Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Having lived in London I feel like something of an expert on public transport because in London it’s the only way you travel.Unless you have millions of dollars to burn up, in which case you might take a black cab, but for most of us, the Tube and the train and the bus, is it. And it works. It’s efficient, it’s modern, it’s pleasant, it can be convivial, it carries every cross-section of society imaginable, it’s cool. You can hop on the Tube with business people, dog walkers, students, tourists, elderly, the edgy fashionistas, families, the works. I mean there were times when trains didn’t go due to weather preventing the tracks being used, or the Tube station you wanted to stop at had an issue so you just went to the next one, but by and large it runs smoothly so everybody uses it. They also have the population to use it, the networks to make it viable, and the infrastructure to make it sing.Which leads me to New Zealand. We don’t have the same experience here because we don’t have the infrastructure, we don’t have the slick networks, we don’t have the population volume to use it and we have an image problem with it. Case and point the Tauranga bus driver this weekend ‘left "emotionally distraught" after a group of youths forced their way onboard and began smashing the rearview mirror.’ This was not a one-off either. It was reported as ‘the latest in a series of violent incidents at city bus interchanges that have prompted drivers to bypass stops if they felt their safety was at risk.’ So what is going on here? How do we recruit bus drivers, entice people to take the bus, and encourage public transport use, if this is the experience? In the instance of this bus driver, he was apparently “left shaken and stranded as the broken mirror meant the bus could not be legally driven, so he had to wait for a mechanic to come and repair it.” The problem is chicken and egg I think. On the one hand, we need more people to use public transport, and then when and if they do, it gets busier and more capable, it attracts a wider variety of riders, it means more people can be employed to police it, like monitors at stops or onboard, it makes for a safer experience. But you need the numbers for that.And you don’t get the numbers if parents are too scared to encourage their young kids onto the bus for fear they wind up front row at an incident like this one in Tauranga. Or when elderly people don’t want to take it for the same reasons, or when business people decide it’s just safer simpler and more efficient to take the car. We need to be thinking long and hard about how our public transport functions in this country because with Waka Kotahi flagging more major pushes away from cars, and with the Government bringing in congestion charges, it'll be a reality more of us have to consider. So how do we make it good enough to warrant our patronage? Do we just support it and hope that by doing so it eventually gets up and running smoothly? Or do the public transport providers make a bigger effort to get it running smoothly first? I’m not sure which way round it goes but I know that as time marches on, it’s something we have to sort out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finland's government declared a “new era” is underway as it inches closer to seeking NATO membership, hours before Sweden's governing party on Sunday backed a plan to join the trans-Atlantic alliance amid Russia's war in Ukraine.Russia has long bristled about NATO moving closer to its borders, so the developments will be sure to further anger Moscow. President Vladimir Putin has already warned his Finnish counterpart on Saturday that relations would be “negatively affected.”NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Sunday the process for Finland and Sweden to join could be very quick. He also didn't expect Turkey to hold up the process.Speaking after top diplomats from the alliance’s 30 member states met in Berlin, Stoltenberg also expressed his hope that Ukraine could win the war as Russian military advances appear to be faltering.In Finland, President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin confirmed earlier statements that their country would seek membership in NATO during a joint news conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki. The Nordic country, which was nonaligned before changing its stance on NATO, shares a long border with Russia.“This is a historic day. A new era begins,” Niinisto said.The Finnish Parliament is expected to endorse the decision in the coming days. A formal membership application will then be submitted to NATO headquarters in Brussels, most likely at some point next week.Sweden, also nonaligned, moved a step closer to applying for NATO membership after the governing Social Democratic party met Sunday and backed joining the trans-Atlantic alliance.The plan to join the alliance will be discussed in Sweden’s parliament on Monday, and Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson’s Cabinet will make an announcement later that day.The decision by the Social Democrats breaks with the party’s long-standing position that Sweden must remain nonaligned and means there’s a clear majority for NATO membership in Parliament.Sweden has not been a member of a military alliance since the Napoleonic Wars. Finland adopted neutrality after being defeated by the Red Army in World War II and losing about 10% of its territory.“Our 200-year-long standing policy of military nonalignment has served Sweden well,” Andersson said during a news conference in Stockholm late Sunday. “But the issue at hand is whether military nonalignment will keep serving us well?”“We’re now facing a fundamentally changed security environment in Europe.”Finland and Sweden abandoned traditional neutrality by joining the European Union in 1995.Public opinion in both countries was firmly against joining NATO until the Russian invasion on Ukraine on Feb. 24, when support for membership surged almost overnight, first in Finland and later in Sweden.NATO's secretary-general, meanwhile, sought to highlight Russian military setbacks.“Russia’s war in Ukraine is not going as Moscow had planned,” Stoltenberg said by video link to the NATO meeting in Berlin as he recovers from a COVID-19 infection." “They failed to take Kyiv. They are pulling back from around Kharkiv. Their major offensive in Donbas has stalled. Russia is not achieving its strategic objectives.”“Ukraine can win this war," he said, adding that NATO must continue to step up its military support to the country.The ex-Soviet republic of Georgia's bid to join NATO is again being discussed despite dire warnings from Moscow about the consequences. Both countries fought a brief war in 2008 over Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia.Nordic NATO member Norway said it strongly welcomed Finland’s decision to seek membership. Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt described Helsinki’s move as “a turning point” for the Nordic region's defense and security policies.Stoltenberg said he was confident the accession process for Finland and Sweden could be expedited. In the...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bad start to a crucial week for the Government.Jacinda Ardern is too sick with Covid to speak at today's Emissions Reduction Plan announcement and will be in isolation for the release of the Budget on Thursday.Cabinet Minister Phil Twyford has had to cancel a planned trip to Timor-Leste, also due to Covid.Political commentator Peter Dunne told Kate Hawkesby the Government is also grappling with a new poll, suggesting National and Act have the numbers to form a government.“I don’t think we’re jumping the gun in terms of reshuffling the Cabinet, I mean, I think that’s been signalled already as being a likely possibility. I suspect there will be some retirements announced over the next few months.