/on-air/rss 九一星空无限 Wed, 15 Oct 2025 08:04:53 Z en /on-air/sportstalk/audio/fletcher-anderson-former-crusader-signs-on-with-welsh-club-scarlets/ /on-air/sportstalk/audio/fletcher-anderson-former-crusader-signs-on-with-welsh-club-scarlets/ Another promising NZ rugby product has decided to look overseas for further rugby opportunities. Fletcher Anderson is a loose forward who has featured for the Crusaders and was recently named the man of the year, player of the year and defender of the year at the annual Tasman Mako awards. He has signed for the Welsh Club Scarlets, who play in the United Rugby Championship, and he joined Sportstalk to discuss the move. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:56:32 Z /on-air/sportstalk/audio/craig-innes-former-all-black-on-the-future-of-new-zealands-rugby-pathways-for-secondary-schools/ /on-air/sportstalk/audio/craig-innes-former-all-black-on-the-future-of-new-zealands-rugby-pathways-for-secondary-schools/ Questions have been asked of the New Zealand secondary schools' rugby pathways after conceding 136 points over two games and suffering consecutive losses to the Australian U18 side.  The Australian players spend years playing together, going through and going through Super Rugby stages, whereas New Zealand has significantly less for young players Former All Black and current rugby player agent Craig Innes discussed the issues impacting the current pathways. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:52:54 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/gavin-grey-uk-correspondent-on-the-new-book-claiming-margaret-thatcher-had-two-affairs/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/gavin-grey-uk-correspondent-on-the-new-book-claiming-margaret-thatcher-had-two-affairs/ A new book, The Incidental Feminist, has claimed former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher reportedly had two affairs. Thatcher, who held the role from 1979 to 1990, is remembered as having a stable marriage to her husband Denis - but the book claims Thatcher got involved with a former MP and had an earlier affair at the start of her career. UK correspondent Gavin Grey weighs up the validity of these claims. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:44:45 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/jenee-tibshraeny-nz-herald-wellington-business-editor-on-the-reserve-bank-revealing-covid-spending-didnt-contribute-to-inflation-issues/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/jenee-tibshraeny-nz-herald-wellington-business-editor-on-the-reserve-bank-revealing-covid-spending-didnt-contribute-to-inflation-issues/ The Reserve Bank recently disputed the idea that Covid-era money printing programme caused sky-high inflation, which cost the Government billions. Staff at the bank have published new research that concludes the bank’s $55 billion Large-Scale Asset Purchase (LSAP) programme didn’t 'meaningfully' contribute to above-target inflation following the pandemic. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:32:58 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/brendan-larsen-milford-asset-management-expert-on-the-impact-of-the-us-government-shutdown/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/brendan-larsen-milford-asset-management-expert-on-the-impact-of-the-us-government-shutdown/ The ongoing US Government shutdown is set to have wide-reaching effects, with economists raising concerns over the impacts. Missed pay cheques and the absence of billions of dollars of Government services will likely reverberate beyond federal workers and sting the broader public. Milford Asset Management's Brendan Larsen explained further. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:28:26 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/the-huddle-should-we-be-worried-about-the-m%C4%81ori-partys-future/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/the-huddle-should-we-be-worried-about-the-m%C4%81ori-partys-future/ Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog writer and Curia pollster David Farrar 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!  It's been a controversial couple of days for the Māori Party. Do we see the party splitting apart? Do we think Labour will officially rule out working with them before next year's election?  A new poll in the Post has indicated Chris Bishop is the successor in waiting for Luxon - what do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:20:33 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/opinion/perspective-with-heather-du-plessis-allan-are-we-surprised-by-these-allegations-weve-heard-about-the-m%C4%81ori-party/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/opinion/perspective-with-heather-du-plessis-allan-are-we-surprised-by-these-allegations-weve-heard-about-the-m%C4%81ori-party/ Listen, go on and tell me that any of the allegations that we've heard about the Māori Party in the last 36 hours surprise you. Does it shock you in any way to find out that one of their MPs allegedly paid her son $120,000 of taxpayer money, that she couldn't apparently balance her own budget? And that her son allegedly abused parliamentary staff so badly that he was trespassed from the grounds? No really, right? Not really a surprise. And this feels exactly like the kind of stuff you would expect to be happening when a political party pulls together a collection of activists who have no respect for the rules - which they demonstrate on a seemingly weekly basis by not showing up to their jobs in Parliament, who can't even do up a pair of leather shoes to go to work, and who think nepotism is just another way of showing love to your family. Their words, not mine. Now, do you really think that that alleged incident where Eru Kapa-Kingi shouted at parliamentary staff and threatened to knock one out happened on Budget Day 2024 - as in 18 months ago, and we have only just found out now? Which has me wondering, what else is going on in there that we don't know about yet? Now, I'm not surprised by what's being revealed. And what it means is that I'm weirdly not actually terribly exercised by it, certainly not in the way that I would be if this was National or Labour or any other serious party. I would expect in those instances for heads to roll, and I would expect explanations and media stand-ups and real interrogations by the media and people appearing on the show to be grilled. But I don't expect that with the Māori Party. Now, that should worry the Māori Party, because what that means is that I, and anyone else who feels like me, don't take them seriously. We don't think they're serious people. We don't expect them to hold standards up. We regard what we're seeing as more of a clown show that needs to be contained so it doesn't contaminate the rest of Parliament. So good luck to them making it into a future Cabinet, which they're obviously quite keen on, if they're not being taken seriously by us. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:02:08 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/leela-ashford-spark-sustainability-director-on-the-company-blocking-all-ai-generated-child-sexual-abuse-images/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/leela-ashford-spark-sustainability-director-on-the-company-blocking-all-ai-generated-child-sexual-abuse-images/ Spark's becoming the first New Zealand telco to block all child sexual abuse images made with artificial intelligence. It already stops access to photo-realistic material made by AI, but this move will extend to images which have a cartoon or artistic style. The website list comes from the Internet Watch Foundation which has seen a 400 percent increase in this type of material. Spark Sustainability Director Leela Ashford says it blocks the sites automatically. She says the list can include tens of thousands of websites.   LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 06:47:01 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/gabriel-boyd-auckland-university-student-association-president-on-the-new-report-claiming-fees-free-uni-is-a-deadweight/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/gabriel-boyd-auckland-university-student-association-president-on-the-new-report-claiming-fees-free-uni-is-a-deadweight/ There's growing calls to evaluate the future of fees-free university after a recent review labelled the policy 'deadweight'. The policy was originally introduced under the Jacinda-led Labour Government in 2017, with the current coalition moving the policy to cover a student's final year of university instead of the first. AUSA president Gabriel Boyd says dismissing the policy is 'unfair', as it's helped students save money. "I think the $12,000 that students saved, that they can then put towards accommodation, food, transportation, with this cost of living - does make a huge impact." LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 06:23:02 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/full-show-podcast-15-october-2025/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/full-show-podcast-15-october-2025/ On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 15 October 2025, shocking video footage from Gaza shows Hamas publicly executing a number of people. The Australian's Greg Sheridan tells Heather it's impossible for peace to continue with Hamas' involvement.   Hospitality NZ's Sam McKinnon tells Heather the stupidest rule in hospitality that needs fixing by the Ministry for Regulation. Why does the AA want your speeding ticket to get more expensive? The Broadcasting Standards Authority has been accused of acting like Soviet era stasi by Winston Peters - what's going on? Plus, the Huddle debates whether the Maori Party's latest antics will hurt them - and whether we might see the party break up. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 06:11:48 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/sam-mackinnon-hospitality-nz-advocacy-head-welcomes-government-review-into-sector-rules/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/sam-mackinnon-hospitality-nz-advocacy-head-welcomes-government-review-into-sector-rules/ Hospitality New Zealand is throwing its support behind a Government inspection of sector rules. Its wide-ranging review will investigate rules for everything from bars, to restaurants - to market stalls. Regulation Minister David Seymour says existing rules change frequently and are inconsistently applied. Hospitality NZ's Sam MacKinnon says the sector has to work through a 'myriad' of regulations just to operate - and this review presents a good opportunity.  "While there are some of these really stupid rules that are in place, the opportunity for the industry to be able to have a comprehensive look at all of the different areas that cut across what it takes to run a hospitality venue is the real opportunity here."  LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 05:50:25 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/mark-leslie-p%C4%81mu-ceo-on-the-launch-of-new-dairy-beef-crossbreed-cows/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/mark-leslie-p%C4%81mu-ceo-on-the-launch-of-new-dairy-beef-crossbreed-cows/ Mooove over dairy and beef cows, for a new hybrid breed on the block. Pāmu and Livestock Improvement Corporation have created a new cattle breed - called the Synegizer. About 350 first-cross beef-on-dairy calves were born this year, and limited frozen insemination will available next spring. Pāmu CEO Mark Leslie says dairy farmers won't use Synegizers for milking. "These bulls will be used to go over maybe some of the cows they don't want to keep the replacements out of - and they'll use these to generate animals that can then go off into the livestock centre." LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 05:32:15 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/greg-sheridan-foreign-editor-at-the-australian-on-hamas-posting-executions-as-israel-threatens-aid-delays/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/greg-sheridan-foreign-editor-at-the-australian-on-hamas-posting-executions-as-israel-threatens-aid-delays/ The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas holds - but looks shaky, with eight of the 28 dead Israeli hostages returned. Israel is reportedly reopening the Rafah border for aid, despite threatening delays after the slow delivery of remains by Hamas. Foreign editor at the Australian, Greg Sheridan, says videos have emerged on social media, showing Hamas publicly executing several Palestinian men.  "Hamas still has the guns, it's plainly not interested in disarming. I also think it looks like a breakdown of the process for about two days." LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 05:17:24 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/barry-soper-newstalk-zb-senior-political-correspondent-on-whether-chris-luxon-is-at-risk-of-being-rolled/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/barry-soper-newstalk-zb-senior-political-correspondent-on-whether-chris-luxon-is-at-risk-of-being-rolled/ Recent polls show Prime Minister Chris Luxon's popularity has taken a nosedive, prompting speculation about his future in the National Party. With the election set to take place next year, there's growing speculation Luxon's leadership role might not last. 九一星空无限talk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this discussion is a self-fulfilling prophecy, but it's likely there could be mood for change. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 05:04:49 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/dan-mitchinson-us-correspondent-on-donald-trump-urging-hamas-to-disarm/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/dan-mitchinson-us-correspondent-on-donald-trump-urging-hamas-to-disarm/ Donald Trump's warning Hamas will have their weapons taken off them - even if it falls to him to make it happen.  Talks are underway in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh on the second phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.  US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Trump hasn't given Hamas a hard deadline as of yet, and it's unclear how this will go. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 04:56:00 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/elliott-smith-sportstalk-host-on-grace-nweke-standing-by-her-support-for-dame-noeline-taurua/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/elliott-smith-sportstalk-host-on-grace-nweke-standing-by-her-support-for-dame-noeline-taurua/ Silver Ferns shooter Grace Nweke has stood by her support for embattled coach Dame Noeline Taurua. As the Ferns gear up for the Constellation Cup, Grace Nweke reiterated she's hoping for Taurua to come back. Sportstalk host Elliott Smith explained the ongoing situation further. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 04:07:35 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/dylan-thomsen-aa-road-safety-spokesperson-on-why-aa-is-advocating-for-higher-road-fines/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/dylan-thomsen-aa-road-safety-spokesperson-on-why-aa-is-advocating-for-higher-road-fines/ The AA is calling for an overhaul of driving fines. It says fines haven't been adjusted for inflation since 1999 and no longer represent a big enough deterrent.  AA road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen says doubling the fines would make a good starting point - with some specific offences incurring higher penalties. "We need to look at some specific offences, the ones that show up in crashes most often. Drunk driving, drugged driving, seatbelts distractions like cell phones and speed. And we might actually need to lift those even further to really try and make people care more about sticking to the rules." LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 03:50:45 Z /on-air/matt-heath-tyler-adams-afternoons/audio/full-show-podcast-15-october-2025/ /on-air/matt-heath-tyler-adams-afternoons/audio/full-show-podcast-15-october-2025/ On the Matt Heath and Tyler Adams Afternoons Full Show Podcast for the 15th of October, a report on the state of the hospitality sector has been released and it revealed, among other things, that tipping is down 40 percent. Then, a horror story in the news today that has seen a woman spend 12 weeks in hospital after a botched overseas surgery - turns out our listeners had a better track record.  And to finish, some amazing stories of adoption as Jennifer Aniston says she didn’t do it as she wanted her ‘own DNA’.  Get the Matt Heath and Tyler Adams Afternoons Podcast every weekday afternoon on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 03:44:20 Z /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/nick-mills-meets-the-men-behind-the-new-woodward-street-distillery/ /on-air/wellington/wellington-mornings-with-nick-mills/audio/nick-mills-meets-the-men-behind-the-new-woodward-street-distillery/ Nick Mills took a tour around the new Woodward Street Distillery, and interviewed James Pask, Director and General Manager, and Mikey Ball, Head Distiller.  He finds out what's behind the scenes at Wellington's newest hospitality innovation. The distillery and soon to be bar, bringing Melbourne vibes into the city centre.  LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:12:15 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-talks-te-pati-maori-parliamentary-standards-political-violence/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-talks-te-pati-maori-parliamentary-standards-political-violence/ The Opposition Leader's again expressing concern about Te Pati Maori, but not yet ruling out working with them.   Toxic culture claims by Eru Kapa-Kingi were followed by the party releasing documents accusing him of threatening Parliamentary staffers.   They also show his mother, recently demoted Whip MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, was warned about risking budget overspend.    Chris Hipkins says it’s clear Te Pati Māori has some internal issues to work through before they’d be in a position to form a government.   Chris Hipkins told John MacDonald any decisions about whether or not they’d form a coalition with Te Pati Māori will come closer to the election, as an awful lot can happen between now and then.   However, he says, if there was an election today, he’d say they’re not in a position at the moment to play a constructive role in future government.   LISTEN ABOVE  Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:11:16 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-would-harsher-fines-really-change-driver-behaviour/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-would-harsher-fines-really-change-driver-behaviour/ Isn’t it weird that, in the past 25 years, we have spent millions and millions and millions of dollars on road safety campaigns, but there have, generally, been no changes in that time to the penalties handed out for bad and dangerous driving?  I tried to find out exactly how much has been spent, but I realised that was quite ambitious.  Nevertheless, I can safely say that it’s hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars. In fact, ChatGPT reckons it’s somewhere between $2.5 billion and $3.5 billion. It’s probably way more than that.  Either way, we’ve spent billions over the past 25 years trying to make people aware of the consequences of bad and dangerous driving, but many of the fines and penalties for drivers breaking the law haven’t changed. And the AA wants that rectified.  I’m not saying don’t do it, but I’m not convinced that that would make much difference when it comes to what actually happens on the roads and how drivers behave.  Aside from the money spent on road safety campaigns, let’s also not forget the gazillions spent on cleaning up the mess after road crashes.  ACC, hospital costs, ongoing care for people – it’s estimated that that comes to about $10 billion a year.  So, in the past 25 years, billions have been spent trying to educate drivers and dealing with the consequences of road crashes. But in that time, not much has changed when it comes to penalties.  Which is why the AA’s road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen is saying today that, at the very least, fines should be doubled across the board to make up for inflation, and fines automatically adjusted for inflation on an ongoing basis.  He says: "We need to bring these penalties back up so they work to make drivers think twice about taking risks on the road or breaking the rules because right now they're not doing that."  I agree that they’re not working, but I don’t agree that harsher penalties would make a difference. Because when people are muppets out on the road, they don’t even think twice about the penalties, let alone the consequences.  The AA thinks differently, and reckons the changes need to focus on the types of offences that cause the most carnage on the roads.  Which are: people driving drunk or stoned, people not wearing seatbelts, people driving too fast, and people being distracted by things like mobile phones.  Dylan Thomsen is saying that the AA, generally, wants fines to double but thinks the penalties for these particular offences might have to be increased more than that to really make a difference.  The fine for using your phone while driving would certainly need to be more than doubled if we were to get anywhere close to the fines dished out in parts of Australia.  In New South Wales, if you’re caught using your phone while driving, you’re fined $350 - or $470 if it’s in a school zone. In Western Australia, it’s a $1,000 fine.  Here, it’s $150 and 20 demerit points.  Dylan Thomsen points to a recent survey of AA members which found that most of them don’t think our fines are effective. Less than 50% said they thought the fines dished out for things like speeding and using a cellphone driving were tough enough to change behaviour.  But do you really think harsher fines would change these behaviours? I don’t.  Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:01:31 Z /on-air/kerre-woodham-mornings/opinion/kerre-woodham-the-failure-of-fees-free/ /on-air/kerre-woodham-mornings/opinion/kerre-woodham-the-failure-of-fees-free/ Do you want another example of Labour's ideology over pragmatism? I really, really hope that the previous Labour ministers have learned from their previous terms in government that thought bubbles and bright ideas do not sound policy make.   Remember Fees Free? The policy was introduced in 2018 and was a key part of Labour's election campaign. The first year of tertiary study would be free for students. It would progressively roll out to cover three years, which never eventuated. We, the taxpayer, provided up to $12,000 in tuition fee payments for the first year of provider-based study or the first two years of work-based learning. The idea behind the objective was sound and worthy.   The Labour Government, Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins, et al, billed it as improving equity and opening the doors to higher learning for disadvantaged people for whom the doors would otherwise be closed. Labour expected to see a first-in-family effect. There would be students who would be the first in their families to attend higher education, now a significant cost barrier would be removed.    Did that happen? Thank you for asking, no, it didn't.   Over the years 2017 to 2022, European, Māori, Pacific, and Asian participation rates stayed relatively steady. The failure to shift the dial, the New Zealand Herald reports, was so evident that in 2020, Labour shifted the policy's purpose to reducing student debt levels. All right, well we can't get disadvantaged kids to university, we can't get first in family. Oh, I know, we'll use the taxpayer money to reduce student debt level.   The failed objectives were to increase participation in tertiary study, expand access by reducing financial barriers, and support lifelong learning. Nope. First year fees-free was limited to learners with little to no prior study, limiting lifelong learning support, the analysis said from the Ministry of Education. It described the scheme as a lot of money for little behavioural change, or as they put it, a high deadweight cost.   From this year, the Coalition Government has changed the scheme so it applies to the final year of study, with payment following the completion of studies. The policy has three objectives: to incentivize learners, particularly disadvantaged learners, to finish their studies, to reward learners who complete their program of study, to reduce the overall cost of study.   The Ministry of Education officials say this is going to fail too. Particularly for degree level study, once a learner reaches their final year, they are already far more likely to complete than those first entering study. So basically, they said it's a self-fulfilling prophecy.   By the time you reach your third year, you're going to finish whether the taxpayer is paying for your final year of fees or not. You're motivated enough to stay. They say the second goal is essentially meaningless. Of course there's going to be a completion of qualifications. And the third objective, will most likely succeed, to reduce the overall cost of study. And it will at least help the government's books, the trade-off being an estimated $230 million a year in student debt or more debt repayments than would otherwise occur.   So thought bubbles don't make sound policy. The thing that really concerned me in the early years of Labour was that they were ideas I'd think of – ‘Oh, I know, let's do this’. Which is great, but you have to think it through, and you have to listen to your advisors, and you have to listen when people say, "Mm, I'm not entirely sure that we're going to be able to build 100,000 houses." "Yeah, yeah, yeah, but what about if we do this?" And we just throw as much money as we possibly can at it.    And on the face of it, taking away that first year of paying your fees – "Hey, gang, I've got an idea. Let's take away that first year of fees so that disadvantaged kids will see university as a great option." I mean, it... Tue, 14 Oct 2025 23:55:52 Z /on-air/kerre-woodham-mornings/audio/mark-mitchell-police-minister-on-the-support-available-for-those-wanting-to-leave-gangs/ /on-air/kerre-woodham-mornings/audio/mark-mitchell-police-minister-on-the-support-available-for-those-wanting-to-leave-gangs/ What do you do if you want to leave a gang?  A coroner has found that Napier Mongrel Mob leader Neil Angus Benson, otherwise known as Heil Dogg, felt trapped in his position in the gang in the months leading up to his suicide in December 2024.  In his report, Coroner Wilton said Benson appeared to be under "psychological strain of his leadership position in the Mongrel Mob gang".  “He also described an internal dilemma: wanting to exit the gang lifestyle, but recognising he was too deeply involved for a straightforward exit.”  So if you want out, what can you do?  Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Kerre Woodham that from a government perspective, there is a significant amount of support they can provide.  He says if someone makes the decision to leave and has the fortitude to follow through, the Government will get alongside them and help them.  LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 23:49:19 Z /on-air/kerre-woodham-mornings/audio/kirk-sargent-first-foundation-ceo-on-the-programme-supporting-lower-socioeconomic-students-through-tertiary-study/ /on-air/kerre-woodham-mornings/audio/kirk-sargent-first-foundation-ceo-on-the-programme-supporting-lower-socioeconomic-students-through-tertiary-study/ Another option to go alongside fees free study.  The Labour Government introduced First Year Fees Free in 2018, providing tertiary students with up to $12,000 in tuition cover for the first year of provider-based study, or the first two years of work-based learning.    