Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 31 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 31 July. 
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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

Full Show Podcast: 31 July 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7eef37bb-ed3a-4258-b616-b4980076a69b/transcript

Sports Journalist Lavina Good and Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave join Ryan Bridge for the Sports Huddle.

The trio wonder whether the country has celebrated our success at the Commonwealth Games enough and pick their moments of the Games so far.

They debate the FIFA's President idea to sell off the World Cup.

And they preview the Warriors NRL match against the Titans - and wonder whether the team's mixed form is a concern.

LISTEN ABOVE. 

<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">Sports Journalist Lavina Good and Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave join Ryan Bridge for the Sports Huddle.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">The trio wonder whether the country has celebrated our success at the Commonwealth Games enough and pick their moments of the Games so far.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">They debate the FIFA's President idea to sell off the World Cup.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">And they preview the Warriors NRL match against the Titans - and wonder whether the team's mixed form is a concern.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">LISTEN ABOVE.

Sports Huddle: Lavina Good and D'Arcy Waldegrave

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/70d11e53-9a2e-4f2b-8922-b498006ab265/transcript

A warning for parents buying toys online - with potentially dangerous knock-off toys making the rounds.

A Consumer NZ investigation found 'Squeezy' Dumplings can still be bought through sites like AliExpress - despite being recalled in the UK over safety concerns.

The toy imitates the popular Squishy Dumpling toy - but was found to contain benzene, which can irritate the skin and cause burning feelings in the body.

Planet Fun CEO Jeremy Kirk-Smith told Ryan Bridge parents need to be careful.

He says they should stick to trusted brands and retailers.

LISTEN ABOVE

A warning for parents buying toys online - with potentially dangerous knock-off toys making the rounds.
A Consumer NZ investigation found 'Squeezy' Dumplings can still be bought through sites like AliExpress - despite being recalled in the UK over safety concerns.
The toy imitates the popular Squishy Dumpling toy - but was found to contain benzene, which can irritate the skin and cause burning feelings in the body.
Planet Fun CEO Jeremy Kirk-Smith told Ryan Bridge parents need to be careful.
He says they should stick to trusted brands and retailers.
LISTEN ABOVE

Jeremy Kirk-Smith: Planet Fun CEO on safety warnings over popular Squeezy Dumpling

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/11e3901e-8dcd-475a-8e11-b498006771ea/transcript

Did you see even Don Brash reckons Luxon should fire Winston as Foreign Minister?

Before anyone gets their hopes up, this never going to happen. If the PM cut Winston loose, the government would fall apart. That would kill not only Luxon's current term but his ambitions for a second.

MMP is a game of swallowing dead rats. Campaign-mode Winston is the political equivalent of one of those giant New York sewer rats. With the plague. Gross. Unsightly. A pain the arse. But impossible to get rid of. The PM has so far handled the situation well, using the playbook of Jacinda Ardern and Helen Clark to deal with his brain farts.

Those calling for his sacking are hypocrites to their party. Carmel Sepuloni sat round the cabinet table with Winston POST two Wongs don't make a White. The faux shock and outrage only make their own leader look weak. If 'Go Home Gate' is so outrageous and egregious, why hasn't Chris Hipkins ruled Winston out? He did so about this stage of the election cycle in 2023. Why not last night? Why not this morning?

I text Hipkins today to ask exactly this question. Why not rule him out ever being foreign minister, at least?

Guess what? Crickets. Radio silence.

Why? Same reason as Luxon. They need him. Or might need him.

Luxon, because he's no John Key and doesn't have the arty vote to govern without New Zealand First. And Hipkins, because if he did get enough support to cross the finish line, he'd rather do it alongside Winston Peters than Te Pati Maori.

The fact is, Winston can say what he likes and he knows it. His comments aren't popular with most fair-minded kiwis, but then, really, neither are the Chrises'.

Did you see even Don Brash reckons Luxon should fire Winston as Foreign Minister?
Before anyone gets their hopes up, this never going to happen. If the PM cut Winston loose, the government would fall apart. That would kill not only Luxon's current term but his ambitions for a second.
MMP is a game of swallowing dead rats. Campaign-mode Winston is the political equivalent of one of those giant New York sewer rats. With the plague. Gross. Unsightly. A pain the arse. But impossible to get rid of. The PM has so far handled the situation well, using the playbook of Jacinda Ardern and Helen Clark to deal with his brain farts.
Those calling for his sacking are hypocrites to their party. Carmel Sepuloni sat round the cabinet table with Winston POST two Wongs don't make a White. The faux shock and outrage only make their own leader look weak. If 'Go Home Gate' is so outrageous and egregious, why hasn't Chris Hipkins ruled Winston out? He did so about this stage of the election cycle in 2023. Why not last night? Why not this morning?
I text Hipkins today to ask exactly this question. Why not rule him out ever being foreign minister, at least?
Guess what? Crickets. Radio silence.
Why? Same reason as Luxon. They need him. Or might need him.
Luxon, because he's no John Key and doesn't have the arty vote to govern without New Zealand First. And Hipkins, because if he did get enough support to cross the finish line, he'd rather do it alongside Winston Peters than Te Pati Maori.
The fact is, Winston can say what he likes and he knows it. His comments aren't popular with most fair-minded kiwis, but then, really, neither are the Chrises'.

Perspective with Ryan Bridge: Both Labour and National are tiptoeing around Winston

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/3f6cda91-5e8a-493b-8482-b49800604c99/transcript

Full Show Podcast: 31 July 2026

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