The Government says it has no intention of decriminalising drug use, despite a confronting new report. 

The Drug Foundation paper suggest the Misuse of Drugs Act has compounded harm - and needs overhauling. 

But Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says change isn't on the agenda this term. 

NZ Drug Foundation executive director Sarah Helm joined the Afternoons team to explain further.

LISTEN ABOVE

The Government says it has no intention of decriminalising drug use, despite a confronting new report.&nbsp;
The Drug Foundation paper suggest the Misuse of Drugs Act has compounded harm - and needs overhauling.&nbsp;
But Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says change isn't on the agenda this term.&nbsp;
NZ Drug Foundation executive director Sarah Helm joined the Afternoons team to explain further.
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

Sarah Helm: NZ Drug Foundation executive director on the new reports criticising New Zealand's drug laws

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bf6f49be-8218-4cd9-813c-b3710028299f/transcript

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! 

The Public Service Commissioner raised a few eyebrows when he confirmed boards can make individual employment offers to non-NZEI teachers from today, after the union rejected three recent deals. Do we think this was the right move? 

There's growing calls to reform sick leave laws after the recent Covid wave led to more deaths and hospitalisations. Do we think changes are really needed here? 

Do we really need more cash machines? Who still uses cash? Do we think the Reserve Bank was out of line?

LISTEN ABOVE

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&amp;A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!&nbsp;
The Public Service Commissioner raised a few eyebrows when he confirmed boards can make individual employment offers to non-NZEI teachers from today, after the union rejected three recent deals. Do we think this was the right move?&nbsp;
There's growing calls to reform sick leave laws after the recent Covid wave led to more deaths and hospitalisations. Do we think changes are really needed here?&nbsp;
Do we really need more cash machines? Who still uses cash? Do we think the Reserve Bank was out of line?
LISTEN ABOVE

The Huddle: Do we really need more cash machines?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5951ab87-005a-49df-9ea5-b40a006e5cac/transcript

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 11 March.

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 Wednesday 11 March. 
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 11 March 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f01902a6-1acd-4495-8c7e-b40a00662991/transcript

I think we can quite accurately use the word 'brilliant' to describe the latest move from the Government’s man in the primary teachers’ pay negotiations.

Brian Roche, the Public Service Commissioner, has gone around the union and offered a 4.7 percent pay increase to primary teachers who are not in the union. If they agree to it, the first chunk of the pay rise will kick in 19 days from now and the next chunk will take effect in January next year.

This is clever because it undermines the union - which still hasn’t settled, has it?

For the past nine months, they’ve refused to finalise their pay agreement until the Treaty is recognised in teachers’ contracts and until the Government pays teachers more for their overnight camp allowance, for God’s sake.

Based on the text traffic we get to this show, there must be huge numbers of teachers growing increasingly frustrated with their union for getting hung up on ideology over pay, while they lose up to $76 a week in income they’re not receiving because negotiations are still dragging on.

So the pressure is now on the NZEI big time. Feasibly, union members can now do what 10,000 of their colleagues have already done: either avoid joining the union or leave it altogether and get their pay rise faster without the union than with it.

Personally, I love that this is happening. It became obvious to me 20 years ago, as a junior reporter at TVNZ, that unions weren’t much use to me even then. And what’s happened since is much worse because unions are now actively holding up pay negotiations for really stupid reasons.

So - brilliant move from the Public Service Commissioner. I can’t wait to see whether this forces the union to finally wrap up the pay talks to save themselves from an exodus of clever teachers.

LISTEN ABOVE

I think we can quite accurately use the word 'brilliant' to describe the latest move from the Government’s man in the primary teachers’ pay negotiations.
Brian Roche, the Public Service Commissioner, has gone around the union and offered a 4.7 percent pay increase to primary teachers who are not in the union. If they agree to it, the first chunk of the pay rise will kick in 19 days from now and the next chunk will take effect in January next year.
This is clever because it undermines the union - which still hasn’t settled, has it?
For the past nine months, they’ve refused to finalise their pay agreement until the Treaty is recognised in teachers’ contracts and until the Government pays teachers more for their overnight camp allowance, for God’s sake.
Based on the text traffic we get to this show, there must be huge numbers of teachers growing increasingly frustrated with their union for getting hung up on ideology over pay, while they lose up to $76 a week in income they’re not receiving because negotiations are still dragging on.
So the pressure is now on the NZEI big time. Feasibly, union members can now do what 10,000 of their colleagues have already done: either avoid joining the union or leave it altogether and get their pay rise faster without the union than with it.
Personally, I love that this is happening. It became obvious to me 20 years ago, as a junior reporter at TVNZ, that unions weren’t much use to me even then. And what’s happened since is much worse because unions are now actively holding up pay negotiations for really stupid reasons.
So - brilliant move from the Public Service Commissioner. I can’t wait to see whether this forces the union to finally wrap up the pay talks to save themselves from an exodus of clever teachers.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: The pressure's on for the primary teachers' union

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/79b2f6ed-057a-4e00-b363-b40a006375d9/transcript

Sarah Helm: NZ Drug Foundation executive director on the new reports criticising New Zealand's drug laws

In 1 playlist(s)

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips