Tonight on The Huddle Ali Jones from Red PR and former National ministerial advisor Brigitte Morton joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

The second stage of the Covid-19 inquiry is still going on - and Labour's Chris Hipkins has suggested this gives conspiratorial views a platform. Do we think these comments are out of line? 

TVNZ is set to launch an independent review of its news content to check for balance and bias. Is this a serious enough problem?

LISTEN ABOVE

Tonight on The Huddle Ali Jones from Red PR and former National ministerial advisor Brigitte Morton joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
The second stage of the Covid-19 inquiry is still going on - and Labour's Chris Hipkins has suggested this gives conspiratorial views a platform. Do we think these comments are out of line?&nbsp;
TVNZ is set to launch an independent review of its news content to check for balance and bias. Is this a serious enough problem?
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

The Huddle: Does TVNZ have a problem with bias?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/1a1fd91f-ae20-493f-9d93-b314007ea918/transcript

Right, if you were hoping the Australian media reports were right and we were finally on the cusp of seeing some really big changes to Super Rugby, like allowing players to cross borders and permitting All Blacks to play for Australian Super Rugby teams, I'm really sorry to tell you that idea has already been shot down.

New Zealand Rugby is already saying it's not going to allow it to happen and has briefed news media to that effect.

The problem for New Zealand Rugby, apparently, is that it's all a little bit hard for the accountants.

I don't know whether you understand how it works but NZR pays a retainer to players for playing for the All Blacks, and then their Super Rugby clubs top that up. Damian McKenzie, for example, might receive a whopping $1 million retainer to play for the All Blacks, with that income then supplemented by his Super Rugby team.

The question, of course, is why NZR would continue paying that really gigantic salary if he's actually in Australia playing for the Waratahs.

So there would have to be some significant changes to the way players are contracted, and apparently that's all just a little bit hard. Too much paperwork.

But it's a lame excuse because, if anything, it should actually take some of the financial pressure off New Zealand Rugby. If Super Rugby could become genuinely profitable, and profitable enough for the clubs to pay the lion's share of player salaries, it would work well for NZR in terms of the money it's spending.

The benefits for the competition could be enormous because it could, if done properly, create a much more dynamic league. Australian teams could recruit a group of elite All Blacks and then start beating New Zealand teams, which would be very different from what we've seen year after year, with New Zealand sides dominating the playoffs in a highly predictable fashion.

But this is the problem across many of our traditional sports, really: rugby, cricket and netball. The national bodies don't want to let go of control.

The Super Rugby clubs are trying to force that conversation. They're the ones who commissioned the Deloitte report I've been telling you about in the past few weeks, which basically lays out the fact that Super Rugby clubs can't turn a profit.

They're also holding a summit next month with NZR to try to drive some change.

But clearly those changes will be, as the briefed media have described them, more of an evolution than a revolution, which means don't expect anything major.

LISTEN ABOVE

Right, if you were hoping the Australian media reports were right and we were finally on the cusp of seeing some really big changes to Super Rugby, like allowing players to cross borders and permitting All Blacks to play for Australian Super Rugby teams, I'm really sorry to tell you that idea has already been shot down.
New Zealand Rugby is already saying it's not going to allow it to happen and has briefed news media to that effect.
The problem for New Zealand Rugby, apparently, is that it's all a little bit hard for the accountants.
I don't know whether you understand how it works but NZR pays a retainer to players for playing for the All Blacks, and then their Super Rugby clubs top that up. Damian McKenzie, for example, might receive a whopping $1 million retainer to play for the All Blacks, with that income then supplemented by his Super Rugby team.
The question, of course, is why NZR would continue paying that really gigantic salary if he's actually in Australia playing for the Waratahs.
So there would have to be some significant changes to the way players are contracted, and apparently that's all just a little bit hard. Too much paperwork.
But it's a lame excuse because, if anything, it should actually take some of the financial pressure off New Zealand Rugby. If Super Rugby could become genuinely profitable, and profitable enough for the clubs to pay the lion's share of player salaries, it would work well for NZR in terms of the money it's spending.
The benefits for the competition could be enormous because it could, if done properly, create a much more dynamic league. Australian teams could recruit a group of elite All Blacks and then start beating New Zealand teams, which would be very different from what we've seen year after year, with New Zealand sides dominating the playoffs in a highly predictable fashion.
But this is the problem across many of our traditional sports, really: rugby, cricket and netball. The national bodies don't want to let go of control.
The Super Rugby clubs are trying to force that conversation. They're the ones who commissioned the Deloitte report I've been telling you about in the past few weeks, which basically lays out the fact that Super Rugby clubs can't turn a profit.
They're also holding a summit next month with NZR to try to drive some change.
But clearly those changes will be, as the briefed media have described them, more of an evolution than a revolution, which means don't expect anything major.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Don't expect any major changes for Super Rugby

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/2afc2506-e77f-4c99-b94f-b4b60041d59d/transcript

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 28 August, 2026, Air New Zealand's chief executive tells us how he plans to turn around a $242 million loss.

Residents are upset that deals are off to sell their houses to make way for the Mill Road upgrade.

Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick on Ardie Savea's touching gesture before the first test against South Africa.

And on The Sports Huddle, Nicky Styris and D'Arcy Waldegrave on how impressed they are with Savea's leadership.

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, 28 August, 2026, Air New Zealand's chief executive tells us how he plans to turn around a $242 million loss.
Residents are upset that deals are off to sell their houses to make way for the Mill Road upgrade.
Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick on Ardie Savea's touching gesture before the first test against South Africa.
And on The Sports Huddle, Nicky Styris and D'Arcy Waldegrave on how impressed they are with Savea's leadership.
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: 28 August 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/87840e01-903c-450f-846c-b4b40076b54a/transcript

Tonight on The Huddle, sports presenter Nicky Styris and Newstalk ZB's own D'arcy Waldegrave joined in on a discussion about the latest sports news! 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Tonight on The Huddle, sports presenter Nicky Styris and Newstalk ZB's own D'arcy Waldegrave joined in on a discussion about the latest sports news!&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

The Huddle: Ardie Savea's leadership impresses

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bebe7b02-ca0a-4e96-a319-b4b40077abbf/transcript

The Huddle: Does TVNZ have a problem with bias?

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