The Coalition Government has changed the scheme from this year, applying it to the final year of study instead.   The policy had three objectives, to incentivise learners, particularly disadvantaged learners, to finish their studies; to reward learners who complete their programme of study; to reduce the overall cost of study.  However, officials say, like its predecessor, this policy is likely to fail too.   First Foundation is a wraparound programme that picks up academically talented but low-income students in year 12, giving them support, mentorship, and financial assistance for university.    First Foundation CEO Kirk Sargent told Kerre Woodham they’d welcome the chance to grab that $12,000, invest it into young people and get more people coming through the tertiary environment.  He says New Zealand has a productivity issue, and programmes like this could be a solution that would benefit the economy in the long run.   LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 23:39:28 Z /on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/audio/liam-hehir-political-commentator-on-gerry-brownlees-plan-to-crack-down-on-parliamentary-standards/ /on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/audio/liam-hehir-political-commentator-on-gerry-brownlees-plan-to-crack-down-on-parliamentary-standards/ Support for a crackdown on dress codes and behaviour in Parliament.   Speaker Gerry Brownlee's cracking down on rules in the House following what he sees as multiple disruptive incidents.   The latest saw Te Pati Māori MP Oriini Kaipara's maiden speech go well over time.   He will look at attendance records, dress standards, and leave provisions.   Political commentator Liam Hehir told Ryan Bridge dressing for particular environments reminds you you're there for an occasion.  He asks what occasion is more important than doing the people's business, and says it's not wrong for the Speaker to insist on standards.  LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 22:04:06 Z /on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/audio/phil-palfrey-kaitao-intermediate-principal-on-the-ero-report-showing-improvement-in-maths-and-english/ /on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/audio/phil-palfrey-kaitao-intermediate-principal-on-the-ero-report-showing-improvement-in-maths-and-english/ Improved relationships between teachers and students are being credited as just as important as the Government's curriculum changes.  New Education Review Office research shows teachers are seeing more engaged students in maths and English, and three-quarters of parents say their child is making progress.   Principal of Rotorua's Kaitao Intermediate, Phil Palfrey told Ryan Bridge it's also that more people are realising the importance of school.   He says teachers have been working hard to build relationships with their students, which is equally as important as any curriculum changes.   LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 21:58:04 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/opinion/mikes-minute-gail-parata-my-hero-of-the-week/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/opinion/mikes-minute-gail-parata-my-hero-of-the-week/ Most stories need a hero, and Gail Parata might fit the role in this netball mess.  Or is it now a scandal?  Gail Parata has resigned as a national netball selector and in doing so has gone out guns blazing and, because of that, has given the rest of us a decent insight into what a shambles the Dame Noeline Taurua story really is.  This thing is now weeks old since she got stood down.  The story and the incidents go back, apparently, to a camp in summer.  Taurua's treatment, writes Parata on social media, sends a chilling message to every coach in the country.  The coaching profession's voice has been sidelined. Even the most successful, world class coaches are now dispensable.  The very essence of coaching, relationships, trust and lived experience no longer seems to hold weight with those making decisions.  She's on a roll at this point, God bless her. Who, she asks, would step into a role now knowing that one complaint, one misinterpretation or one moment taken out of context could end your career?  The value of this, quite apart from the fact it’s the first time as far as I know we have heard from a so called third party, is that the so-called "third party" seems to infer what we all suspect.  This thing got blown out of all proportion. This thing, whatever it is, seems to involve some sort of upset, moaning, whining, fragile, ego-related overreaction to an event at the camp.  In other words, some players got huffy over Noeline's approach.  So the big question for Netball NZ is just how many casualties do you want? You have star players publicly calling you out and wanting their coach back, you’ve got lawyers in six minute blocks, and now a selector who clearly feels someone has to break the silence and flush a few truths out.  The damage is to Noeline, to the sport, to the selection panel and to coaches generally because the questions raised by Parata are all excellent and, like all the other questions in this stinking mess, require some answers.    Tue, 14 Oct 2025 21:46:11 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/richard-arnold-us-correspondent-on-the-ongoing-work-on-the-peace-plan-in-gaza/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/richard-arnold-us-correspondent-on-the-ongoing-work-on-the-peace-plan-in-gaza/ A few hiccups in the journey towards peace in the Middle East.   Hamas has released the 20 living Israeli hostages and almost 2000 Palestinians have been returned by Israel.  Leaders including Donald Trump have signed the US-brokered peace deal at a summit in Egypt.  However, US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking, despite Trump claiming the war is over, he had no input on how to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian standoff over rebuilding Gaza.  He says the peace proposal lacks detail in key areas and its implementation remains tenuous.   LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 21:32:25 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/pollies-mark-mitchell-and-ginny-andersen-talk-parliamentary-standards-te-pati-m%C4%81ori/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/pollies-mark-mitchell-and-ginny-andersen-talk-parliamentary-standards-te-pati-m%C4%81ori/ Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into the biggest political stories of the week so far.   Slipping parliamentary standards are back at the forefront, with Speaker Gerry Brownlee planning to crack down on behaviour after yet another incident.   And Te Pati Māori is seemingly melting down from the inside, with allegations regarding a former party vice-president and budget blowouts.   LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:50:38 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/the-re-wrap/the-re-wrap-house-rules/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/the-re-wrap/the-re-wrap-house-rules/ THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Wednesday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) Licensed to Gavel/Why Are We Still Caring About Netball?/That About Wraps it Up for Privacy/EV Myths Busted/Hegseth Be Cray-Cray Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:19:15 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/saira-boyle-aotearoa-infinite-academy-founding-principle-on-nzs-first-fully-online-charter-school/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/saira-boyle-aotearoa-infinite-academy-founding-principle-on-nzs-first-fully-online-charter-school/ There's hopes a new online school will help students struggling in a traditional classroom.  Aotearoa Infinite Academy will open in January as the country's first fully online charter school.   Founding Principal Saira Boyle says the timing is right for such learning.  She told Mike Hosking they have access to high quality teachers across the country, and they’re going to make sure processes and systems are in place so that students are excited to approach and engage in learning.   Boyle says that since the announcement was made yesterday, a substantial number of people have inquired.   LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:11:53 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/full-show-podcast-15-october-2025/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/full-show-podcast-15-october-2025/ On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 15th of October, there’s a new yearly report on the hospitality sector, who have earned record high revenue. So are times better than what’s being reported?  Former Silver Ferns selector Gail Parata explains why she resigned from her role and her disappointment with Netball NZ for the way they’ve handled the Dame Noeline Taurua saga.   Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen discuss Te Pati Maori’s budget issues and parliamentary standards on Politics Wednesday.   Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:10:27 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/marisa-bidois-restaurant-association-ceo-on-the-hospitality-sectors-record-high-revenue-but-low-profit-margins/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/marisa-bidois-restaurant-association-ceo-on-the-hospitality-sectors-record-high-revenue-but-low-profit-margins/ Revenue in the hospitality sector's reached a new record high, but many operators are seeing profit margins reach a new record low.  Restaurant Association data shows sales have risen 1.4% in the past year.  Tourism regions like Nelson and Queenstown-Lakes are seeing strong growth but central Auckland and Wellington are still doing it tough.  Association Chief Executive Marisa Bidois told Mike Hosking tourism is continuing to drive much of the growth.  She says CBDs are struggling, as foot traffic hasn't got back to pre-Covid levels yet.  Bidois says any rise in revenue is being eroded by rising costs.  She says food costs are up 4.6%, wages continue to climb, and insurance and rent have gone up as well.  LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 19:51:13 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/lucy-naylor-auckland-primary-principals-association-president-on-students-reportedly-performing-better-in-english-and-maths/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/lucy-naylor-auckland-primary-principals-association-president-on-students-reportedly-performing-better-in-english-and-maths/ Promising signs of improvement across the primary education sector.   The Education Review Office has found teachers are seeing more engaged students, and three-quarters of parents report progress since the start of the year.  It follows new data showing more new entrants exceeding phonics expectations.  President of Auckland Primary Principals' Association Lucy Naylor told Mike Hosking they're also noticing changes in the engagement and attention of children.   She says although the curriculum is still new, these are good signs.  Naylor told Hosking the new English and maths curriculum is like a springboard for the next round of subject improvements.   She says the slower roll out in other areas has been useful for teachers, so they can focus on core subjects first and feel prepared for more changes to come.   LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 19:36:14 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/gail-parata-former-silver-ferns-selector-on-the-treatment-of-dame-noeline-taurua-by-netball-nz/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/gail-parata-former-silver-ferns-selector-on-the-treatment-of-dame-noeline-taurua-by-netball-nz/ Former Silver Ferns selector Gail Parata has rebuked a lack of due process by Netball New Zealand in standing down coach Dame Noeline Taurua and assistant Debbie Fuller.  The pair have been sidelined after allegations of an unsafe high performance environment, which remain unresolved.  The issues are understood to date back to a Silver Ferns camp in January.  Parata resigned as selector last month in a show of support for Taurua, and she told Mike Hosking no formal complaint was lodged.  She says there’s about 31 people in the Silver Ferns environment, including management and other athletes, and they only spoke to five Silver Ferns and two Junior Silver Ferns.  “Why did they not speak to everyone? That’s really, really disappointing.”  LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 19:22:43 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/david-carter-former-speaker-of-the-house-on-gerry-brownlee-cracking-down-on-behaviour-in-parliament/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/david-carter-former-speaker-of-the-house-on-gerry-brownlee-cracking-down-on-behaviour-in-parliament/ A former Speaker of the House is confident attempts to tighten parliamentary standards will be successful. Current speaker Gerry Brownlee's cracking down on behaviour following what he sees as multiple disruptive incidents. The latest saw Te Pati Māori MP Oriini Kaipara's maiden speech go well over time. David Carter told Mike Hosking Brownlee will definitely get the majority support from Parliament to do this. Carter says Brownlee just needs to show the will to enforce stricter standards. LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 19:13:53 Z /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/david-cunningham-squirrel-mortgages-ceo-on-the-reserve-bank-easing-loan-to-value-ratio-restrictions/ /on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/david-cunningham-squirrel-mortgages-ceo-on-the-reserve-bank-easing-loan-to-value-ratio-restrictions/ The Reserve Bank's continuing to change its approach to preventing risky lending.  It's further easing loan-to-value-ratio restrictions, allowing banks to lend more money to low-deposit borrowers.  