Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Hurricane Idalia has thrashed Florida’s Gulf Coast, sparking the evacuation of millions of residents as they hunker down for a surge of tidal water. At least two storm-related deaths have been reported. US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Kate Hawkesby says more than 300,000 residents in Florida and Georgia are without power. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A foodbank owner says National's tax plan does a lot for middle income earners, but not much for those really struggling. It's promising a $14.6 billion package - adjusting income tax brackets for inflation and expanding tax credits. Community leader David Letele told Kate Hawkesby if we can help people, we should. He says they're seeing more and more starving children, and some who haven't gone to school since March because they're in emergency housing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So the Nat’s tax plan – is good – and we know it’s good for two reasons, one, because of all the positive feedback it’s had, and two, because of how ropeable the Government are about it. They are dark on it because they know they’ve been badly exposed here, by a sensible party doing sensible things, which reeks of common sense. It reminds us just what common sense feels like - a distant memory for most of us politically these days let’s be honest. But the left are increasingly angry – they’re on the ropes and you can feel it. They’re alleging all sorts of crazy and negative claims against the right, they’re starting to look unhinged. Cue the government’s cheerleaders stage left - the Unions. Now here’s where this whole thing’s going to come unstuck and it’s all going to backfire on them. Yesterday the CTU launched an attack ad on Luxon – by mistake, it apparently got launched early by mistake. But it was a digital billboard with a big close-up picture of an angry looking Luxon, with the caption, ‘Out of touch, too much risk.’ The ad has since been removed – but it’s a signal of what’s to come and where the left’s heads are at; fighting dirty. NZ Council of Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff authorized the billboard, but the ad agency put it up before the Union itself had signed it off. It’s scheduled to run next week. And here’s what voters should be worried about, undecided voters, of which there are tons, don’t tend to like dirty tactics - women in particular don’t like it. They don’t like personal attacks and name calling, and this is what this whole campaign is. If you are someone who’s paying union fees to the CTU, how do you feel about them spending money on this sort of negative highly personal style attack? How do you feel about the Unions tight and perhaps now blind allegiance to a government that’s pumped up your cost of living and delivered you very little? The CTU’s time and energy and money would surely be better spent on initiatives, ideas or policies that could advance the plight of its members. There seems increasingly no separation between the Labour government and the CTU - both seem blinded by the same ideology, both seem out of step with the people who prop up their coffers. Why are members fees not being sheeted towards billboards demanding better working conditions, policies that work better for them, new ideas around how to get real traction on solutions around pay and conditions. For a government that campaigned last time on kindness and hugs and teddy bears, how do they justify this time round going so rogue? So gutter? So scrappy? Even members of Labour’s own support base are abandoning them. As the left’s very own Chris Trotter pointed out the other day, this government has been so divisive, that it refuses to now work with anyone who ‘doesn’t embrace Labour’s radical social agenda.’ Trotter wrote, ‘once celebrated for its broad inclusiveness, Hipkins’ party has opted to greet potential supporters with a grim pair of ideological bouncers.’ Trotter suggests that ‘those who balk at co-governance, or reject trans women competing against biological women in sport’, are ‘no longer welcome inside Labour’s ‘big tent’. The party’s broadchurch is increasingly, I reckon, looking like a narrow field of radical ideologues and rabid attack dogs, who when cornered, can only bite back and fight dirty. If this election is a fight for the middle swing voter, then I think this tactic of the left is a sure-fire way to lose them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KiwiSaver investments in companies that cause social and environmental harm have reached a record high. Charity Mindful Money has found 8.9 percent of KiwiSaver funds go into companies the public generally want to avoid. Mindful Money Chief Executive, Barry Coates, told Kate Hawkesby climate change is a major concern, but investment in fossil fuels by KiwiSaver is at a record high. He says they're worried about climate change, animal cruelty, and human rights. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our national health service is being accused of structural imbalance. New documents reveal Te Whatu Ora's contractor workforce may not have earned their high wages. The number of contractors has dropped from more than 1,000 to just over 600 - after the audit found significant deficiencies in the agency's recruitment processes. The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director Sarah Dalton told Kate Hawkesby bringing 20 DHBs together was always going to be challenging. She says the agency has things the wrong way round and the focus needs to be on clinical services. Dalton says health professionals should be allowed to drive the system. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour announced yesterday that ‘bottom trawling and Danish seining will be banned in most of the Hauraki Gulf as part of a plan to better protect the 1.2-million-hectare marine park.’ They have four options going for public consultation next week, one of them stipulating that ‘bottom-trawling would be banned from 89 per cent of the Gulf. Currently, 27 per cent of the Gulf is closed to bottom trawling and Danish seining fishing methods.’ Bottom trawling involves dragging weighted nets over the seafloor to catch fish. Danish seining, I had to look up because I had no idea what that was, but it’s apparently ‘similar to a small trawl net, but the wire warps are much longer and there are no otter boards. The seine boat drags the warps and the net in a circle around the fish. The motion of the warps herds the fish into the central net,’ according to Wikipedia. So is the Government’s announcement yesterday of looking to ban this in most of the Hauraki Gulf, too little too late though? Because we have a massive problem in the Gulf that the Government’s arguably dropped the ball on, and it’s not trawlers, it’s seaweed. Two years ago an invasive and destructive seaweed named Caulerpa, you may've heard about it already, was detected around Great Barrier Island. It reportedly spreads rapidly and suffocates the seabed, resulting in a loss of 50 percent of our fish biomass and 30 percent of our marine biodiversity. So what did the government do about this? Well, MPI implemented a monitor and observe strategy, despite Caulerpa causing catastrophic and irreversible marine damage in different parts of the world, the Ministry responsible for our oceans' biosecurity, have spent two years ‘aggressively monitoring’.. as it’s spread rapidly along our North Eastern coastline. So have they shown enough readiness and urgency in tackling this? Given it’s one of the most harmful species to take up residence on our coastlines, I’d argue not. Caulerpa is now so widespread on the western coast of Great Barrier Island, that it’s spread to the Mercury Islands, Bay of Islands and Waiheke Island. That’s a huge amount of coverage in an area described as Auckland’s ‘jewel in the crown’. And bear in mind, they’ve