Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Tensions between china and the west continue to heat up. The UK foreign secretary is expected to give a major speech this week, which will urge China to come clean about its "biggest military spend up in peacetime." It's thought China will have a stockpile of 1500 nuclear missile warheads by 2030. International relations professor at Otago University, Robert Patman, joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ACT Party is claiming the Government is slamming the brakes on road investment. In 2020, Waka Kotahi identified almost 400 risks on state highways around the country, including major and extreme threats, but has only started work on ten of them. ACT Party Transport spokesperson, Simon Court, told Kate Hawkesby says it demonstrates what the Government wants to focus on. “They are focussed on their ideological priorities, getting people out of cars onto busses and bikes, instead of actually fixing up some of these extreme risks.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research is coming out about how much tax New Zealand's rich are paying. The Inland Revenue report will estimate the effective tax rate of the wealthiest families, taking into account their full economic income, rather than just taxable income. Deloitte Tax Partner Robyn Walker told Kate Hawkesby it's expected to show they're paying tax rates that are lower than marginal tax rates. But she says Treasury is also releasing their report on tax rates of the average New Zealander and expects that to say a large section of that population is also paying below marginal tax rate. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK diplomats and their families have been evacuated from war-torn Sudan. Fighting broke out two weeks ago between Sudan's national army and rival paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces. The two sides have been sharing power since a coup in 2021, but there's been disagreement about how to lead the country. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Roman Travers that the UK nationals living in Sudan remain in the country. He says they feel abandoned by the British Government, being left there with no power and limited food and water. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some principals begin a two month work ban this morning over a recent pay offer. Those working in primary and area schools will pause the work they do with the Education Ministry, including all work outside of 8am to 5pm weekdays, apart from board meetings. NZEI President Mark Potter says this is about sending a message. He says they need action from the Ministry, because the Ministry needs principals. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Modified technology from the wine industry could potentially save hundreds of thousands of lives every year. New Zealand researchers are developing a medical device in the hopes of preventing about 1.5 million deaths annually caused by surgical complications. Auckland University's Surgical and Translational Research Centre director and professor John Windsor says there's no easy way of measuring oxidative stress; a feature common in many diseases. But he says pilot clinical studies show this technology enables it to be accurately measured at the patient's bedside. Windsor says the challenge is now making the equipment easy to use. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's never been a more important time to introduce a stringent bonding policy to encourage qualified Kiwi's to remain in New Zealand. From July first this year, New Zealanders who've been on the Special Category Visa and who've lived in Australia for at least four years, will be able to gain Australian citizenship. The most ironic outcome from the new immigration policy announced for Australia last week, is that our very own prime minister has become an advocate for more of our highly qualified citizens to make the move across the Tasman. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is quoted as saying that it's a blimmin' good day for Kiwis living in Australia. You may blimmin' well be right Chris, but it doesn't take the leader of a country to realise that it's also not so blimmin' fantastic for people contemplating whether or not they’ll stay here. Perhaps he should've added to that sentence: dear Australia, please let us know if there's anything else we can do to make your lives easier, including not having to train any of the essential workers that we're also bereft of. Australia's prime minister, Anthony Albanese must be ecstatic. You can only imagine what he would have said to his senior ministers over a Four X Lager later that day. Something like; crikey. That was easy. Our prime minister also says that it's something New Zealand governments have argued for, for a very long time and it's fair to say we've had a much more open door for these conversations over the past year. No kidding! The door into Australia isn't just wide open, it now has a great big hunk of eucalyptus wedged under it with a brand-new welcome mat at the entrance. Woven into the welcome mat are the words, thank you New Zealand. You couldn't have made it easier for us. Wouldn't it make sense to adopt the same policy here, so that those qualified doctors and nurses and other experts in their fields from around the world, can make New Zealand their home instead of being put off by the archaic and demonstrably slow process we currently have? This new policy is indeed good news. But it's only good news for Australia and those New Zealanders who've been battling to call Australia home on a permanent basis. I know it's not just our healthcare professionals that are choosing to call Australia home, but the numbers of doctors and nurses working in Australia that we trained here is confronting. Already, 10% of the nurses working in Australia are New Zealand citizens. How high do you think that number will go under this new policy? I've lived and worked in Australia. Victoria is the most beautiful state and looking back, my quality of life was a great deal better over the ditch. But New Zealand will always be my home. I wonder how many New Zealanders will gladly make the move to Australia now that the process is so much easier? Once you realise how much more you're paid for job equivalence, and once you become established, coming home is not always easy. It's as though the suction on Australia's immigration vacuum cleaner has just been turned up to maximum. But ironically, that immigration vacuum cleaner is plugged in and is paid for by New Zealand. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I doubt that many of us will ever forget the protest action that took place for three weeks on the grounds of Parliament that began in February last year, lasting 23 days. Apart from the Springbok tour protests back in 1981 that lasted 56 days, I’ve not seen that level of barbaric, dishevelled and uncivilised behaviour in our society before. The protest in Wellington last year was hard to watch and even harder to stop watching. I’m hoping I never see it again, but given the false prophets that maraud maliciously amongst the vulnerable through the internet and organisations claiming to be churches, the reality is likely to be different. The 200 page Independent Police Conduct Authority report that was released yesterday shows that the police handled the situation well faced with extreme provocation. I wonder how many police have rethought their career, given the very poor direction given by senior staff who took too long to decide the best plan of action, tip-toeing around the parliamentary rose gardens and being overly sensitive to the baffled and bewildered assembling, many just looking for a fight. Another fault identified by the report is the lack of adequate law that determines what police can do in situations like this. Once again, pointing to our very inadequate and antiquated judicial system. I have great respect for our police. They were faced with a mob of whom 300 were eventually given criminal charges and there wasn’t enough of the right equipment for the job they had to do. Police officers are just as entitled to be supplied with the correct equipment to do the job as you or me, depending on the job that we do under health and safety laws. The difference between doctors, nurses, teachers, and other professions pushing for better conditions and pay increases, is that you rarely hear anything from the police. Sadly, the numbers that leave, say it at all. We expect to be safe, and to be kept safe in our communities. Anyone still opposed to the action taken by the police in Wellington last year, needs to remember just how vile and volatile the situation was. Here’s hoping that the best outcome from yesterday’s report, is that the pressing need for the police to be equipped for every possibility and some tweaking of the laws required for them to do it - is addressed at speed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tertiary Education Union is shocked by the number of jobs potentially on the chopping block at Otago University. Several hundred staff could be made redundant as dwindling student numbers takes a toll. They're down by about 670 so the university needs to reduce its annual budget by $60 million. Union National Secretary Sandra Grey joined Roman Travers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victims of retail crime are getting a further $9 million in support. Police minister Ginny Andersen has made the announcement, topping up the crime prevention fund to $15 million . It goes towards the likes of fog cannons, security sirens and CCTV systems. Dairy and Business Owners Group chair Sunny Kaushal joined Tim Dower to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coromandel businesses are crossing fingers for a bumper Anzac weekend after its local economy lost $30-million in the year's first quarter. A driving lottery has begun via the coastal route until Tuesday as State Highway 25A remains closed to vehicles. It features cameras in secret locations from Thames all the way around to Waihi, photographing random vehicles. Prizes include stays at a beach resort, dive trips and dozens of oysters Destination Hauraki Coromandel's Hadley Dryden told Roman Travers January's poor weather made it a tough summer for local operators. He says for a community reliant on tourism and visitors, it's been hugely significant. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The soaring cost of living is pushing every one of us to reconsider which groceries remain a priority. For some, this may mean going without limes in their evening cocktails, but for many, the reality is that fresh fruit, vegetables and many forms of meat are no longer affordable for each and every meal. Adjusting one's intake of the aforementioned will undoubtedly have a negative effect on people's health in time to come. Proof of that can already be seen along with other socioeconomic impacts in areas of the country where people never been able to afford a consistently high standard of food. Many are now buying chooks and learning the finer points of animal husbandry in order to avoid the soaring cost of eggs from supermarkets and other purveyors of these omelette essentials. The move makes a lot of sense - but knowing about your councils' bylaws regarding how our fickle, feathered, fowl friends can be kept is also a major consideration. The last thing you want is your neighbour running foul to the council justifiably, because your feathered eggs Benedict machines have become smelly, or because they’ve begun to attract rodents to your once peaceful collection of backyards in Cashmere. Every council is different, and it’d be well worth while finding out about your bylaws to prevent feeling henpecked by your complaining neighbours. The good people living within the confines of Kawerau District Council are fully aware now of the costs imposed by their leading rooster, or mayor. In Kawerau, there’s an annual fee of $25 to pay along with other requirements that must be met. Kawerau District Council will need to inspect your chickens hotel and exercise facility to ensure that some of the basics are met - so that you'll have happy chooks, willingly providing the key components of your poached eggs. Make sure you find out what your local council requires. Some require you to have a land area greater than 3 metres square, a proper chook house that’s waterproof for sleeping and laying, a chook run attached to the chook house, a secluded nesting area along with perches. The rules that always ruffle feathers if they’re not met, are the ones relating to proximity to boundaries and dwellings: your little scrambled eggs factory must be 3 metres from a neighbour's fence and 10 metres from any occupied dwelling - yours or your neighbours. Keeping chooks is no poultry matter, so if you’re looking into the concept, make sure you know what your council requirements are and then pop around to a neighbour who’s already running a tight chicken ship and get their egg-spirt advice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our current period of high inflation isn't over yet. Latest figures due out this morning are expected to show consumer prices rose between 6.9 percent and 7.2 percent in the year to March. ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Roman Travers says two major factors are driving the high inflation rate. "One is food prices really have rocketed and the second thing is housing costs remain really elevated, despite the softer housing market." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions over whether the costs justify hosting the 2034 Commonwealth Games. The New Zealand Olympic Committee has expressed interest in bidding for the event, under a new hosting model which now allows nations to host as a whole. Last year's Games in Birmingham was backed by $1.55 billion New Zealand of public and government funding. Games commentator Brendan Telfer told Roman Travers the costs have seriously escalated since we last hosted in 1990. He reckons given the galloping inflation that by 2034, it'll cost us at least $2 billion. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How many times in recent decades have you heard the call for a better and fairer tax system? How many times have we heard governments saying that the tax system needs to be looked at? Well, I've got some good news for those at the upper end of income earning who may have been wondering when the tax axe was about to fall, forcing them to haemorrhage more. It turns out, our tax system is pretty fair and equitable after all. A new study completed for tax consultancy firm OliverShaw concludes that the wealthy in New Zealand pay most of the tax collected. OliverShaw is headed by the former deputy commissioner at IRD, Robin Oliver. Oliver says that the higher their income, the more they pay. Those earning lower incomes end up paying less tax because of the various tax credits, and other payments they’re eligible to receive. One of the key highlights of this study, is that the highest income earners are often in a better position to minimise their tax through investment in tax friendly assets. When Chris Hipkins took over the role as prime minister, he said we should look at ways to make the tax system fairer. According to this study, that’s not required. The revenue minister, David Parker made similar overtures about a year ago, claiming that data on the level of tax paid by wealthy people would be key to any future political debate on tax reform. By the way, there are no plans for tax reform before the election. The big concern I have is that this government is spending money as if it grows on trees, but their expenditure is now too high compared to the taxation system we currently use. The outcome of the study, maybe reassuring for those with salubrious incomes, but it still leaves one big question unanswered: where do we go to get the money required to lift New Zealand out of the quagmire? Even though the outcome of the study is quite clear, do you really trust any government not to tinker with the taxation dials once the election is won? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced new pricing for Kiwis getting their drivers licenses. They will be reducing the cost of resitting tests, reportedly saving new drivers $5.5 million a year. But if you're unlucky enough to pass on your first try, you'll end up paying more. Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter has been an advocate for lower fees and joined Roman Travers to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Global Dairy Trade price index has recorded its first increase in two months. This morning's auction showed a 3.2 per cent climb since the last trading event earlier this month, this is the first gain after four consecutive falls. Amy Castleton, dairy analyst at NZX joined Roman Travers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the key benefits of any vehicle that's well branded with company logos, is that when you see appalling acts of stupidity unfolding around you on our roads, created as a by result the selfish acts of drivers in these vehicles, you know exactly who to call. Yesterday I had to drive from central Auckland to one of the southern suburbs and back again. I was surprised at some of the deplorable acts of driving I saw buy those that call themselves professional drivers, as well as those by people who just don't care about anyone else, but themselves. The first incident that captivated me was a bloke on a dirt bike wearing a ski mask; the unsubtle uniform of a potential bank robber, before I realised that there was no helmet in his costume paraphernalia. Another ACC statistic waiting be collated. Given a green light, I moved into the intersection, only to realise that several vehicles were clearly in a rush and proceeded to run the red light. I can only presume that their vehicles contained melting ice cream or women whose waters had broken, and perhaps had babies being delivered on their back seats. On my journey home, I was tailgated by a well sign written commercial truck fully laden with a few tons of topsoil, driving in a similar fashion to Scott Dixon in the Indy cars final lap. Although showing great dexterity, he also displayed great stupidity as he weaved through the traffic, failing to use his indicators, clearly annoyed at the amount of traffic impeding his propensity to win whatever race he thought he was in. I've always thought that sticking to the speed limit and keeping as left as possible is the best way to avoid so-called professional drivers like this bloke. Once I had arrived home, I called the trucking company whose name was hard to miss, and let them know about the driver. I have no idea whether anything was done, but doing nothing never seems to be the right reaction either does it? Whether you're a van driver, a ute driver, a courier driver, a taxi driver, a tiny truck driver or in one of the hugely intimidating truck and trailer units, shouldn't you be setting the standard for all of us to aspire to as drivers? I wonder how many other people are prepared to call the police or the companies advertised on these vehicles, to let them know just how appalling some of their drivers are? Whenever I'm driving, I try to focus on simply surviving, but shouldn't we all aim to be professional drivers regardless of what we're in control of? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says the move by Labour to tackle class sizes is an attempt to appease unions. The announcement aimed at Years 4 to 8 students, reduces the ratio from one teacher to 29 students, down to 28. It'll be initiated from 2025 and means recruiting 320 more teachers. National Education Spokesperson Erica Stanford told Roman Travers it's less a policy announcement and more a sweetener. She says that's why they did it in the school holidays and if they wanted to make a big announcement, they would have made a big song and dance about it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns as job burnout continues to affect our doctors. Massey University data analysis shows the risk for medical doctors is 22.7 percent, compared to 12.2 percent for other workforces. Burnt out doctors are nearly five times more likely to seriously consider quitting the profession, over their non-burnt-out colleagues. Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director Sarah Dalton says Roman Travers more needs to be done to retain the workforce. “In order to bring people in, we need to be offering competitive terms and conditions. Compared to Australia, we’re not even in the ballpark.