Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

A Kiwi skin cancer expert who consults some of Los Angeles' biggest names has created the world's first vegan non-injectable wrinkle reduction serum.Dr Sharad Paul has been featured in Time magazine as one of the world's celebrity scientists and is even filming a documentary on Netflix.But this world-first serum is said to be a game changer in the multi-billion dollar dermal filler market.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air pollution is a major contributor to premature deaths caused by respiratory illnesses and heart illnesses.The 2016 Health and Air Pollution study has found it contributed to more than three-thousand deaths in a year.It also played a part in 13,000 cases of childhood asthma, and 13,000 hospitalisations.Lead author Dr Gerda Kushcel told Kate Hawkesby it's the worst case scenario.She says there are issues around hospitalisation from asthma, particularly with children, and restrictive activity days, where people don't feel well enough to live their normal lives.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A supermarket watchdog looks set to stir up competition in the sector.Consultation is underway on a draft code between major grocery retailers and their suppliers - the Government will also appoint a Grocery Commissioner later this year.An earlier Commerce Commission report found a supermarket duopoly was driving up prices at the till.Vegetables New Zealand Chair John Murphy told Kate Hawkesby it will all come down to how the code of conduct is applied.He says it could end up having a negative effect on producers.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Didn’t you always know that this Government, in clamping down on something, would involve a working group, a watchdog, a commissioner or a report?Turns out they’ve gone with a mix of all four. ‘Grocery Commissioner’ is the official title of the watchdog being set up. Supermarkets must be quaking in their boots. Not.It will take a while to establish – first they need to set up legislation round it, then there’ll be a mandatory code of conduct drawn up, so by the time the legislation goes through the House and the a commissioner actually gets appointed it’ll be mid 2023.That’s if they work to time, which they won’t, so that’ll be delayed. And in terms of when we the consumer will actually see the results of all this watchdogging?Who knows?They’re only just at the ‘discussion paper’ phase. And when it finally comes down to the grocery commissioner appointment part – how many people flank up this new department with the fancy new title? Have you ever encountered a government more bogged down in layers of bureaucracy and paperwork and codes of conduct than this one?Here’s the small print we need to be really wary of though. While appearing to wield a big stick, will all this bureaucracy just mean higher prices at our end? It was reported that MBIE admitted there was a risk that the code could “limit the ability of the major grocery retailers to negotiate fairly and firmly with suppliers”.MBIE also said that “this could contribute to higher costs for the major grocery retailers, which would make it harder for them to provide consumers with the range of products at competitive prices.”So there is a risk of compliance costs getting passed onto us at the checkout.Comparing it to the UK model, it’s reported that based on their numbers, the “cost to the Government of implementing the regulatory functions associated with a code of conduct could be roughly $1.5 million per year. Compliance costs for retailers and suppliers are estimated to be around $750,000 to $800,000 per annum. That includes costs associated with disputes, complaints and queries from the regulator.” And while the Government’s pointing the finger directly at fat cat supermarket retailers, the opposition says the Government’s missing the point. Act’s deputy leader said that ‘the reason Kiwis pay too much for food was ”rampant domestic inflation fuelled by Government spending". She said that.. "the Government needs to admit that it’s the inflation it caused, that’s hurting Kiwis.” Act also says it’s nigh on impossible to enter the grocery market with all the regulatory barriers here, it’s just too hard for many players. So how much competition will we really get? And how much teeth will this new watchdog really have? Will the benefits of having it offset the cost and time spent setting it up and administering it? And in all this bureaucracy and paperwork, will we the consumer in the end actually be any better off?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is battling to remain in office, shrugging off calls for his resignation after a slew of officials resigned from his government. Sky News reports a total of 38 MPs have quit.A delegation of senior politicians, including the new Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart and Policing Minister Kit Malthouse and Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris, met Johnson at his Downing Street office to press him to resign.New education secretary Michele Donelan, who was only appointed into the role last night following Nadhim Zahawi's elevation to chancellor, is also understood to have been among the group in Number 10 calling for the PM to resign. The Times reports UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has also sided with the group calling for Johnson to go.Johnson reportedly told the group he would not resign, suggesting his departure could lead to an early election and defeat for the party. Sources tell ITV News that the PM said the chaos of a leadership contest would generate overwhelming pressure to call an election.Earlier Wednesday (Thursday NZ time), members of the opposition Labour Party showered Johnson with shouts of "Go! Go!" during the weekly ritual of Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons as critics argued the leader's days were numbered following his poor handling of sexual misconduct allegations against a senior official.But more damningly, members of Johnson's own Conservative Party — wearied by the many scandals he has faced — also challenged their leader, with one asking whether there was anything that might prompt him to resign."Frankly … the job of the prime minister in difficult circumstances, when he's been handed a colossal mandate, is to keep going," Johnson replied with the bluster he has used to fend off critics throughout nearly three years in office. "And that's what I'm going to do."His fellow Conservatives listened quietly and offered little support.Johnson is known for his ability to wiggle out of tight spots, managing to remain in power despite suggestions that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, and that he misled Parliament about parties in government offices that broke Covid-19 lockdown rules.He hung on even when 41 per cent of Conservative lawmakers voted to oust him in a no-confidence vote last month and formerly loyal lieutenants urged him to quit.But recent revelations that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a lawmaker before he promoted the man to a senior position in his government have pushed him to the brink.Many of his fellow Conservatives were concerned that Johnson no longer had the moral authority to govern at a time when difficult decisions are needed to address soaring food and energy prices, rising Covid-19 infections and the war in Ukraine. Others worry that he may now be a liability at the ballot box. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons. Photo / APFormer Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who helped trigger the current crisis when he resigned Tuesday night, captured the mood of many lawmakers when he said Johnson's actions threatened to undermine the integrity of the Conservative Party and the British government."At some point we have to conclude that enough is enough," he told fellow lawmakers. "I believe that point is now."Johnson's grilling in Parliament was the first of two Wednesday. He was also questioned by a committee of senior lawmakers.Under current party rules, another no-confidence vote cannot be held for another 11 months, but party members can change that rule.Months of discontent over Johnson's judgment and ethics erupted when Javid and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak resigned within minutes of each other on Tuesday evening. The two heavyweights of...