known about this for more than two years. So arguably we’re now at a critical point - a three month window before summer arrives - water temperature increases and boat and fishing activity peaks - all of which is a perfect storm for the seaweed to flourish and entirely smother our ocean seabed. Internationally, if you look at experience from North America where the weed’s been suppressed, contained and eradicated, it shows that immediate action between government and communities delivered a successful result. Here, mana whenua, community groups, local and international scientists have all voiced their concerns about the extreme threat Caulerpa poses to our coastline's biodiversity and ecosystems. They’ve even offered up a range of solutions that they all agree on, despite their frustrations at how slow government has been to act on this in any decisive fashion. They’ve agreed on how to combat it, ways to suppress the spread, investment that will enable community to take a localised approach to dealing with surveillance, extraction and monitoring. And yet what’s the Government doing? Monitoring and observing - and at this rate, all that's doing is allowing the killer algae to spread. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is expected to announce a mental health co-response model between Police and health today. Psychologist Sara Chatwin says it's a nice notion, but when it comes to mental health you need to tread lightly. Chatwin joined Kate Hawkesby on Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fears have come that new legalisation aimed at taxing multinational companies that provide digital services might not be as effective as hoped. The Government has unveiled the Digital Services Tax, which will slap three percent on New Zealand revenue of companies like Amazon, Meta and Google. It's expected to bring in $222 million over four years. However, Tech Commentator Paul Spain told Kate Hawkesby some companies may simply put up their New Zealand prices to cover the difference. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National is expected to make tax bracket changes to keep up with inflation. It'll unveil its policy in a few hours, with Finance Spokesperson Nicola Willis saying it'll be funded through a mix of spending cuts and "targeted" revenue tools. She's long talked about the "squeezed middle", meaning as much relief for middle income earners as higher income earners. Auckland University tax expert Craig Elliffe told Kate Hawkesby changing the brackets is a good idea for middle New Zealand. He says the fiscal drag caused by inflation means there's more tax on them right now, so it's a sensible signal of a policy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a lot of sport going on at the moment – school sport I mean - and I’m always amazed at how dedicated and committed parents and volunteer coaches are to these school teams. Having had kids as players, and later on as coaches, having seen how much work goes into it all, it’s very impressive. Especially in terrible weather and especially in a cost of living crisis where things like sports gear, shoes and uniforms are not cheap. Some families are paying a fortune for their kids to do sport – and I’m always amazed at how many prioritise it. It takes up weekends and evenings too, so it’s very time and finance heavy. But it’s those sports teams and club games which often spark real enthusiasm for kids, not to mention set them up with a lifetime of friendship or a good foundation for fitness. Both of which are crucial for mental health, so it’s got to be good for them, even if they’re pretty average at it. I remember when my husband was the girls’ netball manager back in their primary school days, and it was so intense, the planning, the practices, the draws, the matches. But it bonded a lot of kids together, and it gave them a real sense of achievement whenever they won – which my husband will happily tell you was always - they had an undefeated run while he was in charge, he likes to remind us. But it was always fun first and foremost. This week is the big Secondary Schools Winter Tournament Week, so there are kids and parents heading off all over the country to compete. My daughter’s school, like I suppose many others, sent an email home saying that as a ‘fair play school’, they want to remind participants of their aims. That it’s enjoyable and rewarding for all involved, that they compete with fairness, respect the rules and abide by them. That they respect the role of officials and abide their rules, that they respect opponents and value the spirit of sportsmanship, and to accept victory or loss with equal dignity. So that was the message for players - but what was more telling was the message to parents and supporters. Spectators were asked by the school to ‘focus on effort and performance, not the outcome of the event, to help the child set realistic goals and reduce the emphasis on winning.’ This reduction on the emphasis of winning is increasingly a thing these days. When our kids were little, parents used to shout on the sideline of a cross country race until they were almost hoarse. It was about winning. Gradually over time, it got to be more about participation though.. and everyone getting a prize. Being first was not so highly prized anymore - just being involved was key. But these days the other creeping social construct is making sure parents don’t get too carried away. The school’s email went on to say, ‘remember children are involved in organized sport for their enjoyment not yours,’ ‘applaud good play by both teams’.. ‘if you disagree with an official, raise it through the appropriate channels rather than question an official’s judgment in public.’ Now our school’s not unique here, you can see where the vibe for school sport is at these days. Tone it down, just have fun and compete, nobody get too carried away. As valiant as it is for schools to promote this kind of thing, you only need to be on any rugby sideline any Saturday morning, to see that despite all that, there’re still bucket loads of kids and parents who are in it to win it - and they’re pretty loud about it too. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Fashion Week is being refreshed after three years away from the catwalk. Starting today Kiwi designers will have their talent showcased across more than 50 runway shows, talks, and workshops. Owner Feroz Ali told Kate Hawkesby this time round there's greater opportunity for the public to see work from a more diverse pool of designers. Ali says there are a lot more indigenous and emerging designers coming through. He says the new talent will be shepherded by stewards like Kate Sylvester, who is celebrating 30 years in the local industry. The event is partnering with Ngāti Whātua. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are fears unemployment could rise as many businesses look to restructure. Seek's latest report for July shows job ad volumes dropped four percent month-on-month and are 26 percent lower year-on-year. They're now just one percent higher than in July 2019 - while applications per job have risen by 11 percent - the highest level on record. Employers and Manufacturers Association Head of Strategy Alan McDonald told Kate Hawkesby many businesses are looking to cut costs rather than take on more people. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says Grant Robertson can't deliver on the savings he's announced by slashing public contractors and consultants' spending. The Finance Minister says the move will mean savings of almost $4 billion over the next four years. He's also announced a trimming back of programmes and a limit on future budget allowances. National Finance spokesperson Nicola Willis told Kate Hawkesby this won't make any difference. She says the Government has thrown billions at growing the bureaucracy and this kind of spending - so it's too little, too late. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Cabinet Minister believes Chris Hipkins has snookered Luxon very cleverly. The Labour leader has ruled out working with New Zealand First, saying Winston Peters no longer holds policies fit to run the country. Hipkins has labelled Peters a force of instability and chaos. Former MP Peter Dunne told Kate Hawkesby that he's reinforced in people's minds that a vote for New Zealand First is a vote for National. He says National's hand has been forced to make clear whether he'll work with Peters, which could be risky. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report reveals that the majority of New Zealand employers are contributing the minimum 3% towards their employees Kiwi Saver. The latest Value for Money Report by KiwiSaver watchdog, National Capital, shows the average contribution rate for all New Zealanders is 4.3%. Director and KiwiSaver expert Clive Fernandes told Kate Hawkesby that based on the average contribution rate, retirement expenses, and inflation the contribution rate average should be 6.3% . He says the extra money saved now will take a lot more pressure off when it comes to retirement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We went to Christchurch at the weekend, and we were waiting to board the plane and a woman comes up to us and says to Mike, “Just wanted to say I love your show, I listen all the time, but I have to say I think you’re wrong about Winston.” First things first, this woman was under 70 years old. She looked about mid-40’s I guess, so not your average Winston supporter. Mike replies, “What do you mean?”. She says, “You’re wrong about him not having enough support, I reckon he’ll be in government, he’s going to get at least 5 percent.” Mike replies, “Are you insane?” Which, personally, I’ve always thought is a weird way to address your listeners in public, by asking them if they’re insane, but hey, who am I to judge. So she goes on to point out all the reasons why she thinks Winston’s in: ‘he’s getting lots of talk,’ ‘people are listening to him,’ ‘there’s buzz,’ etc. All the stuff that on a statistical graph ranks absolutely nowhere; it’s more a ‘feeling’ than anything logical or statistically based, but she's adamant. So Mike goes on to debate with her the reasons why he thinks Winston won’t make it, and I’m just sitting there hoping they call our flight soon... but she’s not buying it, she’s clearly into Winston. Here’s the thing though – in order to get to be in government and achieve any of the things his fan base are liking the sound of, a major player, as in a main political party, has to want him there, and offer him a seat at the table. And so far, that’s not happening. Yesterday even Labour ruled him out. Which, to be fair, didn’t make a lot of sense given he’s already ruled out working with them anyway– but no one believed that given last time, so to now have Hipkins not just rule him out but also chastise his party as being a bit obsessed with toilets, not real issues, could mean any prospective partnership there is really over. Although never rule out Winston changing his mind. But here’s the thing with all this – has Hipkins snookered Luxon here? Luxon had ample opportunity to rule Winston out months ago and never did, has he now left it too late? Is he now looking like the only leader left who's possibly going to get lumped with Winston? And if he doesn’t rule him out now, does Winston continue to gain traction in the polls? My husband during his random conversation the airport with the total stranger did point out that Winston tends to poll higher than he gets on the night – much like the Greens, but as the pundits always say – can we really ever rule Winston out? So is Luxon left in a quandary now? If he doesn’t rule him out is he leaving the door open for a possible coalition containing two parties who hate each other – ACT and NZ First? Or does he rule him out now and run the risk of not having enough numbers on the night and finding he actually needs him? So I get the dilemma he’s facing, it’s an unenviable position to be in. I’d be bullish though if it were me, I’d rule Winston out, on principle, and be confident I could get the numbers in the night. But does Luxon have the backbone? That’s the question... and we may not get an answer for a while yet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister may not have been able to articulate whether he had or had not started campaigning for the election earlier this week - but we all know he started campaigning the minute he was confirmed as the new Labour Party leader and Prime Minister on 22nd January. What is clear is that campaigning has stepped up a gear. If the antics of this week are any indication of what’s to come then we should buckle up – I think we’re in for a messy and potentially nasty seven-week ride to the election. This is largely a cost-of-living election. The major parties are doing their best to convince us they’re the most credible party to manage the economy. They’re both focused on ‘bread and butter’ issues and helping the “squeezed middle” and “hard-working New Zealanders”. The minor parties are offering more extreme versions of the same policies - and in the process look like they’re offering action and a real alternative. But this week any hope the election would be focused on having constructive debates about front of mind issues was dented as our politicians instead focused on discrediting each other. Te Pati Maori leader Rawiri Waititi went all out, appearing to substantially breach a name suppression order in Parliament’s debating chamber. The well-preforming ACT party came under scrutiny for some interesting candidate selections – including one candidate who had made a comment in the past comparing vaccine mandates to Nazi concentration camps. Once this was revealed she promptly resigned, which Seymour sensible accepted, even if he couldn’t stop making jokes about blowing things up. National’s had to deal with bullying claims, with Tim van de Molen stood down from his portfolios after a Privileges Committee report found his behaviour towards Labour MP Shanan Halbert was threatening and that he was in contempt of Parliament. He was swiftly rolled out to offer an apology and accepted all the findings. Former Minister Michael Wood likely hoped all this drama would mean everyone would forget his shares kerfuffle, but the Privileges Committee recommended he offer an apology for being asked at least 12 times to deal with a perceived conflict of interest and not doing so. Oh, and let’s not forget National had to deny having a ‘man-ban’ after it was reported MP Michael Woodhouse had suggested he was the victim of diversity. The Privileges Committee has been busy and it doesn’t feel like the complaints and reports are going to end anytime soon. Let’s hope these are balanced by at least some informative and constructive conversations breaking out during the grubby hit fest. Seven more weeks. Honestly. Give me strength. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All eyes will be on the television tomorrow morning for the final All Blacks test before the World Cup. They remain undefeated so far this year beating all they have come up against including an emphatic win against long-time opponents South Africa. They're taking on the Springboks at Twickenham in front of a sell-out crowd of 82,000 - kicking off at 6.30am New Zealand time. Former All Black captain and Sky Sports commentator Sean Fitzpatrick joined Francesca Rudkin out of the UK. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A West Auckland councillor sees hope for the community in a new flood recovery deal. The Council will share the $2 billion cost of recovery and resilience works with central government. It includes $774 million to purchase about 700 Category 3 residential properties and $820 million for resilience against future flooding. Waitākere ward councillor Shane Henderson told Francesca Rudkin it includes engineering solutions like raising roads - so communities can continue living near streams. He says that's important for a lot of communities - including those in West Auckland that were particularly slammed by rising floodwaters. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National leader Chris Luxon had little choice in the way he responded to an MP's conduct. Tim Van de Molen has been stripped of all his portfolios after the Privileges Committee found him in contempt of the House for threatening behaviour against Labour's Shanan Halbert. Former National Party advisor Brigette Morten told Francesca Rudkin people are unlikely to change their vote purely because of this. She says people's view of Luxon won't change based entirely on yesterday's events - but multiple issues could have an effect as it has on Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

