Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

A new report from Westpac claims more is needed to create sustainable competition between supermarkets. This comes as the price of fruit and vegetables is up 22.5 per cent from last year. Vegetables NZ chair John Murphy joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A top Auckland private school has so little confidence in the new NCEA Level 1 curriculum it is ditching the qualification in favour of its own Year 11 diploma next year. St Cuthbert’s College informed parents Wednesday next year’s Year 11 students would not take part in NCEA Level 1 but rather work towards the school’s own bespoke Year 11 Diploma. Principal Justine Mahon said several of the school’s senior academic staff had been on Government advisory panels for NZQA’s proposed changes to NCEA and had become increasingly concerned by what would be taught in 2024. “We don’t think it provides sufficient, in-depth learning for our students,” she told the Herald. “I’m also concerned about educational standards in New Zealand. Some subjects have been merged so that means that potentially, hundreds of students throughout the country will have a less rigorous conceptual framework.” Chemistry and biology had been merged into one subject as had accounting, business and economics. Several subjects, mostly in the arts, had also been removed. Mahon also believed “fundamentals” like the writing requirement and mathematics had been “dumbed down”. As an example, deputy head of the senior school and head of calculus, Julia Fuge, said the current Level 1 curriculum devoted a third of learning to each of number and algebra, geometry and measurement and statistics and probability. The “refreshed” NZQA curriculum devoted half of the teaching time to statistics and probability and the other half to algebra, measurement, geometry and number. “We feel Level 1 is far too young to reduce the teaching of algebra to an eighth of the course. Like a language, it is very hard to pick up later on and is crucial for our future graduates in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, economics and even statistics itself,” Fuge said. “Currently, Level 1 mathematics has an MCAT exam which is set externally and completed in Term 3 nationally. This keeps standards high and this is being removed in the new 2024 course.” St Cuthbert's College principal Justine Mahon does not believe the "refreshed" NCEA Level 1 provides sufficient, in-depth learning. Photo / File Mahon said the programme would “deliver a world-class, comprehensive curriculum which is intellectually rigorous, well-rounded and more challenging than what is being implemented by NZQA next year”. She said less time on internal assessments and exam leave would provide six more weeks of teaching time allowing subjects to be taught more in-depth. Mahon said there would still be end-of-year exams and other “rigorous and relevant assessments” but it would be less of a focus. “We’ve got to be careful that assessment doesn’t drive learning. That’s not to say that we don’t have assessment but you’ve got to be very considered in how you position this.” She said they did not yet know what the new NCEA Level 2 and 3 curriculums would look like but had staff on the panels who would be agitating for a high standard and a strong conceptual framework. “It doesn’t only matter to St Cuthbert’s girls, it matters to us as educators that throughout the country Level 2 and 3 prepare students for the next step,” she said. “NZQA will have to ensure that they are rigorous otherwise we will be disadvantaging students in their entry into universities. They won’t be able to make similar drastic changes to Levels 2 and 3 without compromising students’ tertiary opportunities.” St Cuthbert’s would continue offering both NCEA and International Baccalaureate qualifications to cater to all students in Year 12 and 13. Mahon said taking part in service projects and co-curricular activities like sport, drama, debating or music were also requirements of the diploma as was a 95 per cent attendance rate. St Cuthbert's College will offer its own Year 11 diploma from next year instead of the new NCEA Level 1. Photo / Supplied One St Cuthbert’s parent, who has a daughter in Year 8, said she the school’s decision only confirmed her fears about the state of the education system. The mum of three had intended to send her daughter back to public school for her secondary years but was now reconsidering. “I had always thought my kids might go to university in Australia and it just concerns me that they might turn up and be so far behind the eight-ball that they can’t catch up,” she said. “I believe in public education. I don’t want to be sending my kid to a private school. I want them to go to the local Government school but it just doesn’t seem that it’s good enough.” Ministry of Education curriculum centre group manager Rob Mill said the Ministry was aware a number of schools had made decisions to reduce or cease participation in NCEA Level 1 since the commencement of the NCEA Review in 2018. Pilots for new NCEA Level 1 standards had been running since 2021 and schools involved had reported students were well prepared for NCEA Level 2, he said. “The Ministry is confident that graduates of the new NCEA Level 1 will be better

So a new poll shows the Nats nudging past Labour to form a government with Act. No Māori Party needed as Kingmaker, which has been the current narrative of course.. how close the race is, how powerful Te Pāti Māori could end up. If this poll becomes a trend, not powerful at all. But I still think Luxon did the right thing ruling them out and not a moment too soon. He's dead right when he says they're not the party they were, they grandstanders. But he's also right to do it because it makes him look decisive, like he stands for something, principled, and like a leader. And he desperately needs that right now. Because this latest poll also showed that his personal popularity is still floundering. He got his lowest favourability rating since becoming the leader in November 2021. Now the likes of Richard Prebble will argue women are the problem for Luxon - as in, they don't like him. He wrote a column yesterday saying ‘Polling indicates that women like Chris Hipkins’ “I am just a boy from the Hutt”, and dislike Christopher Luxon’s “I am from head office”. But that’s not true of all women, and it dilutes women’s voting preferences down to identity politics, or the politics of personality. However, Prebble claims the ones who saw Ardern swept to victory in 2020 were the previously National voters, who’d changed their tune and had fallen hook line and sinker for her. They voted for her, not Labour. He claims it’s those ’Ardern women’ as he calls them, who will decide the next election. But surely if that theory is correct, then you have to account for how many of those ‘Ardern women’ will now – post Jacinda, be able to see through the warm fuzzy approach. How many of them have been disappointed and will not be seduced by the ‘Boy from the Hutt’ rhetoric and actually want to see more than just populism and idealism? Women are savvy, they’re smart, and they’re able to see through the BS. Not all of them of course, but I’d be surprised if we see a large proportion of women come October, falling for big smiles and platitudes, again. I also think this election is shaping up to be a bit of a verdict on where we are at as a country. And I’d hazard a guess that we are over it, we are over the way it’s currently being run and what’s happened to it. The state of the economy, the cost of living crisis, the striking nurses and teachers, the health care system in tatters, the education system in tatters, crime through the roof, disengaged disenfranchised youth, division and tribalism, an overarching negativity and oppressiveness about the place. Lack of Police, lack of accountability, lack of transparency – I’m not sure why we’d vote for more of that? One poll does not a trend make, and we'd need a few more to show the trajectory, but I've got a feeling this race won't be as tight as pundits predict. I just wonder if it looks tight in places like social media platforms or Facebook groups or newspaper comments sections, but in heartland New Zealand it’s clearer cut. What about all the people not venting their frustrations or airing their views on those platforms? So still plenty of water to go under the bridge, but in terms of how tight it's going to be; I think we'll see the gap slowly start to widen as people wake up to what's really going on in this country.