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inland Revenue is on the chase for unpaid taxes from construction and property investment firms.Deloitte has seen an increase in action and companies coming to them for help.Craig Elliffe is a tax expert at Auckland university and joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A shock to an old classic.Toyota's announced the most popular car model in the world - the Corolla will only be sold in hybrid-electric versions by the end of the year.Toyota New Zealand chief executive Neeraj Lala told Kate Hawkesby it joins some of their other models that have become fully hybrid.He says their plan has always been to move towards a fully electrified line-up, so this is a step in that direction.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not all doom and gloom when it comes to our wellbeing.Stats NZ's 2021 Wellbeing data shows just over 28 percent of people report poor mental wellbeing, up just under six percent from 2018.But Wellbeing Principal Analyst Claire Bretherton told Kate Hawkesby there's some positive stuff in the numbers too.She says most New Zealanders are satisfied with their lives, something that hasn't changed from 2018.Bretherton says a lot of people are also optimistic for the future.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well for all those heading away next week for school holidays, could be great timing. It looks like we may end up in red light again at some point, if case numbers are anything to go by. The PM says she’s not looking at it yet, but is she looking at anything apart from the cameras on the international stage at the moment? Bit tricky given she’s out of the country and perhaps a tad more out of touch than usual. And what triggers a red light anyway? The PM makes a captains call based on the vibe? Or, as new Covid Minister Ayesha Verrall would tell us, is it purely about case numbers and she’s been very honest in fessing up that number is 10,000 cases.We are getting dangerously close to the 10,000 mark, and it was a 10,000 case rolling average that threw us into the red last time.It’s not even really the case numbers that will be the problem.I think in all reality it’s the state of our hospital system and its inability to cope right now. We’ve got experts saying a new wave is here, we’ve got flu viruses, high absenteeism with illness, we were up to 9,629 new community cases yesterday, and there were another 24 deaths. 11 in ICU, 493 people in hospital with Covid.It’s not going anywhere, unfortunately.So does that mean that soon neither will we be?I can’t imagine the damage to an already flailing hospo sector if bars had to shut again, concerts and sports fixtures got cancelled, events were back on ice. Going back to masks everywhere indoors, I see even in Britain they’re bringing masks back in at hospitals as their case numbers rise.In fact, case numbers are rising everywhere. I can’t help thinking though, that the public appetite for this would be close to none. I think even the most law abiding lockdown fanatic would find it hard to stomach more restrictions coming back, just as we’ve worked so hard to shrug them off and find some normality. Compliance would be an issue, it already is an issue. Look how many people are mask-less these days in the supermarket or at the dairy, or in retail outlets.And that’s before we get to the bad buzz factor and the ill wind it would blow towards an already out of favour government.If we can take heart from one thing I guess though it’s the fact that case numbers on a Tuesday are always high due to coming off a weekend. So maybe today we’ll see them level off a wee bit. Although the experts say many cases are going unreported anyway and it’s likely there are already more than just what the official figures are telling us. So a conundrum for the new Covid Minister as she tries to weigh up nasty winter bugs taking their toll, new Covid variants, increasing cases, and a strained hospital system. Alongside an unwillingness from a brow-beaten public to go back into a red light, and the political toll it may take on the Government’s waning popularity.So where does that leave us?Hoping we stay in Orange. How sad is that.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There have been more calls for the Government to be honest about their departments.Michael Wood yesterday called out the hospitality sector about their working conditions, while they're struggling for workers.And the ongoing cry for help from the health sector, with Andrew Little maintaining that they're on top of it.Add to that their police response, and action on the cost of living crisis.These lines are no longer cutting it with the public, who are increasingly aware of the crises the country is facing.Political commentator Bryce Edwards joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Clean Car Discount scheme is having to alter wrong or missing emissions or safety-rating data as it goes along.Car dealers say some customers expecting a rebate are getting hit with a fee instead, because an incomplete database is being updated even as the vehicle is sitting on the lot.The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association's David Vinsen told Kate Hawkesby the Government was warned it didn't have information on all of the fleet, but proceeded anyway.He says NZTA has been scrambling to remedy the glaring database emissions since its launch.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oral specialists say the dental system is failing children, and urgent change is needed.Research shows dental decay is the most prevalent non-communicable childhood disease in New Zealand.Māori, Pasifika, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those without access to community water fluoridation are most affected.Otago University researcher Dorothy Boyd told Kate Hawkesby now's the best time to address it, in amongst the other health system changes.She says statistics show 70 percent of Pasifika, 60 percent of Māori, and a-third of other children have dental decay by the time they're five.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I can see why we have resource consent issues in this country and it’s virtually impossible to get anything done. We’re experiencing it first hand at the moment with the Auckland Council.We put in a building consent to build a pool, a very straight forward pool, not building hydro slides and dive boards and turreted pool houses with fancy gates.Just a pool and the obligatory pool fence. We had an engineer draw up the specs and submit it to Council, routine procedure, nothing to see here. Then, to our surprise, the Council comes back a couple of weeks later and says not only do we have to apply for building consent to build a pool, but now also a resource consent.And all the standards that come with meeting resource consent. Obviously we query this – there must be some mistake, we’re not building a house or a garage or a building or a dwelling, it’s a puddle in a backyard. A pool surely cannot be subject to all the rigmarole of resource consent. So I ring up the Council planner one afternoon to have a chat and find out exactly what’s going on.Well that’s my first mistake - I rang in the afternoon, Auckland council planners are closed, they have a voicemail saying their work hours are 8.30am til 12pm. If you don’t catch them in the morning, you don’t catch them. So after a few back and forth emails, I schedule a call back from her, and yesterday morning she calls back.Apparently, Auckland Council decided a couple of years ago, to make a definition change to resource consents, to include pools as buildings if they’re over 25,000 litres. Which, unless you want a paddling pool, is most pools.So putting in a pool, is now subject to the RMA, the Unitary Plan, and all the standards included in that. Why did Council decide to do this? Who would know, is it just a money grab? Accompanying the new resource consent application we must file, is the resource consent deposit fee, of $4,000. Added to that will be the billable hours spent processing it. Bear in mind we've already paid just under $3,000 for a building consent fee. So the Council will be $7,000 up before a shovel even hits the ground for the pool. And I thought the pool was the expensive bit. Here’s the rub, when I ask what it is they now require from us as far as resource consent application goes, given this new $4,000 price tag, guess what they need? Nothing new. We re-submit the same drawings and files we’ve already submitted, just with the new fee. The council is going to take its time and ours, processing two consent applications, with the same material, the same info, the same exact details, but process it twice, just so we can dig a hole and put some water in it. The layers and levels of bureaucracy in this country are stark raving mad aren’t they? Is it any wonder nothing gets done and people are struggling to build anything? You can imagine my husband’s response to all this when I relayed it back to him. “Cancel the pool,” he said, “I’d rather buy a Ferrari.