About five years ago we started talking about how school pools where being closed. 165 school pools had closed in the previous five years and more were at risk of closing due of health and safety or maintenance costs. The big losers were, of course, the kids. We want our children to know how to be safe around water, especially with our drowning figures. But with schools struggling to build enough classrooms, let alone manage a pool only used for part of the year, it wasn’t a surprise to see schools find alternative ways to teach children water safety. Even more appallingly, a recent Listener article in the NZ Herald tells how schools are now sacrificing libraries too. First pools, now libraries – where’s the fun in going to school?! So here’s the thing, libraries are not mandated. It’s up to the school’s management and board of trustees to decide whether they have the space and resources for a library, maybe even a librarian, or whether they need that space or budget for something else. It’s a fascinating article by Paul Little and I encourage you to read it. In it Little writes “New Zealand has 2,434 state and state integrated schools. The School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa estimates 900 of them do not have a library...”. I found that number confronting. We have plummeting literacy rates, and many schools do not have a library. Apparently, research shows schools that have “libraries with librarians have higher reading test scores, academic achievement and positive attitudes towards learning.” Basically, they do better. I’m not saying a library is the silver bullet to solving our low literacy standards (and not all schools are big enough to justify a library) but libraries do play a part, even if it’s just a small corner filled with books and a few bean bags. If you’ve had a child go through school you will have seen how reading impacts their learning - kids who read tend to flourish. The benefits though are more than that - it’s so much more fun being allowed to choose your own book rather than the dry ones you’re made to read in class. It’s good to get out of the classroom and learn in a different environment. It’s a place of sanctuary for many children who need a moment's respite from the chaos of the playground. For many it is the only opportunity to access books, and for others marks the beginning of being a lifelong library user. So as we head into this election, it’s excellent to hear all this policy about how we get back to teaching the basics and focusing on reading, writing and maths. Over the next few months we’ll see lots of political posturing, positioning, announcements and kneeling for photos with kids. Sometimes, though, the things that help aren’t that hard – like money for school libraries so our kids have something to read.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Select Committee is wanting to see greater legislative change around defining sexual consent. It's asking the next government to lawfully outline what consent is in sexual offences - like many other countries have. Current New Zealand laws only state what is not. HELP executive director Kathryn Phillips joined Francesca Rudkin. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OneRoof figures show the house price slump is over in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. The quarterly rises show a 0.3 percent increase in the value of Auckland properties, a 2 percent increase for Christchurch properties and 0.1 percent decrease in Wellington properties - but One Roof believes that will rise again shortly too. Editor Owen Vaughan says it's not a large increase but it's still significant - he joined Francesca Rudkin. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food and fibre export revenue has hit new heights. It's drawn $57.4 billion for the year to June 30, bringing $1.2 billion more into the economy than was originally forecast. Dairy, horticulture, seafood and processed food exports have driven the record increases. Business NZ chief executive Kirk Hope told Francesca Rudkin these are good headline numbers, but there are underlying factors. He says, for example, while dairy by value is up the milk price is down by what was forecast from $8.30 to between $7 and $7.75. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So our post-pandemic dining behaviours, according to this Herald article I read, talked about how much more expensive dining out is these days - $50 mains it quoted. The upshot is we appear to be getting less food for more money, restaurants are getting tougher on turning tables, and people are dining earlier. The reporter asked, ‘what’s happened to hospitality?’ and I take her point. It can feel like it’s not all that hospitable anymore. The last time we dined in Auckland’s CBD at a well-known well-regarded restaurant we felt something was amiss - a new kind of disinterest in diners, a slackening of service, an unapologetic approach to it all, and just not that much of a pleasant experience, for quite a lot of money. Like many diners, I don’t mind parting with hard-earned cash for an experience when it’s good, not so much when it’s below par. We thought maybe we’d just struck this particular restaurant on a bad night, but have since been told by others their experience replicated ours. So how do they get away with it and how do they continue to profit from an increasingly poor experience? Many restaurateurs would argue it’s not that profitable for them anymore, and that may be part of the problem. I’d also hazard a guess our lengthy closed border and a lack of access to staff has had a huge impact. The other Covid – induced side effect is we got used to eating at home, we got good at sourcing our own food, making it ourselves, we also got enthused about ‘supporting local’ and dining in our local hood more. On top of that, I’d also argue that especially in main centres like Auckland and Wellington, there are more people who can’t be bothered with the drama of the CBD. Too hard to get into, no access, no parking, too many homeless, too much violence, not worth the hassle. A nice night out at a restaurant kind of loses its gloss if you have run for your life at the end of it. Increasing costs for the hospo industry in terms of labour and food I don’t doubt is horrendous for them – and they’ll of course be passing it on. But another thing we’re doing apparently now is dining earlier. Now I know this to be the case, because we are early diners ourselves due to our crazy early work hours, and increasingly we’re finding restaurants are fuller earlier. People tell me they sometimes can’t even get a 5.30pm booking anymore, because there’s an increase in ‘demand for 5pm tables.’ I actually think that’s good and could mean a lot of things. One, we’re maybe dining with our young kids more, like Europeans do, therefore we're after earlier tables, two, we're perhaps more educated on health and wellness these days and know the importance of digesting food early and not eating late into the night before bed. Three, we want to get ahead of any 7.30pm potential rush when service can slow down to a snail’s pace, and four, maybe it’s older people are the only ones left with any disposable income these days to spend on eating out, and they’re habitually earlier eaters. I don’t know, but I’d say there’s a lot at play in terms of how the dining experience has changed - not always for the better. I don’t envy hard working restaurateurs trying to keep up with it all, but I’d like to think the good ones know that to keep people returning, you have to keep offering up a good experience. Especially given the cost of it these days.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Opposition's blaming Labour's 'soft on crime' approach for an increase in gang members serving home detention. The number of gang-affiliated offenders sentenced to home detention has risen nearly 60 percent in six years. Corrections figures show 623 people with gang-links have been put on home detention in the past financial year. National's justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith told Kate Hawkesby he wants to make sure there are 'real consequences' for crime. He says they want to make being a gang member an aggravating factor at sentencing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pause has come on using surgical mesh for a common birthing injury. Director-General of Health, Dr Diana Sarfati, maintains it's not a ban but will allow the rolling out of measures to reduce harm linked to surgical mesh used for stress urinary incontinence. These include tailored training for surgeons, and a patient registry. General Practice NZ chair Dr. Bryan Betty told Kate Hawkesby patients will also get clear pros and cons in an amplified consenting process. He says there'd be a team of experts talking about whether it's the right choice for the patient. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns that the Department of Conservation's planned changes after the deaths of 17 kiwi aren't going far enough. An independent review has found the birds' deaths between 2016 and 2017 at Hawke's Bay's Cape Sanctuary were due to staff turnover, a dry summer and predation. DOC has given itself two years to implement changes to documentation, monitoring and complaint management. But former Forest and Bird chief conservation advisor Kevin Hackwell told Kate Hawkesby it doesn't address the conflict between kiwis' welfare and tourism. He says when that conflict arises it's vital that welfare wins over tourism. Note: A claim was made in the interview that Cape Sanctuary staff were told by management not to inform DOC of the Kiwi deaths. Cape Sanctuary denies this and the independent review commissioned by DOC does not refer to this claim.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The same Labour Party that now wants to build roads all of a sudden, also now wants to clamp down on student achievement. It wants to mandate reading writing and maths ‘core teaching requirements’ across all schools. So, in essence, they want to get serious now on education. After six years of abandoning every fundamental core principle there was in regards to student achievement and learning. Two things immediately jump to mind here, one, since when did Labour abandon all its mad cap ideology on what curriculums should look like and decide that the fundamental basics are in fact important in education, and two, what’s with now copying National? The first answer is, after six years of failed experiments, ideological tweaking, and neglect of education, record truancy numbers, teacher shortages, uni drop outs and failed achievement standards - they’ve realised the jig is up. The thought bubbles on rewriting curriculums and forcing Te Reo into every facet of every subject as a priority has left the fundamentals floundering. Discovering how many students can’t pass basic tests, how many can’t read or write, how many can’t do maths, has perhaps focused the mind a bit? Or, does tanking in the polls now focus the mind on aiming at the centre voter? Here’s the other thing with Labour’s latest education announcement, which by the way, I’m not sure how Jan Tinetti pulls off with a straight face, but they now want targets too. Remember those? They were the things this Government abandoned and didn’t seem all that fond of. They want ‘learning progress steps’ to ‘track students’ progress on their core learning.’ Fancy that? Tracking progress?! The Nat’s claim Labour’s stolen their policy, and it’s not an unreasonable claim given it smacks of National rhetoric - fundamentals, basics, progress, tracking achievement - these are all from the Nat’s vernacular on education. You can almost hear Erica Stanford’s voice when you read those words. And yet all of a sudden they’re coming out of Jan Tinetti’s mouth. They’re either stealing National policies to try to win centre voters and they truly believe they’ll get back in that way, or they’re just flying a big kite here in the hope voters may fall for it now, and forget about it later. Like Kiwibuild, light rail, child poverty, and all the other promises they made that went nowhere. What’s easy for political parties to do is spout promises and get headlines and make stuff sound appealing in a generic sense. What’s harder though, is cutting through the spin, and making it a reality. Making it part of the landscape. I can tell you, having spoken many students who’ve looked to go into the education sphere at a tertiary level, that the key message they’re given by school, is that in order to be part of the education sector in any way, the most crucial thing they can do is learn Te Reo. It’s not just students who say that, it’s teachers, careers advisors inside schools, and it’s Universities too. The message current students who want to teach future students are getting, is that the most important thing they can learn, is Te Reo. To have fundamentals and basics taught well, and to get the sort of cut through the Labour party now allegedly wants in education, means they have to look long and hard at where they misdirected that focus the past six years. How they aim to turn that around, is the key question.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The wait could be soon over for new cancer drugs in New Zealand. The National Party's promising to ring fence $280 million over four years to fund 13 new cancer drugs which are used in Australia. It will be funded by restricting fee-free prescriptions to superannuitants and those on low incomes. The Cancer Society's medical director Kate Gregory told Kate Hawkesby this would fill the treatment gap between New Zealand and Australia. She says it can be distressing for someone living here to find out they could have access to different cancer drugs across the Tasman. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Failed promises by Labour may be contributing to their slip in the polls. The latest 1 News Verian poll sees the party drop to 29 percent -- and National rise to 37. The Greens are up two points to 12 percent while Act is up one, to 13. Political commentator Peter Dunne told Kate Hawkesby there's a series of big pledges made before the 2017 election that haven't been fulfilled, like KiwiBuild and Auckland light rail. He says now Labour is making some big aspirational promises and people must be wondering, why should we believe you this time? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The secondary teachers' union is concerned about the Government legislating how some subjects are taught. The Government has announced it'll mandate core teaching requirements in maths, reading and writing. It's been working on a common practice model to ensure nationwide consistency. Post Primary Teachers Association acting president Chris Abercrombie told Kate Hawkesby it could make teachers' jobs harder. He says one size doesn't fit all - so they'll have to think of other ways to teach to support all students. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of Britain's most prolific serial child killers is about to be sentenced. Former nurse Lucy Letby has been convicted of murdering seven babies and found guilty of trying to kill another six. Police believe the 33-year-old may have harmed dozens more infants. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby that it seems she'll refuse to appear for the sentencing, and many are saying she should be made to. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s some concern over Labour's promise to make teaching financial literacy compulsory. The party's vowing to make the change happen from 2025, if it's re-elected. Life Education Trust CEO John O'Connell says it's great it's finally being recognised. But, he told Kate Hawkesby, he's worried about it being taught mainly via the maths and social sciences curriculums. He says we have to shift the mindset of financial literacy being an academic achievement, because it's actually a life skill. O'Connell says until we do that we'll continue to fail. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m thinking the people we should be feeling most for this election campaign are the government’s security detail. Judging by the Prime Minister’s outing to Otara markets in South Auckland over the weekend, it could be a rough old time on the hustings. Bear in mind, this is South Auckland, Labour territory. The PM was not wandering through Fendalton or Remuera. He was in an area which should have his back, but not this time. Protestors from Freedoms NZ, which it’s reported is, “a new political party, joining together the Tamaki-led Vision NZ party and the Outdoors and Freedom Party..” reportedly, “chased him around the market, two on bicycles and others carrying big blue banners, until the prime minister eventually left.” So they caused such a ruckus, they ended Hipkins visit early. From the footage at the event, the person looking most surprised was the PM’s security. Chippy just kept smiling. Was he not aware of how bad it was? Did he just not care? Was he smiling to just keep up appearances? But this could be something he needs to get more used to. People are angsty, they’re angry, they’re seemingly going to make their voices heard. And not always just to offer him a sausage roll. Hipkins was reported saying he won’t change his campaign strategy because of it though. He still hopes to get out and about and said he won’t curb his movements... is that true though? I don’t doubt that behind the scenes the logistics peeps are busy working out how best to avoid this bad press, to avoid this unrest, and to keep him out of the fray. Let’s not forget what happened when Jacinda started to get booed in public, she stopped visiting places where she might find an unpopular reception. She stuck to safe spaces like primary schools or Universities, places where she knew she’d be well received. Will Chris Hipkins have to start doing the same? And that’s before we get to how much the party is internally disputing how they’re tracking, and how much solidarity there is among them as they lose support and lose face, on the back of losing so many Ministers. Hipkins is looking increasingly like a bit of a lone wolf, making a few ‘big calls’ but then having them backfire. GST on fruit and vege being one glaringly recent example. How much of it will come down to him though, versus the party’s lack of delivery, versus the sheer fact Kiwis are just fed up with the direction of the country and feeling stuck in a never-ending cost of living crisis. If Labour go on to lose in October, what went wrong will be dissected ad nauseum. Was it one too many Cabinet minister dramas? Was it Chippy going out on a limb trying to be all things to all people and instead falling between stools? Was it just tide out time on a tired and out of ideas government? Was it too much media focus on fringe minor parties making a lot of noise and getting too much attention? The next couple of months are going to be crucial for Labour, but many inside the party will be asking if the damage has already been done. However Hipkins has no choice really but to keep showing up everywhere, protestors or no protestors, I guess.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellingtonians are finally snapping up tickets to the city's craft beer festival. Two Beervana sessions are fully sold out, overturning concerns people weren't keen this year. Event Manager Ryan McArthur says there's a lot to get excited about this weekend. He says almost 60 breweries are represented, some from Australia, and about 340 brews to try. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So we spoke with Mark Mitchell earlier this morning on Ginny Andersen's claim that he's unfit to be Police Minister. This came about because he said the Government wasn't going after gangs properly, and more than half the charges they were laying for gangs were administrative like traffic offences or minor infringements. This is Operation Cobalt, the Government's so called 'gang crackdown' which the Police Minister is very defensive of. She fired back that the charges Police were laying were not minor, that many were for serious offences like burglary and theft. She went on to say it was ‘frankly appalling’ that Mitchell was ‘going after hard working police officers.’ Which is of course not what he was doing at all, but it’s election season, and a desperate government will latch onto anything as a means of a personal assassination of their opposition right now. What I don’t even need to point out to you here, because it’s so glaringly obvious, is that when you have achieved absolutely nothing in that space, in your portfolio as Police Minister, it is a bit rich – if not farcical, to come out and fire salvos at someone else. This is why Mitchell called it a ‘desperate showing from a Labour government that has utterly failed in law and order.’ He says he's ‘proud of the job our frontline Police do in a very challenging environment created by this hopeless Labour Government’ and that he ‘takes issue with a Government that purports to be 'tough on gangs', while presiding over a 70 percent increase in gang membership, a 33 percent increase in violent crime, and gang-related shootings becoming commonplace.’ He says ‘Labour has zero credibility in law and order, and none of the four Police Ministers they've had over the past year have changed that,’ it was reported. See, that’s the problem. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Andersen doesn’t have a record she can stand on, she doesn’t have a metric she can be proud of, all she does is highlight the failures of the Labour government in this space. Look don’t get me wrong, it’s election season and everyone’s tetchy and the Labour party are looking increasingly frazzled and strung out. When Nicola Willis said the other day they need a cup of tea and a lie down or a holiday – it’s true. I don’t begrudge them that. It could be a long lie down if they find themselves in the Opposition benches, but I would’ve thought in these final weeks, avoiding own goals would be helpful. Ginny Andersen critiquing National’s Police spokesperson, himself a former Police officer, is a waste of her time and energy. Pretending that he was having a crack at hard working officers was also a delusional stretch. Of course an opposition spokesperson is going to look to hold government claims around successful metrics, to account. The focus for Andersen at this time would be better spent on actually trying to improve things Kiwis can tangibly notice. Like the violence in our CBD's, the crime in our retail sector, the aggressive burglaries, the gang takeovers of our streets, that would be a great place for the Police Minister to expend her energy between now and October 14th. Less time spent taking pot-shots at former cops and more time bolstering the ones you have.