Heather du Plessis-Allan

Heather du Plessis-Allan (born 1984) is a New Zealand journalist, television and radio broadcaster. She has worked for several broadcasters including TV3, Radio Live, TVNZ and Newstalk ZB.^[1]

Early life and education

Heather du Plessis-Allan was born in South Africa in 1984.^[2] She migrated to New Zealand at the age of 12.^[3][4] Her mother Elizabeth^[5] is of Afrikaner descent while her father is of English descent and moved to New Zealand during his teenage years.^[3] Her parents separated when she was five years old. du-Plessis Allan's mother later remarried a New Zealand-born South African man, who fathered her two younger brothers.^[3][4]

While living in South Africa, du Plessis-Allan attended a semi-private high school that was adjusting to the end of Apartheid in 1994.^[3] After migrating to New Zealand, du Plessis-Allan and her family initially lived in Pukekohe before moving to Tuakau, Waikato. There, she studied at Tuakau College. During her final high school years in New Zealand, du-Plessis Allan's mother and stepfather divorced. She and her brothers opted to remain in New Zealand.^[3] Her mother Elizabeth became a real estate agent working for Barfoot & Thompson.^[5]

Du Plessis-Allan later studied political science at the University of Auckland.^[1][3] She credited her father for inspiring her interest in politics by giving her a copy of former ACT Party operative Simon Carr's The Dark Art of Politics.^[3]

Journalism career

After graduating from University of Auckland, du-Plessis Allan briefly interned at TV3 before joining Radio Live as a broadcaster.^[1][3] She then worked as a broadcast journalist for TVNZ for ten years, including two years for TVNZ's current affairs programme Seven Sharp.^[1][3] In early 2015, du-Plessis Allan became a political journalist at TV3's current affairs Story programme.^[1][3] She also rejoined Radio Live.^[1]

In 2015, du-Plessis Allan produced a report on Story covering the ease of buying guns online in New Zealand. In response, her home was raided by the New Zealand Police. du-Plessis Allan had used false details to purchase a firearm online without holding a licence. Despite the police minister describing this as a "pretty serious offence", no charges were laid.^[6][7] The New Zealand Government also passed legislation amending the procedures for purchasing firearms.^[1] In 2017, du-Plessis Allan left her journalism job at TV3 following the cancellation of the Story programme.^[1] After participating in a New Zealand Herald interview covering the cancellation of Story, TV3's parent company MediaWorks New Zealand ordered her "off the air."^[4]

In 2017, du-Plessis Allan became a morning host at the New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME)-owned radio station Newstalk ZB. She subsequently became the host for their news and current affairs show Drive in 2019.^[1][2]

In September 2022, du-Plessis Allan was criticised by Rose Cook and School Strike 4 Climate organiser Mia Sutherland for allegedly bullying teenage School Strike 4 Climate organiser Izzy Cook during a live-interview.^[8][9] In late February 2023, the Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled that NZME was right to uphold a complaint against du-Plessis Allan's interview with Cook. NZME agreed that the interview breached fairness standards due to Cook's age and vulnerability. du Plessis-Allan and NZME apologised to Cook.^[10]

Personal life

Du Plessis-Allan has been married to New Zealand journalist Barry Soper since 2009.^[3][11] The couple live in Auckland.^[5][2] On 26 February 2022, she gave birth to a son. She is also a step-mother to Soper's five adult children.^[11][2]

Du Plessis-Allan is bilingual and speaks English and Afrikaans.^[4] She is fan of New Zealand writer Eleanor Catton's The Luminaries, whom she had interviewed.^[4]

Views and positions

Du Plessis-Allan has advocated scrapping the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) school certificate, citing concerns with academic quality and rigor.^[12]

In December 2024, du Plessis-Allan defended Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's decision not to attend the annual Waitangi Day events at Waitangi in February 2025.^[13]

References

1. "Heather du Plessis-Allan". NZ On Screen. NZ On Air. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
2. Pellegrino, Nicky (5 May 2024). "Heather du Plessis-Allan's motherhood secrets: 'I don't always understand how I do it!'". New Zealand Woman's Weekly. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
3. Dudding, Adam (9 August 2015). "The real Heather du Plessis-Allan". Stuff. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
4. "Heather du Plessis-Allan and Barry Soper on working together and starting a family". New Zealand Listener. Are Media. 17 January 2017. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
5. Now To Love (20 April 2016). "Heather du Plessis-Allan's personal source of strength". New Zealand Woman's Weekly. Are Media. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
6. "No charges over gun story". NZ Herald. 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
7. Fisher, David (2015-10-20). "'She committed a pretty serious offence'". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
8. Cook, Rose (25 September 2022). "Heather du Plessis-Allan should be ashamed of how she bullied my daughter". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
9. Sutherland, Mia (27 September 2022). "As a former School Strike 4 Climate organiser, I am all too familiar with ridicule. But this interview surprised me". Stuff. Archived from the original on 4 March 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
10. Clark, Poppy (28 February 2023). "Newstalk ZB host Heather du Plessis-Allan 'ridiculed' teen during interview - BSA". Stuff. Archived from the original on 31 January 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
11. Nissen, Wendyl (28 April 2022). "Heather du Plessis-Allan introduces her beautiful boy Iggy". New Zealand Woman's Weekly. Are Media. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
12. Du-Plessis Allan, Heather (26 November 2024). "Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: It's time to scrap NCEA for good". Newstalk ZB. Archived from the original on 22 December 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
13. Du-Plessis Allan, Heather (20 December 2024). "Heather du Plessis-Allan: Luxon has made the right call re Waitangi". Newstalk ZB. Archived from the original on 29 December 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2025.