Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

More so than ever, we live in a world where virtually everyone is outraged or offended more frequently. There’s never been anything wrong with being outraged or offended – the difference in recent years is that we don’t only want to tell everyone who’ll listen about how we feel, we also want to shame the offender into stopping what they’re doing. We want to cancel them. The offending now extends to products on the shelf at Mitre 10 stores. The offended took issue with the misuse of Te Reo Māori names being used on several of their products. Mitre 10’s ‘Legacy Brand’ includes products like the ‘Te anau towel ring' which has quickly become the 'Ellesmere towel ring', while the 'Karapiro towel ring' is now the 'Clutha towel ring'. Another offender was the 'Kaiiwi toilet roll holder' and is now listed as the 'Legacy toilet roll holder'. Mitre 10 says that the changes they’ve quickly made intend to make the names more culturally sensitive. They identified mid-last year that these longstanding product names needed to be changed out of respect for te reo Māori. This ‘identification’ presumably came following complaints from those outraged at the use of te reo Māori. I admit that I don’t fully understand the misappropriation of Māori names aspect here. Would some Māori have been as offended if the products hadn’t been toilet and bathroom related? What if the products were new cars or bespoke frilly frocks for a flash night on the town? What is it with this overzealous policing of the language of our indigenous people when all the time we hear the need for te reo Māori to be used more and in more everyday walks of life? It’s not as though these products were spotted on the shelf in some village in the UK. If these were seen at ‘John Ramsbottom’s Hardware’ in Northumberland – then I’d agree that would be an issue worth pursuing. Māori cultural and tikanga expert, Karaitiana Taiuru says that Mitre 10 is correct in thinking the original names were inappropriate. He also says that it’s a little bit surprising that someone like Mitre 10 didn't do cultural audits beforehand. Cultural audits? Really? When was the last time you thought of conducting one at your workplace? When did cultural audits become a requirement? Surely seeing the language used as a reminder of the rivers, lakes and mountains of New Zealand is just another way to encourage us all to respect te reo Māori? This kind of highly offended, over the top cancel culture is not helping to keep the Māori language alive. This is an example of what puts some people off it. What’s been achieved by this name changing in Mitre 10’s across the country? Nothing. Although being in the news isn’t necessarily a bad thing for foot traffic through one of our biggest home renovation chains. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand might not be entirely out of the woods with high inflation. The Consumers Price Index rose 4.7% in the year to December, a two year low. The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research says inflation is still above the 1-3% Reserve Bank target. Principal Economist Christina Leung told Roman Travers that while she expects the figure to get under the target this year, some factors are putting that at risk. She says things like the Red Sea attacks are driving up shipping costs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All signs are pointing to a much-needed easing in inflation. Stats NZ will release its latest quarterly inflation numbers at 10.45 this morning. They're expected to show the annual inflation rate has fallen below the 5% forecast of the Reserve Bank. ANZ economist Henry Russell told Roman Travers that they expect most of this downward trend to come from the tradable side of the basket, which is the largely imported component. The Reserve Bank will be focusing on the domestic driven or non-tradeable component of inflation today, which Russel expects to come in line with the Reserve Bank’s forecast. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday we became aware of yet another giant leap backwards for the mankind of New Zealand, based upon an entirely retrospective move by this coalition Government. Our health system is like one giant lab rat: constantly poked and prodded by each and every Minister of Health with every change of government. It’s no wonder so many of our healthcare professionals want out. The Minister of Health Shane Reti says he'll shift more health decision-making back to the regions in a monumental change in direction from the previous Government. You’ll recall that all 20 of the District Health Boards were scrapped 18 months ago to form Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand and the Māori Health Authority, with the aim of ending geographical differences in the care people were receiving. But Shane Reti now tells us that the reforms went too far. Do you get the feeling that no one really knows how to run a health ministry in New Zealand? Stand by patients, doctors, and nurses… here we go again. Shane Reti says that “There are some parts that need to be owned by the centre, absolutely, but we need to be very careful because what’s happened here is we've lost local accountability. We've lost local decision making and it's all owned by the centre.” What he doesn’t tell you is that we also lost all the Barbara’s and Johns across the country, who popped up on DHB’s year after year with their insatiable appetite for free sausage rolls and often absolutely no expertise in anything. Any idiot can see that you don’t actually need to have a decision maker on the ground in a town or city in order to determine the best spend on health priorities. We have a population and demographic similar to that of a Canadian province where they might also only have one health authority. Some would say that reversing at high speed is both entertaining and skilful. Not when it comes to The Ministry of Health, who look to be heading backwards at high speed. Minister Reti also says decisions are better in the hands of iwi and hapū. What on earth is he basing that assumption upon? He also plans to give decision making authority to Māori directorates within Health NZ and the Ministry of Health. Minister Reti stopped short of saying he would reintroduce DHB’s, adding that the new IT systems, along with key services like radiotherapy machines being examples of what should remain centrally managed. Clearly, he needs to pop down the corridors of power and see how many ministries are run out of Wellington without the need to have representation at a local level in every town or city. About the only statement that Shane Reti made yesterday that I completely agree with is that ‘our health system is in crisis’. Sadly, this is another example of how not to fix a crisis. Retrospective moves like this one will continue to be the catalyst for more of our highly undervalued doctors, nurses and health administrators leaving the service, if not the country. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fears that New Zealand's military involvement in the fight against Houthi rebels in Yemen could close diplomatic doors. Six personnel are being deployed to the Red Sea to support coalition forces carrying out precision attacks on Iran-backed groups who have been attacking commercial shipping. Geopolitical Analyst Geoffrey Miller says several US presidents have bombed Yemen and haven't solved the problem. He told Roman Travers that the Houthi attacks are tied to the war in Gaza and that should be our focus. Miller says New Zealand would be better served in assisting in diplomacy to get a ceasefire. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the two issues shouldn't be conflated. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti wants to return more decision making to the regions. The previous government scrapped district health boards, forming the central bodies of Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand and the Māori Health Authority. General Practice New Zealand chair Dr Bryan Betty told Roman Travers that in a lot of areas there's a breakdown between Wellington and what's needed in the regions. He says this is a reaction to that. It's not going back to the way it was but is a halfway point. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Prime Minister looks to be breaking his election promises when it comes to tax cuts. Amidst a cost-of-living crisis, Anthony Albanese looks set to adjust the Stage 3 tax legislation, scrapping the planned tax cuts for those earning over $180,000 a year to make room for an adjustment to the tax-free bracket. Australian Correspondent Donna Demaio told Roman Travers that the potential changes have ruffled a lot of feathers. She said that if it actually transpires, the Opposition is ready to pounce. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s fair to say that we all love nothing better than to complain about what gets up our collective noses right? Whether it’s the weather, a perennial go to over a cuppa with friends or the cost of living; we’ve all got something to say – and we love letting others know how we feel. But there’s a big difference between whingeing to your mates and taking that step forward towards action that’ll make a difference. Although there’s not a great deal any of us can do about the weather; other issues that simmer close to the surface have got many of us taking photos and demanding action from our local councils. Good luck getting any action out of Upper Hutt or Wellington City Councils. But there’s a massive difference around the country about what we complain about, and the timelines taken to get things sorted. Some of the regular offenders on the list for councils to deal with are things like neighbour's trees impinging across boundaries, overflowing rubbish bins, and stuff mounting up around charity clothing bins. The ‘Snap Send Solve’ app used by councils across the country received 106,979 reports over the course of last year. If you’re a photo snapper of offending situations, I’m sure you’ll know about this avenue for complaining. Wellington features with 273 complaints relating to water leaks, along with the associated photo evidence. Northlanders sent in 383 snaps and complaints about their pothole collection. You’d think Auckland would be up there with the biggest number of complaints to council, right? Wrong. Auckland sent in 10,198 complaints to council. The biggest city of whingers turns out to be… wait for it… this may shock the pearls of your necklace… Christchurch. I was as shocked as you are! Yes indeed, Cantabrians sent in a whopping 10,833 complaints to their council. The stuff that got up the noses of the good people of Canterbury were broken water pipes, graffiti, tree issues, and potholes too. Now of course, some councillors will say that some of these complaints were unnecessary, and some were genuinely useful; my message to you is simple: don’t stop whingeing! When you see something that’s broken, overflowing, or graffiti where it shouldn’t be – which is anywhere you see it – get stuck in! Take those photos! Fire up your councils ‘Snap, Send, Solve’ app and lodge it all with them. If we continue to slip into this insidious malaise of ‘she’ll be right’ lackadaisical stupidity, then things will only get worse. I’m sure there’s nothing more a council would like to see than having no complaints to deal with. Pick your battles though. Don’t use this as a means to create your own version of war with your spiteful neighbour from hell… the one who always plays The Bee Gees at full volume when they’re on the gin and tonics, late into the night. We shouldn’t tolerate graffiti. We definitely shouldn’t tolerate valuable clean water running down the road. We’ve been conditioned to accepting mediocrity over recent years. If we don’t complain, why should we expect anything get better? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How this year's US presidential election is shaping up may come as a surprise. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has dropped out of the race for Republican nominee and endorsed Donald Trump, despite the ex-president giving him the nickname 'Ron De-Sanctimonious.' South Carolina's Nikki Haley remains in the running ahead of tonight's New Hampshire primary. 1News correspondent Logan Church said that it's going to be an uphill battle for Haley. The former US ambassador to the UN is polling way behind Trump. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Commission's launched investigations into the two big supermarket chains' pricing and promotional practices. It's looking into whether the practices of Woolworths, Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island, comply with the Fair Trading Act. It comes following a Consumer NZ complaint to the commission, after it asked shoppers for examples of unclear or misleading prices. They offered 600 responses. Massey University marketing professor Bodo Lang told Roman Travers that the Commission's options range from a compliance letter to court proceedings with fines. He says a charge is really just a signal but consumers would react negatively, leading to changes in practices. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s fears the Treaty Principles Bill could be a missed opportunity. ACT is seeking to introduce legislation to redefine the Treaty principles by the end of May. Political commentator Grant Duncan says National said it would support it to select committee, but that's where the party's support stops. Duncan told Roman Travers that with proper long-term consultation, such a bill could be beneficial. He says it could stop the issue festering away for the next generations. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Biden is backing a Colorado Supreme Court ruling, which sees Donald Trump struck off the state's ballot papers. Colorado's highest court voted the former president, ineligible in the upcoming primary elections, for his involvement in the January 6 Capitol insurrection almost two years ago. Newstalk ZB US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Tim Dower that it's uncommon for Biden to even mention the name of his potential rival. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As rebuilding efforts continue in Gisborne, the Mayor is welcoming visitors for summer. The city was hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle with homes and infrastructure destroyed. But Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz told Tim Dower that it is encouraging people to experience the white sand beaches and vineyards in the region. She says it's been tough, but they have so much to offer. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Politics is heating up in Washington DC in the lead up to next year's presidential election, with Republicans voting to investigate impeaching President Biden. But so far, no evidence has been produced by the 121 House of Representative Republicans, with some now questioning the merits of the investigation. TVNZ US Correspondent Logan Church told Tim Dower that it seems like more of a stunt than a serious challenge. He says things are bound to get very messy between now and next November. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remember those protests at Parliament last year, and the incredible scenes at the end? Once it was over and the fires were out, and the rocks and broken glass were cleared from the street, police received just over 1900 complaints. 1900. The largest number of complaints ever about a single policing operation. Sounds terrible, doesn't it? 1900 complaints... until you dig just a little deeper. Most of the people who did complain were nowhere near the protest at the time. They either saw it from the comfort of their couches as the whole thing unfolded live on TV or watched it on the news that night. Or they read heavily tainted, or even completely made-up crap on social media, and followed the mob to lodge a complaint. So out of your 1900-odd complaints just 1% turned out to be worthy of investigation. Out of those, police were found to have used excessive force in six incidents. Essentially they're about police actions trying to clear the grounds on March 2nd, or put up bollards, or clear streets in the days leading up to the big battle. There's a detailed report on the IPCA's website that walks you through each of the clashes that were investigated, and there's a common theme to all of them. The cops are either trying to hold back angry demonstrators, or make an arrest, or defend themselves after being thumped or kicked by people who later go on to complain. Look, the use of reasonable force by the policed is permitted under the law. And the fact of the matter is, if you comply rather than resist, no force is necessary. And when you think of the appalling behaviour of that mob, tearing up paving stones, chucking rocks and lumps of wood and human faeces, starting fires... it was a full-blown, bloody, riot. So, to come away from that with only six cases of excessive force? Not so bad really. There's a lot you can criticise police managers and others for over what happened during the protest and how it got to what it did. But the front line, the women and men who were sworn and spat at, and kicked and punched? No. End of the day, if you got hurt in that protest, you asked for it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An economist says signs on inflation are finally looking more positive. GDP fell 0.3% in the September quarter, a much worse result than most economists predicted. The June quarter figures were also revised down from 0.9% to 0.5% growth. Former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell told Tim Dower that the Finance Minister is right in saying New Zealand needs urgent economic repair, and she's inherited a large fiscal deficit. He says a focus on expenditure restraint is important, and it's not the time for tax cuts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland continues to prove that it's the sporting capital of the country. The city played a major role in this year's FIFA Women's World Cup - hosting nine matches. As a result, more than $87 million in GDP was injected into the region's economy, and over 175,000 guest nights were recorded in the city. Tataki Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill told Tim Dower that Auckland's hotels, restaurants, and tourist hot spots all bought in to the event. He said Auckland hosting the United States team made a big difference. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think the new Government's actually done at least one thing right this week. Backing out of the Interislander funding deal was a no-brainer really, if you have any doubt about that, have a look at the piece on the Herald site under the title ‘How to blow $15b.’ That digs into the Auditor-General's report on some of the previous government's insane spending. Back when Grant was splashing money about like a drunken sailor, anybody with a half-baked plan to burn up a couple of billion was welcomed with open arms. Cost no object, value for money? Doesn't matter. Possible overruns, blowouts if you like, worry about that later. Just spend it. The main reason these new guys don't want to pour buckets of your cash into the Cook Strait ferries is they don't trust the numbers. Much of the money would have gone on terminal upgrades, and Nicola Willis said she reckoned the numbers were undercooked. In other words, they think KiwiRail deliberately went in with a low-ball cost in an environment where they knew they could go back for more. Look, there's no question the Interislanders are at the end of their useful lives and becoming increasingly unreliable, and maybe there's an argument for some level of public contribution. It is after all, a vital transportation link. Some people see Cook Strait as part of State Highway One, and if you take that view then sure, it's public infrastructure. And if you think it's right to publicly subsidise rail freight up and down the country, then you have to include crossing the Strait. But there's also a private operator, BlueBridge, charging more or less the same to take people and cars. Founded by a New Zealander who saw a need, took a risk, invested, and built a profitable business. Now look, I'm not saying KiwiRail shouldn't have any state backing, but maybe it needs to try a bit harder making a business case to outside investors. During the campaign, National talked about finding new ways to fund infrastructure projects. If ever there was a project that could attract private investment, surely this is it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's GDP is predicted to see a minor pre-Christmas bump. Stats NZ will release the September quarter figures later this morning. Gross Domestic Product rose 0.9% in the June quarter. ASB Chief Economist, Nick Tuffley, told Tim Dower that he's forecasting a 0.2% increase, as recent indicators point to flat growth. He says while the economy's expanding, it still feels like a recession for a lot of people. Tuffley says generally GDP has been edging backwards for the last year, so it's challenging. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The economic climate has many small businesses making tough decisions to stay afloat. Strong inflationary pressures and a drop in consumer demand has meant costs are sky high for many businesses. Requests for redundancy and restructuring support has surged by 50% this year and liquidations are up 500%. Small Business Voice CEO Max Whitehead told Tim Dower this just proves how hard it is for small businesses at the moment. He says while economists are saying things are getting better that isn't what they're feeling on the bottom floor. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's back to the drawing board for KiwiRail on the future of the Interislander as the government axes new upgrades. Contracts were signed to buy two new mega-ferries and upgrade portside infrastructure, but Finance Minister Nicola Willis says the cost has got too high. However, Jon Reeves of the Public Transport Users Association told Tim Dower that backtracking on contracts does reputational damage to the country. He claims this acts as a warning for international companies, that they can't trust New Zealand to honour contracts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Look, thanks so much for taking part in this, just a little experiment on people's reaction to, response, and experience with this portal passport arrangement: RealMe. That kind of, well, it's been around for a little while, it's had a bit of a refresh, and now they're trying to push it and promote it. Here's, here's another one. Gary says ‘I've used RealMe for some years now at on a very regular basis and have no issues at all, generally. So, nine out of 10.’ Right at the other end of the scale, here's Warwick: ‘Score zero. It's a Nate National Animal Identification and tracking electronic ID tagging system for people. Orwell’s nightmare realized.’ Now, look, I'm kind of, I'm swaying towards your side of things Warwick, so I'm not gonna call you a conspiracy theorist or anything. It wants too damn much information for a start, far too much. I wanted to use it for the purposes of a small charity that I'm involved with and some paperwork that we need to do, okay? So, in order to get established you have to fill in all this business of the getting in, the identity, the password. And then you've got this very, very early internet security system, you know, where they used to ask you the question about your first animal or what school you went to, and you're supposed to remember what you said in response. Should you need to refresh it, you go through all that palaver. Now they've added a second layer, so you've got two tier authentication. So, you've got the phone text thing, you know, and it goes beep and there's your number and you gotta go through all that. When it got to the point where they're asking me what night of the week I cut my toenails, I thought, you know, I'm not into this! It's too much. So, it's clunky, it's clumsy, and it takes so long. It wants everything, it just wants too much of you. So, in the end I gave up, I got very cross. They sent me, they said, all right. Last thing now, you gotta go and get your photo taken at the AA. You gotta get your photo taken at the AA. You tried to get anything done at an AA office recently? You're a more patient person than I am. So, I'm gonna give it a one. I didn't want to sort of taint things by giving you my score right at the outset, but good to hear that some people have persisted and managed to get somewhere with the whole thing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Climate Change Commission's released advice to the government to meet emissions reductions goals by 2030. It makes 27 recommendations including building more renewable electricity, swapping from fossil fuels, and preparing for the rapid rollout of low emissions technologies and practices on farms. Also included is directly resourcing iwi and Māori efforts to reduce climate pollution. Climate Change Research Institute Adjunct Professor Adrian Macey told Tim Dower that there needs to be a more coherent policy around forestry. He says it's been a real mess, and the government needs to get its act together. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Transport Minister's hit the brakes on blanket speed limit reductions. Simeon Brown's removed requirements for Road Controlling Authorities to implement speed management plans. Work will begin to account for economic impacts, community views, and safety when setting speed limits. Transporting NZ Interim Chief Executive, Dom Kalasih, told Tim Dower that some limits are simply too low, losing credibility among drivers. He says the main issue with blanket reductions was that it wasn't risk-based. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How long can the rental market meet demand for migrants? Stats NZ data shows 245,600 migrants arrived here in the year to October; a new record. Net migration is nearly 129,000. Compared to Australia, we've taken in 30% more people when adjusted for inflation. Aspire Property Management Managing Director, Mike Atkinson, told Tim Dower that it's an enormous amount of people, putting a strain on the system, and could push rents up even further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bit of an about-turn on immigration from the Prime Minister. Christopher Luxon now says the current numbers are unsustainable, and the Government expects it to slow down. And you'd hope so! Nearly 119,000 have poured in over the past year, that's the net gain. At the same time, we saw a record net loss of New Zealand citizens: 44,000 went. So, overall, the number of people new to the country is actually more than 160,000. Our total population has grown nearly 3% in a year, roughly one in every thirty people in the country now, has arrived in the past year. Wow. Bear in mind we've had some very wonky years because of COVID. That meant only a tiny number of reluctantly approved arrivals and thousands of our own people locked out or having to go through a lottery for a chance of coming home. Net migration actually dropped to zero literally overnight in 2020, and stayed there or went negative for the next two years. So, a bit of catch-up was only to be expected. Needed even, when we heard constant cries for help from the health sector especially during the pandemic. The most obvious question when we've got so many more people coming in than leaving is where are they all going to live? We can't house the people we've already got, let alone more. And the Reserve Bank is getting twitchy about it, citing the immigration numbers as the reason to potentially push interest rates even higher, worrying it'll push up rents and house prices. So, credit to Luxon for recognising the issue. But he's fallen into the trap of blaming the last lot. Saying the settings went from being way too restrictive to being way too loose. Okay. You got your shot in, but you're in charge now Mr Luxon. What are you gonna do about it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gas demand could outstrip supply by 2025, causing an energy shortfall. The Gas Industry Company's latest research shows renewable supply options are on the horizon but will still take time and investment to develop. Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive, John Carnegie, told Tim Dower that the predictions are sad, but not unsurprising. He says the previous Government's policies for the sector have damaged investment. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The previous Government's plans to introduce new maths and literacy tests as an NCEA requirement from 2026 have been delayed. Trial runs of those tests have had failure rates of more than 40%. New Zealand Initiative research fellow Michael Johnston told Tim Dower that he understands kids will still be able to do the tests, but can also meet requirements through NCEA achievement standards, like in the past. But, he says, he'd like to see a certification for students who do pass those tests and meet requirements that way because they are more rigorous. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All employers will soon be able to use 90 Day Work Trials, which the previous Labour government restricted to small businesses. The new Government is passing a bill to do so under urgency by Christmas. The Employers and Manufacturers Association's Alan McDonald told Tim Dower that it'll mainly be used by smaller employers. He says it might encourage them to take a chance on someone returning to the workplace after a long absence, or a school leaver looking for their first job. Cabinet's also confirmed that it will repeal Fair Pay Agreements before Christmas, which made it easier for workers to band together to negotiate wages and working conditions. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Migrating to Australia is set to get more difficult. The Australian Government is looking to halve overseas migration to 250,000 by 2025 after a record number of people arrived in the last financial year. Australia correspondent Donna Demaio told Tim Dower that a number of the changes will impact international students and workers. She says there will be more difficult English tests and visa requirements. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vape retailers are selling higher strength vapes at lower prices - before new rules kick in. From next Thursday, disposable vapes can't be sold, unless they have removable batteries, maximum nicotine limits, child safety features and follow new labelling requirements. All vapes will have to meet those requirements in March - and there'll be limits on flavours. Auckland University public health professor Chris Bullen told Tim Dower the new regulations may make it difficult for people who have been smoking heavily to switch to vapes. He personally thinks there's scope for higher nicotine concentration vapes to be available through prescription. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a fire sale underway at the vape retailers, and some pretty arresting advertising lines are being used. “Stock up while you still can” ... “Get them before they’re gone” ... “Don’t be left stranded without a vape” By gone, they mean illegal...new laws from the 21st of this month put restrictions on disposable vapes...including maximum nicotine limits. So, at some places it's basically a fire sale, devices going for a couple of bucks or even being given away free. Fair enough I suppose if you've bought stock in good faith and then basically had the rug pulled from under you by a law change. But there's also a whiff of the frenzy to dump synthetic cannabis products, when that particular experiment went so badly wrong. And thinking about it...our experience with the whole vape thing has been uncannily similar to the synthetics. Hailed as a legal...controlled...and therefore theoretically safe alternative to the real thing. And with vaping pitched at us as a tool to help the sorry old smokers get off tobacco...it was pretty easy to get it on the market. Reality...vapes hit the shops and people are out blowing vast clouds in the streets...and something quite different happens. Before you know it...lolly flavoured vapes are pitched at the kids, and we've created a whole new class of addicts. The number of 15- to 17-year-old New Zealanders who vape daily quadrupled in just a couple of years. Only last week, front page stories about 8-year-olds caught vaping at school, it's out of control. The thing is, there's a perception these products are completely harmless...that's what the kids taking it up think...but the fact is we just don't know that. Less dangerous than tobacco...maybe...probably even...but the fact is we just don't know. So, what we've been doing is running an experiment on a living population of people, just to see how things pan out. In the end, if it all turns to the proverbial...well...we can always ban it outright...or just tax it, more and more every year. That'll get them to quit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament will sit under urgency this week - with the new government pushing through the first changes in its 100 day plan. Part of this is repealing Fair Pay Agreement legislation. Former National ministerial adviser Brigitte Morten told Tim Dower every opposition complains about the use of urgency - then use it themselves when in government. She says the last Labour government used it considerably more - and while it'd argue Covid meant it had to respond with emergency legislation, they were pushing a lot more through under urgency even in August. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now we've had a full day to digest Mark Mitchell's letter to the Police Commissioner, was he actually out of line to release that? His Labour predecessor said on this show yesterday that Mark Mitchell was huffing and puffing, talking up a big game and chest beating. To quote Ginny Andersen, “I think it's a demonstration of bravado”, and then saying, "He's getting dangerously close to telling the Commissioner how to do his job.” Thing is, we all know there's a line between setting a strategic direction and meddling in day-to-day operational activities. Mark Mitchell noted that, loud and clear, in his letter. So, what the Minister was doing was not telling the Commissioner how to do the job, but outlining what the priorities of the job are. That's not meddling, it's managing. If you want an example of meddling, look no further than sacked Minister Stuart Nash on the phone to the Commissioner over a court case, hoping to persuade him to get prosecutors to appeal for a stiffer sentence. So why was Ginny squealing so loudly over this? Well probably because she knows Labour hasn't got a leg to stand on when it comes to law and order. Their priority was to slash the prison population, regardless of how much crime the rest of us had to endure. That would have meant Andrew Little's letter to the Chief Justice when he took office in 2017 was saying ‘hey... dial it back a bit would you?’ ‘Let's not lock up all these bad people... surely, it's OK to stick ankle bracelets on them, even when they're convicted of violent sex crimes or on trial for murder.’ Didn't that work out well. Point here is that Mitchell's letter to the Commissioner is entirely normal. It's the way things are done. Issuing it publicly is called transparency. It puts pressure on Andrew Coster but it also sends a message to the front line. We've heard you, it says, and things are going to change. And now it's in the public domain, everyone knows what page we're on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anger at the Government's decision to disestablish tertiary education programme Te Pukenga. Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds announced the move yesterday, following a Letter of Expectation saying they're not prioritising it. But the Tertiary Education Union is worried Simmonds has no clear plan on what happens next, and no vision for the sector. National Secretary Sandra Grey says their members won't have any job certainty until well into the new year. She says they go into Christmas not knowing if they'll have a job, lose it, or have to apply for something entirely new. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A grilling over Boris Johnson's decisions during the pandemic on the second day of his appearance before the UK's Covid-19 inquiry. It's heard evidence from former advisers that the then-Prime Minister wanted to let the virus spread, rather than order another lockdown Johnson's also accused of saying "let the bodies pile high", something he strongly denies. UK correspondent Vincent McAviney told Tim Dower that he also faced criticism for a campaign encouraging people go to restaurants while the virus was still out there. He says the campaign, called " Eat out to Help out" was derided by scientists as " Eat out to help out the virus". LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Take stock of what you have and save a little where you can. That's the advice of one financial coach to those feeling the squeeze. ASB is predicting a $70 increase in weekly living costs for the average family in 2024, that's down from the $115 increase this year. Enable Me's Katie Wesney told Tim Dower that people should thoroughly check all the places their money is going. She says everything has to serve you in the current environment. That way you get the little one percent gains that alleviate pressure and position you to grow your wealth. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's being told phrasing in its call for an end to violence in Gaza needs to pack a stronger punch. All parties in the House have supported a motion urging those involved in the conflict to 'take urgent steps towards establishing a cease-fire.' Geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller told Tim Dower that the wording is telling. He says the Government clearly didn't want to call for an immediate cease-fire, so 'steps towards' was the compromise. He says as the UN has called for an immediate end to fighting, we should follow suit. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taylor Swift says being named Time Magazine's Person of the Year is the proudest and happiest she's ever felt. The 33-year-old beat finalists including Barbie, King Charles and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman. It caps off Swift's stellar year, which includes her record-breaking 'Eras Tour', two album re-recordings, and becoming Spotify's most most-played artist. US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Tim Dower that Swift has become even more of a cultural icon in the last year. He said that her tours both provoked an inquiry into Ticketmaster’s sales practices, and her concert in Seattle reportedly generated seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

True story, abbreviated for time. San Francisco, about 15 years back now, coming out of the subway following my two teenage daughters. A group of tatty half-drunk, half-baked beggars hanging around with their paws out for money. And I hear some leering, grubby, smutty comments being directed at my children. I sense danger, move a little closer to them. And the leerers embolden one another. It gets a bit grubbier, I feel the anger boiling up inside me. Then out of nowhere comes this guttural, aggressive, very loud, and very threatening voice. It sounds like a lion, and it roars, it truly roars: BACK OFF. Everyone jumps. The leerers, the girls, myself, other people passing by turn to see where it came from. It's not until this point, as we quicken our step and move up the stairs into the street, that I realise that powerful, guttural, threatening roar came out of me. There was no thought behind it, and believe me, I'm not a confrontational or threatening person at all. I'm a weed. I'm not brave, and I don't think of myself as anything special on the parenting front. It was simple, basic, human instinct, a pre-programmed, primal urge to protect my offspring. Any Dad would have done the same. So why mention this today? It came to mind when I read the mother of Baby Ru now remembers the blow that killed her child. She seems to be seeking some kind of credit that she's now ready to tell police the truth, six weeks after the fact. And it made me ask: where was your pre-programmed urge to protect your child when it mattered? And if it failed you, why not come forward sooner, to seek justice for your child? The bottom line all of this makes me ask, where was your parental instinct? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a pressing need to strengthen hundreds of Wellington buildings that are quake-prone. Experts are warning deadlines are closing in for the work, with more than 500 buildings needing strengthening, including residential apartments. AUT Professor of construction, John Tookey, told Tim Dower that building owners need to start, or hundreds could be left homeless. He says it's a public safety issue, and councils should consider incentivising the work. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good news for kiwis as the price at the pump is dropping just in time for Christmas. Oil prices have dropped four cents since Friday and now sit at $77 USD, almost 30 cents down from September. AA Principal Policy Advisor Terry Collins told Tim Dower that the recession may be acting in our favour, combined with a lack of demand coming out of China and Europe. He was predicting fuel prices would be closer to $3.50 than $3 three months ago, and he's glad he's wrong. Terry Collins says he was starting to feel like the Christmas Grinch, but now he's feeling things are much better. He predicts we'll probably see the prices drop a little further over the summer period. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell's predecessor says his letter to the Police Commissioner seems a bit redundant. He's made his letter to Andrew Coster public. It focuses on things like tackling youth and gang offending, supporting frontline officers, and strengthening policing in communities. Ginny Andersen told Tim Dower that it's important that police have operational independence. She says the letter doesn't cover much new ground. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

$27-28,000 a year. That's about the going rate for private secondary education in New Zealand right now. And you'd pay it gladly wouldn't you, if you could afford it. I hope the kids whose parents are working or on their way at five in the morning to help pay for it recognise what a privilege it is. I referred to that St Andrew College prizegiving a little earlier, and the takeaway for me is the value of a good education. The basics? Yep, obviously, but opportunities too for kids to explore what they're really interested in, and seek the passions that'll give them exciting, rewarding, and worthwhile lives. And you know what? You don't need, actually, to fork out for private to get that. We've got some great state schools in New Zealand too. My kids went to cracking state primaries in Auckland: Botany Downs, Mellons Bay, Farm Cove Intermediate, then onto MacLeans. I think they know they were lucky. Like in health, our education system is a bit of a postcode lottery. Would I have