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have another stoush between Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen - this time over Operation Cobalt. National's police spokesperson this week claimed more than half of charges from the gang crackdown were for minor offences. The Minister has fired back, saying that's simply not true and those "minor offences" include burglary, theft, fraud and others. She claims Mitchell is "unfit to be Police Minister." Mark Mitchell joined Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of the UK's biggest names are paying tribute to veteran broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson. The talk show great has died at 88 after a short illness. He presented 'Parkinson' from 1971 to 2007 quizzing celebrities over more than 800 episodes. Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Kate Hawkesby he's being remembered for his dedication to making his guests feel comfortable. He says he always made sure the interviewee was the person who shone. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everything that's wrong with our justice system at the moment was summed up this week by the judge who gave those two sex offenders home detention. They were described as two of this country's most notorious sexual predators, their offending so heinous one of the victim's called it depraved, one's had PTSD and flashbacks since, one had attempted suicide twice. The judge apparently choked back tears as he said, ‘The harm to the victims can only be described as profound.’ The judge 'described graphic details of some of the offending, which at times involved the use of beer bottles and a deodorant ball.' Yet given all that, what did the judge give them? Permanent name suppression - and a discounted sentence. One offender got 11 months home detention, the other got seven months. The victims urged the judge to lift name suppression, they said they felt like they had little value or worth and 'this victim blaming culture would never stop', but the judge upheld the suppression, based on the fact he felt the offenders met the category of extreme hardship - and would not be able to move on with their lives if their names were made public. They had their sentences reduced due to their age at the time, with the judge saying ‘youth is relevant as it explains the lack of consequential thinking.’ What message does that send young offenders in our current climate of rampant youth crime? That you have another excuse for your behaviour - you're too young to be thinking clearly. So despite the profound impact on the victims lives, the trauma, the flashbacks, the suicide attempts, the bravery in coming forward and going through this whole process, despite all of that, what are they left with? How is there any justice served for them? The judge was concerned about the offenders’ ability to move on with their lives, but what about the victims? How do they move on with their lives? This is why so many victims of sexual violence and sexual offending never come forward. This is why they feel the system is broken and rigged against them. How many times do we hear about the plight of the offender? Their background, their upbringing, their challenges? Why is that seemingly prioritised over and above the plight of the victims? These guys didn't even show remorse. The judge said, ‘I am not convinced there is a high level of remorse, remorse needn't be extraordinary but it must be genuine. There is a lack of tangible evidence of this.’ So no remorse, but still a light sentence. When the TV news crews filmed one of these guys leaving court he flicked the bird at them, had his middle finger up at them the whole way out. Does that indicate a chastened offender whose learnt the lesson or understands the gravitas of what they've done? Of course not. It's just another guilty criminal who beat the system. A system that is seemingly designed to favour the offender. It's a travesty not just for the victims, but for all the families involved in trying to hold predators to account. What it says is - the crime committed against you may have ruined your life, but the justice system wants to make sure it doesn't ruin the lives of the offenders too. I just don’t see how that's fair - or just. It feels like we have a justice system working backwards, where there's actually no justice at allSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The housing market is unlikely to be greatly impacted by the latest Reserve Bank announcement. The bank confirmed the Official Cash Rate will remain at 5.5 percent, although there is a possibility this could be raised again this year. Corelogic Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson told Kate Hawkesby the decision is neutral for the housing market, with a muted recovery still likely. He says whatever was going to happen to the housing market will still happen. Davidson says there is no need to panic and the hint of a further OCR hike is just a warning. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deciding the verdict in the Lauren Dickason trial would've been an extremely difficult decision for any jury. The 42-year-old has been found guilty of murdering her three daughters at their Timaru home in 2021. Dickason pleaded insanity, caused by postpartum depression. The Criminal Bar Association's former president Gary Gotlieb told Kate Hawkesby it was a case of having to weigh up the different views of experts. He questions whether it's appropriate for juries to determine the outcome in cases like these - where experts themselves are divided. Dickason has been remanded to Hillmorton Hospital, before her sentencing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Transport is celebrating an end to bus driver shortages, but some believe it's too early to pop the champagne. At the height of the crisis AT needed 578 drivers. The city has three more drivers than the 2,206 required to operate the bus schedule. But, Public Transport Users Association's Jon Reeves told Kate Hawkesby only having three spare is a bit dicey, when it comes to staff sickness. He says people will hear buses are all running again, then experience a cancellation due to illness and feel let down by the marketing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I see one of the favourite holiday playgrounds for many Kiwi families, has been hit with a travel advisory over violence. ‘Fiji police to increase presence after reports of violent attacks on tourists’ read the headline. These attacks apparently include assaults, robberies and sexual assaults, mainly in Suva’s downtown nightspots. Fiji, one of the safest countries in the world, facing the same problem many CBD’s are facing these day; increased violence. I mean if a safe haven like Fiji can end up with a travel advisory for New Zealand, the US and Canada to ‘remain alert in public places’ then god knows what the warning should be for tourists coming to downtown Auckland these days. It sort of seems unfair that Kiwis are being told to ‘exercise increased caution in Fiji’ - I mean that’s what I’d tell anyone visiting Auckland too to be honest. But every time I raise how dangerous Auckland is these days, people always contact me from other centres telling me crime is rampant there too. It’s not just the violence though is it, it’s the low rent factor as well. The social issues tipping out all over our streets. I was in two opposite ends of Auckland yesterday, and both places had barefoot beggars at intersections tapping on car windows asking for money. Some are organised with signs, some just wander aimlessly banging on car windows and waving their hands. Most of the cars I noticed ignored them, in fact all bar one guy in a Ute who wound down his window and flicked out a couple of coins. But who has cash these days anyway? They can’t be making much business out there at the