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our lab workers have had to go to Parliament for the first time in 75 years to have their voices heard, saying the industry is in crisis.The NZ Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences delivered a petition to Health Minister Andrew Little, wanting a full and comprehensive review of their profession.President Terry Taylor joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So some schools are getting fed up with the lack of progress in replacing the decile system.For years, schools have been told the decile system would be replaced with an equity index, but progress seems to be slow.Now it's hoped government will finally introduce the index at next week's Budget.Oropi School Principal Andrew King joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wairoa hasn't had an adult dental service for two years, when the one private provider in the town closed.But a temporary solution has finally been worked out, with the Hawkes Bay DHB funding a dental service that will operate once a week, for a year until a new permanent solution is found.Wairoa Mayor, Craig Little joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I see another wave of Covid going though Auckland – which is ironic because I said to my husband the other day – it feels like there’s more Covid around us at the moment. And he poo pooed it as grandmother research and me being paranoid.But I was watching colleagues, our boss, a couple of our kids, all drop like flies with Covid, slowly our newsroom started emptying out, it felt like there was a spate of Covid cases lurching back into action. And then I see the stats and sure enough, cases in Auckland are up 50 percent. And this week we learn one Auckland High School has even had to go back to online learning given 200 students have been affected by it. So not grandmother research as it turn out after all – but actual facts.The schools are definitely seeing it, despite their continued mask use – my daughter’s winter sports team couldn’t get their first game away because they had to default due to numbers of kids sick with Covid and the teacher herself having Covid.Local cafes have signs going back up saying limited hours or closing early due to staff being down because of Covid.And many of the cases we’re hearing about are a lot worse than a mild cold or a light flu. Some of them are really, really sick. One of our work colleagues said he’s never felt so ill and the only reason he didn’t go to the emergency room was he didn’t want to be around people who might be as sick as him, he felt dreadful.The other thing is, all of these people I know are all vaccinated and / or boosted, have been wearing masks where and when required, and yet still have gone down like a sack of hammers. I can’t work out if it’s the new variant giving people more grief, or if it’s a combination of Delta and Omicron, or whether it’s just winter flus, ills and chills compounding the severity of the Covid.Either way it makes me even more determined not to get it – I mean how have those of us who haven’t had it yet, got this far without getting it? It's a total crap shoot I guess. I was hoping to come out the other side of this pandemic able to say – I never got it – but it’s looking less and less likely. Although my husband's theory is maybe we had a mild dose early on and didn't even know we had it - you know before RAT testing came in and before the first bug wave.The experts say while Auckland’s experiencing an increase in cases, the rest of the country’s plateauing – but, that the rest of the country will follow suit. So it seems you have your plateau - and then another peak, and maybe we just go in cycles like that from now on? I hope not, I really had hoped it was behind us. But it seems the cases we’re aware of are nasty ones, the only upside being that they’ll potentially now be protected against it into the winter months now that they’ve had it. So I guess it’s a case of just keeping up the Vitamin C and the Zinc and the Vitamin D - and all the other stuff they advise us to take to keep our immune systems in good shape.But it’s been a good wake up call to not get too bullish about beating Covid, because it looks like it may well come for us yet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has laid out a raft of new changes to our immigration and border rules.Urgently needed workers will now be allowed to come through a green list system, designed to fast track residency, for hard to fill jobs.While other industries not on the list can apply for residency after two years.Phil O'Reilly is the former Business New Zealand boss and he joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is currently reviewing our pig farming practices and wants to tighten the welfare requirements for our local pork.NZ Pork has made it clear they are not happy about this.But they have also just presented a petition asking for imported pork to be required to meet the same welfare standards as local pork.Chief executive of NZ Pork Brent Kleiss joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A warning has come that kiwis in their 30's are set to run out of cash less than four years into their retirement.The findings are based on people who are currently in ‘balanced’ KiwiSaver funds, earning the average wage, have average household expenditure as well as having the ‘average’ KiwiSaver balance.Essentially working off the model that we will retire at 65 and go back to work at 68, according to these figures.Better Saver founder and chief executive, Joe Taylor, has run the numbers and joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a lot to unpack with Simon Henry and his attempt at an apology to Nadia Lim. I don’t know if two minutes on the radio will do justice to how much there is to unpack here, it may need a counsellor with a lot of time on their hands to help Simon get to the bottom of what on earth is going on with him, suffice to say, it’s embarrassing. I mean why’d he even bother? Two lines, in a token email, sent by his office manager, six days after the event, and days after he said he’d apologized. How awkward. The email said, “Please take this letter as my sincere and formal apology for my inappropriate language in relation to you used in the interview.” That’s it. Are you kidding me? You can’t make this stuff up.He also alleged he’d made several attempts to call Lim on her cell phone, but Nadia says she has no missed calls or voicemails, so that’s awkward as well. How a guy this high up the food chain has cocked this up so badly beggars belief, but it also calls into question those around him. Who’s advising this guy? Why hasn’t he enlisted any decent PR or damage control? Who’s telling him this is acceptable?I mean, take the temperature. It’s gone down like a lead balloon, it’s dominated headlines for days, it’s seen stocks dropping, reputation getting trashed, negative publicity, how bad do you want it to get?His one shot at redemption was a fulsome, sincere and at this point grovelling apology. He should've been on bended knee by now asking for forgiveness, acknowledging the mistake he made, acknowledging his misogyny and racism and promising to work on it. He should have apologized to more than just Nadia – but also her family, her kids, her parents, all women of Asian descent offended by this, her work colleagues, his work colleagues. There was so much more he could've done, and yet, he’s done the bare minimum.He seems completely without remorse. Does he even see how bad this looks? When will the penny drop?And I don’t doubt that in Henry’s corporate bubble they’d have workshopped this apology knowing full well it’d be made public, so to think a bunch of corporate lackeys sat around finessing this to the two line disgrace that is, makes me wonder what the hell goes on at this company and how out of touch they all really are. Is there anyone in there thinking clearly?Henry was the one lacking judgement and making the initial blunder – which quite apart from the misogyny and the racism, shows he did not have the foresight to think about who he was messing with. Nadia Lim is a national treasure for goodness sake. A smart, savvy and successful business woman but also a wholesome and much loved upstanding New Zealander.You don’t lash out at any woman like that, but certainly not Nadia Lim, without the wrath of women everywhere coming down on you.So that was his bad – but from then onwards his company knew what was up – or going down - as the case may be – and yet this is still the best they could come up with? It's pathetic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

News of a full border re-opening is being met with a warm welcome.Our newsroom understands Jacinda Ardern will announce an early border opening for July, three months ahead of schedule.It's also thought the Prime Minister will lay out new immigration settings, favouring high skilled workers.D&L Law Partner Pooja Sundar told Kate Hawkesby says the skill shortage isn't just being affected by people not being able to get in.She says we also have to be concerned with people leaving the country who we haven't been able to replace.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The spotlight is turning to other cases at Gloriavale which could be described as forced labour.The Employment Court has ruled three ex-residents were employees from the age of six, not volunteers.It found the work can't be described as chores or education, because of the commercial nature.Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust Manager Liz Gregory told Kate Hawkesby there's now the opportunity for others, with a second case already set down for September.She says it's set a precedent for how future cases are decided.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In another case of theory versus reality, Tourism Minister Stuart Nash is telling us we’re open as a country, but tourism groups and others will tell you – we’re not really.The thing holding us up? The Covid testing regime our government insists on keeping in place. The problem with it is twofold.One, we are one of the few countries left in the world still doing this, and two, it’s bureaucratically heavy and administratively cumbersome. Travel is logistically challenging enough, we don’t need additional barriers and hoops to jump through. I don’t know of anyone who has travelled recently whose come back and had a favourable word to say about it, in fact quite the opposite. They say it’s a nightmare and given that, we’re not really fully ‘open’ are we?Open means door open, come on in, no barriers. This is more a case of – hey we’re open but if you could just get this supervised Covid test, download this result, add this app, load it in there, send it to the other app, keep a QR code handy, take these RAT’s for some more testing while you’re here, and yep.. come on in. Not quite how it works.My brother has travelled three times internationally since the border opened, and he says New Zealand is by far the worst country to get into in terms of its complicated entry requirement system. He said he didn’t know how anyone over 50 years old could work it out it’s so convoluted, you virtually need a degree in IT to decipher it.He also said the bureaucracy around it seems to be getting worse not better. As in, they haven’t streamlined it or responded to customer complaints to change it or simplify it.There are also several forms needed to fill out before you even board your plane, all adding to your time and stress to just get in or out of the country. And that’s before we get to people who may be travelling long haul and find their expensive supervised negative test is no longer valid once they actually touch down in New Zealand. It makes no sense.I interviewed Air NZ's Greg Foran the other day, he described our border entry requirements as a hassle and an impediment to travellers, and he hopes the Government gets rid of it soon. Unfortunately, though, the Government’s timeframe is never really in line with commercial imperatives, it moves at a somewhat glacial pace.. and though it says it will consider removing the barriers ‘at some point’, no one knows when that is. The PM says it's ‘constantly under review’, but then she also said that about our never-ending lockdowns and traffic lights. David Seymour was not wrong when he said everything this Government does takes an ‘Ardernity’. So if you’re banking on this Government moving faster to help business and travellers, then you’re going to be disappointed.In the meantime, if you were weighing up coming here, versus say Fiji or Australia where there’re no entry requirements, and you knew getting into New Zealand involved a strict and costly testing regime, within a strict timeframe, which would you choose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unmanaged emergency housing facilities are said to be causing significant social issues in Rotorua.A council committee meeting has revealed a third of family harm calls each week in the city, are to emergency housing motels.District Councillor Tania Tapsell told Kate Hawkesby the Government promised to find a better system a year ago - but they're still waiting for action.She says people and families are suffering, many of whom are likely to be escaping domestic violence - and the Government needs to do better.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been revealed nearly fifty percent of our jobs were protected by the Government’s wage subsidies at some point last year.This resulted in less people losing their jobs during the pandemic and less businesses going under.But now, as wage subsidies are gone and businesses need to fend for themselves again, one economist says we could see a wave of "zombie" businesses closing.Shamubeel Eaqub from Sense Partners joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The construction industry is ageing more quickly than new people coming on board.The Government's Apprenticeship Boost scheme, which supports trades training programmes, will now run until the end of next year.The funding goes towards trades training programmes, and will support an additional 24,000 apprentices.Construction Industry Council Chair Graham Burke told Kate Hawkesby it's a good start but it won't fix the skills shortage.He says the number of people retiring is increasing at a rapid pace.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So just when I was giving them the benefit of the doubt, the Government showed its true colours again yesterday and went back to its head in the sand approach. They’re not soft on crime after all, according to them. I thought all this money being thrown at crime was admission crime is a problem, and their dealing with it hasn’t been flash, but alas, wrong. The PM came out and said yesterday nope, they’re not soft on crime. She also denied this funding announcement was a rushed reaction to bad polls and bad headlines.As for Poto Williams, yesterday she was bluffing her way around what they’re doing about ram raids, she didn’t sound any clearer than she did when she first announced it. Essentially, they’re not sure how they’re going to help businesses deal with ram raiders, but they’ll consult. Of course they will. As for whether they’re soft on crime, she was singing from the same song sheet as the Prime Minster. When it was put to her that a Newshub poll showed 70% of New Zealanders think they're soft on crime, she denied it.“Not true,” she said. So 70 percent of Kiwis are wrong.This is, of course, the one and only Labour defence move, just deny everything, it’s not happening, not true, I reject the premise of the question. I’m surprised they’re still taking this path; actually, I’d have thought the polls and focus groups would be telling them by now that this blanket denial routine is not working for them. You can’t deny stuff that people know is true, that people are experiencing for themselves, that people are seeing unfold in front of their very eyes. You can’t deny it when even the Police themselves are saying it’s true. That their hands are tied, that they can’t pursue people, that they can’t arrest people and that they can barely get past all their paperwork and bureaucracy these days to even get out on the street and actually be a cop.Anyway, Poto thinks this announcement of money is proof they’re not soft on crime.She’s delusional. All that this announcement is, is a long overdue shot in the arm for law enforcement which has been sadly lacking for too long. And even then, this new funding is going to take four years to trickle through.In regards to our largest city, Poto believes the ‘dynamic in Auckland has changed’ she says due to the loss of international students.In what can only be described as laughable, she didn’t recognize that’s because in place of the students, the Government popped the 501s in there. So she put criminals in town, then says the ‘dynamic has changed’. No kidding, as a direct result of government decision making. Not that they’ll ever see it that way. And that’s part of the problem too, they don’t accept responsibility for anything, everything seems to be somebody else’s fault.It's hard to have faith there will be meaningful change, when the powers that be can’t even acknowledge the reality of the problem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former community constable says the youth committing ram raids lack respect for their family units.More than $562 million has been promised over four years for more frontline police, a new firearms unit and a package for businesses to protect themselves. Manukau Ward councillor Alf Filipaina told Kate Hawkesby it's a good start, and he's looking forward to seeing its implementation.“We’ve seen the disrespect for not only the family unit at a very young age and also to Police and authority; we’ve seen that happen over many years.