Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Couple of canaries going off in the coal mines over the past few days. Ominous warnings actually, of how tight things are getting out there in the real world. First off...the Centrix figures showing how many people are doing Christmas on credit this year. It is normal for people to borrow a bit here and there to...smooth out if you like...the household budget over the heavy spending period. Credit cards were up nearly 12 percent...Buy now pay later jumped 7...personal loans are up 3 percent. This is a seasonal thing...quite normal for a November month. But Centric said this...and I precis...“there will be a segment stretching beyond their means". More of a tell-tale sign though...the growing number of people falling behind with their debt. That's mortgages in arrears or car loans or credit card debt that's not getting paid down. The monthly count of people behind on their payments is up...not a lot...I don't want to over-egg this...but year-on-year arrears have increased 6.1%. Mortgage arrears are up by a qua

The energy sector is pointing to international evidence to back axing the Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme. Energy Minister Simeon Brown says the 16-billion-dollar project, was pouring money down the drain, at a time when we need to be reining in spending. He says axing the scheme will increase confidence to invest in more energy production. Energy Resources Aotearoa John Carnegie told Tim Dower that Australia's Snowy 2.0 is enough evidence to show it wouldn't have delivered for Kiwis.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another ceasefire in Gaza seems unlikely - as fighting resumes on both sides. It comes after a pause in fighting, which saw the release of some hostages kidnapped by Hamas, in exchange for scores of Palestinian prisoners. Otago University international relations professor Robert Patman told Tim Dower both Hamas and Israel are saying there's no prospect of further ceasefire negotiations. He says Israel's withdrawn its negotiations and Hamas is saying it won't resume negotiation's, until the current Israeli military campaign ceases. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Really interested in this Medical Journal piece about emergency departments.  The impression we often get is they're horribly overcrowded, patients lying in corridors for hours in agony, constant panic stations.  Friday and Saturday nights are bedlam, we're told: drunks staggering around the place, people unleashing their stress and anger at the staff.  And in the winter, people with coughs and colds packing out the waiting area.  Hospitals are begging us to go to our GPs, even giving out vouchers to take the pressure off, because a lot of people can't afford to pay for a doctor's visit.  What the Medical Journal piece says is that actually, New Zealanders overall make fewer calls to A&E than people in other countries.  So, what does that tell us?  Do we need more A&Es? Or would it be better to spend a greater chunk of the health budget in primary care?  Have we fallen victim to a perceived need for the glamour projects like new hospitals?  Would more GPs on the ground, especially in rural New Zealand

Tensions are heightened in the Middle East as the truce in Gaza enters a seventh day.  The UK is sending a second warship —the destroyer ship HMS Diamond— to the Gulf to join the frigate HMS Lancaster.  It comes after Israel and Hamas reached a final-hour agreement last night to extend the ceasefire to the end of today.  Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Tim Dower that the UK Defence Force is describing its latest deployment as critical to bolstering its presence in the region.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington's housing market is ending the year on an upwards trajectory.  Latest One Roof-Valocity figures show the nationwide average property value has jumped 2% in the past three months, to reach $968 thousand.  Wellington prices are up 2%, while Auckland's are up 2.5% and Canterbury's are up 1.7%.  OneRoof Editor Owen Vaughan says interest rates are still inhibiting price growth.  He says while we've dusted ourselves off and we're getting back on our feet, we're not seeing the rampant growth we saw during the boom time.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some former ministers have taken top positions in Labour's front bench while others have lost out. Carmel Sepuloni has social development, Grant Robertson has finance, Ayesha Verrall has health, and Ginny Andersen keeps police. Damien O'Connor's been taken off agriculture, with Jo Luxton taking up the spokesperson role. Former senior Labour staffer Clint Smith told Tim Dower that Luxton's one of the more rurally based Labour MPs. He says Damien O'Connor has been around a while and Chris Hipkins probably wanted to give important roles to some younger MPs.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fresh plea for a helping hand for primary care, to ease the pressure on hospital emergency departments.  An opinion piece in today's New Zealand Medical Journal suggests ED overcrowding may not be caused by unnecessary visits, but an increase in more urgent cases.  But Northcare Accident and Medical's Peter Boot says primary care is more efficient at dealing with small issues filing EDs, and it needs investment.  He told Tim Dower that 30% of General Practices are technically insolvent.  Boot says doctors are leaving, and about half of the workforce are older or planning to retire in the short term so there's a crisis in primary care.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dogs eh... jeez do they get to you.  It's 12 years this Christmas, Luka and me. 12 brilliant years for me, and what a mate he's been. A great, great mate.  We had a long talk last night, cos I wanted say things while he's still with me.  Kinda with a warm heart and not a broken one, cos I know the day will come.  He truly scared me last night; I thought it was the end for a little while.  All stretched out on the grass in the sun... I know your leg hurts mate. Doctor again today, but the panting and the restlessness had me going.  And he was all cuddly, and licking me, and big deep sighs.  Anyway, after a little nap he's up on his feet again —bit wobbly— and soon after that the honking starts.  And he brings it all up. Two, three massive blobs of... just mess. Oh wait, there's a bit more. Here we go.  Now I don't know how many times over the years I've tried to stop him eating disgusting decomposing crap on the beach, or in the bush, or something stinky in the park.  He hears me, but he ignores me until he ca