intersections. It used to be window washers asking for money, but these days they’ve ditched the soap and brush and they’re just straight up asking for money outright. I often wonder how intimidating that must be for little old ladies alone in their cars, or young students on their restricted, nervous about why someone is walking through moving traffic banging on their car window. It’s actually dangerous, I saw one guy almost get hit. Cars had to swerve for him, I’m not sure how it’s allowed, but that’s the point. Nothing’s not allowed anymore is it? We’ve just come to accept that our suburban streets may look at times like downtown New York, minus the cops. Barefoot beggars wandering through traffic, and people on street corners yelling obscenities is somehow normal now. When did that happen? When did we just accept that every social and mental health issue is fine to just pour out all over our streets? A woman wrote to me the other day saying her son and a friend had been walking down Auckland’s Queen St last year after attending a gig, and a group of men in a car was going past yelling at pedestrians. The car then stopped, the men got out and attacked her son and his friend. Her son was tasered and stabbed in the chest, puncturing his lung, his friend was bludgeoned with a hammer, resulting in a fractured skull. No one was found or held accountable for the attack. but she said she found herself saying to her son after the Auckland CBD shootings recently, that he was lucky he only got stabbed. She said the fact she even thought that, far less said it out loud, was extremely sobering. It’s a telling sign of where we’re at isn’t it? The bar has sunk so low now, that we’re just grateful we didn’t get shot.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A leading economist is sceptical of claims Official Cash Rate hikes will be halted until next year. The Reserve Bank is providing an OCR update today, with economists predicting it will stay at 5.5 percent. Westpac Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold says the bank believes this will be on hold until the second half of next year. But he told Kate Hawkesby with a strong labour market, strong migration, and high inflation, he isn't confident this will be the case. Eckhold says the Reserve Bank may need to lift the OCR a bit more, so it can get the inflation rate back to under 3 percent in a reasonable time frame. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former US President Donald Trump is facing his fourth indictment in less than five months. He's been charged in Georgia with attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat - he denies all 13 charges including racketeering and election meddling. A phone call has emerged of him pressuring a Georgia Secretary of State to find votes. Washington Post Political reporter Amber Philips told Kate Hawkesby prosecutors believe the call is an essential piece of evidence. She says they believe it was an overt act in the conspiracy of trying to overturn the election results. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than half of New Zealanders say they're starting to sink when it comes to money. Fresh data collected by the Retirement Commission, shows 55 percent are having a hard time with their finances, up 17 percent from 2021. However, Sorted Personal Finance Lead Tom Hartmann told Kate Hawkesby the research also shows more people are starting to focus on positive money management skills. He says more people are considering purchases before they buy, which will help get through this financial rough patch. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The audacity of this Government - seriously, it makes you wonder whether this the most hypocritical government ever. Yesterday, Chris Hipkins - as in pulpit of truth Chris Hipkins – Covid Minister Chris Hipkins, the guy who ran the whole shebang alongside Jacinda - showed he's now so desperate for votes, that he said he now regrets the 2021 lockdown length for Aucklanders. No kidding. Does he really? I lived through that lockdown, alongside everyone else in Auckland. These guys could not have banged on about the importance of locking us down more. They could not have been clearer and surer that they were doing the right thing. Despite all of us who were vocal at the time - myself included - that it was overkill, and too much, and out of hand, and ridiculous, and way too long, they defended it. They chastised those who spoke out against it. They tried to frame anyone who railed against it as some kind of far right conspiracy theorist or anti-vaxxer. They lambasted and discredited anyone who questioned it. They hung on to the power they held and waved it around with gay abandon. And yet - now look. Suddenly Chris Hipkins regrets it. I mean how do we take these guys seriously? Will they literally throw away very ounce of principle they ever had to try to win this election? We’ve already had Grant Robertson swallowing the dead rat that is GST off fruit and vege. Now we’ve got Hipkins regretting Auckland’s lockdown time. Too late mate. Way too late. We lived it. We lost it. We’ll never get that time back. All the people who missed funerals, lost weddings, sacrificed being at their child’s birth, never got to say goodbye to a dying loved one, all the operations delayed, all the people shut out, all the businesses gone under - none of them can get any of it back. So a glib ‘it was probably a bit long’ doesn’t cut it. You don’t get to go back on your decisions now. Not decisions of that magnitude. It’s reprehensible that you could enact such strict rules, with such courage of conviction at the time, only to completely back-peddle later – based on poor poll results and a desire to get back into power. Is this not the pinnacle of unprincipled government? They should hang their heads in shame for what they’ve done to New Zealanders. An apology was owed to Aucklanders - not a cheap line about it probably being too long a lockdown. ‘Looking back,’ Hipkins said, the length of Auckland’s 2021 lockdown was ‘probably one of the decisions he would change.’ Do you reckon? He acknowledged it was a challenging time for this country, but that ‘out of adversity had come strength’. Well while that’s a nice sentiment and possibly true in some cases, it also resulted in people broken, bankrupted, and bereft. To now say you probably regret it just smacks of the amateur hour we knew at the time was running the show. People out of their depth, determined to control the narrative, to shut down any opposition, to rule the roost and play God with people’s lives. We got scammed by power drunk rookie leadership, one of whom has already scarpered leaving one who now has the audacity to tell us he regrets it. So while he may regret Auckland’s 2021 lockdown, I can tell you who regrets it more; Aucklanders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The curtain is closing on the Women's World Cup for New Zealand, with just one game left on home soil. Spain and Sweden will go head to head tonight at Eden Park in the first semifinal. Over half a million tickets have been sold for the 29 New Zealand games - with the country hosting some of the world's best talent. New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell joined Kate Hawkesby to give a review of the tournament from New Zealand's point of view. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More Kiwis are starting new lives overseas despite migrants arriving in droves. In the year to June, annual net migration rose to more than 86,000. But, the loss was nearly 35,000 citizens - the largest in a decade. ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner told Kate Hawkesby we're losing New Zealanders to Australia because it's seen as a low-risk option. She says changes to the citizenship and wage levels reassure people to make the move. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.