Hopes Canterbury's aerospace sector will continue going from strength to strength, with a permanent test flight space confirmed at Tawhaki. 

The National Aerospace centre, west of Banks Peninsula, can now hold tests without continual re-permits. 

Tāwhaki executive director John Holt told Heather du Plessis-Allan this helps remove red tape and paperwork, adding that it's difficult in the early construction stages, to find a safe aircraft testing place.

The sector now aims to boost its economic value from 250 million in 2023, to one billion dollars a year.

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Hopes Canterbury's aerospace sector will continue going from strength to strength, with a permanent test flight space confirmed at Tawhaki.&nbsp;
The National Aerospace centre, west of Banks Peninsula, can now hold tests without continual re-permits.&nbsp;
Tāwhaki executive director John Holt told Heather du Plessis-Allan this helps remove red tape and paperwork, adding that it's difficult in the early construction stages, to find a safe aircraft testing place.
The sector now aims to boost its economic value from 250 million in 2023, to one billion dollars a year.
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

John Holt: Tāwhaki executive director on permanent airspace for Aerospace centre

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a6a6d488-7346-42e2-bc0d-b309005c619f/transcript

It's been a big season for the Warriors, as they await their upcoming qualifying final this weekend.

The Kiwi side will host the Dolphins next Saturday at Go Media Mt Smart, and they're guaranteed another home final irrespective of that result.

Former Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson says the side's been 'grinding hard' all season, and he's hoping the second NRL home final will take place at Mt Smart over Eden Park.

"I've got no doubt that we'd probably go close to selling out Eden Park anyway, but the fan experience and even the player experience - and I've been fortunate to play both venues - and even though Eden Park is a world-class facility, it's not the best spot to play at." 

LISTEN ABOVE

It's been a big season for the Warriors, as they await their upcoming qualifying final this weekend.
The Kiwi side will host the Dolphins next Saturday at Go Media Mt Smart, and they're guaranteed another home final irrespective of that result.
Former Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson says the side's been 'grinding hard' all season, and he's hoping the second NRL home final will take place at Mt Smart over Eden Park.
"I've got no doubt that we'd probably go close to selling out Eden Park anyway, but the fan experience and even the player experience - and I've been fortunate to play both venues - and even though Eden Park is a world-class facility, it's not the best spot to play at."&nbsp;
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Shaun Johnson: Former Warriors halfback ahead of this weekend's playoff against the Dolphins at Mt Smart

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/3e1f3cbb-4564-4748-b595-b4be004ff5f1/transcript

Now let's talk about Nick Kyrgios' punishment. He's been banned from playing professional tennis for a month after being busted with cocaine in his system.

His punishment is very much at the low end of the scale. He was facing a ban of up to four years. It was downgraded, firstly, because he was using cocaine recreationally.

He snorted a few lines the night before he was due to play in Mallorca. He wasn't using it immediately before the match to enhance his performance and that's a material distinction. That reduced the potential suspension to three months.

Then, secondly, it was cut to a month because he agreed to enter rehab.

Now, I don't want to be sticking up for Nick Kyrgios because the guy's a clown but I think this is a case of doping laws backfiring. The people at WADA do not have to punish Nick Kyrgios, or any other athlete, for using drugs recreationally. It doesn't actually improve their performance on the court, the track, the field or wherever they compete.

They choose to punish athletes for recreational drug use because, they argue, it tarnishes the clean image of sport.

Now ask yourself this question: how has Nick Kyrgios' love of the nose candy tarnished the clean image of tennis?

Is it because we know he used cocaine the night before? Yes. And how do we know that he used cocaine the night before? Because the doping authorities told us. That's the only reason we know.

If they had conducted the test and, as they say, found only a low level of cocaine, which they admit was consistent with partying the night before rather than taking it immediately before the test, then surely the smarter strategy would have been to declare it below the required threshold and move on.

That way, nobody would know that Nick had used cocaine and Nick would not need to be punished for doing so.

It's silly, isn't it? To punish an athlete for what he does in his free time when it has no impact whatsoever on his performance on the court. If anything, you'd think it would make him play worse because he's feeling a bit rough.

I've always found this kind of moralising disappointing. But when it creates an own goal like this, I think it's even worse.

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Now let's talk about Nick Kyrgios' punishment. He's been banned from playing professional tennis for a month after being busted with cocaine in his system.
His punishment is very much at the low end of the scale. He was facing a ban of up to four years. It was downgraded, firstly, because he was using cocaine recreationally.
He snorted a few lines the night before he was due to play in Mallorca. He wasn't using it immediately before the match to enhance his performance and that's a material distinction. That reduced the potential suspension to three months.
Then, secondly, it was cut to a month because he agreed to enter rehab.
Now, I don't want to be sticking up for Nick Kyrgios because the guy's a clown but I think this is a case of doping laws backfiring. The people at WADA do not have to punish Nick Kyrgios, or any other athlete, for using drugs recreationally. It doesn't actually improve their performance on the court, the track, the field or wherever they compete.
They choose to punish athletes for recreational drug use because, they argue, it tarnishes the clean image of sport.
Now ask yourself this question: how has Nick Kyrgios' love of the nose candy tarnished the clean image of tennis?
Is it because we know he used cocaine the night before? Yes. And how do we know that he used cocaine the night before? Because the doping authorities told us. That's the only reason we know.
If they had conducted the test and, as they say, found only a low level of cocaine, which they admit was consistent with partying the night before rather than taking it immediately before the test, then surely the smarter strategy would have been to declare it below the required threshold and move on.
That way, nobody would know that Nick had used cocaine and Nick would not need to be punished for doing so.
It's silly, isn't it? To punish an athlete for what he does in his free time when it has no impact whatsoever on his performance on the court. If anything, you'd think it would make him play worse because he's feeling a bit rough.
I've always found this kind of moralising disappointing. But when it creates an own goal like this, I think it's even worse.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Was WADA right to punish Nick Kyrgios here?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/83be26f3-4b18-45d0-a9d2-b4bc01690dbf/transcript

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 4 September, 2026, two psychiatrists get permission to use a party drug to treat trauma. We speak to one of them - Dr G.

The Privacy Commissioner on retailers putting up walls of shame of suspected shoplifters.

Sav's saucy selfie - plus more from the veteran rugby man's travels in South Africa.

And on the Sports Huddle, Adam Cooper and Nick Bewley tell us if they reckon All Blacks' pack really did need a big reshuffle for the third test.

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

LISTEN ABOVE 

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 4 September, 2026, two psychiatrists get permission to use a party drug to treat trauma. We speak to one of them - Dr G.
The Privacy Commissioner on retailers putting up walls of shame of suspected shoplifters.
Sav's saucy selfie - plus more from the veteran rugby man's travels in South Africa.
And on the Sports Huddle, Adam Cooper and Nick Bewley tell us if they reckon All Blacks' pack really did need a big reshuffle for the third test.
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 04 September 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/4b0ac80d-52c6-4817-bbb1-b4bb0076be6a/transcript

John Holt: Tāwhaki executive director on permanent airspace for Aerospace centre

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