pushed for private if we'd had the money? It's hypothetical, but probably, yes. Rough calculations: taxpayers are currently spending well north of 10 grand a head teaching secondary students. We do it more cheaply than the OECD average, except, and who knows why this is, in tertiary education. How much of the overall $21 billion that goes on education gets soaked up by ideologues at the Ministry or wasted on endless reviews and rehashings of the system is a mystery. But you get what you pay for in life and education is no exception. Maybe this is another area like infrastructure, health, and immigration, where we need less political meddling and to-ing and fro-ing with each change of government, and more of a long term, locked in plan. Just think what we could achieve in productivity, creativity and quality of life, if every kid had the chance those at our best schools do now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pati Māori's challenge to the incoming Government has been heard loud and clear, likely foreshadowing what is to come. Thousands answered the party's call to protest the Government's incoming Treaty and Te Reo reforms yesterday, while MPs swore allegiance to both their mokopuna and Te Tiriti, as well as King Charles III. ZB Political Editor Jason Walls told Tim Dower that it sets the stage for the sort of party Te Pati Māori is going to be for the next three years. Walls says the party's positioning themselves as a thorn in the Governments side on all Māori issues. But he says it's fair of Prime Minister Chris Luxon to question why there are protests only a week into their first term. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More stability in education is being floated as an idea to reverse declining test scores. New Zealand's 2022 PISA reading, maths, and science scores have all dipped since 2018, and they show longer term decline. New Zealand is still above the OECD average in all three standards. PPTA Acting President Chris Abercrombie says all countries have seen a decline. He told Tim Dower that constant curriculum changes between different governments have contributed. Abercrombie says curriculums need time to develop and if they're changed too often it disrupts children and teachers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where shoppers are seeing food prices rise, Woolworths New Zealand is seeing profits fall, but is still walking away with $76 million in its pockets. The latest annual figures show a 52% drop from last year, the source of which one business consultant says is ‘very opaque.’ Ernie Newman told Tim Dower that he believes the recent $400 million rebranding and transfer pricing has something to do with it. Transfer pricing is when multi-nationals adjust their books and take their profits in whatever country they want to, usually to a country with the lowest tax rate. He says there's no sign of any benefit in this for consumers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, a Day of Action called by Te Pati Māori. Organisers promise they'll target busy roads and even try to jam the motorways. They're talking about gridlock on roads into central Auckland, and gleefully suggesting this will cause millions in lost productivity. Wow. What a useful and worthwhile objective that is. Now, this is supposedly about an assault by the new Government on tangata whenua and the Treaty. That assault as they see it comes in the form of dialling back the extensions to smokefree laws, scrapping the Māori Health Authority, and repealing Three Waters. It's probably worth mentioning that those changes —with the exception of smokefree— were well flagged up during the election campaign. And if there hadn't been broad support across the voting spectrum then we'd have ended up with another three years of a rotten Labour government, and its rotten policies. The people have spoken, and the people want the country back on track. The people, as I read it, wanted less divisive policy and a focus on reducing crime and tackling the cost of living. Unravelling some of the smokefree changes was a surprise, but how can you interpret that as an attack on anyone? Smoking is, after all, a personal choice. Nobody apart from those who sell tobacco is actually encouraging anyone to take it up, are they? Look, it's a Tuesday, less than three weeks out from Christmas. The Māori Party perhaps doesn't realise most people just want to get on with things, and can't afford a day off for a protest, especially when they don't really know what it's about. Stopping regular working people from getting in and earning a crust could be seen as an attack on them. You're shooting yourselves in the foot guys. Look, I don't expect big crowds out there protesting today, but as we've seen in Wellington, all it takes is half a dozen tossers with super glue to bring a major artery to a standstill. Work from home anyone? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Screen time may be making young children more prone to mental health problems. A new study measured the link between screen time and mental health in 16,000 children in China, across the ages of three to six. Neuroscience educator and child development expert Nathan Wallis told Tim Dower that flashing lights from screens affect the part of the brain associated with emotions and empathy. The World Health Organisation says the appropriate number of minutes per day a child under two can look at a screen is zero. Wallis says that has nothing to do with the content, it's completely to do with the flashing lights. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new government's increasing the Working for Families rates. The tax credits will rise $8 to $144 after tax for their first child, and by $6 for subsequent children. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says there'll be a mini budget December 20th. ANZ senior economist Miles Workman told Tim Dower that further spending cuts could be in line to maintain a fiscal balance and eventual surplus. He says the previous government increased spending by a very significant amount during Covid-19, and never unwound it despite the economy becoming overheated. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.