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early childhood teachers have painted a grim picture of the state of their sector. An Office of Early Childhood Education survey has found more than 70 percent of teachers believe the industry will get worse in the future. Early Childhood New Zealand Chief Executive Kathy Wolfe told Kate Hawkesby the survey results aren't surprising. She says there is chronic under-funding, teacher shortages and they're overburdened with standards and regulations. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Avocados are due to return to supermarket shelves shortly as prices soar to more than five dollars each. A Rabobank report shows this year's production will be lower than last due to wet weather events. Foodstuffs' Brigit Corson told Kate Hawkesby they haven't been able to bridge the gap while avocados are out of season, hence the higher price. She says it hasn't been a good growing year and combined with the cyclone and poor weather they ran out. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

100 wealthy New Zealanders who believe our public services are underfunded think they should be the ones to pay up. The group has signed a pledge calling on the Government to increase their taxes. Inspired by the initiative Millionaires for Humanity, it believes the current tax system contributes towards the gap between poor and the wealthy. Ex-Retirement Commissioner, Dame Diana Crossan told Kate Hawkesby higher taxes are better than philanthropy, as the money is shared more widely. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a funny thing being away and suddenly seeing stuff without the blinkers on - and we are blinkered here. We’ve been cloistered in a sheltered environment with shut borders for so long that we’ve maybe lost sight of how much the rest of the world has moved on. And they have moved on. But I tell you what struck me the most, how safe I felt in cities like London and New York, compared to New Zealand. I know, weird eh. When you think of New York you think crime and mayhem, but in fact, there are just so many cops, that it feels safe. And not only are there lots of them, they’re armed and look like the sort of people you don’t mess with. They walk round in minimum of doubles, but usually groups of them. They clamp down on any whiff of action and if something does fire up – they’re on the scene shutting it down within seconds. The sirens of the NYPD are a constant - there are cops everywhere, active and omnipresent, and that’s before we get to all the security guards stationed outside shops, malls and doorways too. Likewise the public don’t suffer fools in New York. We saw an out of it homeless man being a menace to people just outside Central Park and locals just tackled him to the ground and lay on top of him until NYPD arrived about 30 seconds later. So trouble gets cleaned up real quick. Likewise, in London. It feels the safest of all to be honest. Although a mate of mine who lives in London but travels frequently to New York for work said ironically he feels safer there. But in London cops are omnipresent too. They walk the beat in doubles, gigantic handcuffs dangling out of their pockets, some are armed, and they look serious enough to be a deterrent. And they are. They’re also extremely approachable. They’re helping tourists with directions, they’re sorting out traffic issues, they’re genuinely useful to their communities, many are well known, liked and kids look up to them. So a lot different to here. And there are lessons there for our Police Minister and Commissioner. To make people feel safe, as they often say they want to, you have to actually be proactive in creating a safe environment. You can’t do that in a vacuum. We often hear this Government talking about crime numbers coming down – yet we know that’s not true because we know it’s more about how it gets reported, or in many cases not reported. If you don’t classify breaking into a shop’s front door with a car as a ram raid, then it’s not a ram raid stat is it? But we have to be less blinkered. For all the people who go on about how ‘safe’ New Zealand is, is it really? Or is that just a story we keep telling ourselves? A person I know currently here from London said she cannot believe how unsafe she feels in NZ these days, she can’t wait to get back to London. I know of another who said they’d travelled all over the world, and the place they felt least safe was the Auckland CBD on a Saturday night. Some will argue, well at least we don’t have guns like America and that's true, and for that I'm grateful, but we had a gun pulled on a member of the public in Auckland just last week, so there is an issue with gangs and guns. But when I think about how safe I felt elsewhere, in vastly bigger cities, I think the key to it is not that hard, it could actually just be as simple as more cops on the beat in our communities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Auckland business leader believes Auckland Council made the right call, when responding to yesterday's flood events. Heart of the City Chief Executive, Viv Beck told Kate Hawkesby while shutting down the city can't be done willy-nilly, it was appropriate in this case due to the widespread impacts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A body has been found in the search for a missing student in Abbey Caves in Whangarei. Specialist equipment brought up from Auckland allowed the search to continue last night. A formal identification process will be carried out, with cordons in place for a routine scene examination. Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo told Kate Hawkesby they expect a review of the doomed school trip to be carried out. He says as the owner of the caves, they will be involved with the review and other processes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An anti-smoking advocacy group is calling for a 21-year-old age limit for buying vapes. Action for Smokefree 2025 has outlined new proposals that aim to help tackle youth vaping in New Zealand. According to the group, in 2020, daily vaping in Year 10 students increased from one percent to almost 10 percent, and from one percent to 18.6 percent for under 25s. ASH Director Ben Youdan told Kate Hawkesby the group's recommendations aim to improve prevention. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pay rise for the Defence Force, which has lost about about 10 percent of its personnel over the past year. That works out to around 800 people leaving. What would be really interesting to know and hopefully the Defence Force does know this - is where they're going and why they're going. Is it only because there's more money to be had in civvy street or are there other issues? There was a time when we were losing trained personnel to the Australian military, purely because of money. These days, there's better dough to be had in the Fire Service or the Police and in Corrections too, although you might argue there's more danger in any of those roles now than the military. So we're upping the money by between $4000 and $15,000 a year, meaning 90 percent of NZDF personnel will be above, or close to, market rates. Also meaning about 10 percent, roughly the proportion that left last year, will still be below market rates. Thing is the Defence Force has turned out some fantastic contributors. Recent examples just off the top of my head, MPs and Ministers, a Governor General and an outstanding airline CEO. I doubt many of them went into it for the money and maybe this is where the NZDF could be looking to make itself more attractive. The Defence Force opens doors to fantastic careers for the right people. For others looking to get skills or a trade, it provides training and opportunities that money just can't buy. The downside...well...it's only two weeks since we acknowledged the price some of our people have paid for joining up. In a world that looks more dangerous by the day, what kind of money compensates for that sacrifice?