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Very pleased to see a crackdown on crime coming in the form of some dollars and sense from the government. The sense to finally recognise we have a major problem with crime in this country. $562 million in funding over four years will see a long-overdue increase in Police numbers and plans to tackle gang violence. More Police is a no brainer and should've happened ages ago, but I’m interested in how they tangibly expect to crack down on gang crime. Because it’s rife now and embedded in virtually every corner of this country. The Police have also announced a new crackdown coming for gangs starting in June, but it raises a few questions. First of all, why would they make a gang crackdown public and essentially give gangs a month or two’s notice? Secondly, what actually does ‘increasing focus on unlawful behaviour’ entail? I mean is that simply a surveillance thing? They’ll watch the gangs and start monitoring what they’re up to? Part of yesterday’s release on tackling gang violence said money would include extensions to ‘successful rehabilitation programmes to break the cycle of offending and entering a life of crime’. I’m not sure that’s the edge of the gang market we need to be focussed on at the moment, the behaviour we tend to see is overtly proud gang members feeling emboldened, not so much those keen for a bit of rehab and turning their life around.Police have said they want to make communities feel safe. We are a long way off that at the moment if you speak to any dairy or liquor store owner fearing for their lives, sleeping in their shop, or having to shell out for bollards and fog canons.It's a very Labour government approach to announce stuff, and we like announcements, the media gets very excited about announcements, but it’s quite another thing to actually produce tangible results. Which is I’m sure what would make communities feel safe – results. It is however a big step forward to get past denial of crime being an issue. (They must’ve had a word with Poto Williams about actually acknowledging that crime is real.) And I guess we shouldn’t be surprised, a government keen to reduce prison populations, reticent to arrest people with a soft approach from the top in the form of Police Commissioner Andy Coster. Plus, that interesting piece of international research which showed violent crime is up globally 35 per cent, and it’s the countries who locked down their citizens, who are now experiencing more violent crime. And that makes sense – you repress people, control them and restrict them for so long, they’re going to go nuts when they're set free. Certainly, we’re seeing that here with violent crime up, gun crime up, 15 to 20 ram raids a week, and according to stats obtained by the National Party, gang recruits now outstripping new Police. So it makes sense to bolster the other side of the equation at long last – it’s going to take 4 years though. Let’s just hope is it’s not too little too late.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Allied health workers say they're fed up being overworked and underpaid.They're set to begin industrial action today before a full 24-hour strike next week.After 18 months of negotiations, the Employment Relations Authority made a recommendation last week, which DHBs are yet to act on.PSA organiser Will Matthews told Kate Hawkesby a lot of these workers could head overseas if a new offer isn't put on the table.“We have people being actively targeted by Australian health agencies who can offer tens of thousands of dollars more, even as a starting rate, than an Allied health worker can ever hope to earn in New Zealand.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharks 29Warriors 10One step forward, two big steps back for the Warriors.After their win last week, an unwanted pattern continued on Sunday, with a truly baffling performance against Cronulla as they slumped to an awful 29-10 defeat, despite the Sharks playing more than an hour with only 12 men.Cronulla fullback Will Kennedy was dismissed in the 16th minute, after a terrible high tackle on Reece Walsh, and that should have been a game-changing moment.It was – but for the wrong team. The home side were inspired, digging deep in a magnificent display, even proving resolute when they were down to 11 men for a 10-minute period in the second half, and becoming the first team to win with 12 men against 13 since 2008.In contrast, the Warriors were a muddle; falling short in effort and execution and being let down by a number of poor decisions and a lack of patience.Their attack was too often laboured, and they tried to go east to west too often before they had gone north.The lack of composure and leadership was a worry, given the Warriors won't have too many better chances this season to topple a potential top-four contender.The Sharks enjoyed 59 per cent possession and were ahead with goal-line dropouts (5-1) and line breaks (7-2).Nicho Hynes was sensational for the Sydney team, as they scored a remarkable four tries while undermanned. In contrast Shaun Johnson had a mixed game against his former club, one of many Warriors who couldn't rise to the occasion.In front of a vocal crowd, the Sharks struck first with Hynes finishing off a 70-metre move after an incursion on the right edge, with the Warriors getting their defensive numbers wrong.The flashpoint of the match came ten minutes later, with Kennedy's coat-hanger tackle on Walsh. Whether or not there was intent, the sight of Walsh being thrown into mid-air was unpalatable given recent interpretations, and the referee had no hesitation.The Warriors scored from the resultant penalty, with a Walsh cut-out ball sending Dallin Watene-Zelezniak across in the right corner.It was reward for some sustained pressure, with Matt Lodge and Eliesa Katoa prominent in the early exchanges.William Kennedy catches Reece Walsh around the neck to earn a red card. Photo / GettyLodge was key to the Warriors' next try, with an offload on halfway sending Walsh on an arcing run into open pasture. An audacious flick pass found Daejarn Asi, before Viliami Vailea finished off a perceptive grubber by the five-eighth.At 10-6, the Warriors had a platform to launch but endured a muddled second quarter. They struggled to put any pressure on the undermanned Sharks and were mostly defending, with back rower Teig Wilton's try coming after six successive goal-line sets, while fifth-tackle options were poor.Vailea went close just after halftime – unable to collect an Adam Pompey pass – but the pattern of poverty continued and Connor Tracey crossed from a smart set move, after the Warriors coughed up possession near halfway.The visitors struggled to assert themselves, but got another bonus in the 53rd minute, with Jesse Ramien sinbinned for a shoulder charge on Euan Aitken.But the poor decisions continued, with Watene-Zelezniak ceding possession attempting a low-percentage play, when the Warriors just needed to use their two-man advantage.The frustration continued, as the Sharks defended two successive sets with 11 players, before a Johnson grubber rolled dead.There were some promising moments, but too often any initiative would end with a mistake or a cheap penalty. Tracey's second try in the 66th minute sealed the result against the deflated Warriors, before Ramien's late effort only added to the embarrassment.Sharks 29 (Connor Tracey 2, Nicho Hynes, Teig Wilton, Jesse Ramien tries; Hynes 4 cons, field goal)Warriors 10 (Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Viliami Vailea tries; Reece...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much longer will the United Kingdom remain "united"?Sinn Féin is calling for a referendum on the reunification of Ireland and Northern Ireland, following its shock success at the Northern Irish election over the weekend.It's won the most seats of any party in the Northern Irish Assembly, a first for a nationalist party.UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby that while the UK government is ruling out a vote for now, there's now mounting pressure for change.“Make no mistake. With the Scottish National Party winning seats in Scotland, it’s Scotland and Northern Ireland that is threatening to break away from the United Kingdom.