It follows the roll-out of debt-to-income restrictions last year, restricting how much banks can lend to people who already have a lot of debt relative to their income.  Squirrel Mortgages Chief Executive David Cunningham told Mike Hosking LVRs had been imperfect on their own.  He says when property prices went up, it allowed banks to lend more, pushing up property prices further, with borrowers' incomes not factored in.  LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 18:50:58 Z /on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/audio/brad-jacobs-coffee-club-director-on-cafes-continuing-to-see-the-profits-squeezed/ /on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/audio/brad-jacobs-coffee-club-director-on-cafes-continuing-to-see-the-profits-squeezed/ Cafes are continuing to see their profits squeezed. Sales in the hospitality sector have increased 1.4% in the past year according to just-released figures from the Restaurant Association. But sales for cafes and restaurants only rose 0.3%. Coffee Club Director Brad Jacobs told Ryan Bridge they're having to absorb rising costs to remain competitive. He says the minimum wage has gone up much faster than the price of coffee over the past decade. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:24:06 Z /on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/opinion/ryan-bridge-a-warning-for-chris-hipkins/ /on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/opinion/ryan-bridge-a-warning-for-chris-hipkins/ There’s a warning for Hipkins as he plots higher taxes for Kiwi businesses, investors, and savers - it comes from across the ditch. Albanese’s been having problems getting his super tax plan across the line, despite having a majority in Parliament. The Opposition to it has come not just from the usual suspects, but also former PM and Labor stalwart Paul Keating - even the Unions cried boohoo. So he’s had to U-turn on unrealised gains, which have always been a stupid thing to try and tax. How can you pay tax on money you haven’t earned?  The Greens want to do this. David Parker wanted to it. Te Pati Māori wants it. And Debbie said at the weekend that she and Chippy are on the same page when it comes to a wealth tax.  He denies this, but does anyone believe a guy who won’t tell you what he’s really thinking or what he really stands for?  Until he rules something in or out, he looks like a guy plotting in secret. He and Barbara are squirrelled away with an abacus and a calculator quietly conjuring up a new and inventive revenue streams. We’re left wondering whose business, whose property is ripe for the picking. The warning from Australia is pretty night and day, if you’re going to tax something, and that’s a big "if" here at home, but if you’re going to do it, you’d better make sure it’s a realised gain and not a tax on imaginary, on-paper earnings. Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:17:09 Z /on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/audio/full-show-podcast-15-october-2025/ /on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/audio/full-show-podcast-15-october-2025/ On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday 15th of October 2025, The speaker's set out plans to crack down on standards after Oriini Kaipara's maiden speech, political commentator, Liam Hehir shares his thoughts.  The hospitality sector's hit record sales of $15.9 billion, Franchise NZ Chairperson and Coffee Club co-owner Brad Jacobs tells Ryan revenue doesn't always mean profit.  A report by the Education Review Office shows primary-aged kids are not only getting better at English and Maths, but they're more excited about doing it, Kaitao Intermediate School Principal Phil Palfrey tells Ryan how big of a change he's seen in his school.  Plus, UK/ Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on an Afghan man who came to the UK on a small boat and threatened to kill Nigel Farage, being jailed for five years. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVE   Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:08:17 Z /on-air/marcus-lush-nights/audio/fuot-14-october-2025/ /on-air/marcus-lush-nights/audio/fuot-14-october-2025/ Marcus gleans your best (and not-so-best) life advice, while covering albino wildlife and trips to the Chatham Islands. LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 14 Oct 2025 11:08:06 Z /on-air/sportstalk/audio/andrew-fernando-cricket-writer-ahead-of-the-white-ferns-clash-against-sri-lanka/ /on-air/sportstalk/audio/andrew-fernando-cricket-writer-ahead-of-the-white-ferns-clash-against-sri-lanka/ The White Ferns performed well to get their tournament back on Friday night, picking up their first win of the Women's ODI World Cup against Bangladesh. Tonight, they face another stern challenge taking on Sri Lanka at home in Colombo. Andrew Fernando is a cricket writer for ESPN cricinfo and he caught up with D'Arcy to talk about the game coming up tonight. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:18:25 Z /on-air/sportstalk/audio/margie-foster-former-silver-fern-on-the-latest-with-the-dame-noeline-taurua-saga/ /on-air/sportstalk/audio/margie-foster-former-silver-fern-on-the-latest-with-the-dame-noeline-taurua-saga/ The Silver Ferns coaching saga seems to be never ending. Earlier today, it was announced that Silver Ferns selector Gail Parata was resigning from the role in the aftermath of the suspension of Dame Noeline Taurua and in a long Facebook post questioned whether any New Zealand sporting coach was safe. Former Silver Fern Margie Foster shared the post in support and announced that she would no longer be involved tossing the coin at the upcoming Constellation Cup series against Australia.  D'Arcy spoke with Margie to hear her thoughts on whether New Zealand sporting coaches should be on notice.  LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:11:45 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/enda-brady-uk-correspondent-on-prime-minister-starmer-looking-to-blame-farage-for-budget-tax-hikes/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/enda-brady-uk-correspondent-on-prime-minister-starmer-looking-to-blame-farage-for-budget-tax-hikes/ New reports out of the UK claim Prime Minister Keir Starmer is looking to blame Nigel Farage and Brexit for tax rises in the upcoming November budget. The UK has a significant financial black hole it needs to fill up, and it's looking more likely that increased taxes are the way forward. UK correspondent Enda Brady says it's unlikely UK voters will accept this. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:04:48 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/the-huddle-why-do-more-people-think-violence-is-okay/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/the-huddle-why-do-more-people-think-violence-is-okay/ Tonight on The Huddle, lawyer and political commentator Brigitte Morton and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! New data shows one in seven Kiwis believe violence is needed to get the country back on track. How worrying is this data? The hostages and prisoners have been freed in Gaza - why aren't more people celebrating? Do we need to give Donald Trump more credit for what appears to be - for now - peace in the Middle East? Are the latest dramas involving Te Pāti Māori (allegations of MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi overspending its budget, allegations that Eru Kapa-Kingi verbally abused Parliamentary security staff) a sign of a party that shouldn't be in power? What do we make of all this? New data shows more Kiwis are moving to Australia. Should we be concerned about the ongoing brain drain? LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:53:18 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/paul-bloxham-hsbc-chief-economist-on-reports-claiming-the-rba-wont-cut-interest-rates-til-2026/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/paul-bloxham-hsbc-chief-economist-on-reports-claiming-the-rba-wont-cut-interest-rates-til-2026/ New reports indicate the Reserve Bank of Australia won't be cutting interest rates until at least February 2026. Employment remains high and inflation is still at target, and experts claim the central bank has no reason to do anything big. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham explains further. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:35:30 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/hamish-mckay-the-country-spokesperson-on-nz-first-raising-concerns-over-gene-tech-bill/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/hamish-mckay-the-country-spokesperson-on-nz-first-raising-concerns-over-gene-tech-bill/ New Zealand First has started to voice concerns over the proposed  Gene Technology Bill, breaking away from fellow coalition partners. NZ First claimed it wouldn't support the current bill - unless National agreed to some significant changes.  The Country's Hamish McKay explained further. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:24:02 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/mike-williams-air-new-zealand-chief-transformation-and-alliances-officer-on-the-airlines-new-deal-with-air-chathams/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/mike-williams-air-new-zealand-chief-transformation-and-alliances-officer-on-the-airlines-new-deal-with-air-chathams/ Air New Zealand's teamed up with Air Chathams on a new partnership for Whakatane. It'll mean customers can book single-ticket trips that combine domestic flights on both airlines. Checked-in baggage will be transferred directly to the final destination. Air New Zealand's Chief Transformation and Alliances Officer, Mike Williams, explained what the partnership could mean for both airlines. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:18:23 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/full-show-podcast-14-october-2025/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/full-show-podcast-14-october-2025/ On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 14 October 2025, former Australian army officer and Middle East expert Rodger Shanahan on peace in Gaza - and how much credit Donald Trump deserves. The implosion continues at the Maori Party with fiery allegations sent out against their own MP in a late night email. Integrity Institute director Bryce Edwards says it's an extraordinary move. Air NZ is making a long-awaited change to regional flights - Chief Transformation and Alliances Officer Mike Williams explains what's taken them so long. Wayne Naylor from  Hospice NZ explains why NZ gets only 3 from 5 stars as a place to die. Plus, the Huddle debates a new poll that found 1 in 7 people think it's okay to use violence as a means to get the country back on track. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:11:45 Z /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/opinion/perspective-with-heather-du-plessis-allan-trump-does-deserve-credit-for-the-gaza-agreement/ /on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/opinion/perspective-with-heather-du-plessis-allan-trump-does-deserve-credit-for-the-gaza-agreement/ So, what happened last night is remarkable. Before the deadline of 10pm New Zealand time, 20 living Israeli hostages - who had been held for 2 years, who had been forced in some cases to dig their own graves, spend unknown lengths of time in tunnels underground, and go without much in the way of sustenance at times - were handed over by their captors back into the care of Israel, which is their home. That is remarkable. Because, I mean, let's be honest about it - in the last two years, there were times where surely we started to believe that we'd seen the last of the survivors make it out. Surely, we'd assumed most, if not all, of the remaining 20 would die in captivity in the years that we may have thought stretched ahead of us. But look at what's happened, aid is now flowing back into Gaza, people are going back to their homes - whatever is left of it - and the shelling has stopped. You would think this would be a moment to celebrate, right? The very thing that so many of us have been calling for for such a long time and increasingly in the last few months has happened. The fighting has stopped, the starvation has stopped. But where is the celebration? I mean, don't you think it's remarkably muted today? Now I realize a lot of that will be that there is some weariness, quite rightly, over whether this peace can hold because so many ceasefires have broken down in the past, and there are so many ways that this ceasefire can break down. It could be a rocket fired in error, it could be Hamas still refusing to disarm, it could be anything. But I do wonder if part of it is also because it's hard for some people to give credit to Donald Trump for the role that he played in this. I mean, already there are opinion pieces that are writing him out of this historic moment and talking up the diplomatic efforts of others, particularly in the Middle East, and warning he will never get a Nobel Peace Prize for this, regardless of whether this peace holds. But you can't ignore his role in this and you can't write him out of this. He was instrumental in a way that Biden never was. And it was for various reasons, mainly because of his friendship with Benjamin Netanyahu - which Biden never had - but also because of his relationship with the Arab countries because of previous work in the region, in his first administration, like the Abraham Accords. Now, let's be fair, it's always hard to give credit to people we dislike. It's also very hard to give credit to people who are so capable of dishing out copious amounts of credit to themselves, like Donald Trump. But Trump does deserve credit and he deserves a lot of it for getting the Gaza conflict to a point that it has never been before, which is that all the living hostages are out. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:05:57 Z