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 10,000 strong petition is calling for more facilities to fix freedom camping issues. The Responsible Campers Association says the Government is claiming there's a nationwide problem, but its incoming legislation won't fix it. Association secretary Bob Osborne joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A big pay increase is on the way for our Defence Force in the hope of stemming staff turnover. The Government is bringing 90 percent of pay in line with market rates, by putting aside nearly $420 million in the Budget. Another $328 million will also be spent upgrading assets and infrastructure, including Defence Force housing. Former Defence Minister, Ron Mark told Tim Dower he takes his hat off to new Minister Andrew Little. He says he's clearly had the support of Chris Hipkins to come to the table, which is desperately needed as the force is bleeding experienced personnel. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Coromandel Peninsula community is eagerly awaiting an announcement on the fate of State Highway 25A due later this morning. The Kopu to Hikuai route has been closed for three months after significant damage from Cyclone Gabrielle. Waka Kotahi has three options on the table; a potential bypass, bridge, or retaining wall. Coromandel MP Scott Simpson told Tim Dower his concern isn't which one it will be, but rather how long it will take to complete. He's hopeful it can be re-opened before summer, as the closure's impact on the community and local businesses has been devastating. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Government is seeking an end to the imprisonment of Julian Assange in the UK. The Australian citizen and WikiLeaks founder has been incarcerated while the US seeks to extradite him on charges relating to the publishing of classified information about the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Anthony Albanese hasn't been able to find a "diplomatic solution" to the Assange case while in London for the Coronation. But UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Roman Travers that there is some positive news. He says that for the first time both Australia's leader and opposition leader has called for his imprisonment to come to an end. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's believed continuity and stability will be a core-focus for King Charles as he guides the Royal Family into a new era. Royal Commentator, Richard Fitzwilliams told Roman Travers that the King knows his biggest challenge will be connecting with the younger generations. He says it's been a tough time for the monarchy, with Prince Andrew in disgrace and Prince Harry and Meghan's exit, the split affecting young people's attitudes towards the Royals. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's some hope that supplier costs to supermarkets will soon show signs of easing. The Infometrics-Foodstuffs New Zealand Grocery Supplier Cost Index shows a 10% increase in what suppliers charged supermarkets for goods in April. We've seen increases of 10% or more for the past six months. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says this reflects suppliers themselves are facing very high input price pressures. He says we're starting to see some signs of possibly less intense cost pressures, but they are remaining high for now. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What an astonishing weekend it’s been, right? There aren’t many of us that are old enough to remember in great detail the coronation of our previous monarch, Queen Elizabeth the second. Now we all have Saturday night etched into our memory banks with all that pomp and pageantry, being beamed into lounges across the world with the coronation of King Charles the third and Queen Camilla. Generally, people seem to have been polite enough to park their republican discussions with the possibility that the preponderance of those in favour of sticking with what we have has again become the way we’ll stay. With the coronation formalities now designated to the official websites of royal history and fabulous photography, it’ll be fascinating to see whether the debate around New Zealand becoming a republic once again bobs about. For those excited at the prospect of buying more new shoes, and more very formal outfits for one off occasions, we may well get to see another coronation in a decade or so from now. So hang on to those overpriced outfits. If you live long enough, fashion tends to go full circle. One thing that will cement the love for the British royal family more than anything will be inevitable succession to the throne of William and Kate at his side. There seems to be genuine love, or strong liking at least for this couple, who’ll undoubtedly hope to retain and enhance the ubiquitous favour that the British royal family cling to regardless of the Meghan and Harry debacle. My strong feeling is that rightly or wrongly and for better or worse, New Zealand will make no fundamental changes in terms of our allegiance to the British royal family and the Commonwealth in my lifetime. In fact, the future of ‘The Firm’ shines brighter than ever. Although the official wording within the ceremony did seem bonkers at times, with chants like, ‘may he live forever’, which doesn’t happen for anyone even on the best vitamin regimens, the sentiment seems to be genuine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What a cool day we’ve had today. We met David Walliams from ‘Little Britain’ and ‘Come Fly With Me’ – two comedy shows that could never be made these days without being cancelled immediately – in fact I don’t even know if there are clips still up on YouTube– probably been gassed by now. But they were hilarious shows. He’s also been the judge on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ so he’s a big name here. But Walliams is probably most known worldwide for his books I think – fabulous author – Gangsta Granny, Billionaire Boy Robo-dog. He’s an extremely entertaining children’s book author and he very generously gave my daughter some books, he signed them for her and her little brother and sister, he did photos with us, and he was genuinely very funny. He actually just took the piss out of us. He called us ‘a very stylish family’ but then he did have a crack at Mike about his ripped jeans. He said Mike reminded him of ‘a Karl Lagerfeld’ he said he was ‘wearing clothes designed for a much younger man..’ we were in fits. He also said he loved Mike’s ‘stylish sunglasses’ so they were hitting it off. Then after the interview we walked out to his car with him at which point Mike spotted that his car was one he'd owned before, but David had the new model. So, turns out Walliams is a car guy too, so suddenly he’s telling Mike to hop in the car and they’re chatting about cars, then he offers us a ride home – given we’re only staying a short walk away from the BBC we had to decline that, but what a lovely and hilarious guy. As he drove away he wound down his window and yelled out at us ‘ok then leave me alone now!’ so that was a treat. Then we met Graham Norton. Graham Norton we met last time in 2018 when we were here for Harry and Meghan’s wedding, and he was so lovely, polite and effusive. Very humble and low key, and still the same today, just such a lovely man. As he arrived and saw us all, he said, ‘gangs all here!’ Again very generous doing autographs for Marley, photos, and even participated happily in her BeReal post! Anyway, given he’s got a place in New York, I asked him which he preferred. I explained we’d just come from New York, and we couldn’t decide if we like London or New York better. He didn’t even pause for a beat, “New York”, he said. He was very impressed with Mike’s coronation invite and asked if I’d had an invite too, or if Mike could bring a plus one. When Mike explained no it was just him, Graham said, ‘not to be rude, but why you?’ We were all so busy laughing I’m not sure what Mike’s answer was, but Graham was very excited for him, asking if he could take his phone in, if he was wearing tails, if he would recognise all the heads of state there etc. Anyway two very lovely chatty personable and self-deprecating men, doing amazing work here, and really just topping off a fabulous two weeks in London for us. Exhausting, but fabulous. The boss texted today and said ‘are you ready to come home?’ I had to say, nope, I’m not, I’d stay here forever. But the school run and the dog and life as normal awaits, so it’s been a blast, it's been a privilege. But it’s definitely not goodbye to London, it’s see you again soon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The countdown is on to the historic King's coronation this weekend. King Charles has been heir to the throne for 70 years and excitement's building for the big royal celebration on Saturday. Max Foster is a CNN host and royal correspondent in London, and he joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are now in the final countdown to the coronation. One of those representing New Zealand at Westminster Abbey is former Olympic and World Championship winning rower Rebecca Scown. She now heads up Youth Experience in Sport over in Britain. Rebecca Scown joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The iconic Rodd and Gunn is making its presence felt in London. The lifestyle brand opened in mayfair towards the end of 2019 - and is now expanding into europe. That came after massively successful launches into Australia and the United States. Kate Hawkesby caught up with Rodd and Gunn's UK Regional Manager Eleanor O'Dea. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well today has noticeably ramped up another notch in coronation preparations. More roads closed, more barricades up, more Cops around, and way, way more people. The Palace garden party was on today, so attendees were out in their finery and even the weather played ball with a beautiful and rare blue sky day. Many, who at the start of this week were a bit ho hum, seem now to be getting excited. I was speaking with one woman whose kids insisted she drag them round all the festivities to see what’s in store for the celebrations ‘for our King’, as she put it. She said they weren’t really royalists and felt indifferent about the monarchy, but she said when it came to events like an historic coronation, how could you not be part of it all? She said it’s part and parcel of being British. On the day however, given how busy London already is, she said she’d stay home and ‘watch it on the telly’, which she argued would be a better view anyway, and she’s probably right. But there’s something magical about being here and soaking up the festive vibes, and it’s part of what I love about England; how into it they get. They love a good knees up. They love their bunting, they love their Bank holidays, even if they don’t even love the royals that much. The TV news channels here are all about polls on the monarchy. A recent YouGov one showed 58 percent of Brits still want a monarchy, and just 26 percent say they’d prefer a head of state. There’s ongoing criticism of royal spending of course – when asked if the monarchy was good value for money – 54 percent said yes, 32 percent said no. In young people that stat was higher of course, of 18 to 24 year olds, 40 percent thought the monarchy was a waste of money. The royals are under constant criticism in that regard; from private jet use, to security costs, to living expenses. Royal trustees are currently carrying out a five year review of the sovereign grant and the monarchy already has fewer working royals. Harry and Meghan choosing to leave of course, and Prince Andrew being shown the door. But questions remain about how much more Charles can trim it all down. And even then, will it enthuse Gen Zed’ers into the royal fold? With Charles being 74, most of his support base is 65 plus, and you’ve got an increasingly royally disengaged youth. ‘Nearly four in ten Gen Zed’ers support abolishing the monarchy,’ according to that YouGov poll, just ‘a third of 18 to 24-year-olds back the Crown’. Another question pollsters asked was whether people thought Charles was in touch with the British public. 36 percent said yes he was, 45 percent said no. Looking like you’re in touch helps, and they’re relying very much on the younger royals as in Wills and Kate, to do that. But at the end of the day, Brits by and large seem to love the pageantry around all this stuff. News channels here were reporting on the huge volumes of bunting people had ordered through the post to hang in their homes. But while this may be a festive, celebratory and ceremonially significant week for the monarchy, it’s very much how it plays out from here that matters. Whether King Charles can maintain a monarchy that’s modern and current, and justifiable in the eyes of the British public, is all ahead of him long after the bunting and the flags have been taken down and packed away.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just one concussion can cause someone to go on and commit a violent crime. New AUT research shows even a mild traumatic brain injury significantly increases the risk of criminal behaviour over the following decade. It also exacerbates mental health difficulties, drug abuse and managing emotional reactions to events. Researcher Gail Pacheco told Kate Hawkesby a concussion can result in more criminal convictions and court charges later in life. She says the risk is higher amongst men and those who have had multiple brain injuries. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You'll probably know the Kiwi company, Karma Drinks. They're an ethical drinks company which launched in New Zealand back in 2012. They are a massive success story in Britain, which now accounts for about half their business. And out of its 25 staff - seven are based in the UK. UK Marketing and Sales Director at Karma Jessamy Besson-Jones joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins has confirmed he still hasn't heard from Meka Whaitiri. Whaitiri has resigned from minister and from the Labour Party, and plans to jump ship to Te Pāti Māori at the next election. Speaking to Kate Hawkesby from England, the Prime Minister says he's still completely in the dark about why she's suddenly decided to leave. “She clearly hasn’t spoken to anyone about it. She certainly hadn’t raised any concerns up to the point where she made her announcement. So those are really questions for her I guess.” Whaitiri is now expected to carry on as an independent MP, but will run under Te Pāti Māori's banner for the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti seat she holds, in this year's election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So just as we have rolling strikes beginning this week in New Zealand, the UK has strikes going on too. Nurses and teachers. Today here more than 22,000 schools were disrupted with a mass walkout of Union members. And if you think our strikes are bad, this is the fifth time this year teachers in England have walked off the job demanding better pay and conditions. And it’s raised the question here of who picks up the slack and looks after all these kids for parents who have to keep working and can’t take the time off. There’s a lot of debate here about what they’re calling ‘Granny day-care’ where grandparents are having to take over the caregiving. Some parents are saying it’s too much for elderly