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sir John Kirwan is hitting the road in the name of kids' mental health.The All Black legend and mental health advocate is driving from Auckland to Invercargill, to raise funds and awareness for his initiative Mitey.It's an approach to teaching mental health in primary and intermediate schools - helping children understand how to look after their own emotional wellbeing.Sir John Kirwan told Kate Hawkesby he will be stopping at seven main centres in the next week.He says during that time he will be visiting schools, as well as holding some community events.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A gunman opened fire in a Copenhagen shopping mall, one of the largest of its kind in Scandinavia, killing an unspecified number of people and wounding several others on Sunday, police said.The suspected gunman, who is in custody, is a 22-year-old Danish man who was detained near the Fields shopping mall on the southern outskirts of the capital, said police inspector Søren Thomassen, head of the Copenhagen police operations unit."We know that there are several dead" and "several injured," Thomassen told a news conference, adding that terror can't be ruled out. "We do not have information that others are involved. This is what we know now."He didn't provide any further details on the victims or supsect, or say how many people were killed or wounded. The shopping center is on the outskirts of Copenhagen just across from a subway line that connects the city center with the international airport. A major highway also runs adjacent to Fields, which opened in 2004.Images from the scene showed people running out of the mall, and Denmark's TV2 broadcaster posted a photo of a man being put on a stretcher. Witnesses said people were crying and hid in shops.Laurits Hermansen told Danish broadcaster DR that he was in a clothing store at the shopping center with his family when he heard "three-four bangs. Really loud bangs. It sounded like the shots were being fired just next to the store."Copenhagen Mayor Sophie H. Andersen tweeted: "Terrible reports of shooting in Fields. We do not yet know for sure how many were injured or dead, but it is very serious."Police said they were first alerted to the shooting at 5:36 p.m. (1536 GMT; 11:36 a.m. EDT). A huge presence of heavily-armed police officers arrived at the scene, with several fire department vehicles also parked outside the mall."One person has been arrested in connection with the shooting at Fields. We currently are not able to say more about the person concerned," Copenhagen police tweeted. "We have a massive presence at Fields and are working on getting an overview."A concert by former One Direction band member Harry Styles was scheduled to be held at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT; 2 p.m. EDT) at the nearby Royal Arena. It was unclear whether the concert would go ahead.On Snapchat, Styles wrote "My team and I pray for everyone involved in the Copenhagen shopping mall shooting. I am shocked. Love H."Shortly after the shooting, the royal palace said a reception with Crown Prince Frederik connected to the Tour de France cycling race had been canceled. The first three stages of the race were held in Denmark this year, the palace said in a statement. The reception was due to be held on the royal yacht that is moored in Soenderborg, the town where the third stage ended.- By JAN M. OLSEN and KARL RITTER Associated PressSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National has come out swinging against the new Immigration Minister.Michael Wood's accepted some concerns the sector's raised over foreign worker shortages...But says businesses should be considering how to make low-wage jobs with insecure working conditions, more attractive places to work.National party immigration spokesperson Erica Stanford told Kate Hawkesby he's gaslighting the industry, which is trying their best to attract workers.She says the average hourly hospo wage has gone up past $24 an hour - with it well past $26.50 in Queenstown.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott McLaughlin has claimed his second victory of the IndyCar season after taking out the Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio this morning.Starting in second behind Pato O'Ward, the Kiwi benefitted from a yellow flag to take his first pit stop and hold first place.It's a much-needed boost for McLaughlin after a poor run of form lately.He won the opening race of the season in St. Petersburg before a second placing in Texas to top the standings but then failed to crack the top five in the last six races which saw him drop to ninth before today's win.Fellow Kiwi Scott Dixon, a six-time winner at Mid-Ohio, finished fifth.McLaughlin's parents Wayne and Diane were on course for the victory after joining their son in May after 31 months apart due to Covid-19."To have mum and dad here was super special," McLaughlin said after the win."It's America's weekend. Last night I was dressed up as a blow-up beagle so maybe I need to do that every July 4 weekend."More to come...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a parent whose kids are at the ‘wander the mall on their own’ age, I do worry about headlines like “Screams heard before mall stabbing in Auckland”.It’s terrifying that young people are carrying weapons; it’s terrifying that they’re so brazen about using them, it’s terrifying that Police still appear powerless to stop youth offenders.One of our kids asked us the other day why the country feels less safe these days, why there's so much violence. And the question made me sad, because it’s not how we grew up. Walking the malls and streets at night felt safe, doing it in broad daylight wasn’t even in question. But these days parents are rightly thinking twice about their young people heading off to the mall with their mates unsupervised.And even the teens themselves are thinking twice about it. And what worries me is that as the bar dips lower and lower on social responsibility these days, and public behaviour gets worse, how much are we just sleepwalking into accepting it? Why are we putting up with more aggressive youth robbing our retailers, ram raiding our dairies and intimidating other kids with knives, then stabbing them?Why are we allowing this to glide past us without outrage? Decent law abiding kids have to now watch their backs or worse, not even go out, while aggressive youth get to run riot. It seems the balance has tipped in favour of the lowest common denominator these days to such a degree, that the onus is on you to just watch out.And every time this happens, the local community leaders involved always dismiss it as ‘a one off’ or ‘an isolated incident’ and nothing to see here. They don’t like to accept that bad behaviour, actually let’s call it what it is, criminal illegal behaviour, has crept into their backyard.This denial starts at the top. We have a government who constantly heaps praise on itself while gaslighting those who dare to question it. Ministers who deny issues as being real issues, and a PM who constantly ‘rejects the premise of the question’.We seem to have collectively lost the ability to accept responsibility for anything anymore or acknowledge where things have gone wrong.The problem is, denying it doesn’t get us anywhere. Friday’s stabbing in a mall started with chairs being thrown between groups of teenagers near a Muffin BreakWhy at that point did no one step in and stop them? Where’s mall security? Where are the retailers who observed this? Why were they not irate, responsive and intercepting? Why is chair throwing allowed to go on inside a mall until it ends in a stabbing and someone seriously injured in hospital?One of the mall workers heard screaming before it all kicked off, and reportedly ‘thought nothing of it’.Are you kidding me?Here’s the cold hard truth. We’re all going to have to think just a wee bit more of it. Screaming and chair throwing is not ‘nothing’. The councillor who in response to the stabbing said it was ‘a one off youth scuffle’ is going to have to work a bit harder on learning to call a spade a spade. A stabbing is not a scuffle.It’s a violent criminal act endangering someone’s life. We all need to wake up a bit here if we don’t want to watch the country go completely to hell in a handcart.