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Queen Elizabeth II will miss the traditional royal garden party season, where she would normally meet with hundreds of people on the grounds of her residences in London and Edinburgh, palace officials said.The 96-year-old monarch will be represented instead by other members of her family, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.Before the pandemic, the queen invited over 30,000 people each year to the gardens of Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.The guests, who have all served their community in different ways, have the opportunity to speak with the queen and other royal family members at the parties.The parties were set to return for the first time in three years starting next week.The monarch has missed several major events this year and has been carrying out online engagements instead. She spent a night in the hospital in October and only conducted light duties for several months on her doctors' orders.In March, the queen attended a service honouring the life of her late husband, Prince Philip.She marked her Platinum Jubilee — 70 years on the throne — in February. Large-scale festivities to celebrate that milestone, including concerts and pageants, will take place later this month and in June. - APSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More staff is needed to help reduce growing violence at Christchurch Hospital's emergency department.Research in the New Zealand Medical Journal says each and every staff member has experienced the abuse.Emergency medicine specialist Dr John Bonning says more resource is needed across the health sector to reduce waiting times.He told Kate Hawkesby they've produced hospital access targets like shorter stays - but that requires the whole system buying in.Bonning says with the transition into the new health authorities from July - it's still unknown what that means for those on the frontline.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How would you feel about investing your KiwiSaver in Bitcoin?A KiwiSaver scheme is launching the world's second carbon neutral cryptocurrency fund.Koura is launching new specialty funds that will invest in Bitcoin and offset carbon emissions through purchasing carbon offsets.Founder and managing director of Koura Rupert Carlyon joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hopes newly-approved Auckland cycleway extensions will provide safety for city commuters.Plans for more than $300 million in funding was endorsed by the Auckland Council yesterday.Bike Auckland Chair Tony Mitchell told Kate Hawkesby when you look at major cities like London and Paris - it's clear people don't get on their bikes unless it's safe to do so.He says the main issue with cycleways in the super city is a lack of safety, and people are dying while trying to commute.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was out in Auckland city last night - which if you know me, you know is extremely rare on a weeknight for me to be out anywhere, far less the CBD. But I was driving through downtown Auckland with my kids in the car and I couldn't believe how heaving town was for a Thursday night.Bars and restaurants full, people sitting cheek by jowl at tables both inside and out on the street, it was buzzing. I said to my kids, "look at this! Town's on fire!" and my very wise 22 year old son said, "Mum, you just wait, past 8 o'clock you do not want to be in here, it gets as rough as guts."Luckily I didn't plan on being in town past 8pm, but I knew he was right. Once the post work drinks and dinner crowd go home, Auckland's CBD transforms into a pretty unsavoury place. And I note even during the day it's getting untenable for some retailers.Clothing store Huffer said this week that Auckland’s just not safe anymore, which anyone who lives in Auckland knows. From guns going off, to ram raids, to violent crime, to the CBD full of homeless, to retail theft.. the list is endless. And it’s depressing.Especially if you’re a born and bred Aucklander like me, who’s grown up in this city, loved this city, owns property in it, raised kids in it. I was asking a real estate agent the other day how people live in town, right in the city centre, which should be prime real estate, proximity to great shopping, parks, ferries, buses, great eateries.. but how do they 1) navigate their way round it in a car, and 2) feel safe walking at night? I mean you can’t take a car anywhere because there’s no parking and you’d be congested in traffic forever anyway, so you may as well walk, but if you’re walking, are you taking your life into your hands?It’s noble that Mayoral hopefuls keep saying they’ll fix congestion, and they’ll clean up the city, they’ll crack down on crime, but how are they doing any of that? The problem is the Mayor is just another councillor, and if the Auckland Council hasn’t done any of that yet, what makes you think they’ll start now? A new Mayor is still just as powerless.This is especially true when you’ve got the idealogues at Auckland Transport wanting to turn the city into one giant cycle lane. So it makes me sad what’s happened to Auckland.We’ve got family living in other cities who love where they live. Christchurch, Dunedin, Northland, they love it. They relish their environment and are enjoying the spring back to life post Covid. But Auckland has just not managed that same bounce back.Many shops have closed permanently, the aforementioned Huffer's had two ram raids, another clothing store in town I know of has had to electronically tag every single piece of clothing due to the surge in shoplifting. Not that it changes anything given Police are not that interested. So I’m not sure how we fix Auckland, or what we can do to restore her back to her old glory. Is that even possible now? And if it’s not possible, how many of us stay and just put up with a city in decline, versus actually bailing on it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talk of the aged-care sector cannibalising itself.Survey results from 17 industry Chief Executives show more than two thirds say it's likely they'll have to stop or restrict admissions in the next year.Facility closures could be on the cards too - with more than a third saying it's likely.Radius Care's Michael Parker told Kate Hawkesby staffing shortages are playing a part.He says there's a lot of churn within the industry - with no new nurses coming in.Parker says the sector's in a perfect storm with Covid, immigration settings, and historical under-funding also.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A rural community on the Forgotten World Highway has received high international praise as a tourist destination.Whangamomona is probably most famous for declaring independence from New Zealand over a regional boundary dispute.Well it has been featured on BBC Travel, which has an audience of around 3 million people worldwide.John Herlihy, President of the Republic of Whangamomona, joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States is in political uproar over a leaked document from its Supreme Court, which indicates abortion rights are about to be rolled back across much of the country.Overnight the court's Chief Justice, John Roberts, confirmed a draft opinion published by the news website Politico yesterday was "authentic".He described the leak as a "betrayal of the confidences of the court" and "an egregious breach of trust", and said there would be an investigation.The draft, written by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, would overrule the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe vs Wade, which has underpinned abortion rights in the US for the past 50 years.Under the precedent set by Roe, and a subsequent decision in the 1992 case Planned Parenthood vs Casey, governments across the US can only ban abortion from the point of "viability" onwards, meaning the time at which a foetus can realistically survive outside the womb. That threshold is reached at about 23 or 24 weeks of pregnancy.Overturning those rulings would allow state governments to ban abortion far earlier. Some states already have laws on the books – currently unenforceable – that will trigger bans from 15 weeks, or even as early as six weeks, when many women don't know they're pregnant."Roe was egregiously wrong from the start," Justice Alito writes in the draft opinion."Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. Far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have inflamed debate and deepened division."It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled.- Sam Clench and Brooke Rolfe, news.