grandparents who may have health issues or not be fit and able enough to suddenly be running round after small children all day. It can cause friction between families who’re expecting too much from grandparents. Others are saying it’s just not fair – it’s free unpaid work, and many busy grandparents with full active lives of their own are having to donate time and energy to little ones above and beyond what counts as being grandparents. So the debate is on. The reality is, and similarly for us in New Zealand, many of these families don’t have the resources or finances to cope with much more disruption, take time off work, or hire extra help. And that’s before we get to the kids themselves who’re facing yet more upheaval. I mean I was feeling terrible about dragging my daughter to London for work when the original plan was to drop her home from New York so she could start the term on time after the holidays, but with plans changing and us coming across to London sooner, she ended up being dragged with us so I had to write to the school and explain – because you need permission from the Dean to withdraw your child or have them off during term time. So I had to write a lengthy email to explain and I was feeling bad about that. But then I realised, between Anzac day, teacher only days, a scheduled half day off for parent teacher interviews and now the strikes all inside the timeframe we’re away, she’s hardly missing a thing. In fact it’s probably more educational for her being here at this point. I do feel for teachers though. Have you been in a classroom lately? I mean yes they get a lot of time off as people point out, and it looks like they technically work shorter hours than most – but do they? The teachers I know are working long before school starts, and long after. They’re marking on weekends, they’re prepping themselves admin wise and they’re dealing with a myriad of extracurricular stuff they have to be responsible for. All the social issues they have to deal with inside their classrooms, kids with issues that even ten years ago would not have been such a big deal. They’ve got absenteeism at record levels, kids missing out, new rules and regulations to stay on top of as curriculums and education standards keep changing. It’s actually a huge toll on many very capable people. And they all get lumped into the same basket of course – the Union ones, the non-Union ones, the capable ones, the useless ones, so that doesn’t help either. So I have sympathy for all sides. Kids facing disruption, teachers still having to battle the system, parents left picking up the pieces, and as they’re pointing out here in the UK, all the grandparents getting roped into this for free childcare too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are four days out now from the coronation of King Charles III. You certainly can't miss it in London, the build up is in full force, but how do the public feel about the upcoming coronation? LBC talk radio host Iain Dale joined Kate Hawkesby out of the UK. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A last push as area school teachers prepare for strike action. Union NZEI has agreed to join the Post Primary Teachers Association in rolling strikes from next Tuesday to Thursday. It's also opted to ban covering relief teacher work. NZEI President Mark Potter told Kate Hawkesby this action is necessary, as they haven't had an offer from the ministry since last year. He says rolling strikes might have an impact on students, but the impact will be even greater if teachers resign. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Rotorua dentist says kids are suffering by waiting so long to be seen. Te Whatu Ora figures show the average wait time for children 15 or under, who need surgery across the city is just over four months, with some waiting up to nine months. Ranolf Dental Surgery owner Leroy Chan told Kate Hawkesby that's an unnecessary length of time. He says it's affecting their health, their families and the whole of society. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I asked AI a question the other day and it didn’t know the answer. I thought Chat GPT knew everything? It came back and said – I don’t know, but would you like me to find out for you? I mean, what do you think? That’s why I asked. Anyway I Googled it, and immediately got the answer. My question was ‘why don’t London cabbies work in the rain’ – I got the answer not only from Google but also from the next Cab I hopped into when he just told me. Always better from the horse’s mouth. But like all things, it doesn’t take long before advancements in technology become battlegrounds for hearts and souls and breeding grounds of distortion and hate. Like the internet itself. The real uses these things are intended for get hijacked by the lowest common denominator or bad actors that look to disrupt. The concern with AI at the moment is that it’s mostly being used as a toy or a tool of trickery – deep fakes, artificial voices and the like. Fake campaigns often go a long way on mainstream before they get picked up. And so it is a similarly perplexing issue for schools and students. Schools and universities now have the battle of how much students use AI and for what purpose. For every advancement in tech, schools and unis have to come up with a counter move to protect themselves from it. How can they ensure students work is their own? Many schools have already employed anti-plagiarism tools and anti-cheating software, but they have to be vigilant and work on student morals too. They have to hammer home the importance of honesty and decency when it comes to AI and not just rely on software programmes to investigate for AI detection. AI certainly speeds things up though these days. Kids don’t have to wonder for long, or try to find out anything themselves the old fashioned way, answers are these days right at their fingertips. I often remind my kids that somehow I got through school without Google; we either had to ask the teacher, or look up books. I mean honestly, how did we get through it? It’s so much easier these days. And the books. The weight of those text books at uni, and the cost of them, they were a nightmare. And we had to lug them round and scour them for hours. These days text books are a foreign concept. You’d be hard pressed to find a text book in any child’s school bag nowadays. But the challenge is how much students use AI. Some schools are saying don’t use it all, but others are more realistic. Encouraging students to use all tools available to them in terms of asking a question, but only using answers by way of research purposes. So for example, you could ask AI the same thing you might ask Google, just not utilise the answers verbatim. And if you thought for one second you could copy, the anti-cheat software’s going to pick it up anyway. So I don’t know whether it’s harder or easier these days for kids. On the one hand all the tools and answers are there for them, but on the other hand, they have to think so carefully about what they can and can’t use. There’s that added layer of paranoia about making sure their work is legit and not plagiarized in any way. It’s a classic case of technology making life easier in some respects, but harder in others.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time to meet a Kiwi making noise in the royal world. Sophie Gaulter is only the second woman to be included in the famed London Scottish Regiment band. This is the esteemed band known for performing at royal events and participated in the procession for the Queen's death. Sophie joined only a few months ago and Sophie Ggualter joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heading into a busy winter season, the dairy sector is still lacking thousands of workers. The shortage is being partly blamed on the median migrant wage with the $29.66 cent hourly wage requirement being called unreasonable as local workers earn less for the same job. Federated Farmers Dairy chair and Immigration spokesperson, Richard McIntyre, joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The death of MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo has sent shockwaves through the food world. Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Kate Hawkesby the 46-year-old's loss is being felt across the world. “Tributes from Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, even Aussie rock legend Jimmy Barnes says he feels like he has lost a brother.” It's still unclear if the upcoming season of MasterChef Australia will go to air. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government was warned in 2018 it would run out of money to fund the Clean Car Discount scheme. Due to its success, it is having to lower the threshold for higher emitting vehicles, increase the fees on those vehicles and change rebates for zero emissions imports. Vehicle Import Association Chief Executive David Vinsen told Kate Hawkesby this is an artificial process to accelerate the uptake of EVs. He says all the scheme does is bring forward a move towards lower emitting vehicles by two or three years. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's nursing and midwife policy might need to pivot if it wants to complete what it aims to achieve. In a bid to grow the workforce, the party's promising to pay nurses and midwives 22 and a half thousand dollars back on their student loans. But, they'll have to agree to work here for five years. College of Nurses Executive Director Kate Weston says the policy targets graduates, rather than the loss of experienced nurses. She says that focus is needed on workplace issues driving nurses away such as unsafe staffing, and they're worried about their patients. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time, the public will be asked to say a pledge of allegiance to the King at the Coronation. King Charles' coronation will be held Saturday night, our time. The Archbishop of Canterbury will ask people in the UK and other Realms and Territories to pay homage to the King. UK Correspondent Gavin Grey says that it's one of several changes to the ancient ceremony. He says female clergy will have a prominent role, the King will pray out loud, and religious leaders from different faiths will also play a part — all for the first time. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Excitement is ramping up ahead of King Charles' Coronation. It will be held this Saturday night, New Zealand time. Royal correspondent Robert Hardman says told Kate Hawkesby that Friday is when all the world leaders will start to arrive. He says there's a special event at Buckingham Palace on Friday, and the New Zealand Governor-General and key representatives of all the realms will be there. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Had a great chat with a London cabbie yesterday. I love how knowledgeable they are about everything, and they’re super chatty and friendly. It’s a Bank holiday here tomorrow —Monday here our time— then of course they get another Bank holiday the following Monday for the Coronation, so they’re drowning in long weekends here at the moment. I asked him if that meant everything would be shut, no he said, everything stays open just like any other day – in fact he said the only day you will find everything closed in London is Easter Sunday. I asked about whether the huge volume of people in town was unusual or whether London was just this busy these days. I‘m trying to work out if this is an influx for the Coronation, or if I’m just not used to this many people everywhere all the time, but it’s definitely busier than we were last here, which was Harry and Meghan’s wedding. He said it’s definitely busier, they’ve had an influx last week for the London marathon – which was the day we arrived, and it was heaving. Then this week is the Coronation – another influx, then after that it’s the Chelsea flower show, which he reckoned would be the busiest of all. So the place is flooded with people and getting more so. Great business for the cabbies and the hotels. I asked him why the London cabbies famously don’t work in the rain. He said it’s two fold. One, because they have a daily target and if it’s raining way more people use cabs so they hit their targets early then knock off… so there are fewer on the road. And two, because London is a tube and train town, but in the rain, everyone wants a black cab because they want to go door to door, but the Ubers have surge pricing, so the cabs are all snapped up. Which is true, the other night it was pouring and I was trying organize a cab home for Mike who finishes at 10pm our time —when cabs are few and far between anyway— and I couldn’t even book one on the taxi app, there just were none available, so I tried an Uber. Surge pricing, at 10pm. It was 5 times the cost of usually getting home. So an eleven pound ride was 55 pounds all of a sudden. So you can see why the taxis are in such high demand. Anyway he was saying they’ve gone all out for this coronation. They’re double barricading – so the barricades everywhere to keep the public back off the streets and segregated from the Abbey, and the Mall, and the Palace, etc are already being erected, but they’re doubling it this time round, which means one barricade for public, then another line for Police and military to stand behind. So there’ll be two layers of security between the public and event pageantry. Six thousand military personnel he said are being deployed to guard and monitor the whole thing, flags are all up on the main streets, and even along the Mall, on every lamppost they’ve put up not only a flag but screwed little ceremonial crowns on top too. Huge amount of effort has gone in to making London sparkle for the event. Anyway he gave me the top tip that roads will be closed Tuesday for a full rehearsal, so I’ll be keeping my beady eyes out for that. The excitement here’s definitely building. They love their pomp and ceremony and they’re proud... even the ones who aren’t necessarily big fans of the Royals, they’re proud of how London puts on a show and they’re made us so welcome, they’re thrilled to have all the tourists in town.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the things I like about London is the infrastructure works. The buses, the trains, the tube, the taxis all work. It’s a systems place, it’s got the population to support it, and it works, so people use it. The other thing I’ve found on our travels both here and in the States, is that service culture is huge. It’s a career. At home it feels a bit more of a transient option for school leavers or students or those who want to dabble in something for a while. Waiting tables or working in a hotel is an in between gig on the way to or from something else. In the States at the hotel we stayed in in New York for nine days, same staff every day. We had the same people working the same shifts – breakfast, lunch, dinner, reception, concierge, housekeeping, doormen, bell hops. All the same people all the time. All older people, it’s a career, they love it, they’re stayers. We spoke to them, most of them have been there for years. In fact, one of them was telling us he got Covid and left for a while, because he lived two hours commute out of New York, so thought he’d try working closer to home for a while, but he missed the hotel and the city so much that he returned.. And has never looked back. Even though it takes him two hours to get to work! They take pride in the jobs, they love it. Yes, I get they have a tipping system and that’s enticing in America, but London IS the same thing. Service culture jobs carry some sort of kudos. I’ve talked to the hotel receptionist here, and some restaurant staff, they said they’re all long term. They wouldn’t consider doing anything else. It’s a career for them. The cabbies too know how important their job is. They fill you in on what’s going on, why, how, have all the updates about the place, they seek to make your experience in their city as informed as it can be. They’ve been