Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

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.

So the rain is hitting Auckland city now, but yesterday between 8.30 and 3pm when there was hardly any rain or wind and I wondered why kids in all the unaffected areas couldn’t have been at school. Yesterday turned out to be an average rainy day. Yes I get it, precautions. It’s better to be safe than sorry, but seriously, if this is a pattern of weather we’re going to get more of, then we need to adjust our attitudes to it. We need to dig deep on how we teach resilience and self-responsibility, over and above constantly looking to authorities to make the rules for us and dictate how we should live in a carte blanche fashion. The coolest thing the Auckland Grammar principal did was do his own research on the weather, see that no heavy rain was starting before at least 3pm, and make up his own mind - and he was proven right to keep his school open. People who have lived in countries with monsoons, those who have lived in the States or the UK, anyone whose had to shovel snow from the driveway or the car before getting kids to school - they know that just shutting everything up on a 'maybe', is not sustainable. Visitors currently here from those countries think we’re soft. The level of fear and anxiety leading up to this cyclone was akin to that which was stoked up in this country during Covid. But where does it leave us? Kids at home, the school year interrupted again, people worried sick and productivity ground to a halt while everything gets shut up. This cyclone, much like the last bad weather event we had, has been isolated to certain places. There was no reason for the whole of Auckland to be shut yesterday, particularly the schools. The irony of Chris Hipkins yesterday on Mike’s show saying there will be an announcement on truancy this week because they’ve ‘just got to get kids back to school’ was not lost on any of us. He talked about how too many students are not turning up and how backwards we’re going on that front, and how they really need kids to engage and yet, he said all that on the very day schools are shut. And not just for one day - but two full days. If the message that comes from top down is that school is just something to be turned on and off like a tap, then what do they expect? What kids need is routine and structure. To get them to attend, you actually need the schools to be open. And reassure them they’re always open. How else do you impart the importance of school? Are schools going to shut on days that are too hot? On more rainy days? Someone said to me that shutting schools because there may be a cyclone arriving, is like teaching kids that they can take a day off school if they think they may have a stomach ache coming on. I understand that these weather patterns are relatively new to us so we're not entirely used to them yet, but if this sort of weather is the new normal for us, then we have to find better solutions than just closing everything up, and then wondering why kids don’t take school seriously.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hopes things could be looking up for the services sector after a difficult few years, that's according to the latest BNZ performance index. The figures showed that we may be seeing the end of the record labour demand, with vacancies filling up. BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emergency services are being kept busy across the upper North Island as Cyclone Gabrielle continues to hit the country. North Shore ward councillor Richard Hills told Kate Hawkesby there's been a lot of trees and power lines down. "It is pretty windy still out here so we are asking people to stay off to the roads to assess the damage and stay away from the coast." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emergency services are being kept busy across the upper North Island as Cyclone Gabrielle continues to hit the country. Our newsroom understands a firefighter is unaccounted for at Muriwai on Auckland's West Coast, with residents of Motutara and Domain Roads being evacuated overnight. Flooding, slips and downed trees are affecting homes in several regions, and a person is trapped in a car in Whangārei. The entire Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne Regions are in a state of emergency, including the Coromandel Peninsula. Waikato District Mayor, Jacqui Church told Kate Hawkesby defence and roading crews have been out in full-force in northern Waikato, which has been hit hard. Severe weather warnings remain in effect for the entire North Island and upper South, and tens of thousands of people remain without power. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The upper North Island is bracing for the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle. Severe weather warnings and watches are in place for the entire North Island and upper South Island. Red warnings are in effect for Northland, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula, and the Gisborne District north of Tolaga Bay. At least 23-thousand homes across Auckland and Northland have spent the night without power. NIWA meteorologist Chris Brandolino says that Northland and Gisborne have had lots of rain already, but the heaviest rain in Auckland is still to come. Auckland Harbour Bridge has partially reopened. However, State Highway One over the Brynderwyns remains closed due to large slips, and Whangarei Heads Road east of Whangarei is closed due to flooding. ALL rail services and MOST flights in the upper North Island have been cancelled. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a night of heavy rain in the Gisborne and Coromandel Districts. Coromandel MP Scott Simpson told Kate Hawkesby that the ground across the peninsula is already sodden, and more slips are expected. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I see Aucklanders coming in for a lot of criticism for rushing out to supermarkets and filling their trolleys over the weekend before Cyclone Gabrielle’s arrival, but in defence of Aucklanders: why wouldn’t they? I mean that’s what Civil Defence, the Mayor, and all the media were telling them to do. Not only that, they were putting out those messages in a concentrated timeframe. We were being told to get enough supplies for 3 days, and to do that by the end of the weekend. So you had a mad flurried 48-hour period where people went berserk in supermarkets. You can’t tell everyone to stock up, all at the same time, and not expect that to get hectic. But here’s the thing – what to stock up on was detailed in advance; bottled water, batteries, torches, food. And the supermarkets —and here’s where I think the blame really lies— supermarkets were busy telling us they had plenty! That stock would not run out, there was plenty for everyone, just take what you need, and don’t worry we’ve got masses. But what maybe they didn’t properly compute, was how if you tell everyone in Auckland at the same time, within the same 48 hour period to go stock up on those specific things, that maybe you need to have a huge stash of crates in the aisles like they did with toilet paper during lockdown, as back up. Because the first thing that happened is that all the supermarkets appeared to sell out of bottled water, batteries, eggs, bread... it was a cluster. Why didn’t they bring bucket loads more of that stuff in, knowing that’s what people needed? I felt so sorry for all those so anxious already who then rushed off to supermarkets, as instructed by local authorities, only to find the shelves bare. Yes there were probably people who bought more than they needed, but when you create a sense of panic —as I think has happened this time round because authorities were so determined not to repeat last time— then you have to expect human behavior will respond in kind. Also, we have, as relatively recent experience, lockdowns and how crazy people went at supermarkets then. And again, at that time they were saying the same thing: just take what you need, don’t go nuts. But human nature tells us people do go nuts. Experience tells us people, for some reason, want to buy a lot of toilet paper. There’s also an egg shortage so of course eggs were first to go. Now I don’t doubt many supermarkets were frantically trying to restock on Sunday, but by then the rain was hitting and there’d be many people reticent, or unable, to go back out. The queues and craziness had kicked in Friday and Saturday, and that’s when the back stock needed to be getting restocked – in real time as it was being snapped up. So we’ve not learned much from lockdowns have we? We still go crazy, we still panic, and supermarkets still can’t seem to plan ahead for that.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the school year starts, I am reminded of the beauty of great teachers. Having had five kids through four different schools, we’ve seen the full gamut of teachers – bad, sad, grumpy, useless, brilliant, engaged, interesting, and inspiring. If you’ve got kids in school, you’ll know what I mean. Every year, your child desperately hopes for good teachers and every year you end up hoping for that too because it makes such a difference to your child’s year and their learning. This year my daughter, who is in high school, had a lot of new teachers starting. Many of them young, one even younger than her older brother, fresh faces from Teachers College, ones who have switched from other careers, ones who have been away travelling and returned. But she’s lucked out. Every single one of her teachers is a winner, and it’s already making such a difference to the start of her year. She’s excited to get to school, excited when she gets home from school. Excited for the year ahead. Which makes the whole experience so much better for everyone. I was asking on the way home from school yesterday about what makes these teachers so good. Being young obviously helps she said, because they’re not jaded yet, they’re not so traditional and rule bound, they’re more modern and fun. They’re starting out and they want to have a good experience too. The other thing she said is the organized ones are great because they’re so onto it classes run smoothly, everyone knows what’s expected of them and where they stand. Work is laid out and easily understood. The other thing she mentioned was the personalization – the ones who bother getting to know the students on a personal level. One gave her a birthday card because she noted my daughter’s birthday was just before school went back. Totally unnecessary but very