Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Don't forget to fill out your Census today - if you haven't already. Everyone staying in New Zealand tonight is required by law to complete the form. The Census helps create a clear picture of community needs so government agencies, councils, iwi, community groups and businesses can respond. However, Massey University's Emeritus Paul Spoonley told Kate Hawkesby there are some groups that aren't willing to give up any information. He says officials are working to convince them otherwise. The collection period has been extended for cyclone-impacted areas until June first. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people are picking a further fall in house prices. In the latest ASB Housing Confidence Survey, 43-percent of respondents expect house prices to fall in the coming year. People living outside Auckland and Canterbury are particularly pessimistic. ASB Senior Economist Kim Mundy says this is a shift, as Aucklanders and Cantabrians were previously more pessimistic. The survey also found three quarters of respondents expect higher interest rates over the coming year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think what Luxon did right in his State of the Nation, was to remind us of all the wastefulness of this government. One of the things I worry about is that we have short memories; you know come October 14th do we still remember MIQ, inaccessibility to RAT tests, multiple lockdowns, or thousands of cancelled surgeries? Do people still care – or will they have they moved on by then? It’s a fine line of course for an opposition party. On the one hand you don’t want to be seen as too negative or whiney, you have to be seen to offer up new policies and new ideas but it is still important to remind voters why there’s a choice. After all, governments get voted out, oppositions don't get voted in. So reminding people of all the billions on consultants, a bloated public service, a cost of living crisis, rising interest rates, woeful education stats, and a ballooning hospital waiting list has merit. I mean we already know, but it’s confronting when you hear it all laid out and that’s what the Nats will be banking on. That and what’s been described as a foray into ‘Labour territory’ with tax rebates offered to parents to help pay for childcare. Family Boost it’s called, and Luxon says it’ll be funded by ‘slicing into the ballooning cost of consultants.’ But the bit I liked best about the speech was where he pointed out how aspirational we used to be and how we can get there again. I’ve thought a lot lately about how insular we’ve become in our little atoll at the bottom of the world, introspective and tucked away, happy with mediocre, happy to bumble along, despite outcomes in so many areas reaching worryingly low bars. It’s almost like the lower the bar, the less we care about it. It’s all ambulance at the bottom of a cliff stuff. The government waits until truancy and attendance levels are really bad before trying to act. Waits until the Health sector is absolutely diabolical before trying to fix it. Waits until productivity is really low before trying to address it. Waits until immigration settings are bordering on ridiculous before adjusting them. Waiting for public transport to become virtually unusable before we pay attention to it. That seems to be the norm these days. But the head in the sand, or the ‘no worries’ approach has not worked. I don’t know how we got so stuck in it. But to hear Luxon talk about becoming the best New Zealand we can be, aiming to be more serious players on the world stage, to want better for our kids, that’s the stuff of aspiration and positivity, and that’s where I think he’s tapped into a lot of Kiwi sentiment, especially in hard working sectors. Calling out the ‘gravy train’ and saying that comes to a stop under a National government, will be music to the ears of hard workers, but disappointing for those enjoying the gravy train ride. So whether all this resonates with voters will be the true test and I guess a poll will be out at some stage capturing the impact of his speech and whether he’s hitting the right notes. But he seemed relaxed and confident, and though he’s not going to set the world on fire with his oratory skills, as long as he keeps making the right noises, in the right directions, he may be onto a winner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National is labelling the Government's new transport strategy as "absolute madness". The plan –which is still being worked on– puts climate change as the top priority and dictates where tens of billions of dollars will be spent in the next three years. It will go out for consultation this year. The proposed changes will see two billion dollars of maintenance money spent on the likes of bus lanes and cycleways, rather than fixing potholes. National Transport Spokesperson Simeon Brown told Kate Hawkesby that money for maintenance should be spent on just that. He says we have potholes peppering our highways and those need fixing, rather than work being done on cycleways. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Banks. They're a nice, big, slow moving target, so it's pretty easy to throw mud and have at least some of it stick. Right now, with higher interest rates and more importantly fat margins between what they pay us for our deposits, and what we pay them for our mortgages. The sun is shining for the Banks and they're making' hay. And the numbers are pretty big. Westpac's most recent result was $1.16 billion for the year, up 12 percent. ANZ was at $2.3 billion and increased of 20, yeah 20, percent. You're probably aware from what we've heard his past few days, that if you shop around you don't have to pay the published mortgage rate. If you tell them such and such bank down the road is offering a fraction less, you'll be surprised how quickly they'll drop their pants. Same too, by the way, with term deposits. Rather than just let those roll over, you simply have to ask and they'll grudgingly give you a little more. Not much, but it's the principle of the thing. So are the banks being greedy. Well, yes, of course they are. That's their job. I jokingly said to one bank manager a while back, 'hey...I'm in a bank...I expect to get robbed'. He was affable enough to see the joke. Would a ComCom investigation do anything to make us feel better about the Banks or do anything to reduce the profits they make? I doubt it. Have ComCom probes made any real difference at the supermarkets, at the gas station, with the power retailers? No. If the Government feels the urge to do something useful maybe it could impose a few rules around their social license. Things that actually drive us mad day to day like how long they take to answer the phone, or deal with an email, or even - how's this for radical - like obliging the banks to actually have branches people can go into. The bottom line is - I don't mind paying for a service if I'm actually getting a service. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A well-known scientist says New Zealanders need to stop burning wood, to help curb two of the country's silent killers. Stats NZ indicator data, following a 10-year study, has found two air pollutants are quietly contributing to thousands of premature deaths each year. The two pollutants of concern, linked with pollution from vehicles and fireplaces, are PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide. Auckland University aerosol chemist Joel Rindelaub told Tim Dower combustion products create toxic cancer causing chemicals. He says sitting around a bonfire might be a fun activity to do, but it creates dangerous chemicals in the process. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calls for a banking sector market study are ramping up, after the Reserve Bank asked for one earlier this week. Bank profits have never been higher than those reported last year, it was the first time they’ve ever cracked $6 billion. Public Policy group Monopoly Watch has set out the terms of reference it thinks the Commerce Commission could use. Massey University Banking Associate Professor Claire Matthews told Tim Dower she isn't convinced it's a job for the Commerce Commission. But she says there's a lot of people that think it would be a good idea and it wouldn't do any harm. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes to rental laws to make properties warm and dry have driven up rents, which are now at record highs, according to a survey commissioned by the Government. The survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, found that a quarter of landlords put up rents in the six months before May 2022, and one of the most popular reasons for this was increased costs lumped on by the Government. Housing Minister Megan Woods said the survey reflected “the advice I have that there is not enough evidence to suggest regulatory changes are the main cause for rent increases”. But National says the survey provides evidence about what it has been saying regarding the law changes since they were originally legislated in Labour’s first term. Housing spokesman Chris Bishop said, “rents are up $150 per week under Labour and are a big driver of our cost-of-living crisis. The data is clear that Labour’s war on landlords is harming the very people they’re trying to help - tenants”. But Infometrics economist and chief executive Brad Olsen said rents might have gone up anyway, and the survey simply records landlords looking for something to blame. The survey dates back to May 2022 and was released to the Herald under the Official Information Act. It found that 26 per cent of landlords had increased rents in the previous six months, up on the 19 per cent who increased rents in the six months before the prior survey in October 2021, which was slightly below the 23 per cent who increased rents in the six months before April 2021. Landlords who used a property manager were more likely to put up rents - nearly a third (31 per cent) put them up in those six months, compared with 23 per cent of landlords who managed properties themselves. The landlords were then asked why they put up rent. Each respondent was allowed to cite multiple reasons. The most common reason, cited by 57 per cent, was that they had not put up rent for over a year - under new laws, rent cannot be hiked more than once a year. The next most common reason, cited by 51 per cent, was to bring rent closer to “market rent”. The next most common reasons for putting up rent were all related to government policy changes: 32 per cent cited the costs of the Government’s healthy homes regulations, which enforce minimum quality standards around heating, insulation, ventilation, and dryness; and 26 per cent cited tenancy law changes enacted in 2020 that prohibited ending a periodic tenancy without reason and things like rental bidding. A further 25 per cent cited “other costs” and 14 per cent cited property tax law changes banning landlords from deducting interest costs from their tax bills. A small number of landlords - 4 per cent - hiked rents simply to improve their own financial situation. The survey showed 30 per cent of landlords were thinking about hiking rents in the next three months. Sixty per cent of these cited increased property costs, while 27 per cent cited property tax law changes. Woods defended the Government’s tax changes, noting they were cited as less of a reason to put up rents than things like “increased property costs”, although increased property costs include other government policy changes like healthy homes. “About a quarter of landlords in the survey cite property tax law changes as a reason why they are considering raising rents, but at least twice that [60 per cent] cite increased property costs, half cite to bring rents into line with the market, and a further 46 per cent cite that they hadn’t increased rents in the last year,” Woods said. She said it was “important to remember why the property tax changes were brought in: to dampen demand in property speculation, shift the balance back to first home buyers and encourage new builds” (which were excluded from the changes). National has pledged to scrap the Government’s rental law tax changes. Bishop said Labour needed to “stop attacking landlords and realise they’re part of the solution to our housing crisis, not the enemy”. Olsen said that just because landlords had cited these policy changes in the survey, it did not mean they were driving increased costs. “There has been quite a large number of changes that have been coming through in the rental space in the last few years from Government. I’m not surprised that you are seeing more of those options being selected by landlords in terms of why they are raising rents. “The question needs to be then, if you look at the rental increases that happened before these changes: why did they happen?” Olsen said. “I still feel like some of the time these changes are being used for cover for why rents are increasing.” Olsen said it is established that the costs of rental accommodation were “not purely driven by what it costs to deliver that rental, if they were they would have fallen during Covid when interest rates were low”. “It’s still a supply and demand question when it comes to rentals,” Olsen said. The national median rent reached $

So just when we thought we may never hear from Sir Ashley again – up he popped yesterday defending the public service. He was claiming they’re all neutral but do we believe him? It probably doesn’t matter because the man in question, Rob Campbell, and his particular lack of neutrality is no longer an issue.. given he’s been sacked. Not a great week for him having lost his Health NZ gig only then to have rumours swirling of David Parker also being about to swing the axe on his other job as the Environmental Protection Authority Chair too. So, in a week, two jobs gone, and ironically the firing being done by two of the tamer members of the Labour party, really. I did not see Ayesha Verrall as someone who could fire anyone, she looks like the sweetest person on earth, so that was a turn up for the books. But David Parker too, I mean when you think of big swinging guns inside the Labour party, Verrall and Parker don’t ordinarily spring to mind. But let’s be honest, the person loading the bullets was most likely Chris Hipkins. And for that, I give him credit. We are used to, in this government, nothing happening to anyone. Accountability isn’t big on the priority scale; holding people to account that is. Just ask Trevor Mallard. So, to have two Ministers inside a 24-hour period looking to fire someone, is progress. I don’t think Campbell’s covered himself in glory throughout this whole process. He’s argued it to the bitter end which put paid to my theory that maybe he wanted to be sacked. He just seemed to be asking for it with the way in which he conducted himself, refusing to apologise and seemingly missing the point about code of conduct rules being applicable to him. I also thought it was pretty arrogant the way he dismissed Sir Ashley Bloomfield's comments. Bloomfield said that, he ‘spent much of the last 25 years in NZ’s excellent public service and saw no evidence of either left or right ‘leaning’,” he said he had ‘no idea how any of his former Crown Entity colleagues voted, because they just didn’t talk about it.’ Campbell’s response to that was to say that “there is a big difference between a chief executive and the chair of a board. A chief public servant is usually a career public servant, I am not a career public servant." I don’t know, that just all feels a bit holier than though to me, and a bit out of touch, which may have been part of his problem. Along with how much time he appeared to spend on social media. Which as I said this week, was not a great look for someone overseeing a health system in such dire straits. I mean please make that your focus, not your LinkedIn profile and commentary. But the key question now is whether the health system is better or worse off going forward. One doctor who spoke to RNZ said it’s an opportunity now to have ‘someone with a healthcare background to deliver reforms.’ He was reported criticising 'a lack of transparency around what Health NZ and its board had been doing to address a systemic crisis in healthcare. He said there was a disconnect between leadership and health staff, who hadn't seen any change or vision, or an increase in staffing levels over several months.’ So that’s concerning and if that’s the case, then change here could be not only timely, but also for the better.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Napier's Mayor is pleased with increased police support for Hawke's Bay. Two mobile police bases have been set up in the area, at Bay View and Puketapu, and a third is on the way. It follows concerns about crime in the area, which made some residents keen to take up arms. Kirsten Wise says residents weren't feeling heard. She told Kate Hawkesby keeping residents feeling safe is an ongoing process. Wise says she will keep in touch with locals abut whether they think they have enough support. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I see universities are asking students to come back to lectures in person because the low attendance is apparently ‘demoralising’ staff. Covid lockdowns and closures saw more classes go online and as it turns out, many find that preferable to having to rock up in person. It is also no doubt a contributing factor to our truancy levels at school. Once you stop something and let students know it’s OK to pause it, or to do it remotely, then guess what - they’re going to take that and run with it. The reasons for not showing up to lectures I can imagine are similar to the reasons we skipped lectures back in my day. Sometimes just getting to uni is a hassle with traffic, public transport (if you’re in Auckland especially), weather, sickness, lack of parking, lack of bus services, and probably also lack of interest. I mean why trek all the way in if you don’t have to? If you can have it beamed into your bedroom in the comfort of your own home, why wouldn’t you? Obviously we didn’t have that option when I was at uni, so if you skipped a lecture you did miss it entirely and would have to catch up. It was often easier to go in person and soak up the environment, get work done in the library, see your mates and ask the lecturer any questions afterwards. But I’m not convinced that had we had the option of just viewing it virtually, that we wouldn’t have taken it. So, how to get students back? Apparently attendance is so dire that it was reported in Wellington ‘earlier this year, a bookshop and café on Victoria University's Kelburn campus’ closed. That sort of emptiness is contagious, students and young people have a pack mentality. If you’re one of only a handful turning up to a lecture, then you’re going to wonder why you bothered. One report said some students felt ‘sitting in near empty lecture theatres could be awkward.’ Then there’s the argument put by Vic Uni’s Student Association president that a lecture is such a passive experience, that it’s actually better off served up as a recording that students can watch at their own pace in their own time anyway. So what's right here? Well I feel for the lecturers going to the trouble of preparing a lecture, turning up with it to a theatre of 400 seats, and only 50 students turn up. That must feel deflating. Should they take it personally though? I wouldn’t have thought so. If you’re going to offer something online that’s easier for people, then they’re probably going to take that option, irrespective of how fantastic your lecture may be. Likewise, I doubt high school teachers take truancy levels personally. The ultimate decider is the results though. Does it have a positive or negative impact on student’s results? One lecturer said the problem with viewing lectures online was students who waited ‘until the end of the semester and then jammed as many recordings as they could in before the exam.” He said of his students, the ’15 who got A-plus grades for his course all attended lectures in person.’ So the proof could be in the pudding. How does this one resolve itself? Time will tell but my hunch is that when students find an easy way out, they’ll take it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can guess what the conversation around the water cooler will be about today; the Blackcaps and that staggering win at the Basin Reserve. They took the victory by one run in the second test against England in an absolute nail-biter to the end. Newstalk ZB cricket journalist Andrew Alderson caught all the action at the Basin and joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few are surprised to learn that house values have fallen again. This time, it's by one percent for February, the largest monthly decline since October last year. It's in the latest CoreLogic report and chief property economist Kelvin Davidson joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour doubts the dismissal of Te Whatu Ora's chair goes far enough. Rob Campbell has been sacked by Health Minister Ayesha Verrall, for venting on social media about National's Three Waters policy. But the Act Party leader is adding to some calls for Campbell to be removed as chair of the Environmental Protection Agency as well. He told Kate Hawkesby the role is subject to the same Code of Conduct requirements for political neutrality. Seymour says today is the day Environment Minister David Parker should sack Campbell as the chair of the EPA, for the same reasons he's gone from health. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An opportunity for Chris Hipkins as PM to show real leadership - and a divergent path to his predecessor by acting decisively and quickly on the Health NZ Chair, I reckon. I think that'd go well for him. If you've missed this story, former trade unionist Health NZ Chair Rob Campbell, criticised the National’s policy announcement on Three Waters on social media, stating that he thought it was a ‘thin disguise for the dog whistle on co-governance’. He made a bunch of comments including that, "Luxon might be able to rescue his party from stupidity on climate change but rescuing this from a well he has dug himself might be harder." Firstly, this is the guy overseeing the absolute shit-show that is our health system, so how he's even got time in the first place to be ranting on social media about opposition party policies is beyond me, but secondly, he's subject to the Public Service Commission code of conduct, requiring impartiality. He is not allowed to make political statements, or politicise his role, yet that’s exactly what he did. Act's David Seymour's called for his resignation. He says: "The reality is that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Much of the Wellington bureaucracy is openly sympathetic to the left and that's a real concern." Especially, when they're supposed to be impartial. National called it appalling, with one MP suggesting Campbell shouldn't give up his day job of wrecking the health system to make spurious criticism of National's policy. Another MP said, 'it is completely inappropriate for a senior public servant, the chair of our Health Agency, to be making these comments..’ and ‘it’s in breach of the clear rules on political impartiality for senior public servants.’ Seymour said he should pull his head in, but Campbell did nothing of the sort, he doubled down, saying he had nothing to apologize for, and doesn’t regret the comments. So here's where Hipkins can show some strong leadership, and reassure voters that public servants aren't so full of their own importance and arrogance that they can breach Code of Conduct rules - and not apologise for it. Hipkins would not express confidence in him when asked last night. I mean, how do you keep on a guy who not only breaches his own conduct rules, but has overseen a health system that's in dire straits and arguably getting worse. Shortages of doctors, nurses, GP's, overcrowded ED's, cancelled surgeries, a ballooning waiting list of 67,000 and counting. And not only does Campbell say they're not on top of all that yet, but he's hardly giving the impression he's laser focused on fixing it either when he's busy on social media writing monologues on Three Waters for goodness sake. This highlights everything that’s wrong with ideological bureaucrats running things.. full of opinions and social media meanderings, but nothing actually gets done. We have a health system in tatters, a system we all pay for that they can’t fix, a system overseen by him, and yet instead of spending his time fixing it, he’s espousing his views on opposition party policy on social media. Hipkins needs to show strong leadership and stub this banana republic vibe out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More history for Kane Williamson in his illustrious Blackcaps career. His second inning at Wellington's Basin Reserve saw him overtake Ross Taylor as New Zealand's leading Test run scorer. Newstalk ZB's cricket guru Andrew Alderson has been at the Basin Reserve and joined Kate Hawesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retail sales were down 4 percent in the December quarter of 2022 compared to the previous year. Hardware, building and garden supplies were hit the hardest with a 15 per cent drop. Managing director of First Retail Group, Chris Wilkinson joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rotorua's Mayor says she wants more local input in central government spending. Local Government New Zealand says 90 percent of public spending is allocated by Wellington. Tania Tapsell says local people need to be able to have their say on how and where the money is spent. She told Kate Hawkesby Cyclone Gabrielle has highlighted the importance of that. Tapsell says when it comes to important jobs like fixing infrastructure, locals know best. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyclone-affected regions are bracing for yet another round of heavy rain. MetService has issued a heavy rain watch for the Gisborne District north of Tolaga Bay until 6am Tuesday. There's also a heavy rain watch for the Coromandel Peninsula until 3am Tuesday. Gisborne District Mayor Rehette Stoltz told Kate Hawkesby that every bout of rain makes the East Coast's issues even worse. The Government's providing 25-million dollars in grants to address the immediate cashflow needs of businesses in affected regions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At least 58 migrants have died after their wooden boat sank in rough seas off the southern coast of Italy. It was carrying around 150 people when it hit rocks and broke apart near a seaside town in the Calabria region. One of the more than 80 people who survived has been arrested on migrant trafficking charges. Europe correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby that it's another unfortunate case of people losing their lives fleeing conflict zones to get to Europe. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was very pleased to see that the second series of ‘’Clarkson’s Farm” has broken Amazon viewing records to become one of the most watched shows in the UK. The very same UK that we heard was cancelling Clarkson due to his comments about Meghan Markle. So I regard this as, one, smart viewership by people drawn to quality programming, and two, a figurative flick of the bird to cancel culture. The show is brilliant. It‘s beautifully shot, extremely well put together, cleverly scripted (by Jeremy Clarkson himself) and shows the bureaucratic bungling nightmare of local councils. It shines a light on the plight of farmers in general and is just wonderful family-friendly enjoyable content. My only complaint about it is there are not enough episodes for each season. So how is it possible that off the back of a poorly worded column about Meghan Markle and calls for Clarkson’s sacking, that rumours abounded of his demise? Amazon would not be continuing with him, media told us, ITV would most likely dump him as well, it was reported. Clarkson was persona non grata, vilified, cancelled, gotten rid of, all but toast. Except none of that happened. Instead, he put out a superb second series of his farming show and what do you know? It got watched in record numbers; it broke records and got more eyeballs than Love Island and the Harry Styles-heavy Brit Awards. Now that’s saying something. So what is it saying? Well apart from a good chunk of the UK clearly knowing what a quality TV show looks like, it says to me that mainstream media’s obsession with the vilification and trolling happening on social media is misguided and out of touch. Journalism these days, so often under the guise of neutrality, runs agenda-driven stories about people either they don’t like, or who’re getting a pile on, on social media. Mainstream media jumps in on this with headlines about that person being 'under fire’ and what they mean by that is that the perpetually bored and the idle, with too much time on their hands, have weighed in or shared their views on someone they hate. And then spread that to some more people who jump in and a few more, and before you know it there’s a petition this person should be cancelled. Cancel culture is pretty much all social media does these days, unless you’re an influencer monetizing yourself, then the bulk of it is just whining. Misery loves company. It’s free and easy, and it often gets results (just ask Roald Dahl's family). The virtual pile-on means all those who threw stones from the comfort of their Lazy Boy can go away feeling better about themselves. Even though they may be contributing nothing at all other than bitter commentary. And even though a creative putting content out into the world may be canned because of it. God forbid we have a diverse range of opinions or views or that anyone dares not participate in the group think of social and now sadly mainstream, media. And by the way, social media only started making it into mainstream media when newsrooms got lazy and instead of looking for stories to break themselves, decided to read Twitter or Facebook instead and just report on what trolls were saying there. So a win for Clarkson, a third series is already underway, and it’s a win for those of us who know that just trying to cancel people, is a cop-out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As my son marched off for a lung X-ray for a chest infection yesterday, I wondered just how dire the health system was going to get this winter. As the weather starts to cool, many are picking up change-of-season coughs and colds and when I look at what happened in post-Covid winters overseas, I worry about how bad it might get here too. Health NZ says it’s ‘bracing’ for a tough winter. But it’s not just sickness that may come our way which is worrying, but our ability to cope with it. There is the state of our hospitals, the workforce of frontline health workers, the shortage of nurses, the overworked doctors and the lack of GP’s in many regions. It was reported that Health NZ’s Chair Rob Campbell was warning that ‘the reformed health system was still grappling with ‘systemic problems’ that would affect the level of service it could give in the colder months.’ Systemic problems. Why are they not being identified immediately and the troubleshooting to fix it underway? Remember the waiting time debacle last year? Hours upon hours of people going unseen, some leaving without ever getting attended to, in very publicised cases a couple of deaths due to being overlooked in chaotic and crowded EDs. It was just October that headlines read “Emergency wait times worst on record..”, “Long wait times in ED’s lead to deaths..”, “Middlemore abnormally busy..”, “Damning Middlemore report..”, “Waikato Hospital wait times worst in 5 years..”, ”Crazy wait times continue..”. So does that give us much hope for this coming winter? Because what’s changed? Just because something is not on the news anymore doesn’t mean it is not still happening in places. Health NZ [was quoted] saying, "We will be operating in a position where some of our physical resources in emergency departments are not adequate to the demand and our staffing levels are not adequate. "We can't promise to fix those in the short term but for this winter we're making the emergency provisions that we think are going to be adequate." So even four months after the headlines of worst-ever waiting times, they say they still can’t promise a fix. It is reported there are eight emergency department 'hotspots' in Whangārei, Auckland, Middlemore, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, and Invercargill hospitals. Well, they’re all major hospitals in major communities, so let’s hope extra resourcing is poured into those areas for a start. Opposition Health spokesperson Dr. Shane Reti told journalists ‘the system was already in crisis.. with a “tired and strained” workforce, and he was worried this year's winter burden could come at a cost.’ But we're already paying the price for neglected health care. New Zealand recorded an increase in deaths of 10 percent last year – partly attributable to all the sick people parked up unable to access healthcare during the pandemic with closed surgery and health services partly due to an ageing population and other factors. But in a first-world country I think we should be able to expect a decent health service, and not be told it’s going to be ‘adequate’ at best. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More heavy rain is expected in the Gisborne District and Hawke's Bay today and further flooding, slips, power outages and evacuations are possible. Both regions remain under an Orange Heavy Rain warning until tomorrow morning. In Gisborne District, 64 households in the Tokomaru Bay township and Mangahauini River catchment have been evacuated to the local marae and whanau overnight. In Hawke's Bay, Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise told Kate Hawkesby police are continuing patrols and flyovers, around the clock. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The judge overseeing the Gloriavale employment trial is set to visit the reclusive Christian group today. Judge Christina Inglis will tour the community in person to better understand the testimonies being presented in court. Six former Gloriavale women claim they were effectively born into and kept in servitude - by being forced to work long days with no breaks and very little food or water. Herald senior reporter, Anna Leask told Kate Hawkesby Gloriavale's leaders actually invited Judge Inglis. She says they want the judge to see what changes have been made to everyday life in the community. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ukraine is ramping up security ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion. It has been called the largest air, sea and ground conflict in Europe since World War Two. UN figures show at least eight thousand civilians have died so far. World Vision's Chris Palusk told Kate Hawkesby there's a tense feeling on the ground and Ukrainians are exhausted. The New Zealand Government has announced another round of sanctions against 87 prominent Russians, the second largest group yet. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of my fondest memories of living in London was how keen they were to hire Kiwis. My girlfriend and I rocked up to job interviews with minimal practical skills as university graduates, and not much ‘real world’ experience under our belts. They didn’t care. New Zealanders ‘had a reputation’ they told us, for being hard workers, we got snapped up at every job we went for. And it wasn’t hard to figure out why, after a few weeks in. The work culture there at the time was so laid back, so seemingly ‘pro-breaks’ and anti-too-much hard slog. I’ll never forget arriving at work one morning worried about how late my train had been running, and racing in to find I was still the only person in the office by 9am. By 10.30am, coats were being donned and people were heading back out the door. “Where’s everyone going?” I naively asked. “Morning tea,” they replied. I couldn’t believe it. Morning tea was a full half hour break, having only spent just under an hour and a half at work. Then they’d break again at lunch – an hour at the Pub no less, then a break again for afternoon tea - another half hour - then by 5pm coats were back on to head home. I used to find the breaks semi-pointless given there were so many of them so I’d often work through them, only to be told by colleagues that that was setting a bad example and bosses may get the wrong idea. In other words, take the breaks with the rest of us. But you can see how it wasn’t hard to figure out why Kiwis had a ‘work hard’ reputation. I raise this because I see Britain’s University of Cambridge is running a research project looking at the merits of a 4 day week. Much like Perpetual Guardian did here a few years back. The argument being – it makes employees more productive. The Cambridge study also found it boosts staff happiness and reduces burnout and “that, on average, businesses adopting a four-day working pattern increased their revenues by more than a third.” The reason they’re looking at this is because of the productivity crisis in Britain so debate is raging on whether less time at work makes you more or less productive. So, in this trial study, it was reported that, “61 British companies adopted a four day week for the second half of 2022, with almost 3,000 staff involved.. at least 56 businesses said they would continue with the four-day week, with 18 saying they will adopt the new policy permanently. Only three opted to scrap the scheme at the end of the pilot.” Aside from productivity, employees reported less stress, more happiness, more time for life admin, better work life balance. But it’s about totally rethinking work culture and how people work - reducing meeting times, looking at how technology is used, fine tuning planning and so on. For many companies it’s a bridge too far to have that kind of upheaval, and they’d argue being flexible and socially conscious employers is just as advantageous. But I just wonder, as more and more companies latch onto the concept, whether a four day week is the future. If it increases productivity and employee happiness, then surely it’s a win-win.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions have been asked as to what the impact of the Official Cash Rate hike is going to be on mortgages. The Reserve Bank lifted it by 50 basis points to 4.75 percent on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the banks are supposedly discounting one and two-year fixed rates, but it's behind closed doors. Financial advisor Sue Tierney joined Kate Hawkesby to explain. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders could be hiding hundreds of dollars in their wardrobes. That's according to TradeMe's annual Circular Economy report, which shows Kiwis are selling old clothes for big bucks. These items reportedly add up to around $300 million nationwide. TradeMe's marketing director Sally Feinson joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pressure on the Government to get an upcoming probe into forestry slash wrapped up as early as possible. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is expected to announce the inquiry during a visit to Hawke's Bay today. It's expected to take two months, but Federated Farmers wants it done sooner as weather events become more frequent. Spokesperson Toby Williams told Kate Hawkesby we've needed solutions for a long time. He says Tolaga Bay in 2018 should've been our wake up call, and with hail and Cyclone Gabrielle within a month - they need to move quickly. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a big disconnect happening at the moment between government and locals in the Hawkes Bay area over what’s really going on. The Police Commissioner and the PM were both on Mike’s show yesterday saying the reports of looting are just not true, that it’s all the stuff of rumour and gossip, and that it’s unsubstantiated. But then you have the locals. They’re irate, arguably more irate after hearing the denial of it from government, and saying it is very real, it is definitely happening and they’re traumatized by it. One Esk Valley local said if the Police Commissioner doesn’t think it’s happening how about he come down and do a night patrol with him and see it for himself. Others have said they’re watching the looting, crimes and theft unfold right in front of them. We know of people so scared they’ve left town. So which is it? I’d argue you have to believe the people at the coal face surely? Those on the ground, living it, feeling it, surely they’re the ones we have to take seriously not government officials who pop on some high vis and do a whistle stop tour through an area flanked by hangers on. Is that really a realistic picture of what’s actually happening? Hipkins reckons the media rolling into town with all their cameras has hyped things up too. Insinuating that the media are looking for drama, there may be a bit much disaster porn going on yes, that’s probably fair, but, the truth also is that the media are capturing things the government would rather they weren’t. They are talking to more people, they are getting deeper into communities and they are not towing the party line. And what we do know of this government is that it likes to be the only narrative on any story. It likes to be the pulpit of truth and dish out the messaging, it probably doesn’t appreciate some independent journalism being done around the place. But this denial of any issue smacks of a Jacinda-type approach; rejecting the assertion of everything. That didn’t go so well for her, it became farcical, and so I wonder why Hipkins would go down the same track. Rejecting people’s truths as fiction is not a good look. If they’re experiencing it how can it not be true? Just because a bureaucrat in an office somewhere doesn’t have an official report of it on paper, does that mean it’s not real? No. It smacks of the PPE scandal all over again.. and the RAT tests.. and the flu jabs.. remember all that? Oh yes plenty of those, we were told, they’re everywhere we’ve got heaps and yet we had GP after GP after GP, day after day telling us they had none, there was a massive shortage and the government was peddling bollocks. So we have a trust issue here. Do we believe the Government’s official line – that crime is down, there is no looting, as true? Or do we believe the increasingly frustrated locals? And don’t forget the mixed messages we’re getting here too from government. Police Minister Stuart Nash asking gangs to ‘pull their heads in’. Justice Minister Kiri Allan, calling on thieves to ‘get their act together’ all the while the PM and the Commissioner saying ‘nothing to see here, there is no crime.’ So which is it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A petition is being launched today called Barbie's Bill, calling for living wills to be recognised in a patient's advanced care plan. Barbie Duffy died after 58 days of refusing food and water. She gave consent to die if she suffered an event causing irreversible mental or physical loss. It wasn't followed and there is currently not requirement for doctors to do so. Act Party leader David Seymour joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ravensdown is staying committed to Hawke's Bay and remaining a major employer in the region, despite flood damage to its plant. It's joining forestry company Pan Pac in committing to a rebuild rather than moving elsewhere. The two businesses employ around 600 people in the area. Ravensdown CEO Gary Diack joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest Official Cash Rate announcement is coming later today and it's expected to lift 50 basis points to 4.75 per cent. That's much lower than the original prediction of 5.5 per cent, but still a jump from the current 4.25 per cent. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyclone-ravaged businesses are set to lean on the Government for cashflow support. Business NZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope says that the 50 million dollar package is great, but businesses need more help through things like a wage subsidy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lukewarm response to the Government's crackdown on truancy. 82 new attendance officer roles are being created to help address dwindling school attendance in a 74-million dollar package. Their job will be to work with students with high absenteeism, and around three-thousand kids are expected to benefit. Secondary Principals' Association President, Vaughan Couillault told Kate Hawkesby that anything is better than nothing, but with two thousand-seven-hundred schools, the numbers aren't huge. He says he acknowledges the financial times we're in, and even two officers are better than none. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins is getting credit for his handling of the cyclone and I think that’s fair enough. Newly into the role of PM and he’s had to hit the ground running —literally— with a crisis. To be fair though, in the immediate aftermath of a disaster an elected leader does get a free kick. All you have to do is be present and visible, have a ton of empathy and own the communication around the media updates. Labour did this during Covid, and now they’re doing it again. But —and here’s the rub— that halo effect can fade as failings in the response from public and private entities start to surface. The longer there’s no power or access, the worse the looting and the gangs get, then the worse this whole thing gets for the government. People have an enormous amount of scope, patience and understanding in the direct aftermath – but the longer it goes on, the more that patience fades. Add to that, contributory negligence like bureaucrats squabbling over whose responsible – Council arguing with Waka Kotahi, local government arguing with central government, private agencies scrapping with public ones and it gets even worse. So up until now, this phase of the response is right over Labour’s home plate - visibility, empathy, a lot of media noise, reactions and promises aplenty. But the next phase is its Achilles heel: delivery and accountability. Will they do what they say they’re going to do? Can they deliver it? Will they step up on what they can do at a central government level? Will they be honest about what they can’t? Today’s impressive response is tomorrow’s Kiwibuild, or child poverty, or mental health, or vaccine rollout or MIQ management. Looking good up front and saying all the right things is one thing, getting it right after the fact is another. The honeymoon phase Labour’s been basking in with its new leader and a fresh immediate crisis to respond to is fading. So how long before the issues that have plagued this government and its inability to deliver are laid bare once again? How much listening to people is being done or not done? Locals in Hawkes Bay being ransacked by looters and gangs will tell you they don’t really feel listened to. They’re crying out for more police. The Police Minister says he’s sending in an extra 145. As Act pointed out, that’s a fraction of the 600 extra cops they sent into the protest on Parliament’s lawn. Where’re the military many are asking. This is a time for decisive strong leadership – for putting words into action. But the PM says there is no law-and-order crisis. Is he gaslighting locals? Telling them what they're seeing and experiencing isn't real? Trust and confidence is starting to wane as Police Minister Stuart Nash himself said. It’s ripe time for action, for good bold decisive leadership. For getting tangible outcomes for beleaguered communities right now. The advantage is already Labour’s, but the execution from here will be what counts for them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Someone wrote to me over the weekend and made a really good point after I talked about the resilience of people last Friday. They said it was true, that often times a disaster can bring out the best in people or —as we're seeing with the looters— the worst, in some cases. But they made the point that a part of that optimistic and resilient nature also prevents us from complaining because we don’t want to appear as whingers when there’s always someone worse off. But as a result of that, they pointed out, the focus can shift away from questions that need to be asked. And as a resident of Hawkes Bay, these were his questions: what are the three things you need to be working in a disaster? Communications, power and roads, he said. What failed in Hawkes Bay, and continues to fail in many parts: communications, power and roads. His point was that in a disaster area when a civil emergency is invoked, why is it that one phone network could run and the other could not? He asked why phone companies were not forced to accept global roaming for the period of the disaster so that everyone, not just those on the working network could communicate. He pointed out the fragility of the Redclyffe substation site, as well as the expressway built across a floodplain, left at the same level as the flood plain instead of being built up. His point being, the questions needing to be asked are sometimes obvious ones, but the solutions won’t necessarily be simple. And we are seeing now, more and more questions coming to the fore, more and more people getting angry about their circumstances. Napier’s deputy mayor over the weekend said she was “going rogue” in pointing out that the Cyclone had ‘laid bare the lack of support and investment the Government’s given the city recently.’ She said ‘the slow erosion of government services in Napier over her lifetime was “embarrassing”, as was the 2 million dollar support package announced by the Government for East Coast communities,’ she said. She claimed Napier as a community had been abandoned by government from services they should have had. And she wasn’t the only one speaking out. Piha residents west of Auckland have said they feel isolated and angry, forgotten about. Hawkes Bay residents still without power or access are angry, Gisborne residents feel forgotten in many parts. There are areas where debate’s ensuing over who's responsible for what – is it a council issue, a central government issue or a transport agency issue? Who will own the issue and who will fix it? How much will be spent and is it enough? Is it as simple as to say oh well this is climate change – or are there infrastructure problems that exacerbated things? And if so, how do we track down all those issues and pin point exactly where they are? How do we plan for fixes and budget for them and execute them before another catastrophic event? How much gets politicized? And so it goes. So although people are resilient yes, I think they are starting to ask the hard questions and demand answers, and more than that – look for long term real fixes that go beyond short term band aid solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parts of the Wairoa District look to have been hit harder by Cyclone Gabrielle than others. Mayor Craig Little says that residents are currently living in a town of two halves. He says some people are living as normal, while others have homes that are still underwater. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thefts of generators are being blamed for delays in restoring communications to Gisborne and Hawke's Bay. Telecommunications Forum Chief Executive Paul Brislen told Kate Hawkesby that at least half a dozen have been stolen over the past couple of days. He says Police have been able to track and retrieve some of the generators, but not all of them. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With earthquakes, floods and cyclones causing mayhem this week, many Kiwis have found themselves on the phone, and therefore on hold, with insurance, power and phone companies a bit more than usual. Kate Hawkesby and Simon Wilson joined Mike Hosking to wrap the week's news and discuss whether they prefer Kiwi classics or some ambient tunes when they're on hold. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The scenes this week have been utterly heartbreaking, but one of the most heartwarming things to come out of this week I reckon is the way Kiwis have come together to help each other. It is a very Kiwi thing to do of course, but we’ve seen such incredible community spirit this week in such trying and difficult times. From neighbours helping neighbours, to strangers putting people up, to farmers helping other farmers, to people from all around the country digging deep to support charities and front line workers. People have responded with generosity and thoughtfulness, they’ve rallied round each other, and come together to do whatever they can to pitch in. Volunteers have gone above and beyond, local councillors and mayors have passionately advocated for their communities, emergency services have worked tirelessly. Supermarkets, fast food joints and restaurants have been offering up food to evacuees, cafes who’re able to open have been offering up power to charge phones or give people some free Wi-Fi. We’ve heard endless stories of good Samaritans rescuing people or livestock. One hero got a pregnant woman through floodwaters to Hospital, many have climbed or waded through extremely adverse conditions to help others. And people have done extraordinary things that I'm sure they'd never have imagined they'd have to do, like kicking in their own ceilings. Stuff reported on one mother who got herself and her three kids up onto the kitchen table as water inside the house was a metre deep, then worked out she’d have to smash the roof to keep going up. Her partner got a “mini hacksaw to get through the wiring”.. and then she told Stuff she “just stood up and booted (the hole) in with her Docs.” They were trapped on their roof for six hours before being airlifted off. It’s absolutely unimaginable how quick thinking so many have been and the lengths they’ve gone to, to keep their kids calm. The way people have rallied around each other has been quintessentially Kiwi and extremely endearing. And insurance companies, who must be absolutely inundated, seem to have – in my experience anyway – been extremely helpful. I mean if ever your insurance company was going to get tested it’s now. I rang about a claim yesterday and expected to be on hold for about an hour but they picked up after 30 minutes. They were extremely helpful, talking through exactly what was covered and how, how they’re processing cyclone claims, timeframes for loss adjusters and site visits, very keen to assist and make the process as easy as possible. It is literally all hands on deck and there seems to be a camaraderie that comes from the shared collective experience. Even those untainted personally by the weather event have been touched by the images they’ve seen and the stories they’ve heard and have donated generously or helped where they can. There are food drives and clothing donations and people taking gas or diesel to people. So it’s brought out the best in many New Zealanders, and is testament to the spirit of community that we often see in this country, but especially in times of crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is looking to change its approach to roading, particularly in the Gisborne District. Most of the district's population remains cut off, with State Highway Five closed between Ōpōtiki to Napier, and State Highway 35 closed between Te Puia Springs to Tolaga Bay. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says roads may have to be moved or made more resilient. Infrastructure New Zealand Policy Director Michelle McCormick told Kate Hawkesby it's definitely time to look at where roads are located. McCormick says while road access needs to be seriously looked at, it's not as straightforward as just picking bad roads and replacing them. Mobile and internet coverage is being restored to much of the Gisborne District, but Gisborne City residents are being asked to conserve water. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So today we get an announcement on truancy and how to combat it, given the woeful stats on the numbers of kids not attending school. The rumour is that attendance officers are coming back. If that’s the case, I hope it helps, but I wonder how much truancy is now an attitude that’s endemic, versus something we can just catch out with more surveillance. Because I don’t doubt that up until now schools have been trying their best to keep kids engaged. Many have come up with community based solutions or student led solutions, which have worked a treat. Some have tried to crack down on attendance and failed – it varies from school to school, but I don’t doubt many parents, teachers and fellow students aren’t all doing their best to address the issue. The problem is the data - the numbers show it’s just getting worse and you could argue the climate of the past few years hasn’t helped. Lockdowns, Covid, sickness, there are multiple factors at play. But tip into this also the fact that attitudes in some cases have changed; school is not seen as that important anymore. Education perhaps not valued as much, some families have lost sight of any benefit to going to school. Then there will be families who’re in dire straits maybe faced with making hard choices between work or school for their older students. This makes school even less accessible or practical – a cost of living crisis may mean they have to prioritize work and getting food on the table. Which makes fixing the truancy problem all the trickier. Once something is established as a pattern i.e., not attending school, it’s very hard to turn that around. And anyone who's raised teenagers knows that once they get to a certain age if they make up their mind that school’s not for them, that’s a big hurdle you face trying to convince them otherwise. I recall my attempt at truancy, when I opted to jump the school fence in sixth form with some mates, only to feel a tug on the back of my jersey pulling me back down off the fence, turning around to discover – to my horror, the person tugging my jersey was the Deputy Principal. First and last time I attempted that, the mortification was real. But that was a different time, a time when we feared and respected teachers. So how much of it these days is attitudes, how much is school and the way we teach, what they’re taught and how it’s taught versus just the fact they just don’t want to be anywhere? I’d like to think all these questions could be looked at and addressed in terms of trying to solve the problem because we probably need to know exactly where the problems are, in order to effectively find the solutions. Attendance officers may work in terms of chasing up absent kids, but does it work long-term in re-engaging them with school? Is cracking the whip the best way to go? Some of the best solutions may in fact be getting alongside whole families or communities and tapping into exactly where the problem lies. Like many things, the issue will be nuanced, and therefore probably require a nuanced approach. I just hope we haven’t let it get too bad for too long so that turning it back around isn’t too impossible.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's flagship climate change policy has passed into law almost unanimously. The Zero Carbon Bill was debated on for almost a year with the National Party asking for amendments, but not getting them. Still, National voted for it last night. Federated Farmers Climate Change spokesperson and vice president, Andrew Hoggard joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warehouse is stepping up its battle against supermarkets, introducing fresh fruit and vegetables to some stores from today. The produce sections are being rolled out in Whangarei, Auckland's Westgate, Wellington's Lyall Bay, Christchurch's Riccarton, Timaru and Invercargill. Former Food and Grocery Council Chief Executive Ernie Newman told Kate Hawkesby it's a great move. He says current supermarket prices are untenable, and The Warehouse will provide supermarkets with more competition, which could lower prices for consumers. The Warehouse unsuccessfully trialled fresh food once before, in 2006. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Help is at hand for residents of Napier, Hastings and Central Hawke's Bay, where thousands of people have been forced from their homes. Power remains out and cellphopne coverage is patchy. Water is safe to drink, but people should conserve it if they can. State Highway 51 between Napier and Hastings has reopened overnight to allow food and fuel to get in, but people are being asked to avoid non-essential travel. Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise told Kate Hawkesby anyone with concerns about friends or family they're unable to reach should call 1-0-5. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This cyclone, much like the last storm that hit Auckland, has been a tale of two storms. Some parts have been absolutely hammered; others completely unscathed. Some lost power, homes, cars, roofs or trees, others barely felt it. The flooding was worse last time for Auckland; other parts of the country have been hit much harder with flooding with this one. Hawkes Bay, Gisborne and the West Coast of Auckland appear worst hit. And there is room I think, as I said yesterday, for a more bespoke response to these events. Instead of blanket cancellations and shut downs of a whole city, to look at areas affected and who needs what most. As I was out walking yesterday afternoon, I saw Auckland Grammar boys walking home from school, shops back open, cafes with big ‘we’re open!’ signs in the window, a little bit of action creeping back into the city. If you were to read the headlines from overseas you’d think it was apocalyptic in New Zealand. And in some parts it is. But in many areas there’s barely any sign of a cyclone, and there are people still trying to carry on, make a living, keep going, have their kids educated and run their businesses. Don’t get me wrong (I’m sure some will anyway), I’m not denying that for those hit hard it hasn’t been utterly horrendous, absolutely horrific in the areas that have been badly hit, and I feel for them. But does that warrant closing down a whole city of more than one and a half million people as happened with Auckland? So now as attention is turned to the clean-up, there’s the other sting in the tail; what's this all going to cost? Billions to the economy and goodness knows how much for ratepayers. What's it going to mean for insurance premiums, for infrastructure around beach and coastal communities, what's it going to mean for house sales. I know people currently looking to buy a house whose primary concern was whether it had a garage for the car and a lawn for the kids to run around. Whether it’s fenced for the dog and has a good kitchen. That’s all now changed. Their new and only concern now is drainage, whether it’s low-lying, and whether it was affected by any flooding. What sort of roof is on it? What sort of guttering? Is it in an area that could be cut off with only one access road? These are the new and most pressing concerns of many people watching climate change crash its reality onto our doorsteps. From here we need well run planning on infrastructure. We need sound and considered responses on how and where we build, who oversees it and how it’s constructed. I'm hearing of people in brand new developments who've been flooded out of their homes in Hawkes Bay. There is of course a balance to be struck with how this is executed. I don’t know how big built up cities like Auckland can really pull it off, but I just know it needs to happen. Because if this is our new normal, then we have to do better with vulnerable communities in terms of infrastructure, drainage, and development. And in many cases that’s not just whacking in rebuilds over the top of damaged areas, but rethinking exactly how, where and what gets built. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Truckies say they're ready to start their engines to deliver supplies as soon as the roads begin to reopen. Certain areas have been cut off due to damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and are unable to be reached. The message from the National Road Carriers Association is for people not to panic as suppliers have stocked up in advance. CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand recorded a 48 percent drop in house sales between January and December. Auckland's median selling price was also down $80,000 dollars in January. REINZ CEO, Jen Baird, joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss the results. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Much of the Gisborne District doesn't have road access, power or internet and is running short of water, food and fuel. Mayor Rehette Stoltz told Kate Hawkesby officials are resorting to handing out free newspapers, to get out critical emergency messages. “We have hundreds of staff walking our neighbourhoods dropping Gisborne Heralds with information to 22,00 homes today.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.