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Government has an image problem and that may be partially reflected in their poll result.It's the bury the head in the sand approach - 'I reject the premise of the question', nothing to see here.But worse than that now I think, is this push back we're seeing where the Government is gas lighting its critics.If you dare to question co-governance, you are racist.If you criticise a female minister you are sexist.And now, Poto Williams has taken it next level - she's claiming that saying the Government is 'soft on crime' is a gendered issue and an attack on her, because she's female. Are you serious?That one is a such a stretch it's hard to believe she even said it out loud, but then she did also call the Police's handling of the Parliamentary protest "fabulous".That was her word - "fabulous".I can think of a lot of other words to describe how Police handled the Parliamentary protest but 'fabulous' isn’t one of them.But to think that soft on crime is a personal attack on her for being a woman? That's madness.I mean, if she was paying attention, and thinking rationally, she'd know the person most in the spotlight as being soft on crime is the Police Commissioner Andy Coster, widely known as ‘Cuddles Coster' because he is so soft on crime.So how can she claim it's a gendered or sexist issue against her, because she's a woman, if the person in for that criticism the most - is in fact a man? It makes literally no sense.And this is the new low of worryingly low bars inside this Government.To question or criticise anything they suggest or do, is to be 'attacking them'. In a position of public office you need to be accountable, you need to be up for robust debate, you need to be able to defend your policies and your decisions, without descending into name calling of anyone who questions it.This gas lighting shows an immaturity and naivety, but also an unwillingness to accept that they're paid by us, to work for us, and to be accountable to us. It's public service.They are not there to arrogantly stand at pulpits and declare that anyone who disagrees with them must be crazy or sexist or racist or fascist. It's just not how it works.Simon Bridges made a very good point in his valedictory last night when he said politicians have to watch that debates don't become too narrow, too watered down, just because people get scared to have them. We have got to be able to be honest as a democracy and have robust exchange of ideas, without feeling like we're going to be sidelined or ostracised or labelled, just because what we said doesn't match their ideology. We are allowed to question, we are allowed to hold them to account, we are allowed to have opinions and views on their policies and ideas because I'm sorry Poto, but that's how democracy works.Not every criticism is 'gendered' just because you're a woman.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Stats NZ will be releasing unemployment figures for the first quarter.Economists are predicting it will fall to a new record low, just three percent.So with a lack of workers, and wage inflations, what can businesses do?For some in the primary sector, they are using AI, robotics and automation tech to do the jobs instead.Robotics is a kiwi-based world class company in robotics technology.Founder and CEO Steve Saunders joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's hard to find any supporters for Trevor Mallard's move against Winston Peters.The Speaker of the House has trespassed Peters from Parliament for two years, - along with former National MP Matt King - after they visited the anti-mandate occupation in February.A political commentator says it reaffirms Mallard's unfit for the role.Victoria University's Bryce Edwards says it's likely the New Zealand First leader will be launching legal action over the decision.He adds it gives Peters great publicity, and potentially a launching pad for a comeback in the Tauranga by-election.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers have pinned down exactly how much Vitamin C is needed to maximise immune health.New Otago University, Christchurch research has found for every 10kg over the baseline of 60kg a person weighs - their body needs an extra 10 milligrams.That means if you weigh 90 kilos, you need an extra 30 milligrams over the daily 110 milligrams of Vitamin C.Associate Professor Anitra Carr says overweight people may be more susceptible to getting severe Covid, because their Vitamin C levels are lower.She says many don't realise the bigger someone is, the more Vitamin C they should consume. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a rare day I find myself agreeing with Winston Peters, in fact I’d go so far as to say it’s never happened. But given the circumstances of yesterday, I’d have to agree with Winnie; Trevor Mallard has lost the plot. I mean I have actually used those exact words about Trevor Mallard before. When he spent half a million taxpayer dollars on a playground slide at Parliament, when he played the protestors the Macarena and set sprinklers in them, when he made false rape allegations and then used taxpayer money to fund his legal defence.Also when he kept leaping to Ardern’s defence when she was a newly appointed PM and he seemingly thought it was the 1800’s as he constantly spoke on her behalf, all the times he’s thrown people out of the House for no reason other than a pet peeve with them. I mean the list is endless. This guy is well past his use by date and I have no idea how he still gets to be there at all, let alone in charge of anything. If anyone should be banned it should be him. So if you’re not up with Mallard’s latest losing of the plot, he’s banned Winston Peters from parliament. Just like he’s banned Matt King, and every other person who turned up to the protest. Banned them for two years. Winston Peters has labelled this move ‘dictatorial’ and in line with ‘a banana republic’. It’s hard to argue.Peters also says New Zealanders should not put up with such "totalitarian behaviour". I find myself still agreeing with him.He also points out the PM shouldn’t put up with it either, but as we know, she tends to put up with everything, sack no one, hold no one accountable and when it comes to Mallard in particular, manages to turn a blind eye. What's the deal with her and Mallard? Does he have something on her? She seems so powerless around him.So Winston’s taking legal advice, and knowing how litigious he is, this may cause pause for thought on Mallard’s part. Has he been too hasty here? Is it going to cost him a fortune in a legal drama? Whose money will he use to fight that drama if and when it does unfold? How much of a headache does that give the Government? How many bad headlines do they want?Crucially, I think Mallard has to ask himself, why does he behave this way? Why is he so driven by anger? Is he spending too much time on Twitter? Because I can tell you from out here in the real world, his antics are going down like a cup of cold sick. And the one thing Winston is good at – and remember I’m no Winston fan – but the one thing he is good at, is zeroing in on stuff the public hates. He’s got a good sense of this stuff.David Seymour’s called Mallard ‘petulant’ and says it’ll wind up in court, it’s petty and gets us nowhere (again). Luxon has been more diplomatic and said it’s a matter for the Speaker, in fact he echoed the PM who said the same thing.Which brings me to my next question, why is Luxon being so soft? Opposition is where you land the big hits and be bold. “A matter for the Speaker” sounds like a pass on a really simple question. But then again the Nats don’t have a lot of love for Winston so they probably don’t care.But power hungry, plot-losing Mallard is a worry.. and what’s also a worry, is that I’m now agreeing with Winston Peters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amber Heard has replaced her entire public relations team.Former husband Johnny Depp is taking her to court in a civil defamation suit.She's said to be frustrated by the negative press she's receiving - coming just days before the star is due to give her testimony in court.Red Banyon PR's Evan Nierman told Kate Hawkesby Heard needs to stay focussed.He says regardless of the trial's outcome - she's going to need proper reputation rehabilitation.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As house prices continue to climb, Kiwibank have set up an alternative to the traditional home ownership model, to help kiwis break into the housing market.Kiwibank say the new "co-own" scheme is hoped to streamline the process of buying into property with friends or family.Mobile mortgage manager at Kiwibank Madeleine Allen joined Kate Hawkesby.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former National party minister says it's risky for politicians to rule things out at any stage.Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has ruled out introducing a wealth tax this term or next, if Labour is re-elected.Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce told Kate Hawkesby if she happens to change approach, the public will question her word.He says sometimes politicians rule something out because the public is worried about it, and if you rule it out then do it anyway, there a real issue from a public trust perspective. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So do we have a big backflip from the PM coming? The Heralds Political Editor Claire Trevett reminded us all yesterday of Ardern’s words regarding a wealth tax during the 2020 election campaign, remember that? It seems not even the PM recalled what she'd said, given she’s now saying something different. So back in 2020, as Claire reminds us, Ardern not only ruled out a wealth tax - but said she would not allow it to happen while she was PM. Not on her watch, not happening. She was definitive. Fast forward to yesterday morning when she was asked again - is a wealth tax coming? Well now, now she’s not so sure. But by yesterday afternoon when asked again, she was back to, "not this term."So does that mean we can expect a wealth tax as part of the 2023 campaign?She certainly didn’t rule it out. She said Labour was “yet to form its tax policy for 2023” which sounds a lot like fudging the answer.But at the moment, on top of David Parker snooping into the IRD info on what taxes the country’s wealthiest are paying, he's also proposed a new Tax Principles Act. In other words, he is looking at how tax policies are assessed and whether that could be changed. The Government says it wants to know if it’s “fair.”They’re talking up the fairness aspect of it a lot. And here’s what I find ironic about that, how fair is it to be definitive on something during an election campaign when it suits you, and then backflip when it doesn’t? And it’s not even that there’s an obvious backflip and something tangible we can hang our hat on. This is just a dodging of a question that suddenly doesn't suit them anymore.It’s potentially a fishing expedition on two fronts. One, suss what the wealthy are indeed paying in tax, that’s the obvious up front part of this sham, but two, suss the reaction. What is the public making of this conversation? How’s it playing out? What are the focus groups saying? They’ll be gauging it, just as they'll be courting the Greens, who they'll have figured out by now they're going to need next year if they want to be in government again. All of this though takes us back to the same place, which is the disingenuousness of all this. Rule something out, and then don't rule it out. Strong leadership is actually about clear decisive communication and goal posts that don't shift.When you start shifting the goalposts, but at the same time pretending you’re not shifting them at all, you’re just creating mistrust. And you’re deluding yourself that people will be so bamboozled by your smoke and mirrors that they won't question it. That’s not living up to your promised mantra, which was to be the most open honest and transparent government ever. I would have thought by now, especially given what’s happening in the polls, that the Labour party would be a tad more savvy with people, and a tad less waffly.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors were able to bounce back from last week's trouncing to the Melbourne Storm this weekend.This time against the Canberra Raiders, Shaun Johnson once again kicked another golden-point as they came back to win 21-20.Australian sides were successful in this weekend's Super Rugby.Although the Blues, Highlanders and Chiefs were able to get wins over the Force, Fijian Drua and Reds respectively, the Waratahs, Brumbies and Rebels recorded victories over the Crusaders, Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika over the weekend.Shane van Gisbergen was able to finally get a weekend in Perth.He won 2 out of 3 races at the weekend and is 164 points clear in the standings.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So term goes back today for schools, and as we enter the winter months many seem nervous about colds and flu viruses and winter bugs. But I was hoping that sense would prevail at this point and most would realise that we are a highly vaccinated country, past the peak of the pandemic, and that life returning to normal is actually really important for everyone’s wellbeing and mental health. So it was with disappointment I read an email from our school stating that for this term, they’ve decided to continue with masks.Not even the Ministry of Education is pushing that barrow anymore – they’ve said it’s up to individual schools, essentially that’s the Ministry passing the buck so they don’t have to have any responsibility for it of course. But it’s left schools in the invidious position of 1, trying to please everyone, and 2, do their best for their school community.So what is best? I would've argued at this point of young people’s lives, a return to normality would be a good start. To have fear messaging still being communicated is I think a shame. I mean of course, I get it, there’ll be some teachers still nervous about kids spreading germs, there’ll be children inevitably coming down with sniffles who’ll potentially come to school when they shouldn’t. There’ll be questionable hygiene practices, there’ll be parents worried that those who haven’t caught Covid will catch it in the winter months. Plus I fully get their desire to keep school environments healthy and well, given all the disruption and upset of the past two years with lockdowns and remote learning. I know no one wants to go back to that again. So I get all the projected anxiety around keeping Covid at bay, but I still found myself disappointed that the school said it was “concerned that students and staff be safe”. What is this obsession with the word ‘safe’ and that we’re all ‘unsafe’ if we’re not in a mask? I know of vaccinated people in masks who still got Covid, likewise, I know of masked people at crowded events where it later transpired Covid was present, who never got Covid. At this point, I’d argue it’s a crapshoot whether you’re going to get it or not.But most of all, I’d argue we have to stop pushing this anxiety, draped in the word ‘concerned’ onto our young people. They’re already so scarred by all this fear-mongering and all the lockdowns. They’ve missed out on so much, had to do so much learning under trying conditions, and now they’re being told they have to keep their faces covered up for another whole term at least. Six and a half hours a day, 5 days a week, breathing in carbon dioxide, unable to see teachers' faces or make out words clearly, blocking their ability to learn unencumbered by the constant reminder that we should all be terrified of Covid. Part of learning to live with it, and be normal again – which by the way even the PM has said we need to do – is surely moving past all the fear rhetoric and scaremongering of masks. Surely school needs to feel like a progressive place? So I personally just don’t think throwing in another term of mask use is necessary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Major players from the Biden Administration are joining the Prime Minister and other business leaders for the US Business Summit in Auckland today.It's organised by the Auckland Business Chamber and business intelligence firm NZINC.The summit comes as the US is doubling down on efforts to enhance its alliances and partnerships as it sets out its plan to compete with China.NZUS Council Executive Director Jordan Small says told Kate Hawkesby it will be interesting getting US perspectives on current issues as well as hearing from local business owners on how they're faring.“So getting their views and perspectives on how they’re seeing the landscape, where they’re seeing the challenges, where they’re seeing the opportunities will be really valuable.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Britain's Parliamentary Speaker has ordered a major review of the work culture of the House of Commons after a series of scandals in the past month.Conservative MP Neil Parish has resigned after viewing porn in the Commons Chamber.UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby MPs have also been accused of physical assaults and bullying.“I think plenty of people think enough is enough.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is moving into the next stage of our border reopening plan.Vaccinated tourists from around 60 visa waiver countries can now come here, as long as they do Covid pre-departure and arrival tests.Air New Zealand Chief Executive Greg Foran told Kate Hawkesby passengers from all over the globe are expected to touch down in the country today.“We’ve got flights coming in from the United States and from Nadi coming in, so about 1000 people arriving today and it’s pretty steady right through.