sweet and thoughtful. This isn't a private school by the way either. Another teacher paused class to have a ‘get to know you session’ and she kicked it off by giving info on herself first, so the girls all felt they knew a bit more about her. Which is definitely a very modern thing because I remember being at school and you didn’t know a thing about your teacher’s personal life or if they were married or had kids or not, and you dare not ask either. But these days it’s not unusual for teachers to have pictures of their family on their desk, point out their kids’ names and ages and give little tidbits of personal stories. So it’s fascinating to see how teaching is evolving and changing – many times for the better. It's a good reminder that among the teacher shortage and the woes at the Ministry of Education and all the dramas around NCEA and curriculums and absenteeism that at the heart of all this are clutches of really hard working, keen and enthusiastic teachers, doing an amazing job to keep kids engaged. And it’s teachers like that we owe a debt of gratitude, because despite it all, they push on – and with a smile on their face. And given the disruption of the past few years for our kids in school, I reckon those teachers are worth their weight in gold.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A win for tourism as our local hotel industry thrives, with the sector the most optimistic since the pandemic began. The Tourism Export Council forecasts international visitor levels rebounding to around 2.1 million by the end of May and could approach pre-Covid levels mid 2025. Hospitality NZ Chief Executive Julie White told Kate Hawkesby 2023 is already shaping up to be a bumper year for the industry. She says all market segments are strong, with businesses back to travelling, and a range of events bringing in visitors and helping fill occupancies. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heat pumps the size of a five-storey building could be on the way from Fonterra. It's partnered with German company Man Energy Solutions to tackle its carbon production through greener steam generation. The giant heat pumps would reduce enough to be the equivalent to taking 25,000 thousand cars off the road. Fonterra chief operating officer Fraser Whineray joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Officials say they may need to do welfare checks on people in the worst hit areas, should Cyclone Gabrielle hit hard. Tairawhiti Civil Defence Controller Ben Green told Kate Hawkesby there could be further damage. “We know enough to guess the different forecast models and they certainly correlate around the fact you’re going to see landfall and impact and it just comes down to varying degrees of impact.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So the worst kept secret in politics yesterday was finally confirmed - the merger is a gone burger. Merging TVNZ and RNZ was never a good idea - right from the get go. Everyone thought it was crazy and so the Government now finally agree. Either that, or they just can’t handle the criticism and unpopularity of it. Because I can’t help thinking if you believe in a policy and invest in it, throw money at it - not just any money either - don’t forget $9,000 a day on consultants, then you believe in it. But as a sop to the failed project what are they doing? Handing out more money. More for RNZ and more for NZ on Air. The media slush fund for state broadcasting goes on and that’s before we get to the $23 million already spent on the merger, which now just gets flushed down the loo. But the sting in the tail of yesterday’s policy walk backs was a little treat come April for businesses - the upping of the minimum wage. And it's not just any increase either but a whopping $1.50 increase. So, businesses who have been struggling during Covid, struggling during border closures, struggling with ram raids and retail theft, struggling to get staff at all are now faced with a bigger wages bill. Hipkins acknowledged that a number of small businesses ‘had concerns’ about this – no kidding. Here’s the rub, Hipkins met with the Auckland Business chamber – one of the first things he did in his new role as PM - to allegedly show the Government’s new interest in listening to business, acknowledging they’d not done it enough previously and even new Chief Executive Simon Bridges fell for it and said he had hope. Well, those hopes got dashed at about 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon. This Government is anti-business, it doesn’t listen to them, it doesn’t care about them. In one breath while telling us it cares about the cost-of-living crisis and people who are struggling, it also hands that problem back to business and makes it their problem. So what will we get here? Well, the inflationary impact to the wages portion of GDP remains to be seen. The impact to unemployment remains to be seen. What we can guarantee is those costs will be passed on to us though. A café owner messaged me yesterday and said the price of your coffee and cake just went up. So the key question - does all this win them votes? Because that’s the aim here. And do you trust them? Do you trust a government who’s all of a sudden happy to toss out their unpopular policies in an election year? Despite what they’ve spent on them and with no regard for all the money wasted. Do you have faith that if they win, they won’t just bring these policies back? We know that’s the case with the social insurance. We don’t know about Three Waters because they’re buying time on that front – but we know they’ve spent a fortune on it, hired people, leased offices, gone down a deep rabbit hole on legislation. So, do Kiwis buy all this? I guess we have to wait for next poll to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farmers can't catch a break in Bay of Plenty. It's the region's worst maize harvest in decades with around 60 percent of crops wiped out due to the weather. But is it all doom and gloom? Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers provincial president Brent Mountford joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Water New Zealand's boss says we need to focus on what's at stake when it comes to Three Waters - and that's the need to invest in infrastructure. New Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty has been asked to refine the policy, but Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says the need for reform is unquestionable. Water New Zealand Chief Executive Gillian Blythe says the commentary has focused too much on co-governance. She told Kate Hawkesby we need to remember the words of a Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment more than 20 years ago. Blythe says Morgan Williams said the model is not fit for purpose, and the longer we leave it to address, the harder it will get and the more complex it will be. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of you will be about to get back in it, I was in it yesterday and it was hell on earth. I’m talking about rush hour, I’m talking about the school run and in Auckland in particular - it was as hellish as they predicted it would be. It feels like a long time between drinks. A long time since we’ve been back in cars, kids have been back in uniforms, bags have been back on shoulders and kids trudging back off to school. February is never an easy month anyway given the humidity and heat, especially if your uniform fabric is nice and thick and scratchy. But the traffic, honest to God, I don’t know how it’s possible but it seems even worse. I left home for an eight minute journey, I returned 40 minutes later. It was chaos. Bumper to bumper madness. And I know the zealots say hey get a bus, or get a train, or get out on your feet and walk but that’s not always practical or possible depending on where you live. So for us it was the car and we joined the throngs of everyone else doing the same thing. And here’s my gripe this morning, because I know it’ll be happening again today and the next day – can they please, for the love of God, get rid of some of the cones? I don’t mean the ones blocking actual hazards and surrounding actual road works. I mean all the extraneous ones just hanging around the streets like they’ve been forgotten about. I drove past so many random nonsensical cones, just in the middle of the road, or to the side of the road, a handful or so of them, no idea what for – no road works in sight, no slips, no flooding, no nothing. Just cones. Why? Has someone forgotten about the cones? Who monitors and registers them all? There are so so so many of them, thousands of them, and they’re being flung off trucks and slapped down on roads left right and centre these days, and I just wonder, is there some kind of spreadsheet or diary entry or managed data on where the all are and what for. And whose checking to see they all get returned? I’ve walked past some that have been in the same place for months, no work going on, just a coned off area for no apparent or obvious reason. Why? Who's in charge? Is there a cone manager? And it’s not like these things are cheap - they’re between $25-35 each apparently. Add that up next time you drive past your rows and rows of cones. I fully get that there are parts of the country in dire need of them, I get that there are works going on, and in parts of Auckland there are slips or damaged roads. But there are more cones it feels like than cars. Forget the City of Sails, Auckland feels like the City of Cones. As you sit in the morning commute this morning, and wrangle your way through traffic, trying to get to where you need to be, count them up, add up the cost of them, and tell me how many were actually necessary versus just cone mania for no apparent reason.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is set to drip feed the Government's policy changes. Chris Hipkins’ policy cull will be a topic at today's cabinet meeting, with all eyes on the RNZ-TVNZ merger. It comes after a newly reshuffled Cabinet was asked to take another look at its priorities, in a bid to get back to political basics. Political commentator Clint Smith told Kate Hawkesby we'll likely see some announcements, but not everything in one go. He says the advantage the Opposition has is that it can just make an announcement and that's its policy. But Smith says with the whole machinery of government behind things, decisions have to be taken at Cabinet, and that takes some time. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern over the latest data on online dating and romance scams. The Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report surveyed just over 1,000 New Zealand adults, and found a quarter have fallen victim. More than half have suffered financial losses, on average $264. Systems Engineer Dean Williams told Kate Hawkesby we're not alone, with other countries showing similar rates. He says overall it's quite alarming, and shows this is another cyber issue we need to be conscious of. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Appalling scenes in Turkey and Syria as rescuers continue to search for earthquake survivors. Around 23 million people are thought to be displaced after the two 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude quakes in southern Turkey and the death toll has now passed 6,000. President Recep Tayyp Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency in the ten worst affected provinces. Europe correspondent Kay Oliver told Kate Hawkesby it's a dangerous and dreadful rescue mission. She says tremors are continuing, and help is very limited as people are spending a second night out in freezing conditions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A cutting edge development in the fight for sustainability in the food and fibre sector. New Zealand based company Environmental Decontamination has cracked a way to grind mussel shells into calcium carbonate. It's a product used in paper, concrete and paint. New Zealand currently processes around 100,000 tonnes of green-lipped mussels, which generates around 55,000 tonnes of waste per year. Project lead, Kapish Gobindlal told Kate Hawkesby the new technology offers a step towards a more sustainable future for the food sector. He says the very fine powder can now be used in the construction industry and in commercial goods. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thousands of tourism businesses remain desperately short of staff, with the latest figures showing the sector could be short as many as 80,000 staff - around 13,000 more than last year. As tourism returns to our shores, many visitors have found businesses closed or operating on limited hours due to staffing issues. General manager of Haka Tours and ANZ Nature Tours Eve Lawrence joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So another Waitangi weekend done and dusted.. and what did we learn? Well, not much. I think part of the disconnect around it these days is the coverage of it. Why does it always have to get so petty? What we learned was – who spoke with notes and who didn’t, who spoke te reo and who didn’t, who attended what and who didn’t. How is that taking us anywhere or telling us anything or bringing us closer as a nation? We are not being well served here when we let the sneerers on the sidelines get news headlines out of their pettiness. David Seymour went to the trouble of doing his entire speech in te reo – the only coverage of that? The Greens Marama Davidson sneering at him as he did, and afterwards telling the media.. ‘it’s still racism it doesn’t matter what language it’s in.’ So the fact the media made a big deal of that was either A, because they don’t know any better and are happy to allow themselves to be hijacked by pettiness, or B, because they wanted to let her comment speak for itself. Hopefully it’s the latter. Likewise Chris Luxon was criticised for using notes. Bear in mind he would have been criticised no matter what he did, but the criticism of using notes came again from the sidelines and again from bit players. Shane Jones, sneeringly told media you should be able to speak from the heart and off the cuff. Well maybe for some orators or those who’ve grown up on a Marae where that's customary, that may be the case. But no allowances are made for people who are just trying to do their best. Surely that’s just arrogant and petty.. to attack people just because they happen to hold an alternate political view to you. Would the attacks have been as forthcoming if Chris Hipkins had spoken in te reo or used notes? By the way Hipkins did actually have notes, he was holding notes the entire time, he didn’t refer to them as much as Luxon did, but that was the barrel we ended up scraping for coverage. Who spoke in te reo, who used notes and a big tsk tsk from the bit players who didn’t like it and were seemingly affronted by it. When it dissolves into political bickering it just becomes tedious doesn’t it? I mean we have enough of that all year round, do we really need it on Waitangi Day too? One of the arguments around our National Day is how we engage and involve people more in it and I’m not sure scaring them away from participating by judging everyone on how they participate is the answer. I personally could not care less who spoke from notes and who didn’t, I’m not sure off the cuff speeches are necessarily any better than ones with notes. Off the cuff speeches can get rambly and long winded.. and if you’re someone with a message to get across and want to make your points well, then having the foresight to prep and make notes on that seems like the right thing to do. So another day of petty point scoring and judging and in that is the lesson as to why Waitangi Day is something many people are choosing to ignore, rather than participate in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.