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Put down the drink and spare a bit of money this July.New Zealanders are being asked to give up alcohol for the month to raise funds for those going through cancer treatment, as part of Dry July.Cancer support charity Look Good Feel Better is experiencing higher demand than ever for practical services and care.General Manager Clare O'Higgins told Kate Hawkesby given the rise in the cost of living, finding some loose change could be difficult.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's new Free Trade Agreement with the European Union isn't perfect, but it may be the best we're ever going to get.The 27-country bloc has agreed to remove tariffs on most New Zealand goods.But the dairy and red meat sectors will still face tariffs, and much lower quotas than they'd hoping for.Trade Minister Damien O'Connor told Mike Hosking this may be the best deal Europe was ever going to agree to.The Herald's Thomas Coughlan is travelling with O'Connor and the PM.He told Kate Hawkesby even if the deal gets all the necessary approvals, it won't be fully implemented for another 13 years.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new dawn for New Zealand's heath sector.The country's 20 DHBs have been officially disestablished to make way for the Health NZ juggernaut and the Maori Health Authority.After years of debate and reports, the new Health NZ agency has launched with Health Minister Andrew Little promising a new way of tackling health issues in New Zealand.Along side the new agency is the Māori Health Authority responsible for ensuring the health system provides more equitable outcomes for MāoriA Ministry for Disabled People also comes into force today.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Politicians have sucked the life out of young New Zealanders” this according to a very good opinion piece in the Herald yesterday by University Macro Economics professor Robert McCulloch.He makes the point that even though students and staff returned to campus post lockdowns, “students are reluctant to physically attend class.” He says it’s because ‘they can’t see a future, their mojo and buzz are gone’, and that ‘despondency rules.’ How depressing is that? The thing is, he’s not wrong. He cites students who’ve told him they’ll leave as soon as they graduate for international jobs with higher pay and lower living costs, students who say they feel like their entire course has been done on Zoom.McCulloch argues the Government took away their dreams by sucking the air out of them, they’re lonely – he cites a NZ study showing:“Loneliness is highest among people aged 15-24. Teen suicide rates are among the worst in the OECD. Cognitive skills at age 15 are in decline. Levels of school attendance are declining and particularly low among those in more deprived areas. We have the highest rate of bullying in the OECD.“People aged under 25 are least likely to report life is worthwhile and less likely to vote than young people in other OECD countries".As he says, “so much for the "well-being budgets".He also points out how the Prime Minister, once a luvvie of the younger cohort, has lost the room. “National now polls better than Labour for voters under 40.” McCulloch reckons it’s a variety of factors contributing to this.lockdowns to protect the elderly, and “the Reserve Bank’s money printing programme which favoured asset-rich”. But I think the best point he makes is that “rewards for achievement don't figure in our politics. Instead, it’s dominated by talk about the evils of inequality between the top 1 per cent and bottom 1 per cent, as if the 98 per cent don't exist.” How true is that? So much time spent pandering to the fringes and the margins that the middle is forgotten and entirely over looked.It’s almost as though if you dare to succeed in this country, you’ll be slapped back down before you even get started. McCulloch doesn’t think a National government will be any better by the way; his point is that youth are just so disillusioned they’ll no longer vote at all. They’re voting with their feet instead and bailing overseas. We know this on a personal level too. I had a nephew home from studying in the States recently, he took one look at Auckland and said nope, it’s highly unlikely he’ll ever live in New Zealand again. Out of our 5 kids, 4 of them are out of school and at University age, one bailed overseas straight away, unlikely to ever be back, two others are about to leave. That’s 3 out of 4 saying to NZ, no thanks.So in locking our country up and shutting it down for two years, and only making life harder for people, what have we done to our young people, who by the way are the future. They’re despondent, disillusioned and wanting to bail, how's that good for NZ?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nominations are now open to run for your local school's board of trustees.With elections in September, New Zealand School Trustees Association wants to make sure "decent people" actually run for school boards, as during Covid, we realised how much power these boards have in our children's education.NZSTA president Lorraine Kerr joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Demand for passports has risen significantly, with a 400 percent increase since January.This now has the Department of Internal Affairs scrambling, with nearly 50,000 passports yet to be processed and around 8600 people still waiting for responses to queries.Many are worried they may have to cancel their school holiday plans due to the backlog.Brent Thomas is the House of Travel chief operating officer and joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions are being raised around the sentence given to a young man whose driving resulted in the deaths of five Timaru teenagers.Tyreese Fleming has been jailed for two-and-a-half years in the High Court at Timaru.He was just 19 at the time, driving on a restricted licence and had been drinking when his car slammed into a power pole at up to 115 kilometres an hour.Victims' advocate Ruth Money told Kate Hawkesby she sees this as a light sentence.She believes the youth justice system needs an overhaul, to ensure victims get justice.