enormously helpful in terms of explaining what’s going on at any given time. They’re tapped into the heartbeat of the place. And there’s this natural inclination it seems, to want to help tourists and give you as many tips as they can for you to enjoy your stay. Which all got me thinking about New Zealand, and how vital those who interface with our tourists are. We maybe don’t give enough kudos or credit to the person working the front desk at the local hotel or motel – that’s often the first person a tourist will interact with in our country, (bar airport staff or an Uber driver). The wait staff working hospo serving tourists are crucial ambassadors for our country, and can sometimes make the difference to how their experience is going. The bus drivers, the cafe owners, the restaurant staff, all the people who are not necessarily in the tourism sector per se, but whose interaction with tourists can help form their view of our country. Even those in retail. Anyone who interacts with a visitor, is in a small way playing an ambassador role for New Zealand. So full credit to the ones who do that job with pride and professionalism, we should value it more. There should be more kudos placed on those jobs given how important they really are. And to all those thanklessly already doing it, we’re very grateful to you. Any public interfacing job can make or break someone else’s day, so it’s actually a really important one, and I think we should value it more than we currently do.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Auckland primary school is boasting big improvements in literacy with its different way of teaching. Willow Park School has adopted a structured literacy approach after a trial proved successful. It means early intervention for any kids struggling from Year One. Principal Duncan Millward joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's hoped a new fund will unleash opportunities for New Zealand's domestic wood processing sector. Government is putting $57 million into the industry, aiming to process more logs onshore, create high-wage jobs and aid climate change goals. Forest Industry Contractors Association Chief Executive Prue Younger told Kate Hawkesby the problem the industry is facing is heavy reliance on export markets. She says when those markets are down, the workforce is significantly impacted and not only are the trees not being sold, but contractors are losing days at work. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is being called on to invest any money it may borrow, into things that create a stronger economy. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed no major tax overhaul will be made this term, including on capital gains or a cyclone levy. Council of Trade Unions economist Craig Renney told Kate Hawkesby if we borrow for things like roads, schools and hospitals, we're all better off as a society. He says if we don't borrow or invest, simply to reduce debt, we will find ourselves in a situation where the infrastructure we want or need isn't there. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With all this tax the rich talk and naysayers wanting punitive measures dished out to anyone showing signs of success or ambition, I just wonder if we're shooting ourselves in the foot here. Are we not at peak tall poppy syndrome now? Because where does all this "it's not fair, woe is me" whining actually get us? So far all I can see is that it sends our best and brightest off elsewhere. We have the 5000 nurses who've registered to work in Australia, the net migration loss of more than 8000 Kiwis to Australia just last year, we have those who've discovered cost of living is actually cheaper overseas. I mean, gosh, even our former Prime Minister is off to the States for a semester there. She had said she was looking forward to more time at home and getting her daughter off to school. But when push comes to shove, being away from New Zealand was too tempting, even for one of our greatest cheerleaders. We all know dozens of families whose kids have chosen a life outside of New Zealand. They've left for opportunity, better pay, and a more positive way of life. I think we have to adjust this complacent mentality we have that we're the best little country in the world and we're invincible. As Richard Prebble said yesterday in his Herald column, we're actually not, if you look at the facts. He says that "New Zealand is becoming a third world country." He points out that in just five years, net core Crown debt to GDP has doubled to 40 percent, food prices have increased at the fastest pace in 30 years, the trade deficit is at 9 percent of GDP, benefit numbers are up by 50,000, and our health and education systems are in dire trouble. When we count our unfunded liabilities in superannuation and health, the country is bankrupt. Now I'm sure many will say "he's just a right wing whinger being negative." But look at the facts. A head in the sand approach to what is going on around us is not going to help. We need to recognise what's on in order to be able to act. I know locally, for example, the head of the Newmarket Business Association in Auckland. He's been campaigning and complaining to Police and government ministers for months, if not years, about the state of youth crime and how bad it's getting and how much more we should be doing about it. He's been forecasting things would get worse, and he was right. Just the other day, allegedly about 8 or 9 bored youths set fire to rubbish in an apartment building carpark causing millions worth of damage. People were evacuated from their homes, 145 apartments left without running water or power, and several shops shut due to major damage. How bad are we going to let things get? And how much do we want to give our country up to the lowest common denominator? We have to admit that we need to flip it - we need to shift the focus to productive aspects of the economy. We need less David Parker driven ideological tax attacks on those who are productive, employ people, and get this economy going. Because guess what? They'll just leave top. You can't keep propping up the bottom end, reducing penalties for crime, and ignoring all the stats going against us. Because by ignoring it, we run the risk of waking up when it's all too late.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WARNING: This story discusses rape and may be distressing. A writer suing Donald Trump has taken the stand to tell jurors that the future president raped her after she accompanied him into a department store fitting room in 1996. “I’m here because Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen. He lied and shattered my reputation, and I’m here to try and get my life back,” E. Jean Carroll testified. Former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll claims former President Donald Trump raped her in a department store dressing room. Photo / AP From afar, Trump repeated his insistence that Carroll’s allegations are fiction, writing on his social media site that the case “is a made-up scam”, and more. His comments prompted the judge to warn Trump’s lawyers that he could bring more legal problems upon himself. Trump hasn’t attended the trial thus far, but his lawyers said Tuesday it’s still possible he could decide to testify. The trial comes as Trump again seeks the Republican nomination for president, and weeks after he pleaded not guilty to unrelated criminal charges that involve payments made to silence a porn actor who said she had a sexual encounter with him. Carroll, 79, has said she crossed paths with Trump at the revolving door to Bergdorf Goodman on an unspecified Thursday evening in spring 1996. At the time, she was writing a long-running advice column in Elle magazine. Trump was a real estate magnate and social figure in New York. Former President Donald Trump's lawyer Susan Necheles walks into the courthouse. Photo / AP She has said he asked her advice about selecting a gift for a woman, and she went along, thinking the experience would