On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 16 May 2025, Finance Minister Nicola Willis tells Heather why she's begrudgingly signed off on an almost 600 million dollar subsidy for film productions.

Woolworths boss Pieter de Wet has hit back at the Government, saying its the cost of GST that's making New Zealand's groceries more expensive than in Australia.

Auckland FC Coach Steve Corica speaks to Heather ahead of tomorrow's playoffs game against Melbourne.

Plus, the Sports Huddle talks Ryan Fox' big win this week and is First XV rugby better than Super Rugby?

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

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The chief suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance, who is currently serving a sentence for a rape conviction, is set to be released from prison in Germany later than originally scheduled.

Christian Brückner, 48, was convicted of raping a 72-year-old American tourist in Portugal in 2005 and had been scheduled for release in September, but this could now be pushed back to early next year.

He has never been charged in the McCann case and denies any involvement in her disappearance in 2007.

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the case, the Ukrainian man charged with arson at Kier Starmer's property and more.

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The trade war between the United States and China has settled down for 90 days.

President Donald Trump’s agreed to reduce tariffs by 115 percent.

Asia Business Correspondent Peter Lewis talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the developments, Japan’s conditions on singing a trade deal with the US and China’s exports growing sharply - just not in the US.

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I just want to be clear, I don't want to start a disagreement between shows here on Newstalk ZB, but I did listen to Mike Hosking this morning talking some smack, and listening to it, I felt, no, I'm gonna have to say something about this just to restore a bit of balance to this debate.

In defence of instant coffee, the stuff is great. I love it. I drink it nearly every day, little flat white in the morning, little old school instant in the afternoon.

I am, I would like to point out, squarely in the demographic that should be snobby about coffee, right? It should be like fresh beans from Rwanda every day. I grew up on the cafe culture, live in Ponsonby, have some of the best cafes in the country around the corner, but I still write by instinct.

Now I don't want to be super unfair on Mike, because obviously he's a legend, but he does some girl math when he wants to. Instant coffee is not more expensive than your ground beans.

I mean, if you look at it on the face of what you're paying at the supermarket, yep, sure, your classic Makona at $12 for 100 g does appear to be more expensive than your Havana 5 Star coffee beans at $10.50 for 200 g, cause obviously getting 200 g of the beans as opposed, as opposed to 100 g of the instant.

So, you know, you're paying for twice as many beans for roughly the same price.

But you and I know that's not how it works.

You and I know that you're getting more cups of coffee out of that little Macona jar, cause you're only using one teaspoon at a time. You're using the beans, you're gonna have to fill up that whole double shot filter basket, and so you're gonna whip through that 200 g a whole lot faster.

But the thing about it is, obviously, you know, I live in Ponsonby, OK?

It's not just about price. I can afford to go and buy myself a nice little flat white. It's about the fact that it tastes good.

Instant coffee tastes good in its own special watery mud way. Do you know what I mean?

It's got its place in life. I don't think we need to discount it.

It's kind of like you can enjoy yourself a craft beer, but then you can also want a dirty old Corona from time to time. Or you can make a virtue out of eating your Vogels and getting all that fiber going through your gut. But then sometimes you just want a nice white slice with your snag. You know what I mean?

Sometimes you just want to get down in the gutter with that little instant coffee. Not everyone wants to drink an espresso at 3 in the afternoon and be pinging at 11 at night. Still, that's the place of the instant coffee. You have that at 3, it's got a little light little buzz until 7.Sleep like a baby after that.

And finally, just the final point on this is. It turns out more of us actually drink the instant than the espresso.

This may shock you, because we're the land of the flat white, but we are also the land that invented the instant coffee in Southland. And the last survey I saw said 44% of us drink the instant, and only 34% of us drink the espresso.

And as Mike likes to say, numbers don't lie.

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Wellington’s potential next Mayor is making headlines for dishing out suggestions to the current mayor.

Andrew Little called on Tory Whanau to not sign any more contracts in the Golden Mile redevelopment – calling it unethical to do so before a new Mayor is elected in October.

In a statement to Newstalk ZB, Whanau said candidates “do not have the mandate to demand that our Council cease progress on any democratically agreed-upon projects”

Wellington Mayoral candidate Andrew Little talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan.

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One News Sports Editor Abby Wilson and Sports Journalist Jim Kayes join Heather du Plessis-Allan for the Sports Huddle.

Auckland FC are facing a huge challenge this weekend as they take on the Melbourne Victory. The Sports Huddle discusses if the team’s prepared for the match.

America’s Cup fans will have heard the discourse about Team New Zealandsailing in Italy helmed by an Australian. Does it make it less of a Kiwi team?

First XV Rugby is set to be televised again. The Sports Huddle debate the relevance of having it return.

All this and more tonight’s Sports Huddle.

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Auckland FC have 180 minutes to secure their place in the grand final, when they take on the Melbourne Victory tomorrow.

Melbourne Victory are regarded as one of the league’s most dominant clubs, boasting four championships and three premierships.

Auckland FC Head Coach Steve Corcia talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan ahead of the momentous game.

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New reports show cruise ships are giving New Zealand a miss.

Next season will see a 28 percent decrease in port visits nationwide.

Cruise Association CEO Jackie Lloyd says cruise ship companies have a negative perception of New Zealand.

“They think New Zealand’s unwelcoming, that we’re not wanting crews, and they’re reflecting that in their deployment decisions for the next couple of years,” she said.

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