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the last couple of years, DoC figures show three out of four kiwis visited outdoor conversation areas like campgrounds and our great walks.It's not all good news though, we're still not as good as protecting the sites as we should be.DoCc's figures show 2 out of 5 visitors to protected areas in the last 2 years noticed damage from others.Tim Bamford, DoC's Heritage and Visitors Director joined Roman Travers.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Families may not be the only ones to blame for a rise in youth crime.There's been a string of retail robberies. with the latest involving four children aged between seven and 12, who were found by police holding stolen toys in a Hamilton mall early yesterday morning.The 11-year-old fell eight metres as they tried to run off, hurting their arm.Glen Innes Family Centre manager, Chris Makoare told Roman Travers the child may be led astray by an older relative or friend.He says someone else is influencing that child, because not every family has no values in the home.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rotorua councillors have been left shocked after one of their own suddenly quit in a fiery exchange with mayor Steve Chadwick.Peter Bentley resigned, effective immediately, in a public council meeting during a discussion about the council's controversial Māori wards bill, which was put on pause just hours later.Other councillors have criticised the mayor's handling of the meeting.Chadwick says she is "disappointed" Bentley quit, and takes exception to what she believes were "disrespectful" accusations he made about her.In the full Rotorua Lakes Council meeting, Chadwick moved to include a confidential discussion about the Rotorua District Council (Representation Arrangements) Bill.She said it was to "enable us all as council, together, to have a free and frank discussion in response to the attorney general's request for further information needed to develop policy work".Attorney General David Parker last week found the bill would breach the Bill of Rights Act, but that more information may be needed for a full assessment.Chadwick's motion drew a point of order from councillor Reynold Macpherson to ask if her motion could be discussed.Chadwick said no, it was the chair's ruling."I have ruled."Bentley then raised an urgent item not on the agenda.Expressing his opinion, Bentley said: "The mayor found out very early that I would not be one to merely follow her and her radical and blatant racist ideas."Therefore, she has shunned me and not sought the practical advice I bring to this table."Chadwick interrupted Bentley with a point of order, but he continued to speak as Chadwick again made a point of order and stood up.Under standing orders for council meetings, when a chairperson stands during debate, members should sit down and be silent.Bentley also stood and councillor Mercia Yates called a point of order to which he said: "Who's that?".Chadwick, still standing, asked Bentley to "withdraw and apologise or leave the meeting".Bentley sat and said: "Well, my final statement, madam mayor -" before he was interrupted by Chadwick."No, there's no final say Councillor Bentley, I take exception to your ... "Bentley continued to speak, saying: "I have no longer confidence in this council and thereby tender my resignation effective immediately."Chadwick continued to speak as Bentley did, saying: "Councillor Bentley, I ask you to leave the meeting please, I've so ruled. Councillor Bentley, just leave the meeting."Bentley: "I have resigned, madam mayor."Chadwick: "Oh, well, there we are."Macpherson shook Bentley's hand as he left the table saying, "ka kite, e hoa".As Bentley left the council chamber, Chadwick said again she "took exception" to Bentley's remarks.Councillor Raj Kumar said he believed there was "a lot of public discontentment" surrounding the council's bill."For us to engage in confidential on this matter excludes them [from] what we have heard all over the media, it's very contentious and it would have been very fair and democratic to discuss this in public."Chadwick said she had made her ruling and there would be a public statement issued after the council's confidential discussion."I'm saddened that Councillor Bentley feels that way and has resigned."Deputy mayor Dave Donaldson asked if the council would vote on moving the discussion into confidential, and Chadwick said it didn't need to."I've made a chair's ruling."Councillor Reynold Macpherson said "very intense feelings" had been "generated" about the bill."For it to be moved into confidential will be regarded by ... "He was then interrupted with points of order from Chadwick and Yates, with Yates saying it had already been ruled.Chadwick said "thank you" to Yates.The council meeting continued, with Chadwick later moving it into a public-excluded section.Later,...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global pandemic has made many people who are able to look elsewhere for the promised land; some cornucopia; a veritable Garden of Eden with grass that is a whole lot greener than here - commit to plans to export themselves.The problem that's possibly going to confront them is the stark reality that the grass is possibly not that green, in fact, in some parts of the world there will be no grass.Have a look at what’s happening in Australia just a couple of weeks out from their election. Financially things are not looking as rosy as they once did in their backyard.Wednesday's inflation data was a shock to both the Australian government and their reserve bank. They were expecting a figure with a 4 at the front - but instead it’s 5.1 percent, another blow to the coalition campaign.With interest rates rising and inflation figures creeping up on them, along with the possibility of more Scott Morrison, you'd have to be pretty sure that the promised land you’ve envisaged will be a great deal better than what you already have here.I never take for granted what it is that I’m entitled to receive as a New Zealand citizen living in my own country. The temptation to look elsewhere for greener lawns is not something that appeals to me.I sincerely hope that anyone looking for the Promised Land does their due diligence before packing up and leaving what must be one of the best places in the world to be, in these unstable and uncertain times.That foreign grass may be more appealing, but it will still need mowing and the cost of doing so may well prove to be much the same.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday the coronavirus is under better control in the United States. but the pandemic isn't over — and the challenge is how to keep improving the situation."We are in a different moment of the pandemic," said Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, in an interview with The Associated Press.After a brutal winter surge, "we've now decelerated and transitioned into more of a controlled phase," he said. "By no means does that mean the pandemic is over."His comments came a day after he said on the PBS "NewsHour" that the U.S. was "out of the pandemic phase" and also told The Washington Post that the country was finally "out of the full-blown explosive pandemic phase."Fauci's remarks reflect how health authorities are wrestling with the next stage of the pandemic — how to keep COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations manageable and learn to live with what's still a mutating and unpredictable virus.Fauci said the U.S. appears to be out of what he called the "fulminant phase" of the pandemic, huge variant surges that at their worst sparked hundreds of thousands of infections daily, along with tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths.COVID-19 cases are at a lower point than they've been in months and two-thirds of the U.S. population is vaccinated. Nearly half of those who need a booster dose have gotten the extra shot, and effective treatments are available."We are much, much better off than we were a year ago," he said.Still, there have been lulls before, and while cases are low, they are increasing in many parts of the country. Vaccination rates worldwide are far lower, especially in developing countries.To keep improving, Fauci ticked off a to-do list: Get more people fully vaccinated; develop even better vaccines; figure out the best booster strategy to counter variants; and make sure people can access treatment as soon as they need it."We can't take our foot off the pedal," Fauci said. "There's a lot of viral dynamics throughout the world and we still may get another variant which could lead to another potential surge."- By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical WriterSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.