Should we be worried about the state of professional netball in NZ?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ec055ef8-9e77-4664-91af-b492016261ac/transcript

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 24 July.

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 24 July. 
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 24 July 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/884ddc66-ed0e-4a19-a618-b4910076b40e/transcript

Ryan Fox returned to New Zealand on Friday, July 24, bringing along the Claret Jug following his triumph at the Open Championship on Monday.

He spoke to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the feeling of extra pressure going forward.

"There's gonna be a whole lot more eyeballs on me, and there's gonna be a whole lot more expectation."

LISTEN ABOVE 

Ryan Fox returned to New Zealand on Friday, July 24, bringing along the Claret Jug following his triumph at the Open Championship on Monday.
He spoke to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the feeling of extra pressure going forward.
"There's gonna be a whole lot more eyeballs on me, and there's gonna be a whole lot more expectation."
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Ryan Fox: Golf Open Champion on returning home

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/741b27b6-c643-4d7d-9e2b-b49100757770/transcript

Chris Penk: Defence Minister on New Zealand looking into joining the Ocean of Peace Alliance

In 1 playlist(s)

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips