Otago Senior Research Fellow Kimberley O'Sullivan reckons the money for the winter energy payment should be instead put towards a solar subsidy. 

"What I do think that we need is an off-ramp, a way to permanently reduce household exposure to rising electricity costs so that we don't have to keep paying the winter energy payment and perhaps in 20 years we won't need it at all," O'Sullivan told Andrew Dickens. 

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Otago Senior Research Fellow Kimberley O'Sullivan reckons the money for the winter energy payment should be instead put towards a solar subsidy.&nbsp;
"What I do think that we need is an off-ramp, a way to permanently reduce household exposure to rising electricity costs so that we don't have to keep paying the winter energy payment and perhaps in 20 years we won't need it at all," O'Sullivan told Andrew Dickens.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

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

Kimberley O'Sullivan: Otago Senior Research Fellow says solar subsidy should replace winter energy payment

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/399b7173-3a11-46a5-9e45-b45f007946db/transcript

The US House of Representatives has passed a measure to halt US President Donald Trump from taking further military action in Iran with a 215-208 vote.

The vote resulted from four Republicans joining the Democrats.

The action must still pass through the majorly Republican senate. 

Washington Bureau Chief for The Guardian David Smith said the Iran war has gone badly for the President, and there are indications he is tired of it.

"In many ways, several times in recent weeks he's claimed we're close to a deal, and that never seems to materialise," Smith said.

The US House of Representatives has passed a measure to halt US President Donald Trump from taking further military action in Iran with a 215-208 vote.
The vote resulted from four Republicans joining the Democrats.
The action must still pass through the majorly Republican senate.&nbsp;
Washington Bureau Chief for The Guardian David Smith said the Iran war has gone badly for the President, and there are indications he is tired of it.
"In many ways, several times in recent weeks he's claimed we're close to a deal, and that never seems to materialise," Smith said.

David Smith: Washington Bureau Chief for The Guardian says republican votes against Trump's war a 'nasty surprise'

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/38dd85a9-bd8a-4777-9674-b45f008cca6d/transcript

Budget 2026 allocated an annual $8 million in baseline funding to pay for food distribution which includes collecting surplus and donated food, and delivering it to places like food banks.

Food banks have also been allocated $7m in 2026/27, but no more after that.

Salvation Army food security manager Sonya Cameron told Andrew Dickens that she is concerned about the lack of ability to provide extra much-needed support for people.

"For example, obviously when people come to see us they might have problems with debt, they might have problems with income support, they might have problems with their housing. The problem we might have now is that we're simply unable to provide those, those sort of wrap-around services for whanau," she said. 

LISTEN ABOVE

Budget 2026 allocated an annual $8 million in baseline funding to pay for food distribution which includes collecting surplus and donated food, and delivering it to places like food banks.
Food banks have also been allocated $7m in 2026/27, but no more after that.
Salvation Army food security manager Sonya Cameron told Andrew Dickens that she is concerned about the lack of ability to provide extra much-needed support for people.
"For example, obviously when people come to see us they might have problems with debt, they might have problems with income support, they might have problems with their housing.&nbsp;The problem we might have now is that we're simply unable to provide those, those sort of wrap-around services for whanau," she said.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Sonya Cameron: Salvation Army food security manager concerned about funding dry-up

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/0a22e0c0-299d-49ef-836b-b45f00895b08/transcript

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast with Andrew Dickens for Thursday, 4 June, 2026, Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee is bemused by a ban on four MPs from entering China for a year because they visited Taiwan.

A former police detective tells us about Spark's new way to detect spammers on your phone.

We hear about plans to almost double the size of the Remarkables skifield in Queenstown.

And on The Huddle, Oscar Kightley and David Farrar on how our voice of rugby is changing.

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 with Andrew Dickens for Thursday, 4 June, 2026, Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee is bemused by a ban on four MPs from entering China for a year because they visited Taiwan.
A former police detective tells us about Spark's new way to detect spammers on your phone.
We hear about plans to almost double the size of the Remarkables skifield in Queenstown.
And on The Huddle, Oscar Kightley and David Farrar on how our voice of rugby is changing.
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 June 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/841828ad-6791-46bb-ae16-b45f0076b6d3/transcript

Kimberley O'Sullivan: Otago Senior Research Fellow says solar subsidy should replace winter energy payment

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