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s looming recession is tipped to be twice as deep as previously thought, with Kiwis being warned to prepare for a tough rest of the year. The bleaker forecast, from economists at ASB, comes as food prices rise at their fastest annual rate in more than 30 years and many struggle to afford the basics. ASB is predicting a 2 per cent contraction to gross domestic product (GDP) by early 2024, which is double the 1 per cent economic shrink that the bank forecast in its last quarterly update. And the country’s expected recession is likely to set in earlier than expected, according to the latest ASB Economic Forecast released today, with GDP falling 0.6 per cent in the December 2022 quarter. Wellington university student Aidan Donoghue said he has hardly bought any fruit or vegetables in the last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell ASB’s chief economist Nick Tuffley said high-interest rates and inflation will continue to restrain consumer spending in the coming year, with homeowners feeling the strain and pain the most. Tuffley claims that the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) is reaching the end of its Official Cash Rate (OCR) rises, despite inflation being anticipated to remain above 7 per cent for the first half of this year. “Things have overheated, and the stimulus to get us through the pandemic has been arguably too successful at keeping the economy running along, so now we’re feeling the effects of that and the economy being stretched,” Tuffley said. “We expect rising living costs to add around $150 a week to household spending this year, and income growth is not likely to keep pace with this, despite another year of strong wage growth. It’s going to be a tough year, and home borrowers will feel these impacts disproportionately.” Treasury economists are also pointing the finger at the Government for at least part of the high inflation the country is experiencing. In research just released, Treasury economists said they could divide New Zealand’s inflation roughly into thirds: One third came from excessive demand caused by government spending and low interest rates, another third came from supply shocks from overseas, and another third was unknown. Last week, official figures showed inflation in the US had dropped to 5 per cent in March. The International Monetary Fund is also warning of a grim outlook for the New Zealand economy. Its 2023 outlook forecasts Aotearoa will have one of the lowest GDP growth rates and one of the highest inflation rates in the Asia-Pacific region in the coming years. Infometrics chief economist Brad Olsen earlier said this highlighted the vulnerabilities New Zealand faces. “The IMF has highlighted that there are risks, given how much our house prices have gone up in recent times, how much interest rates rising puts our economy in a slightly more challenging position in the years ahead.” Meanwhile, according to ASB’s report, recent extreme weather events, which caused shortages of some fresh food, household goods, and cars, may cause inflation to rise even higher in the near future. Tuffley said the rebuild after events, such as Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland floods, would help boost the construction sector, however, that “could be some time away”. ”The rebuild will provide a lift in GDP over the coming years but we know infrastructure replacement can take a long time, as we saw with the Christchurch earthquakes, and particularly in cases where location and design need to be rethought to improve resilience,” Tuffley said. ”Overall, we’re going to have to endure a year of things cooling down and that putting a bit of pressure on finances, so people will be putting away their wallets for a period and reining in their spending.” But he said the continuing tourism recovery is positive with two-thirds of pre-pandemic visitor numbers returning to New Zealand. Food prices, meanwhile have had the biggest annual increase since 1989 - up 12.1 per cent in March compared to a year ago, according to Stats NZ. Grocery prices also predictably jumped again in March and shot up by 14 per cent in a year. Stats NZ said grocery food prices rose 2.3 per cent in March, or 2.1 per cent up on February after seasonal adjustment. ‘We don’t get fruit and veg’ Wellington university student Aidan Donoghue said he has hardly bought any fruit or vegetables in the last year. Instead, he and his partner take vitamins and supplements to get nutrients because it’s cheaper. ”There are times when you crave an actual banana rather than something that is banana-flavoured. Since I’ve moved here, we have done big shops and don’t get any fruit and veg. There was a time when I can remember where we got broccoli and potatoes and that was about it.” The 19-year-old works part-time at McDonald’s and relies on the free meals the nights he works. He also receives payments from Studylink. Donoghue said his clothes are thrifted or bought using Afterpay, an interest-free “pay as you go” service. ”It would be nice to live in a world where

The Government is being slammed after some frontline police were told to consider the necessity of arrests, due to Rimutaka Prison nearing capacity. An email to Wellington staff revealed our largest prison is nearing maximum occupancy, and warns repeat breach of bail and warrant offenders may be remanded in custody for longer than usual. It says officers should consider that before making an arrest. Corrections Association President, Floyd Du Plessis told Roman Travers that it's ridiculous and the result of ignored warnings about staffing shortages. He says public safety is coming second to political direction, which is a serious concern. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you live long enough, I guess you’ll get to see everything either change or completely die out. On Friday the news that Wellington’s grand old lady of the fourth estate is to have a makeover was a bit confronting and sad for me and those who’ve grown old with the name of The Dominion Post. The Dominion Post is dropping the word ‘dominion’ from its name - and its parent company is signalling further change is yet to come. Sounding dangerously like something from Italian mafia, ‘The Dom, started 21 years ago as a merger of The Dominion and The Evening Post. In an act reflective of a complete lack of any creativity, the new name will be… are you ready? The Post. I wonder how many creative types with cool cardigans, fridges filled with tofu, eclectic Spotify playlists and electric scooters at reception in some Willis Street creative agency got together to come up with that catchy name? The editor of The Post is Caitlin Cherry and she says that New Zealand's status as a dominion ended in 1945 when it joined the United Nations, so it is time for the word to go. She says they thought carefully about what they wanted The Post to represent now and into the future. For the next fortnight they’ll be having morning teas and ‘farewell to the past’ dinners before launching The Post. The Dominion Post’s former editor Tim Pankhurst says he’s sceptical about the name change saying that when The Dominion and The Evening Post merged the papers, they did market research, and we found those masthead titles were so entrenched in Wellington, they had better brand-name recognition than Coca Cola. Isn’t that incredible? Mind you, when I hear the name Coca Cola, I instantly think diabetes militias, obesity and huge dental bills. There’s a great deal to be said about the name of anything and how well entrenched that branding is. Like Three Waters for example, now to be called Affordable Waters. I guess the premise is that if you say it out loud repetitively for long enough, you’ll begin to believe it. Just like positive affirmations and the power of placebo in a medical trial. Changing the name of a capital institution like The Dominion Post is a move being made for reasons that don’t really seem to make sense. But as their editor says, there’s more change to come. So brace yourself Wellington. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I measure the quality of the summer season by how many swims I have, this summer I managed just one swim. Not my proudest tally, I can assure you. But that sad tally was only diminished by my inability to make time. Being able to find clean water to swim in will increasingly prove to be the main barrier. The environment, Minister David Parker says, some of the statistics I’m about to mention are an indictment on the country and an intergenerational challenge to turn around. 45 percent of lake monitoring sites worsened between 2011 and 2020 with just 36 percent improving. 45 of New Zealand’s total river length is non swimmable due to risk of bacterial infection. 48 percent of our river network is at least partially inaccessible to migratory fish. About two thirds of freshwater native bird species were either threatened with extinction or at risk of becoming threatened in 2021. Minister David Parker is entirely correct. It’s an intergenerational problem that we have largely turned our back to, and yet we should collectively be ashamed of having a get to this stage. This is both a rural and an urban issue, but to put things in perspective, dairy cattle numbers have increased by 82 percent from 3.4 million to 6.4 million between 1990 and 2019. Successive governments have wrung their hands, grimaced like well-paid actors and paid lip service to wanting change; but if they really wanted to change things, then things would be improving across all our waterways. It’s not a question of attributing blame and adding to the futile flurry of finger pointing. Like any waste water testing - this is about determining what’s in the water that shouldn’t be there and going to the source to prevent further degradation of what were once pristine swimming holes and environments for many aquatic species. So me quantifying swims each summer is something I still plan to maintain. Finding lakes and rivers clean enough to increase the tally may prove to be increasingly difficult. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victoria University of Wellington has announced their nominations to be considered for Earthshot prizes. Earthshot is offering five prizes of £1,000,000 each for projects that drive change and inspire collective action. Andrew Wilks, Director of Sustainability at Victoria University, joined Roman Travers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A children's charity is pleading for sponsors to more than 1,600 Kiwi kids facing poverty. Variety says the kids don't have enough bedding, warm clothes, food and school supplies. CEO Susan Glasgow says it costs the same as eight lattes over a month to make a huge difference and Susan Glasgow joined Roman Travers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Water New Zealand is breathing a sigh of relief and says it now has certainty because of the Three Waters shake up. Instead of four mega-entities for water, the Government has opted for 10 regional groups. It's set to be in place by 2026. Water NZ Chief Executive Gillian Blythe says while the plan's not perfect, it means staff will be able to plan implementation better. She told Roman Travers it's important working with iwi wasn't eliminated. Blythe says it's about finding solutions that work for the whole community. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It can be incredibly difficult not to fall in line with the narrative of doom and gloom, instead of celebrating the good things that come and go so quickly in life for those who work so hard to get there. New Zealand’s very own Finn Fisher-Black scored his first professional win yesterday after the UAE Team Emirates rider triumphed in the opening stage of cycling’s Tour of Sicily. If you haven’t managed to see the footage of just how remarkable the final minutes of this Nelson cyclist’s stage win was, it’s well worth the watch. Finn Fisher-Black rode away from the field on the final climb of the 159km stage to take the win, with teammate and fellow Nelsonian George Bennett coming in ninth. The 21-year-old has had a tough climb to the top having come back to elite level after breaking his leg last year. At my age, I’m freewheeling down the far side of being a middle-aged man in lycra, who still loves to think he can keep up with the peloton on a decent road bike; but Finn is in the upper echelon of cycling with a bright future ahead. I wonder how many talkback calls and conversations at cafes were dominated by the celebration of Finn’s success at the top of the world cycling stage yesterday? It’s hard not to get bogged down with the drudgery of everyday life when that’s all many of us focus on given the reality of living costs in 2023. But isn’t it fantastic to see New Zealand on the world stage in a sport frequently dominated by other nations? Well done Finn Fisher-Black. Here’s hoping that your cycling future is all tail winds, yellow jerseys and slipstream assisted glory from here on! How many of us have become the purveyors of political propaganda, rather than being proponents of what’s good in the world? Why does the impending doom of official cash rate hikes and crystal ball-anticipated recession so easily overpower these moments of sporting glory? It’s hard to not be drawn into the demonstrable downturn in everyday living; and changing that mind-set is easier said than done. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's councils are standing by to hear the Government's latest plan for Three Waters reforms. Newstalk ZB understands the plan will be revealed later this morning. Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan told Roman Travers councils are divided on the way forward. He says some councils want to keep control of the infrastructure, but other councils are very worried about rising costs. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week's OCR hike is starting to have some impact with ANZ, the country's largest bank, raising fixed and floating interest rates across the board. Chief Executive Antonia Watson told Roman Travers the one-year lending rate is going up by 20-basis-points. She says the bank is still passing on only a small amount of the OCR increases. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A councillor is looking to reassure those who suffered during Auckland's January flooding. A report into the flood response has made 17 recommendations including developing an IT system for better communication and creating stronger community relationships. Manukau Ward Councillor Alf Filipaina says those who lost their homes or loved ones will still be devastated. He told Roman Travers the council needs to discuss these recommendations so failure doesn't happen again. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the ongoing cost of living crisis confronting us all, there’s greater pressure than ever on parents to help their children get to where they need to be. Confronted by rising mortgage and rent prices, along with those grocery items being pushed onto the luxury side of the shopping list; it’s no wonder that we’re now seeing more tertiary students feeling the financial pinch. Universities and students' associations warn rising living costs are whacking our students especially hard this year. Staff that are left dealing with student welfare say that university financial pressure is causing serious mental health problems. Many students are struggling to afford food, rent and other bills and studying has become harder than ever. At an age where the future should be anything but frightening, it’s so sad to see that financial problems are now the main cause of mental health difficulties for our university students. The last thing we need more of is growing rates of depression, anxiety, despair, low mood and low engagement that are being seen with many of our university students. Stretched finances have always been part of student life, but this increasing challenge goes far beyond anything seen before in New Zealand. Just as one example of the increasing financial stress is the amount of financial assistance students need. In 2022, most students averaged $393 - but in 2023 it's $653. Vastly more students are working and having to work longer hours to make ends meet which of course puts more pressure on them in terms of what they need to do to gain their qualifications and to enjoy healthy aspects of normal life. Is it time to consider going back to a fully funded tertiary education system for those that succeed in gaining their degree? If New Zealand is going to succeed economically and continue to grow, we need our tertiary students to succeed - not to add to the growing numbers relying on a seriously depleted health care system. State funded tertiary education based upon success may well prove the cheaper option. What’s the cost to the country if we let the situation get worse? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Interislander's Kaitaki ferry is back in business today. It lost power and declared mayday in January while sailing across the Cook Strait, then a problem with its gearbox kept it off the water for longer. However, questions remain as to how reassured will passengers be. Todd Valster, acting General Secretary for the Rail and Maritime Transport Union, joined Roman Travers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has been disappointment New Zealand isn't looking to move away from mandated Covid-19 isolation. The Government is not changing the seven-day isolation requirement for cases for at least two months. It's also asked for more work on whether testing to return to work for mild or asymptomatic cases, would be safe. First Retail Group Managing Director Chris Wilkinson told Roman Travers this will have an impact on retailers. He believes the decision around whether to isolate or not, should be with employers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I hope you had a fabulous long Easter weekend and that you got to enjoy some of the many aspects that make New Zealand a world class tourist attraction. But is New Zealand really ready to open up to the world post all of the pandemic palaver and are our facilities as good as we think they are? There’s one particular camping ground that you would never put on your bucket list of places to visit, and that’s the Gore Motor Camp. Police have visited this motor camp 16 times in the last 14 months and they’ve made two arrests. They’ve recorded six family harm investigations, three breach of bail follow-ups, two assault incidents, one each for fighting and drug offending, two vehicle-related visits and one mental health incident. Anyone who does their research before making travel plans would have that at the top of the list of places not to visit, which is a really sad thing for the country music capital of New Zealand. I wonder if some of our tour operators have given up investing in their operations and keeping them up to world-class standards, thinking that the world still wants to come here to experience everything that’s amazing? You know the old story: demand creates demand, so why would you invest in something that sells itself with little to no effort required? The camping ground I refer to is owned by the Gore district Council, and I’m sure the locals are deeply ashamed of the way one of their key assets has been left to languish. The Gore District Council have some serious questions to address and some pretty hard work to be done in order to make this an attractive campground once again. What’s your experience been over the long weekend? If you’ve been camping and getting out and about in our great outdoors, how have you found the facilities? Is New Zealand becoming world-famous for poor infrastructure and potholes more so than the incredibly stunning natural features that we the people are entrusted to maintain? Each and every one of us has a role to play in keeping our country pristine and The Gore District Council need to sort this out at speed, before the next influx of tourists arrive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helius Therapeutics is now certified to dry and finish medicinal cannabis flowers. Now the only fully certified company in the country, patients can rely on locally sourced dried flower products. Helius chief executive, Carmen Doran joined Roman Travers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AA says more investment in our roads is essential. Newstalk ZB can reveal Waka Kotahi fixed 54,000 potholes on the state highway network during 2022. AA Road Safety Spokesperson Dylan Thompson says potholes are the number one issue raised in surveys of drivers. He told Roman Travers simply filling them in, is not enough. Thompson says we need preventative maintenance to stop potholes getting so severe and widespread. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another half-percent on the OCR, which was harsher than most pundits had predicted and takes the cash rate to 5.25 percent. 11 hikes in a row now, yet inflation is still painfully high. The RBNZ says employment is also still beyond what's sustainable and it says recent weather events have pushed some prices even higher. The fact the economic pundits were caught off guard is more than a bit of a worry. ”No one saw this coming”...that's Imre Speizer at Westpac. Capital Economics is now picking a protracted recession, saying it'll be so sharp that rates will have to be cut again by the end of the year. The NZIER says capacity constraints are easing and now is not the time to be adding further interest rates increases it says. And on it goes. Point is; these guys do tend to be ahead of the curve with what they project. In the main, they're pretty good at weighing up exactly where we are now, rather than looking at where we were two or three months back and getting out the smoke and mirrors. And where we are now is in a recession. House prices are tumbling, the employment market is weakening and GDP is in decline. People are moving off cheap home loans and wondering where they'll find hundreds more for the mortgage, plus hundreds more to feed the family and run the car. So what we're hearing now is a fear the recession that RBNZ wanted, the recession it says we needed, won't be short, or shallow. Conclusions? After the car crash caused by printing money for the pandemic, we've got a wall of debt to deal with and a mountain of pain to come for ordinary kiwis. What we can see now is that the fallout will be there for all to see, in time for the election. Will all that translate into votes on October 14th...well...that's one for the political pundits.