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Call me naïve, and look when to comes to this stuff I probably am. It’s a mixture of not being that clued into forensically what goes on technologically with my information, but also a bit of head in the sand too. Like I sort of know this stuff happens but don’t think about it much, hence I’m always shocked at the reality of it. But you know how the apps we exist on these days are grabbing all our info and data and can track us? Well, yesterday I was confronted with the stark reality of this. To explain what I’m talking about, I’d had an online order with a supermarket go awry, again, and this was when I was really sick and just ordering groceries in, which I hate doing but needs must. So I’d been ordering them in, and I’d had such a bad experience time after time. There were broken eggs, rotten avocados or bananas, smooshed up mandarins, like every order arrived with either stuff broken, rotten, missing or damaged.I was getting fed up of throwing out groceries I’d paid for just because someone couldn’t be bothered picking decent produce or packing it properly, but I was too sick to complain, and had no choice but to keep groceries coming because I couldn’t get out of bed, far less leave the house.But then one order came in which just pushed me that one crappy order too far.A large bag of nuts arrived with a hole ripped through the back of it, packet torn right down the middle, half the nuts spilled out of it. And I thought that’s it, you’ve pushed me too far, I’m sick of wasting perfectly good food that I’ve paid for.So I sent an email to New World online shopping, not in an abusive Karen way, I didn’t have the energy for that. Just in a really simple ‘hey my packet of nuts had a hole ripped in it and we’ve actually had quite a few issues with your online service, broken eggs, rotten fruit, squashed mandarins and your online service needs improvement.’ That’s basically all I said.Couple days later I get a reply, ‘how many packets of nuts?’ No apology, just 'how many packets?' I replied, ‘just the one’. They reply a refund or credit will be issued at some point. Then about a week later I get another email saying a credit will be applied for the nuts, but - included in that email is the email chain that’s gone on before, to the various departments looking to authorize it etc. And as I scroll down, I see to my horror, how much information this supermarket has on me. Included in the email is the model name and number of my cellphone, so it says iphone13 Pro Max, then it’s got the time I sent the email, the battery life of my phone at the time, my telco carrier, the phone device number, the software version my phone's updated to, the total memory of my phone, and the manufacturer, as well as my personal details and the card I paid with. Did you know that a supermarket app has all that intel on you? And if a supermarket knows all that, god only knows what the other apps know.I probably shouldn’t be surprised that data like that’s being constantly collated, but because you don’t think about it, it’s not until you see it in black and white in front of you, that you realise just how much big brother is really prying into us.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So the Supreme Court has ruled that traditional values group 'Family First' will no longer qualify for charitable status.The ruling is that the group's work isn't of a charity and that the organisations education wasn't fair, balanced or respectful.But questions remain as to why just Family First.They aren't the only charity with an agenda, take Greenpeace and animal welfare group S.A.F.E for example.Sue Barker is a charities law expert and joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner says human trafficking's become financially lucrative to people smugglers.It follows the deaths of 50 migrants inside a Texas truck.They were discovered inside a trailer unit yesterday in San Antonio, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius.There were no signs of water or working air conditioning.Gil Kerklikowske told Kate Hawkesby there have been warnings for decades about the dangers they face.He says despite that, many still attempt the crossing for either safety or a better life.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Claims the emergency housing situation in Rotorua is "out of control".Newstalk ZB can reveal the Government has so far spent one billion dollars on emergency housing since coming to power five years ago.Restore Rotorua Chairman Trevor Newbrook told Kate Hawkesby there are 40 motels in Rotorua full of people in emergency housing.He says the situation is at "breaking point" with one third of people in Rotorua emergency housing, coming from other parts of New Zealand.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like a lot of parents I imagine at the moment, I got the call up to the school sick bay yesterday to collect my daughter. Not another respiratory virus thank goodness, but a shoulder injury. School suggested I take her to A&E or a doctor to check it out.Now anyone who has been sick lately, or paying attention to the news, knows that now is not the time to try to see a doctor or try to get into an ED. So I waited to lay eyes on my daughter to see how bad it was, because if we could avoid attempting to see a health professional at the moment that'd be preferable. But as soon as I saw my daughter with her arm in a sling and the state of her pain, I knew we needed to get an expert opinion and possibly an ultrasound or X-ray. So I called ahead to check wait times. I tried our GP first. She was fully booked - she’s never not - so that was no surprise. “Could any other Doctor see us?” Not for a few hours, but yes it was possible. So I booked a slot but thought I may as well try our local ED's just in case they weren't too busy, I mean it was 10am on a Tuesday, how bad could it be?As it turns out, bad.The one closest to us? One hour wait minimum. Maybe more. Called another one further away - two hour wait time. Called a third - when I asked what the current wait time was she sighed, “at least 4 hours” she said, “it’s chaos in here”.No kidding.We were experiencing nothing other families aren’t currently experiencing when trying to access health care at the moment. Lengthy wait times, lack of staff, over booked GP’s, over run ED’s and stressed nurses.So we reverted back to plan A - see a doctor in a few hours. We turned up at our allotted time. By this point of course my daughters injury was causing her extreme pain, but as I reminded her, there’d be many others a lot worse off, so we’d just wait. We turned up for our appointment and waited. And waited. And waited. In the car. Our GP clinic won’t let people wait in the waiting room anymore. That policy came in during Covid and for some reason it’s stuck. So we sat in the car, her in agony, waiting until finally my phone rang. “Sorry,” the receptionist started, “but the doctor is running at least another half an hour behind, can you come back later?”We had no choice of course but to go away - with little faith that when we returned later we wouldn’t be waiting again for however long. But it made me acutely aware of how much worse it must be for parents of babies who’re desperately ill, or elderly people.How scary to show up and be turned away or made to wait hours on end. It’s not the fault of the frontline health professionals of course. They’re doing their best in stretched and trying circumstances, with staffing issues, recruitment problems, lack of decent pay and conditions, and in a winter full of awful bugs swirling around. A closed border for two years hasn’t helped.Ironically the shut border was supposed to prevent this exact outcome, but here we are. Health system swamped.And not just the hospitals in crisis, but GP's and Emergency Clinics too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good insulation is something we know keeps people out of hospitals, therefore reduces pressure on our health system.But vulnerable homeowners could be eligible for free insulation installation in their homes, and not even realise.The Community Energy Action group in Canterbury are offering free insulation to homeowners this winter, in a bid to keep people out of hospital.CEO of the group Caroline Shone joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No time is a good time to give a child a phone.A new Canstar survey shows only 10 percent believe a child is safer with a mobile phone than without one.Meanwhile, 28 percent of people believing children should have one by the time they’re at high school.Telecommunications Forum Chief Executive Paul Brislen told Kate Hawkesby it can depend on whether they do a sport or if they have to travel to school.He says for example his youngest daughter needed a phone earlier than his oldest, due to her doing more activities outside of school.