Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

David Seymour is urging students to stay in school tomorrow and not join protests across the country. Toitu Te Tiriti is urging Māori to strike countrywide across the New Zealand on Budget Day as a demonstration against a Government assault on Tangata Whenua and Te Tiriti. Multiple hikoi are planned, including rolling road blockages in Auckland and a rally outside the Beehive. Associate Education Minister David Seymour told Mike Hosking that education needs to be the top priority for students. He doesn't see how a protest focused on race without constructive solutions will help. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The News Publishers Association remains optimistic the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill will go through. A Select Committee's recommended the bill not be passed in its current form. The bill would force social media giants to pay for using news media. Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says they've not made a decision and it's still on the table. News Publishers Association spokesperson Andrew Holden told Mike Hosking that ACT is against the bill while Labour and the Greens are in support. He says there's no comment from National or New Zealand First, leaving the ground open for Goldsmith to step in and say exactly what he'd do. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nelson-based fuel company NPD has remained 100% Kiwi owned. The company left the hands of the founding family, selling a majority of the shares. One Kiwi in particular now owns the company, current CEO and longtime employee, Barry Sheridan. Sheridan told Mike Hosking that their goal is to bring the most competitive fuel prices they can as they expand through New Zealand, while still maintaining that strong New Zealand family-owned position. He said that it helps the economy, as they retain all the funds within New Zealand, which then helps to strengthen the families within New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A public transport advocate believes we're paying the price for a lack of investment in trains. Only 22.5% of Wairarapa trains arrived within five minutes of being on schedule in April. It's a slight improvement from February, which had only around 5% of trains within target. Jon Reeves from the Public Transport Users Association told Mike Hosking that there's a lot to catch up on. He says new trains are coming in 2028 and there are issues with tracks and tunnels, impacting both passengers and freight. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A struggle to staff the country's radiation oncology services is turning more cancer patients to private care. RNZ is reporting that a service caring for patients in five regions across the North Island is not allowed to recruit the staff it needs, despite recommendations from Te Whatu Ora. Cancer Society Co-Director Kate Gregory told Mike Hosking that the shortage is just one reason for the patient shift. She says the private sector also has more cancer medicine options available. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

- Charles Leclerc’s first win since July 2022 - Max Verstappen started and finished the race sixth for Red Bull - Early crash took out Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc won the restarted Monaco Grand Prix from pole position today for his first Formula 1 victory in nearly two years. Leclerc was on pole for the third time in four years, but had previously never finished on the podium at his home race. His first win since Austria in July 2022 took his career tally to six, all with Ferrari. “Tonight’s going to be a big night,” he told his team over the radio. A Monaco victory felt extra special for him, having grown up in a flat overlooking the start-finish line watching cars zooming past below. “No words can explain that. It was the race that made me want to be a Formula 1 driver one day,” the 26-year-old Leclerc said. “Seeing so many of my friends on the balcony, so many people I know. It means a huge amount to me.” The last 15 laps were the most difficult as the realisation of how much winning would mean dawned on him. “I must say I was thinking about my dad,” Leclerc said of his late father. “It was a dream of ours for me to race here and win, so it’s unbelievable.” Championship leader Max Verstappen is bidding for a fourth straight F1 title and saw his lead trimmed to 31 points over second-place Leclerc — 169-138 — with eight races completed. Verstappen started and finished the race sixth for Red Bull, whose other driver Sergio Perez went out of the race after a big first-lap crash. The crash also took out Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg, and caused it to be interrupted by a red flag for 40 minutes. The drivers were not hurt. The race restarted on Lap 3 of 78 and the drivers pulled away cleanly but slowly, with Leclerc managing his tires on a track notoriously difficult for overtaking. Leclerc finished about 8 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and 9 seconds clear of Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. in third. McLaren’s Lando Norris was fourth and Mercedes driver George Russell held off Verstappen to take fifth place. Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh, with Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls), Alex Albon (Williams) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) completing the top 10. It was the same order as the starting grid, reflecting Monaco’s reputation as the hardest track to overtake in F1. “The pace at the beginning was incredibly slow,” Piastri said. “But it’s been a great weekend for the team.” All of the drama came at the start. Perez’s right rear wheel was clipped by the front left tire of Magnussen behind him and put Perez into the crash barrier. Perez’s car almost split in half and also sent Hulkenberg’s Haas spinning as he followed behind. A red flag came out with debris littering the track to allow Perez’s mangled Red Bull to be cleared away by a crane. The Mexican driver walked back accompanied by two race marshals. His team said he did not need medical checks. Then, two Alpines tangled near the tunnel with Esteban Ocon’s front nose sending teammate Pierre Gasly’s car up in the air. With other cars just behind and the tunnel approaching, a serious accident was avoided. Ocon will serve a five-place grid penalty at the next race, the Canada GP on June 9. “Today’s incident was my fault,” Ocon said. “The gap was too small in the end.” Governing body FIA ordered a standing restart with Leclerc in pole ahead of Piastri and Sainz going from third, despite puncturing moments after the start. He was trying to pass Piastri and had to use a run-off area at Casino Square. French football star Kylian Mbappé and FIFA president Gianni Infantino were among the guests enjoying the bright sunshine. But the race proved a processional affair. Following the restart, cars trundled around the 3.3-kilometre (2-mile) narrow street circuit as Leclerc seemed determined to make his tires last until the end. Piastri sat on his tail, and by the halfway point he was around 1 second behind, but Leclerc picked up the pace. “To be honest Charles has been mega all weekend,” Piastri said. “It probably would have taken the best lap of my life (in qualifying). I’m happy with P2.” There was not much action to entertain fans, some of whom spent thousands on VIP tickets. Lance Stroll’s left tyre came off as he entered the pit lane on lap 50, but little else happened as Leclerc gradually extended his lead and ended his barren run. “It’s just impossible to get past on the streets of Monaco,” Sainz said. “But I’m very happy for Charles.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The secondary teachers union says the Government's pre-Budget teacher recruitment announcement is a good start but it needs to ramp up. Education Minister Erica Stanford's announced a 53-million dollar package to train and recruit 1500 teachers over four years. It includes establishing 1200 places for aspiring teachers to learn on the job. PPTA President Chris Abercrombie told Mike Hosking that there's a lot of demand for teachers coming from offshore. He says it can take six months for a teacher to come here and trying to get a teacher that's a right fit for our system, is also an issue. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK Prime Minister has made a big pre-election promise - ahead of July's general election. The Conservative party wants to bring back 12 months of national mandatory military service.Eighteen year olds could choose between a fulltime military placement or one weekend a month of community service. Rishi Sunak's party has not stated the planned punishment if the compulsory service is not completed. UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking it'll appeal to right wing voters. He says it'll cost roughly five billion New Zealand dollars and Rishi Sunak says it'll foster national spirit. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week marks the conclusion to the Donald Trump Hush Money Trial in New York. The first criminal trial of former President Donald J Trump will have its closing arguments on Tuesday before Jurors have to decide to convict him. Mr Trump is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Anthony Davis is an LA based journalist and host of Five Minute News and told Mike Hosking it is "hard to know just how damaging this will be" for him. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The state of New Zealand’s economy is a disappointment. In a pre-Budget speech to the Employers and Manufacturers Association, Finance Minister Nicola Willis confirmed the Government had found savings to pay for tax cuts. However, she warned that the books are still in a structural deficit, with spending outpacing tax revenue. EMA CEO Brett O’Riley told Mike Hosking that while it was disappointing to hear how bad the economy has gotten; it’s heartening to know that there’s a long-term plan. He said the early hints of the Government’s economic growth plan was encouraging to a lot of people in the audience. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have hit the ground running in the UK. The leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties, respectively, are out and about ahead of the July 4 election. But Newstalk ZB UK correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking that it hasn't been a smooth start for the Conservative leader. He says Sunak had an embarrassing faux par in Wales when he asked locals if they were excited to watch the upcoming football, despite Wales not getting through to the Euro finals. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s little surprise a large number of Kiwi teachers didn't pass some high-school subjects. New research has found a quarter of new primary school teachers failed maths and more than half failed science at NCEA Level One. More than half who pursued Level Two maths also failed. The Teaching Council's calling for more investment and widespread changes to how teachers are prepared for the classroom. Auckland University Dean of Education Mark Barrows told Mike Hosking that they've known for a while people heading into primary teaching tend to be under-qualified in those areas. He says providers need to think about how they can produce programmes that help students get past that. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A mining lobby group thinks the Resources Minister's decade-long vision for mining is achievable. Shane Jones has announced a draft strategy which would see a critical minerals list for New Zealand produced, and a detailed stock-take made of the country's known mineral potential. He wants to double export values in 10 years, from one billion to two. Straterra Chief Executive, Josie Vidal told Mike Hosking that there are quite a few mines in the pipeline which they want to get up and running. She says it takes a long time to do that, so they support the current fast-track process being discussed. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Major tornados hit Iowa, leaving towns devastated and people injured or dead. Greenfield was struck by the deadliest tornado of the storm, leaving homes and businesses destroyed, and while police confirmed fatalities at a news briefing, they were unable to say how many. The town’s hospital was among the buildings damaged, forcing the injured to find refuge elsewhere. US Correspondent Kathrine Firkin told Mike Hosking that there have been brutal storms right across the Midwest, but Iowa has borne the brunt of it. She said that the exact death tolls are unknown as authorities are still combing through debris trying to work out who is unaccounted for. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank had a few surprises in its monetary policy update yesterday. While the OCR remaining at 5.5% was expected, Governer Adrian Orr’s signal that the cash rate may remain “restrictive” for longer, was not. Domestic inflation is proving more stubborn than expected, and the Bank is also considering hiking rates if it must. Malcolm Knight, Director of Advice Knight, told Mike Hosking that it’s not just increasing interest rates that are hurting Kiwis, but also rent costs, and the timing of loan repricings. He said that there's very clear signs of financial hardship as people are withdrawing their Kiwisavers to get by and going through matrimonial splits. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French President Emmanuel Macron's imminent arrival in New Caledonia is being viewed as a show of defiance. Six have died in the unrest sparked by government electoral reforms. A further 49 New Zealanders have been rescued from Noumea following the initial 50 people evacuated on Tuesday night. They arrived in Auckland early this morning aboard a Defence Force plane, having initially being taken to Brisbane. Logistical arrangements for subsequent flights are still being worked through by MFAT and the defence force. International Relations expert, Geoffrey Miller told Mike Hosking that Macron's also bringing his Defence Minister and two other senior officials. He believes it's a sign of defiance from Macron, to show he won't be cowered by the protests. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The OCR is expected to remain steady. It’s expected to remain unchanged at 5.5% when the bank releases its quarterly Monetary Policy Statement this afternoon. It's signalled a rate cut may not come for another year. Infometrics' Brad Olsen says the central bank is having to focus on inflation, over other negative economic indicators like rising unemployment. He told Mike Hosking that he’d be very surprised if they decided to move it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s rugby provinces have been warned by the professional players to brace for a civil war if they vote to approve their own governance change proposal at next week’s special general meeting. In an explosive move that shows how distressed the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association (NZRPA) is with the current governance system and the possibility of it not being fixed in line with independent recommendations, the trade body has told the unions it is ready to break away to form a new and separate entity to manage the professional game. In a fiercely worded letter sent to all unions as well as New Zealand Rugby (NZR), Super Rugby Pacific clubs and the Māori Rugby Board, the NZRPA says that if the provinces vote in favour of what is known as Proposal 2 —a new governance structure that the provinces have developed themselves and one that differs significantly to an alternative blueprint that aligns with the findings of an independent review— it will withdraw, via its collective employment agreement, the right for NZR to govern the game. NZRPA CEO Rob Nichol told Mike Hosking that Proposal 2 is a different proposal to what was put up by a group of provincial unions, and unfortunately it doesn’t stack up. He said that it falls well short of the recommendations and independent analysis undertaken by the expert panel and effectively discredits them. Should Proposal 2 be implemented, Nichol said, they’ll end up back at status quo, or worse. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electoral paperwork is landing two MPs in hot water. The Greens have referred suspended MP Darleen Tana to the Electoral Commission for failing to put a promoter statement on a magazine advertorial. The party itself is investigating what she knew about allegations of migrant exploitation relating to her husband's business. At the same time, National has stripped MP David MacLeod of his Select Committee positions, after he failed to declare 19 donations. Former National ministerial advisor Brigitte Morten told Mike Hosking that it brings MacLeod's competence into question. She says with the support available around donation declaration, there's no excuse. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Passengers have described their terror when a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore dropped suddenly. A 73-year-old British man has died of a suspected heart attack and dozens of others were injured. A statement from the airline says 23 of the 211 passengers were from New Zealand. Flight SQ321 was diverted to Bangkok. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that the plane fell seven thousand feet in six minutes, causing mid-air chaos. Seven other passengers are critically injured with head injuries. Singapore Airlines says 18 people have been hospitalised in Bangkok. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police response times in Australia’s Northern Territory have gotten worse. A domestic violence inquest has heard that police response times have increased in the past year, more than doubling over the previous five. NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy revealed that between 2022 and 2023, the number of hours spent on domestic violence cases increased from 712,000 to 882,000, costs increasing with them. Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that racism within the Northern Territory Police has also been put under the spotlight. She said that allegations have been made that a serving officer circulated a photo of a topless aboriginal woman via a social media chat. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local councils want a new approach to move decision making away from central government and back into communities. Local Government New Zealand is proposing city and regional deals, a system which would see councils team up with the government on specific projects. Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe told Mike Hosking that it will give more control to local communities. He says communities know what they want and should be allowed to deliver projects for themselves. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The death of Iran's President isn't expected to have immediate impacts internationally. President Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister have been confirmed dead by state media after a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border. Iran has announced five days of public mourning. Otago University international relations professor Robert Patman told Mike Hosking reaction will come down to whether the crash is deemed an accident. He says there will be serious international ramifications if foul play is found to be involved. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Immediate changes are in store for Kainga Ora, in light of a critical independent review. It found the public housing agency needs significant savings to become financially viable. Housing Minister Chris Bishop's indicated a total refresh of the board but rules out a mass sell-off of state houses. Community Housing Aotearoa Deputy CEO, Chris Glaudel told Mike Hosking that the report isn't shocking, but contained a few surprises. He says the most important thing was the report digging deeper into our overall social housing system and the issues at play. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A sellout crowd is certain as it's just one day til Wellington Phoenix chants ring out across the city. The nix are playing the Melbourne Victory at a packed Cake Tin. Excitement's been building up in the capital about the A-League semifinal clash, as the team goes into the second leg on a nil-all aggregate score, at home. Weekend Sport host Jason Pine told Mike Hosking that he gets the feeling that the match will be settled within 90 minutes. He said that someone will have the inspirational moment, the flash of brilliance, or someone will make a mistake, and that will settle the game. “I don’t think we’ll see a nil-all tomorrow night.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles has been attending garden parties as he returns to public duties. The monarch returned to work in late April, about two months after it was announced he was being treated for cancer. UK correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking that he appeared in good spirits at the garden parties this past week. He says hundreds of people are invited to the parties, which have days for different industries. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Workplace Relations and Safety Minister's being urged to address the huge cost of workplace bullying. A report by the Human Rights Commission and KPMG has found the cost of bullying and harassment to employers is about $1.5 billion a year. Equal Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo told Mike Hosking that Minister Brooke van Velden wants to look at health and safety laws and the grievance processes. She hopes the minister's paying attention to the report, because it may be a loss for businesses but it's the people's lives that are at the centre of this. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federated Farmers says most farmers are looking at Fonterra's change in strategy with cautious optimism. The dairy giant's signalled its intent to divest well-known brands such as Anchor and overseas brands Fonterra Oceania and Fonterra Sri Lanka. It wants to focus on producing ingredients and selling them to consumers and other businesses. Federated Farmers Dairy Chair Richard McIntyre told Mike Hosking that some are concerned about Fonterra's potential move away from value-added products. But he says they're also talking about investing more in innovation, so it'll be interesting to see the detail. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After months of goading, Donald Trump has his wish. Joe Biden has finally agreed to presidential debates, but on a different schedule. He released a video on social media earlier today saying that he’s ready to debate, and that Trump is available on Wednesdays, referring to the day that Trump’s hush money trial is not in session. US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Roman Travers that normally these debates take place in the last two or so months of the campaign, but the first will be taking place in June, the second in September. Biden’s team says the usual model hasn’t been working, and that organisers have failed to keep the debates under control in the past. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of appointments and surgeries have been cancelled as junior doctors begin another strike. They’re continuing to fight for better pay and work conditions. More than 2000 doctors walked off the job at 7am for the second time in two weeks, the strike planned to last two days. Sarah Dalton, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, told Roman Travers that we’re already training many young doctors just to go off and work overseas as the work conditions and pay aren’t good enough for the senior medical workforce. Now, she said, Te Whatu Ora seems to be doing everything they can to get them to go even sooner. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a small silver lining for regional councils amid slowing local economic growth. The March Infometrics Monitor reveals economic activity has increased just 0.2% over a year, the slowest growth since the first Covid-19 lockdown. Building consents have dropped almost 60% in the Tasman District and fell around 25% for all regions. Tasman District Mayor Tim King told Roman Travers that despite hard times for regions, it does present councils an opportunity He says with the current economic downturn it's ironically a good time to invest in infrastructure. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's anticipating many Kiwi police officers will take up New South Wales' incentivised offer. The state is 1500 officers short and has announced it'll fast-track New Zealand officers as recruits. Training requirements will be shortened and Kiwis with at least seven years' experience can keep their current rank, up to senior constable. Labour's Spokesperson on Police, Ginny Andersen told Roman Travers that this offers more than other poaching attempts from Australian states. She says they know that a lot will go, and Police Association President Chris Cahill's said 20 have gone in the last week. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With any promise there’s always an element of wiggle room, misinterpretation, or perhaps reversing out at high speed. Although I have huge admiration for anyone who keeps their word and sticks to a promise verbatim, the coalition government’s promise of tax cuts isn’t a promise I’m happy for them to keep. Anyone who only heard that promise in the runup to the election and based their voting decision upon that one fiscal soundbite possibly has a dubious voting history. But then again, it’s promises like that which ultimately attract the low hanging fruit pickers to any party. Yesterday, we heard Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reiterate his governments promise of tax cuts, as we head closer to this month’s budget announcement. He made the comments in a speech to the Auckland Business Chamber yesterday afternoon; and used the opportunity to bat away criticism of the coalition's promised tax cuts, saying "the squeezed middle" deserved support given the tough cost-of-living. The ‘squeezed middle’ he refers to must now be equivalent to the area under a bell curve: To the extreme left and right of the squeezed middle must now surely be only poverty and extreme wealth. It’s demonstrably obvious to anyone living in New Zealand that there are more and more of us tracking the finances daily, and really thinking hard about how on earth to further reduce the already relatively mediocre lives the ‘squeezed middle’ live. Even those whose only focus at the voting booth was the promise of tax cuts can see that New Zealand cannot afford to receive them. Of course, it’s admirable to see The Prime Minister reinforcing his fiscal promise and sticking to his word; but I don’t think there would be many of us who’d complain if he came out today and told us that —under the dire current economic climate, with so many things to fix— the promise of tax cuts is off the table for now. Defer tax cuts. Use that whopping, dangling carrot at the next election. No doubt it’ll still be appealing – and no doubt, a promise of tax relief will be even more welcome come the general election of 2026. The truth isn’t always what we want to hear. Sometimes the pain of a promise broken isn’t as painful as one you’re determined to stick to. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A UK study has found that obesity jabs could reduce health risks. Researchers looked at semaglutide, otherwise known as Wegovy and Ozempic, and found that the weekly shots could reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. It was found to benefit cardiovascular health even if the user didn’t lose much weight. UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Roman Travers that it’s too early to say that it’s definitely working and definitely a side effect, but the potential is fascinating. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you feel as though you’ve been living in some kind of whack job, futuristic Netflix series when it comes to this country’s deplorable attitude to crime and our increasingly farcical judicial system you were probably suitably blown away by yesterday’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. Finally, there is good news. Finally, there’s hope that we’ll get to re-establish more than a modicum of control over the growing numbers of gangs and gang members. Police are establishing a national gang unit, supported by 'district gang disruption teams', to target crime, harm, and intimidation caused by patched gang members. All I can say is it’s about time. It’s about time that someone took this feral issue by the nostrils and led it out and beyond the growing levels of complacency and the general acceptance we’ve been conditioned and subjected to – for far too long. The all-new police national team, will work with police districts across the country, drawing on joint operations to gang funerals and other acts of general criminal nuisance and stupidity. Hopefully this will also mean that the police aren’t lagging behind in gang related intelligence. What we’ve seen in the past have been poorly funded strategies that the gangs know are flawed from the outset, allowing them to keep their criminal wheels turning, or spinning and burning out as is more often the case. The Police Commissioner, Andrew Coster says there’ll be 25 to 30 staff forming the new national unit while the smaller district teams will be about seven officers. Andrew Coster also believes there’ll be a reduction in gang numbers, once they get the units up and running and get the tools the government was providing through brand new legislation. Not only have we seen this huge change in political direction, the general law-abiding public has been demanding big change like this for a very long time. It’s utterly inconceivable that we haven’t made this move until now, and it’s a complete blight on all previous politicians who failed to let things get to this stage. There are 9000 pathed gang members in New Zealand today; the same numbers as the population of Queenstown. Here’s hoping those gang member numbers head to zero at speed before we get another change of government who do a U turn on this overdue policy. Congratulations Andew Coster and Police Minister Mark Mitchell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's thought the Christchurch Call's refresh is in-line with technology's rapid evolution. The call —designed to battle online extremism and hate content— is becoming a foundation. Taxpayer funding ends in July. Dame Jacinda Ardern will become patron, rather than New Zealand's special envoy. Gorilla Tech Chief Executive Paul Spain told Roman Travers that the tech world is a different place since the call began, particularly with AI. He says the tools available now are far better and more powerful than in 2019. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some police officers are sceptical about the Government's new crackdown on gangs. The Police Minister and Police Commissioner have announced the establishment of a new National Gang Unit. It'll have around 30 people and up to seven ring-fenced officers in each police district. Police Association President Chris Cahill told Roman Travers that if it doesn't have more funding, you're just asking staff to do more work. He says officers are pretty keen to get into these gangs, but they're bogged down with the amount of work they've got at the moment. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns the Government's charter schools plan could be a political football. Associate Education Minister David Seymour's announced more than $150 million to set up 15 new charter schools in the next four years and convert 35 state school in the next two. Massey University's John O'Neill told Roman Travers that since the last government's disestablished them, it can't be considered a settled policy. He says the possibility of converting or privatising existing state schools and moving them out of the state sector would be the major new bone of contention. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s federal budget is due today. With gross debt predicted to rise above $1 trillion by 2026, Treasurer Jim Chalmers is walking a tightrope between offering cost-of-living relief without fuelling inflation. Repayments on Government debt have become the fastest growing expense in the budget, and Dr Chalmers is facing calls to continue cutting spending. Australian Correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that they’re hearing that inflation could be under control a year earlier than expected. The early relief could result in interest rate cuts, and there has been talk of energy bill relief for students and welfare recipients, she said. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Blacks Captain Sam Cane has announced his retirement from the international stage. From next year he’ll take up a three-year contract with Suntory in Japan, where he spent this season’s sabbatical. Elliott Smith, Newstalk ZB’s rugby commentator, told Mike Hosking that it isn’t quite the bombshell people are calling it, but it is still earlier than expected. He said that Cane was still in the mix to continue the captaincy after he led the team to the World Cup final last year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are calls for the government to better regulate salt content in our processed foods. Research from Otago and Auckland universities reveals about two thirds of packaged foods on supermarket shelves exceed the World Health Organisation benchmark. Stroke Foundation General Manager Jess Winchester says one fifth of New Zealanders already have high blood pressure. She told Mike Hosking that the government needs to begin holding food manufacturers to the WHO sodium benchmarks. Winchester says people shouldn't be risking their lives every time they bite into their favourite pie. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's thought a Court of Appeal decision finding the Waitangi Tribunal could summon ACT MP Karen Chhour doesn't set a precedent for future cases. The decision overturned a High Court ruling which found the Children's Minister did not have to front with her reasoning for removing Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act. Massey University Law Professor Chris Gallavin told Mike Hosking that lots of ministers have given evidence before the tribunal in the past. He says it's a bit of a storm in a teacup. Gallavin says there's lot of agreement between the High Court and Court of Appeal, and they just took different views on one point. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New teachers across the country are not being set up to succeed, according to the Education Review Office (ERO). Two thirds of principals are reporting new teachers coming into the role are unprepared, and a third of new primary teachers claim they are unprepared to teach science. The ERO is calling for more to be done. Ruth Shinoda, Head of ERO’s Education Evaluation Centre, tells Mike Hosking the combination of teachers themselves saying they don’t feel prepared, and their principals reiterating this is concerning. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new proposal could see protest groups in the UK banned in a similar way to terrorist organisations. Extracts of an upcoming report show recommendations will be made for a new category proscribing “extreme protest groups”, defining these as those which routinely use criminal tactics to try to achieve their aims. Protest groups such as Just Stop Oil and Palestine Action could have sanctions that restrict the groups’ ability to fundraise and rights to assembly in the UK. Plus, a new device might cut down hospital time for cancer patients. The Liberty has been given regulatory approval. The device allows patients to take blood tests and upload the results at home without supervision. Europe correspondent Gavin Grey tells Mike Hosking the device has only been tested on a small number of types of cancer. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the A-League semi-finals, the Wellington Phoenix had a nil-all draw against the Melbourne Victory. The Phoenix return home this Saturday for the second leg of the semi. The Warriors suffered another loss, going down 38-18 to the Roosters in Sydney. The game brought on injury concerns as Shaun Johnson left the field in the second half. And, Aimee Fisher has beaten Dame Lisa Carrington in the K1 500 canoe sprint final at the canoeing World Cup in Hungary. ZB Sports Andrew Alderson wraps the latest from the weekend in sport. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big changes are coming to parking in Auckland’s CBD. Auckland CBD residents and visitors will be stung with new 24-hour parking charges covering overnight, at weekends and on public holidays from July – as Auckland Transport seeks to collect more money. Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck tells Mike Hosking news of the parking charges is out of the blue and “completely out of step” with the normal procedures. AT’s approach to parking is based on demand. Auckland CBD has high demand for daytime parking, but information for outside of this has not been supplied. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unlike the US, the UK is not withholding arms to Israel. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that their position is not comparable with that of the US, since the UK is not a large state-to-state arms supplier to Israel. However, they don’t support a large-scale invasion of Rafah unless there is a plan to protect civilians in place. UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Mike Hosking that what the UK provides is export licenses for UK weapons manufacturers to export to Israel. He said that it’s a very different situation, and the UK is not going to retract those licenses. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's doubts a potential raising of the international visitor levy will impact tourism numbers. Overseas visitors pay $35 collected through visa applications, which is evenly split between conservation and tourism. Speaking at the TRENZ conference, Tourism Minister Matt Doocey says that advice he's received shows it would have to rise to about $42 in today's market. Backpacker Youth Adventure Tourism Association chair Haydn Marriner told Mike Hosking that's just the cost of business. He says to expect the same value from that $35 today is to ignore everything we've always had. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Archives New Zealand's shutting down its digital archiving programme. It's part of an initiative to digitise historically significant images and documents. But the agency says it's been unable to secure further funding, and it will have to cut at least three jobs. Historian Paul Moon told Mike Hosking that this is important work and should remain. He says the Government should cobble together the small amount of funding needed to keep it going. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A potential power outage is looming in the chilly air. Many parts of the country have seen temperatures dropping below zero with an early season cold snap. Electricity grid operator Transpower's warning households to limit power use between 7 and 9 Friday morning where possible. It suggests turning off lights and heaters and delaying use of appliances. Contact Energy Chief Executive Mike Fuge told Mike Hosking that there are lots of plans and investment in growing generation capacity. He says Tauhara —the sixth geothermal power station near Taupo— is being commissioned, which would provide another 160-170 megawatts. Fuge says the cold's come a bit earlier and the project's running a bit late. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.