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A claim has come that the Official Cash Rate increase will continue to hit pockets and stretch incomes The Reserve Bank has shocked many by hiking the OCR 50 basis points to 5.25 percent. Council of Trade Unions economist Craig Renney would like to see increases paused, so people can get used to it. He told Tim Dower lots of people are facing multiple economic strains at once. Renney says many are facing increasing mortgages on top of existing cost of living concerns. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Rugby is pumping $21 million into a 10-year strategy to promote the women's game. It wants to get rid of old school attitudes, and rugby just being seen as a men's sport. Former Black Ferns captain and New Zealand Rugby board member Dr Farah Palmer joined Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dairy NZ says targeted payments are the best solution to help farmers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. The Government has approved an additional $23 million to help those affected, raising the total to $78 million. More than half of the applicants have already been approved, with $37 million paid out already. Farmer-elected director Jacqueline Rowarth told Tim Dower throwing money at the problem isn't always the best option. She says we should bring in experts to point out where the money can be used best. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So Trump is in New York being arraigned today, it’s history in the making. What's funny about this is we're actually heading to New York for the school holidays, this is the last day I'll be on air for a couple of weeks, so we're heading back at a time of Trump dramas. This is ironic because the last time we were in New York was a long time ago, 2016, and we were there for work covering the Presidential election. At that stage, back in the pre-Trump era, everybody thought Hilary Clinton would win. Nobody believed Trump could be President, bar Trump himself of course, so we did a dangerous thing people do, which is write him off. Everybody it seemed had written him off, not just us, and all media were at the same place election night – Clinton HQ. We were stationed at her campaign headquarters and I was busy having photos taken at the lectern with the flag saying, Mrs President dangling from it. There was celebrities everywhere – the whole shebang had shut down 11th Avenue, there were outdoor stages, Katy Perry was singing, live screens, food trucks, supporters up the wazoo, and media by the mile. It was all on. The mood was celebrator, until it wasn’t. We all know the story. The tables turned, the numbers started coming in, and with it the shock. Trump was going to win. Now, suddenly the mood changed. This was now a very volatile time to be in New York. My husband was, at the time, working two jobs both ends of the day - which meant he had to do shows back to NZ at 2am NY time and 10am NY time - to his ZB and Seven Sharp jobs. This also involved being woken by producers at all hours being told to go get footage and audio of protests in the streets etc. It was exhausting. The place was swarming with police and protestors. It was a crazy busy chaotic time, so we decided New York was just a hectic, chaotic, and crazy place. But we hadn’t given it a fair crack, a work trip is not the same as a holiday. We vowed when we left that we’d go back one day as tourists, to have a holiday there and just enjoy the place. So fast forward seven years and we’re finally heading back. But look whose rearing their head again just as we do? Can you believe it? Why does Trump have to make everything about him? How is it we only visit New York twice in a seven year period, and both times Trump is looming large in the news, the place is swarming with cops and secret service, with protests forecast to unfold. On the one hand we get to witness New York during two historic events – a Presidential election and a President getting indicted. But I wouldn’t mind being in New York without the protests if possible? Graham Norton was on Mike’s show yesterday, he’s currently holidaying in New York too, and he said it’s the best place in the world for ‘old peoples fun’. Which sounds right up my husband’s alley But he qualified that statement as meaning, it’s got great restaurants, exhibits, shows, they deliver things so you don’t have to walk too far, and it’s easy to get a cab anytime. It’s perfect, Graham Norton said, for the older tourist. Which I guess now is us! So I’ll keep you posted on my Instagram and I’ll let you know how it went when we get back. And I just hope all the Trump drama has died down by the time we arrive, so we can actually get around and enjoy the place.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 charges of falsifying business records. Trump surrendered to authorities Tuesday at a Manhattan courthouse ahead of his arraignment on criminal charges stemming from a hush money payment to a porn actor during his 2016 campaign. A stone-faced Trump entered the courtroom this morning without saying anything. Trump, who was impeached twice by the US House but was never convicted in the US Senate, has become the first former president to face criminal charges. Republican strategist Matt Terrill joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss what comes next for the GOP. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another hike is expected for the Official Cash Rate this afternoon. Most economists think the Reserve Bank will be slightly more conservative, with a 25 basis point rise. But that will still take the OCR to 5 percent, which will be the highest it's been since December 2008. ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Healthcare workers are raising alarm bells over low vaccination rates from a disease that puts babies at risk. Three babies, under the age of one, have died from whooping cough since February. Te Whatu Ora is encouraging pregnant women in their second trimester to be vaccinated, to pass protection on to their baby. General Practice New Zealand chair Dr. Bryan Betty told Kate Hawkesby the pandemic is to blame for low levels of immunisation, as it strained the health system. He says immunisation rates dropped dramatically over Covid and we really need to get back on track. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So Stuart Nash is off and I don’t blame him. Who’d hang around at this point? It must have been a tough call to make given he seemed to love politics, love people, love his portfolios and enjoy representing his home town of Napier. But it was unsustainable that he stay on after the start to the year he’s had, and no doubt greener pastures are awaiting him. And by greener I mean maybe a job in his beloved forestry sector. Still, it’s never nice to leave on a downer, it’s always preferable to leave on your own terms and he didn’t get to do that. Leaving under a cloud is a tough way to go out. He said in his post about quitting politics that, he’d had “the privilege of serving in the Ardern Cabinet during the darkest of days, managing crisis after crisis after crisis, while driving forward an ambitious and progressive agenda of continuous economic and social improvement and transformation.” Just to unpack that a little bit, did they manage crisis after crisis? Or lunge from crisis to crisis to crisis? There’s a small difference. And in terms of driving forward an ambitious and progressive agenda of continuous economic and social improvement and transformation, where are we seeing the fruits of that exactly? Where is this continuous economic improvement he speaks of? We have an economy in dire straits, inflation at record levels, we’re in a wage inflation spiral, and interest rates on mortgages are through the roof, to name but a few. Where’s the social improvement? Crime’s out of control, youth crime at all time highs, they haven’t moved the needle on poverty, social housing is a shambles, mental health money that hasn’t been spent, kids not attending school, those who do, not achieving as they should. There’s quite a long list of divisive social ills choking our society these days, in fact. So I’m just wondering about this transformation Stuart speaks of. What’s been transformational? And therein lies part of the delusion for these guys, not just him but the whole Labour government and their devout echo chamber of followers too, they can’t see the wood for the trees. They probably still think they’ve been the most open honest and transparent government ever too. They probably believe New Zealand is better off for their leadership. But I’m struggling to see it, the metrics and the data’s just not showing it. I do however believe that he’s been a good MP, after he got sacked we got mixed feedback from his constituents to be honest, some saying they absolutely loved him as an MP because he was visible and always got back to them, others saying he was a waste of space. But at least they knew him, and he had a presence in his community, which is more than you can say for a lot of MP’s. So good on him for reading the room and going. I mean he says it’s also time to address the balance with family and friends – and I get that – when you have a job that takes it out of you, those relationships do suffer, so I wish him well with his renewed connections with loved ones. I wish him well in the corporate world or wherever he ends up. I also wish that the Labour ministers left actually do a slightly better job of walking the walk, on all that big talk.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra's revised forecast for the 2022/23 shows a worrying outlook for the dairy industry. The milk giant has revised down its farmgate price to between $8.00 and $8.60 per kg of milk solids. It's a sharp drop from the record payout of $9.30 last season. Head of Insight at NZX Limited and dairy sector expert Julia Jones joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hawkesby wrote an editorial on cyclists on Monday that has ruffled a few feathers. Hawkesby had been told about cyclists using the footpath instead of the ratepayer funded "gold-plated" cycleways. It was said that it was particularly bad on Auckland's Tamaki Drive. So the idea was floated over fining cyclists who insist on using the footpath. Patrick Morgan from Cycling Action Network joined Early Edition to discuss Kate Hawkesby's editorial. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon says Stuart Nash had to go. The Napier MP has announced he's leaving politics at this year's election after being booted from Cabinet last week. National's leader says Nash breached trust time and time again. But Luxon told Kate Hawkesby he could've left earlier, and not caused a by-election, since a new candidate's campaign kicks off months before the voting starts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have a very smart girlfriend who is an extremely active citizen in her local community, and her city in general actually. She is a go-getter who stays informed, keeps up with local and national politics, and donates a lot of her time and energy to helping the community. She was an early adopter to the e-scooter, uses the city’s cycle ways, and is all for saving the planet and getting cars off the road. But, and here’s the big but, she raised a very valid point the other day regarding said cycleways. Guess who is not using them? The cyclists. She and her husband were walking along Auckland’s Tamaki Drive waterfront, the very same Tamaki Drive that had years of disruption as extremely expensive extremely wide cycleways were installed. And what she witnessed, was cyclist after cyclist after cyclist riding on the footpath, not the cycleways. Within a five minute timeframe she noted no fewer than 10 cyclists barrelling past them on the footpath. Worse yet, they got abused for being in the cyclists’ way. She and her husband were on the footpath, walking, where pedestrians are supposed to walk. They were abused by cyclists trying to ride along the footpath, instead of the cycleway. Now whenever you criticise cyclist behaviour you get accused of being anti-bikes so I want to stress she is anything but. She said she was on the side of cyclists when they got their gold plated cycleway paid for by 99 percent of ratepayers who don’t cycle it. She was happy for them. Right up until she got abused by them as they nearly ran her over, because they wanted the footpath all to themselves too. And this is where cyclists, some cyclists, not all, do themselves a huge disservice and lose people’s support. There were more cyclists on the pavement than on the cycleway. The cycleway was empty. My friend’s point was: why should hardworking ratepayers fund expensive and expansive cycleways if cyclists won’t even use them? She has appealed to Auckland Council and Mayor Wayne Brown to start fining cyclists who use footpaths when a cycleway is available. She said until cyclists embrace them, the vast majority of ratepayers who do not use them should not fund another metre of new cycleway. She said money raised from fining footpath clogging cyclists could be used to fund the new cycleways instead. She makes sense I reckon, it’s hard to argue with. They have expensive lanes laid out especially for them, so why aren’t they using them? Even cyclists agreed with her. Some saying if there’s no cycle way available they’ll ride on the road before they even consider hopping on the footpath. One cyclist pointed out that cyclists who ride in packs on busy roads also give cyclists a bad name, and those who think it’s their right to abuse pedestrians on the footpath are equally loathed. Someone wrote to me the other day and said in Wellington, it's the cycle lanes that are creating so many choke points that traffic across the city has been reduced to a crawl. Frustrating when the traffic's crawling past empty cycleways. It’s the same in Auckland. And I’m just not sure if those who designed the cycleways and decided they should have all that space on the road, actually thought through the winter months and how the half the year the weather precludes cyclists from even riding their bikes anyway. So bang for buck, are they all really worth it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.