be funny. According to Carroll, they ended up in a lingerie department, joked with each other about who should try on a bodysuit, and went to a dressing room. Then, she alleges, Trump slammed her against a wall, yanked down her tights, and raped her while she struggled against him. She has said she finally kneed him off her and fled. Trump, 76, has said he wasn’t at the store with Carroll and had no clue who she was when she first aired the story publicly in a 2019 memoir and accompanying magazine excerpt. As court was about to begin Wednesday, Trump vented his feelings about it on his Truth Social platform. Among other remarks, he called Carroll’s lawyer “a political operative” and alluded to a DNA issue that Judge Lewis A. Kaplan has ruled can’t be part of the case. Former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll (second from right) arrives at federal court. Photo / AP “This is a fraudulent & false story — Witch Hunt!” Trump wrote. Lawyers for Carroll — whose suit includes claims that Trump previously defamed her by publicly calling her case a “hoax”, “scam”, “lie” and “complete con job” — mentioned his new statement to Kaplan. He wasn’t pleased. “What seems to be the case is that your client is basically endeavouring, certainly to speak to his quote-unquote public — but, more troubling, the jury in this case — about stuff that has no business being spoken about,” the judge told Trump’s lawyers. He called Trump’s post “a public statement that, on the face of it, seems entirely inappropriate”. Trump’s attorney Joe Tacopina noted that jurors are told not to follow any news or online commentary about the case. But he said he would ask Trump “to refrain from any further posts about this case”. “I hope you’re more successful,” Kaplan said, adding that Trump “may or may not be tampering with a new source of potential liability”. Carroll’s federal lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a retraction of his allegedly defamatory comments. The suit was filed under a New York law that temporarily lets decades-old sexual abuse claims go to civil court. She never pursued criminal charges. The Associated Press typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Carroll has done. - Jennifer Peltz & Michael R. Sisak, AP SEXUAL HARM Where to get help:If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7:• Call 0800 044 334• Text 4334• Email [email protected]• For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nzAlternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list.If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the fallout for the Super Rugby teams with Scott Robertson pinching their coaches for the All Blacks? All Blacks assistant coach Jason Ryan will be joined by Blues coach Leon MacDonald, Hurricanes coach Jason Holland and Scott Hansen from the Crusaders. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliot Smith joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says the Government needs to front up on whether it'll tax people more. Inland Revenue research shows the top one percent of earners pay a median effective tax rate of 9.4 percent, when including capital gains on investments. Meanwhile, Treasury estimates a comparable tax rate for a "middle wealth" Kiwi is roughly 20 percent. National Party Finance Spokesperson Nicola Willis told Kate Hawkesby there's no doubt Labour want more taxes. “This is a government that is spending $1 billion more every week, they can’t get the books to add up, they are desperately searching for more places to find money.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Potential policy changes from the Reserve Bank could provide a helping hand to first home buyers. It's looking at tweaking the rule by which banks can only give 10 percent of new loans to borrowers with deposits under 20 percent. The Reserve Bank wants to increase that to 15 percent of new lending from the start of June. Mortgage Supply Co-Director David Windler told Kate Hawkesby it's good news for first home buyers. He says it's a small difference but its heading in the right direction, as finding the funding for first home buyers has been tough for a while. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Western countries are racing to get their citizens out of Sudan, as conflict in the country continues to escalate. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby the UK has just carried out the first of several flights to evacuate hundreds of British nationals. “There are dozens of British NHS doctors currently trapped in Khartoum and sadly the militia there are actually going to try and round up doctors.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As school goes back today, for how long who knows given the looming strikes, but as we head back to the office and to school, it’s been interesting to reflect on the past two weeks. We headed away for the first time in three years – we hadn’t left the country since Covid and closed borders, but we’d heard from everybody who had, how refreshing it is to get out of NZ. How inspiring it is to see how much the rest of the world has moved on. How blinkered and parochial we have become in our own little hermit kingdom. Our first stop was San Francisco, a lost city full of drugs and homeless people and not much to enthuse a tourist to be honest. It felt edgy and unsafe and made me worried about our next stop – New York – and how much more dangerous and unsafe that may feel. But how wrong I was. New York is incredible. It feels super safe due to the fact the place is flooded with cops – Police on every corner, and lots of them. The place moves at a cracking pace, people are focused on what they’re doing and they’re going places. No one gives a crap about what you’re doing or where you’re going, individualism and the pursuit of happiness and success is embraced. A refreshing change to NZ? Hell yes. I loved every second of it. In fact we extended our stay by double the nights we’d originally booked. And even then there was still so much more to see and do. It’s an exhilarating city that feels exciting and inspiring all at once. It has get up and go. It’s not introspective and naval gazing. I appreciated the outward focus. I also like how informed New Yorkers are. They were curious like most Americans about how young our politicians are – given theirs are so elderly. But one cabbie said to us, “your lady leader, the young one, she quit, she couldn’t hack it.. how old’s the new one?” We said, “oh he’s young too..” The cab driver replied, “yeah but can he hack it?” We explained that he was so far ‘hacking it’ but that an election was coming. He asked what Kiwis thought of Trump. I said ‘well more importantly what do New Yorkers think of Trump?” He said, “oh they hate him, we all hate him.” Which is not hard to see why, given Trump Tower and the surrounding streets are all cordoned off and crawling with cops and their NYPD cars, making getting down 5th Avenue just that little bit harder. But I loved New York with a passion, as anyone following my Instagram would’ve seen, I was obsessed with its energy and vibrancy, it makes you feel like anything is possible. And then we get to London. London has my heart because I lived here and have always loved it and it feels like a second home. I married a Brit, have 3 of his half English children who are all desperate to live here too, it’s spacious and well mannered (mostly) and always such a good time. They are so amped already for the Coronation, the bunting is going up, the shop windows all have framed portraits of Charles in them, streets have been cordoned off to practice parade routes, it’s got a buzz already. So I am very happy to be here, very grateful to be here, and all the people who said leaving NZ is good for your soul were right. It is. It’s been so refreshing to get out. It makes you realise just how introspective we’ve become. It also makes me hope that we can shake our hermit kingdom shackles soon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.