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Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong thinks Christopher Luxon is bluffing when he says he has ruled out working with her party. National's leader has been consistently saying he wouldn't form a coalition that included Opportunity after the vote in November.  That's despite many polls that have the party in the kingmaker position.  Barry Soper broke down the story with Heather du Plessis-Allan.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wiggles are returning to New Zealand for the first time in two years. The Australian children's entertainment superstars remain one of the biggest names in family entertainment, dominating streaming charts and winning over new generations of fans. Among the current line-up is Lachlan Gillespie, better known as Lachy Wiggle, who has become one of the group's most popular performers. He joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to talk the return to the country.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday 9 October. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's hard to know whether Pete Hegseth thought it through before he said it, but he said it, didn't he? And now the Pentagon has doubled down on it, and the execution of the Fort Hood shooter will be livestreamed on the internet like some sort of sporting spectacle. Personally, I find this abhorrent because we're supposed to be a more civilised society in modern liberal democracies than one that wants to tune in and watch somebody die in real time. But the truth is, that's just a nice thought, isn't it? We're not really above that, are we? Tens of millions of people rewatched Charlie Hebdo's murders within hours and how many people dug up the shooter's video of the mosque attack? If the Pentagon goes ahead with this, and if Nidal Hasan doesn't use the courts to delay his execution, I bet you now that millions of people will tune in to watch him die on December 3. And you know I'm right, not just because of recent examples of people wanting to watch other people die but also because this is what humans have done for centuries. We used to watch gladiators battle to the death. We used to watch the burning of witches, public hangings and all that sort of thing and that continued until relatively recently. But Hegseth is an absolute idiot if he thinks that livestreaming this execution is going to deter others from committing similar crimes, which is his stated aim. This guy, Hasan, considers himself a martyr, doesn't he? He's said as much publicly. So allowing his death to be seen by millions is probably giving him exactly what he wants. What I personally don't like about this is that watching people die seems to have become normal again because of the internet, and it worries me no end that this is the sort of thing kids can now find when their parents aren't watching what they're browsing. And nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing says snuff is normalised more than the US government joining in with the livestreaming of it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Yale law professor says making a spectacle of firing squad execution is inappropriate but not that surprising from the Trump administration.  The Pentagon says it will live stream Nidal Hasan's death in December, the first US military execution in 65 years.  The army psychiatrist killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009.   Lawyer Eugene R Fidell told Heather du Plessis-Allan executions should have some dignity. He says we're not dealing with a deliberative body - this administration's into photo ops, performative actions and taking up all the oxygen it can. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are putting their unbeaten record at Eden Park on the line again.  They take on the Wallabies at the Fortress tomorrow night - with many expecting the Wallabies to put up a fight.  Under Les Kiss - Australia are on a six match winning streak.  But Newstalk ZB's Jason Pine told Heather du Plessis-Allan he can't see the All Blacks folding.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ngati Whatua Orakei says international supercar firm McLaren should have a korero, over its moves to trademark Remuera and Muriwai.  The company's applied to the UK's Intellectual Property Office to trademark the names of the two Auckland suburbs, associated with Kiwi racing legend Bruce McLaren. Mana whenua say no one's spoken to them. Auckland University Business School's Alex Sims told Heather du Plessis-Allan the racing giant doesn't need iwi support, but its bid could fail for other reasons.  She says trademark law often doesn't like granting registrations for place names, as it stops other people from using them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has launched legal action against UK police following his arrest in connection to the Epstein files.   The former Duke of York is reportedly challenging the lawfulness of search warrants related to the arrest.  UK correspondent Enda Brady explained further.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talks are underway between McDonald’s and New Zealand's arable industry to encourage the fast food giant to use locally grown grain for its burger buns. The New Zealand branch of McDonald’s currently uses grain sourced from imported Australian wheat - which then gets processed in Auckland. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US mid-term elections are set to take place in four weeks, and experts are speculating about what this means for the economy. Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen - and it's increased the likelihood that the Democrats could take the House. Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explained what this could all mean for investors.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute and Property Investors Federation Advocacy Manager Matt Ball joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!   Labour's promising automatic refunds for cancelled flights - where do we sit on this?    Off the back of the debate - what's with all the hate on billionaires? Why are we so quick to condemn this? Does John Key have a point?     National has pledged to introduce more random drug-testing for beneficiaries - do we think this is a good idea? Do we need to tighten up Government benefits?    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thank goodness for Sir John Key speaking some sense about billionaires, am I right? I don't think anybody expected billionaires to become a topic of discussion in this election but here we are. It started, of course, with Jack Tame's question to the Chris' during the leaders' debate on whether it was basically morally offensive for someone to be a billionaire. Then John Key raised it again during Herald Now's Future of New Zealand debate, taking issue with the question itself. He says we're wowsers if we think it's okay for sportspeople and artists to be successful but not okay for billionaires, businesspeople and entrepreneurs to be successful. And he's bang on, isn't he? Because we should be celebrating success, whatever it looks like. We need to stop this strange impulse we seem to have to turn rich people into evil caricatures. Often, you'll find rich people do very good things with their money. Nick Mowbray, who made his money from his toy empire, and his wife have helped dozens of people have children they otherwise wouldn't have had by funding IVF treatment. The Plowman family has donated $150 million to conservation projects in New Zealand this year. Mark Dunajtschik in Wellington built a children's hospital. What, you don't want a children's hospital? I'd like a children's hospital. And if he has to build it, I'll take it, thanks very much. And that's what Chris Luxon should have said. After all, his Government is actively trying to attract this very type of person, wealthy individuals, to New Zealand by offering the golden visa. But he didn't. He didn't defend them. John Key did. Because do you know what John Key's got? John Key has the clarity of thought and the absolute certainty in his position that is only possible because he is not embarrassed to be in the National Party. I'm grateful for John Key's return to politics, if only to remind people in this country to be proud of our successful people and to want more of them, even if they're billionaires. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 9 October, 2026, Louise Upston on why she's cracking down on beneficiaries doing drugs. Who wants to be a billionaire? Why a film crew's been following around All Black Anton Segner. Plus, on The Huddle, why Matt Ball and Tim Wilson say  Arena Williams could be the next Labour Party leader. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In last night's debate, politicians and influential business leaders outlined their visions for the future of New Zealand's economy.    The future of growth is top of mind for many, and one expert has outlined a plan for how the nation could grow its GDP. Growth NZ co-chair Bowen Pan says New Zealand needs to focus on the sectors where it can be 'world-class' - as it can't be good at everything. "This is things like clean, cheap energy, like technology innovation... it's obviously not the whole answer, but it's a really good part of the answer."  LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumer NZ worries Labour's promise to require automatic ticket refunds from big airlines for cancelled flights could rob customers of choice. The party has announced policies aiming to make air travel prices more transparent, and targeting anti-competitive behaviour. It's promising smaller lines fair access to airport infrastructure. Chief executive Jon Duffy says they're concerned automatic refunds could absolve airlines of having to find replacement flights. "Some people will need to get to the destination that they want to go to - and they'll be happy to go on the next available flight. So we think that choice should be given to the consumer."  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.