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A construction expert says we're in for turbulent times, with the slowdown in the market for new housing builds igniting fears property prices could begin to spiral.The Master Builders Association says supply chain issues and rising material costs are behind a drop in sales and inquiries, as lending becomes tougher and banks want fixed-price contracts.AUT's John Tookey told Kate Hawkesby some construction companies won't survive.He says they won't be able to function with the restraints in credit.Tookey says a drop-off in new builds will occur.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No one in the history of spin has spun more than this current Government, which is why I find it so ironic that Grant Roberston’s accused Chris Luxon of ‘political spin’ when it comes to the party’s views on Roe v Wade being overturned. Pot, kettle. What Luxon did, was clarify the party’s position, after a personal statement was made by one of his MPs who clearly momentarily forgot that he's part of a bigger machine than just himself. Simon O’Connor maybe should've kept his celebratory Facebook post between him and his nearest and dearest, and remembered that he doesn’t speak for his whole party. It does of course suit a left leaning government – and media for that matter, and their agenda, to cast Luxon as some sort of Trump 2.0 and look to whip up a storm over this. Which is why Nicola Willis looks like the only politician speaking any sense at the moment. She said this whole thing is an attempt by the Government to import American style culture wars into our politics and it's needless fear mongering to whip up anxiety. This is what this Government does best, I guess. It’s also an ideal distraction from all the areas they’re failing on, from all the bad press and bad polling they’ve been having, from their weakness on healthcare, crime, gangs and a flailing economy. So, for a rogue backbencher MP from the Nats to royally put his foot in it by making some dumb statement, well the timing could not be better for an under fire government to capitalise on it. There is a firestorm of emotion being whipped up all over the world by the Supreme Court’s Roe v Wade decision. So, what better thing to latch onto to maximise political panic at home, than this. The inference being of course from Robertson et al, that the Nats will overturn our country’s abortion laws. But Luxon’s already said that won’t happen, it’s off the table, not on their agenda. So, where’s the scandal? Well according to Robertson, ‘Luxon’s hiding his real feelings and is in overdrive spinning’. Well, Robertson would know what that looks like I guess. Luxon has been very definitive abortion law will not be revisited under his watch, but Robertson doesn’t think he’s been definitive enough. Does this ring any bells? Not definitive enough… Remember when Grant Robertson had to admit he’d been “too definitive” when he ruled out changes to the bright-line test just before the election? So maybe Grant’s just got a different scale to the rest of us of what 'definitive' means. Either way, if the Government’s looking to beat up the Nats as some kind of anti-abortion law party, while they may get traction among their own sympathisers, most of us can see what’s really going on here. And don’t get me wrong, I’ll be the first to have a crack at the National party if they ever did look to back track on this, but you have to weigh up the integrity of the people you’re dealing with, the trust you have in them and whether or not you believe they’ll keep their word. On that score, I’d say Grant, bright line test, and ‘too definitive’ is all you need to know there.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prince Charles' office has denied there was any wrongdoing in the heir to the British throne accepting bags full of cash as charity donations from a Qatari politician.The Sunday Times said the prince was given a total of €3 million ($5 million) by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar. It said the money was handed over to Charles at private meetings between 2011 and 2015 — on one occasion in a suitcase, and on another in shopping bags from London's Fortnum & Mason department store.The newspaper said the money was deposited into the accounts of the Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund. It did not allege that anything illegal was done.Charles' office, Clarence House, said in a statement that the donations "were passed immediately to one of the prince's charities who carried out the appropriate governance and have assured us that all the correct processes were followed".The prince's charitable fund told the newspaper it had verified "that the donor was a legitimate and verified counterparty … and our auditors signed off on the donation after a specific enquiry during the audit. There was no failure of governance".Qatar's government communications office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.As Qatar's prime minister between 2007 and 2013, Hamad oversaw the oil-rich state's sovereign wealth fund, which has major property investments around the world, including London's Shard skyscraper, Heathrow Airport and Harrods department store.London police are currently investigating a separate allegation that people associated with another of the prince's charities, the Prince's Foundation, offered to help a Saudi billionaire secure honours and citizenship in return for donations. Clarence House has said Charles had no knowledge of any such offer.- APSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's being suggested Simon O'Connor has created an unfortunate distraction for the National party and his leader.Chris Luxon says a social media post by O'Connor celebrating the overturning of Roe v Wade in the US was taken down because it was causing distress and doesn't represent the party's position.Political Commentator Ben Thomas told Kate Hawkesby abortion issues are traditionally treated as conscience votes so O'Connor has every right to express his belief.But he says on the other hand, he's also a backbencher in a party seeking to win power after what will be six years in opposition.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than $1 billion is spent on takeaways and fast food each year in Auckland.High deprivation areas have a higher concentration of the outlets, and fewer places - like supermarkets - selling fresh food.Nutritionist Nikki Hart told Kate Hawkesby for people with low incomes, working multiple jobs and with large families to feed, the food looks attractive after a long day.She says the industries are smart - they know exactly where to put outlets, such as where there's high traffic volume outside schools and churches.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By Andrew Alderson at HeadingleyThe synonym jar is almost empty to describe the narrow margins in the cricket test series between England and New Zealand.The same applies in the third and final test at Headingley. The visitors hanker to claim something tangible as runners-up, yet the hosts' nerve have consistently held to win the key moments.Stumps on the fourth day brought that same sense of familiarity. England had moved to 183 for two in the chase for 296 with Joe Root 55 and Ollie Pope 81 after New Zealand were dismissed for 326.Under normal circumstances that would mark a challenging target in a fourth innings, but given the current Baz-ball enlightenment period under new coach Brendon McCullum, nothing is beyond the realm.England have already hauled in 277 and 299 at Lord's and Trent Bridge respectively. A calculated gamble looms across 90 overs – but more likely fewer - on the final day. So far they are cruising.Root's highlight came reverse scooping Neil Wagner for six to bring up England's 100. Such audacity must surely make the short-list for the eighth wonder of the world as the forward defence hurtles towards extinction.New Zealand's lowlight came with dud lbw reviews against Root from consecutive deliveries in the 14th over.The wickets came via a combined piece of Trent Boult-Kane Williamson alley-oop brilliance from mid-off to run out Alex Lees at the non-striker's end in a mix-up with Zak Crawley. Williamson was again in the action to catch Crawley miscuing Michael Bracewell. New Zealand's Kane Williamson calls for DRS. Photo / PhotosportThe onus goes on the off-spinner to extract the increasing turn and variable bounce in the second innings. His figures of one for 70 from 11 overs means the scrutiny is intensifying, as England target him as a vulnerable link.The idea of anointing him to scythe through the opposition order in his second test was queried from the outset, given he had 30 first-class wickets at an average of 46.83 heading into the match.That's exacerbated due to left-arm orthodox Ajaz Patel, the third man in test history to take 10 wickets in an innings last December against India at Mumbai, sitting in the pavilion. He has bowled two overs since his 14-225 match feat.Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell eked out crucial runs, as has become customary across the series.Initially they offered nothing flashy, just positive intent. Then came some flourishes.Mitchell reverse swept Root with relish to break up his spin rhythm and Blundell, the consummate touch player, started whipping balls away using the power of his wrists.The pair produced a 113-run sixth-wicket stand to take the Black Caps to 274 before Mitchell was adjudged lbw to Matthew Potts for 56. His 538 runs at an average of 107.60 are the most by an overseas cricketer in a series of three tests or fewer in England. That's some feat when you consider tests have been played in the country for 142 years.The odd dicey moment pervaded. Mitchell was adjudged lbw to Jack Leach on 17 at 206 for six, but a review prompted DRS to reveal a BFG-like stride forward and the ball hitting the knee roll. The predictive path bounced over the stumps.Blundell was found lbw four balls prior to Mitchell's dismissal, again to the tenacious Potts in the same 91st over, but the angle from over the wicket suggested the ball was missing leg stump.He finished 88 not out.Potts finished with three for 66 from 25 overs, while Jack Leach mopped up the tail to take his second five-wicket bag of five for 66, and earn match figures of 10-166.Mitchell and Blundell faced the second most deliveries of any partnership during a series in test history. At stumps that had come from a sample size of 46,797…Their 1417 balls is only bettered by Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Carl Hooper's 1511, also across six innings when India visited the West Indies in...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s so good to be back. I was a bit nervous about coming back because when you’ve been sick for three weeks unable to stay awake for long periods and feeling so crap, it’s hard to imagine how you’ll ever get up at 3am again. But as it turns out I was so nervous about being able to wake up at 3am, that my body never actually went to sleep, always the way isn't it.So I'll be having a big Nana nap today.I was feeling so terrible about being off work so long - I feel very deeply my obligation to my audience and it's a dreadful feeling to not feel well enough to show up for you.They say the key to Covid and flu recovery is rest, rest, rest. My doctor kept saying rest, rest and then when you think you’ve rested enough, rest some more.That’s because everyone who has bounced back too early has gone back to square one and I’ve been sent so many horror stories from you guys about Covid turning into Influenza A, like mine did, and how long it took to come back from that. Some of you are still suffering even after a month. It’s the pits, I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so sick. It’s hard when you get Covid, and it's brutal when others – not naming names (my husband) get it and say, “oh it’s a non event!”It’s a unique virus, we all suffer it differently and I am here to say to every single person struggling with it or the fallout from it, I hear you, I feel you. I feel your pain.I of course went and got the triple whammy of Covid, plus flu, plus the Covid reactivated my glandular fever virus from when I was a teenager. Fun fact: that virus lies dormant after you’ve had it, but Covid can kick start it – and in fact it’s kick starting it for a lot of people – it’s a big issue at the moment according to the medical fraternity, so I unluckily enough, got smacked with the trifecta. Hence, such a long time sick.Not that I want to go on about it, but honestly, so sick that even shower water against my skin hurt. Everything ached. That's inflammation for you.But I’ve learned from my illness some good lessons. One, not to ask sick people every day if they’re feeling better yet, because it gets quite depressing when you’re not. Physically, I was a wreck, but mentally I began to go downhill too, because I just wasn’t getting better. Second thing I learned was don’t ask sick people “do you need anything?” The answer will always be no.No one ever wants to bother anyone, so don’t ask, just do. Thirdly I thought I was an empathetic person already, but I have empathy in spades now for anyone suffering any kind of sickness, to feel so debilitated and discombobulated and unable to control your own health outcome. That is a terrifying and awful feeling. I also learned we’re not as invincible as we think we are.So it’s good to be back, and I want to thank everyone who messaged me on my Instagram or emailed me and sent me well wishes or recovery tips and tricks, I so appreciated it. I have the best audience, and the best bosses in the biz too who were so supportive and kind, and for that I’m so grateful. And to Tim and Andrew who filled in for me. It takes a village, thank you. So onwards and upwards from here, let’s hope I stay awake.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Joe Biden will call on Congress to suspend federal gasoline and diesel taxes for three months — an election-year move meant to ease financial pressures greeted with doubts by many lawmakers.The Democratic President will also call on states to suspend their own gas taxes or provide similar relief, the White House said.At issue is the 18.4 cents-a-gallon federal tax on gas and the 24.4 cents-a-gallon federal tax on diesel fuel. If the gas savings were fully passed along to consumers, people would save roughly 3.6 per cent at the pump when prices are averaging about $5 a gallon nationwide.It's unclear, though, if Biden could push such a proposal through Congress, where many lawmakers, including some in his own party, have expressed reservations. And even many economists view the idea of a gas tax holiday with skepticism.Barack Obama, during the 2008 presidential campaign, called the idea a "gimmick" that allowed politicians to "say that they did something". He also warned that oil companies could offset the tax relief by increasing prices.Biden energy adviser Amos Hochstein pushed back on Wednesday, saying consumers could save about 50 cents per gallon if Congress and the states heed the President's call and the oil industry doesn't pocket the savings."That's not a gimmick," Hochstein, senior adviser for global energy security at the State Department, said on CNN. "That's a little bit of breathing room for the American people as we get into the summer driving season."It was not immediately clear if the White House has the votes in Congress to suspend the federal tax.High gas prices pose a fundamental threat to Biden's electoral and policy ambitions. They've caused confidence in the economy to slump to lows that bode poorly for defending Democratic control of the House and the Senate in November.Biden's past efforts to cut gas prices — including the release of oil from the US. strategic reserve and greater ethanol blending this summer — have done little to produce savings at the pump, a risk that carries over to the idea of a gas tax holiday.Biden has acknowledged how gas prices have been a drain on public enthusiasm when he is trying to convince people that the US can still pivot to a clean-energy future. In an interview with the Associated Press last week, Biden described a country already nursing some psychological scars from the coronavirus pandemic that is now worried about how to afford gas, food and other essentials."If you notice, until gas prices started going up," Biden said, "things were much more, they were much more optimistic."The President can do remarkably little to fix prices that are set by global markets, profit-driven companies, consumer demand and aftershocks from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the embargoes that followed. The underlying problem is a shortage of oil and refineries that produce gas, a challenge a tax holiday cannot necessarily fix.Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, estimated that the majority of the 8.6% inflation seen over the past 12 months in the US comes from higher commodity prices due to Russia's invasion and continued disruptions from the coronavirus."In the immediate near term, it is critical to stem the increase in oil prices," Zandi said last week, suggesting that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and a nuclear deal with Iran could help to boost supplies and lower prices. Republican lawmakers have tried to shift more blame to Biden, saying he created a hostile environment for domestic oil producers, causing their output to stay below pre-pandemic levels.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell mocked the gas tax holiday as an "ineffective stunt" in a Wednesday floor speech. "This ineffective administration's big new idea is a silly proposal that senior members of their own party have already shot down well in advance," he said.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smaller grocery players are casting doubts, on the latest moves by the supermarket giants.Foodstuffs has followed its rival Woolworths, in announcing a wholesale service for smaller operators.It follows concerns about the current grocery duopoly.Dairy and Business Owners Group chairman Sunny Kaushal told Tim Dower many of the problems won't be fixed, until the duopoly ends.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns owners of nasty dogs aren't facing the consequences of attacks by their animals.A report in Gisborne found no one has been prosecuted, despite 90 attacks in the course of a year.Pat Collins ran animal control in the district for over 20 years and joined Tim Dower.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Space is unimaginably, infinitely, large but our little corner of it is getting crowded.More satellites are going up every day, and one expert is warning it's becoming a messy and dangerous place.Rand Corporation’s Douglas Ligor says more rules are needed and he joined Early Edition from the US.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not sure how much of a difference these new wholesale channels are going to make to competition in the grocery sector.My sense is that what it'll do, if anything, is maybe give the dairies a bit of a break and a chance to increase their margins a smidge.But when it comes to the main weekly shop, that's still going to go to one of the big chains.I slipped into one for a few tins of dog food and what have you yesterday walked out 186 bucks lighter, they've still got it pretty much sewn up.Will wholesaling address the power imbalance in the grocery sector or just allow the incumbent duopoly to tighten their grip?And will it hurt the existing cash and carry operators? Your Gilmours and the like, or cause them to focus more those 80 litre buckets of oil.There's no question the ComCom report has caused a bit of a commotion, and shaken things up.And it's also confirmed some of the sharp practices that were going on to squeeze suppliers, that we've known about anecdotally for quite a while.Ultimately though, to really shake things up we need a big and aggressive new entrant to the market.Is that Costco? Well, no, not for that crucial weekly shop it's not, it's a totally different bulk-buying business model.What's needed is a new discount chain like and Aldi, or Lidl, with big deep pockets to set up its own distribution and everything else that goes on out the back.And with a population of five million to serve over a land area larger than the UK, with 60-odd million people, neither of those chains sees a buck in New Zealand just yet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Employers are facing a desperate battle to keep their workers.People may will be surprised to hear what is considered the most attractive place to work.Randstad has been doing some research on this and they have found Evolve Education Group the most desirable place to workCountry director of Randstad Richard Kennedy joined Early Edition.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some scepticism over the Government's latest move to tackle the plasterboard crisis.Minister for Building and Construction Megan Woods has set up a taskforce to troubleshoot supply shortages.Combined Building Supplies Co-Op Marketing Director Mike Blackburn says this is a problem that's been plaguing the industry for months now.He told Tim Dower some suppliers have already been looking for solutions.Blackburn says Bunnings has told him it has 150 containers of plasterboard coming in from Thailand and will continue to bring it in as fast as it can.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Act Party wants to see vaccination mandates for health workers scrapped.We all know hospitals are facing severe staff shortages just as the flu hit .and overseas evidence suggests another Covid surge is likely.Act leader David Seymour joined Early Edition.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MIQ.You'll have heard calls from the Opposition for an apology to some of the New Zealanders who were locked out of the country at the height of the pandemic.And especially pregnant women who couldn't get home to have their babies here.Newstalk ZB is this morning was able to reveal that conversations were had way back in April 2020 about what to do with pregnant women, but nothing was done.This doesn't affect a huge number of people; about 250 made emergency MIQ requests.The bigger issue that MBIE is currently working through is how we operated managed isolation as a whole and how we'd do it again if, heaven forbid, we did have to do it again.Just say there is another pandemic, something we don't know how to deal with in the next five to ten years or so.Look, the response at the time was unquestionably the right thing to do.We had to shut the border, even though it meant refusing entry to New Zealanders who morally and legally had an absolute right to be here if they wanted.They were extraordinary circumstances for sure, but if we had to do it again, would we spend millions turning city centre hotels into holding pens?And planting people who could and often were carrying a dangerous virus right in the middle of our population centres?And then running a lottery for people who, as I said before, legally and morally have an absolute right to be here?I think it is acceptable to require people who might be a health risk to the rest of us, to be kept away from the rest of us until they're safe.But to prevent citizens exercising their right to be on New Zealand soil, I don't think we'll get away with that again.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A plea for health workers to get their flu jab.Health Ministry data shows only around 54 percent of DHB staff have had the flu vaccine Nelson Marlborough DHB is the lowest at 39 percent.Immunologist Graham Le Gros told Tim Dower we're going to need all our health workers this winter.He says we haven't had a flu round for a couple of years now, so it's quite likely people are going to need hospitalisation and good health care, so we need robust health workers.When it comes to the general public, almost 990-thousand people have had the flu vaccine, including 64 percent of people aged 65 plus.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A call for the chair of Fletcher Building to resign over the Gib crisis.KiwiSaver provider Simplicity and the Shareholders Association have written to the building giant with the request in the wake of a meeting on Friday.They're also asking for the remaining board members to put themselves up for re-election, and some independent reviews of conduct, culture and risk.Shareholders Association chief executive Oliver Mander told Tim Dower Fletchers isn't taking responsibility for what's happened.He says they haven't really seen any form of mea culpa or any substantial admittance of fault for their role in the plasterboard supply crisis.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.