It's thought New Zealand's achievement of water quality targets hinges on every Kiwi getting behind efforts.  A new report has evaluated four contaminants —nitrogen, phosphorus, E. coli, and sediment— in rivers, lakes, and estuaries nationwide.  Every region needs a substantial reduction in at least one to meet freshwater standards.  75% of land is contributing more E. coli to water than is allowed.  Cawthron Institute scientist, Roger Young, told Tim Dower that achieving targets could require land-use changes in some areas and mitigation work in others.  He says in those cases, fencing and wetlands enhancements and protections could be enough.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A push back from the Reserve Bank against the financial markets. The central bank kept the Official Cash Rate at 5.5% and signalled that no cuts are on the immediate horizon. It's also kept the door open for another rise if inflation pressures are stronger than anticipated. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Tim Dower that markets had been getting excited in recent weeks, wondering how quickly they could cut rates. He says the Reserve Bank doesn't meet for another three months, so leaving that sort of view unchecked and allowed to come through would have been dangerous for them. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The incoming Government isn't wasting any time in getting down to business.  Chris Luxon has unveiled a 100-day plan that will include scrapping Auckland's fuel tax and the clean car discount, repealing Three Waters, and passing new RMA laws.  Political Editor Jason Walls told Tim Dower that many laws will be changed by early next year.  He says it sounds like a lot of the legislation will be passed under urgency, starting in the next few weeks.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Search and rescue operations are underway after a US Air Force osprey crashed while performing a routine training mission off the coast of Yakushima Island.  US correspondent Mitch McCann told Tim Dower that this is not the first time this type of aircraft has fatally crashed.  He says that so far, one crew member is confirmed dead while the other five are still unaccounted for.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So here's the low-down on the Public Interest Journalism Fund.  55 million bucks dished out over a series of funding rounds, and all gone now. The fund's been wound up.  The company that owns this station won nearly $7 million in round one, another $3 million in round two, and a couple of top-ups after that.  In fact, all the major players, including the already publicly funded broadcasters, everyone, every outfit including some you've never heard was in the trough.  Let's remember the context —Covid— and the wave of redundancies that caused right through the commercial media.  Advertising revenue evaporated and some media companies were on the brink of failure.  Now, to get your hands on the money you had to agree to this:  "A clear and obvious commitment or intent for commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including a commitment to te reo Māori."  On top of that, we had to commit to public interest journalism, data provision, New Zealand content, freely available online distribution, media standards and so on.

Don't expect any major change to interest rates before Christmas.  The Reserve Bank is tipped to keep the Official Cash Rate unchanged at 5.5% at its next review at 2pm today.  Economists and commentators remain divided on whether there will be further hikes in the current cycle.  NZIER's Christina Leung told Tim Dower that, for now, previous hikes appear to be having the desired effect.  However, she says there is still work to be done yet to ease inflation.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A big step for sustainability within the aviation sector   The first transatlantic flight by a large passenger plane powered only by alternative fuels has taken off, flying from London's Heathrow to New York's JFK airport.  The Virgin Atlantic flight is a one-off flight at this stage and isn't carrying passengers.  UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Tim Dower that the industry's acknowledging they can be more environmentally friendly.  He says sustainable aviation fuels can be made from things like crops, household waste, and cooking oils.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s believed that more thought needs to go into the Auckland Mayor's plans to sell the long-term lease of the Ports of Auckland.  Wayne Brown is putting forward two options for the port in his proposed 10-year budget, which also includes a rates rise of 7.5%.   He proposes either keeping the business and gradually releasing land for public use or selling the lease to raise up to $3 billion.   Auckland Councillor Wayne Walker told Tim Dower that the port does bring in a good amount of income.   He says they've been told it could be returning $2 million a week, which it's on track to do, as it's returning a million a week now.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has headache to deal with after his Government's first Cabinet meeting.  Winston Peters called a $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund provided during Covid a "bribe".   He told reporters to "tell the public what they had to sign to get the money".  Media commentator Vaughan Davis told Tim Dower that Luxon handled the situation poorly.  He says avoiding the comment didn't help the PM, and it left Peters squarely in the spotlight.   Funding applicants were asked —when appropriate— to produce content supporting our public interest.  NZME's funding agreement included acknowledgement of absolute editorial independence.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm wondering if people in Auckland will, in a few years, look more kindly on their current Mayor.  Fair to say that Wayne Brown didn't exactly get off to a flying start, especially with the media, and let's face it, no one's happy when the rates go up.  On that score, you've seen nothing yet.  I've been reading Mr Brown's proposals to build long-term financial and physical resilience.  It's a dose of reality and long overdue, and, boiled down to a few simple bullets, here we go:  Fix the infrastructure.    Stop wasting money.    Get Auckland moving.    Make the most of the harbours and environment.    Take back control of the CCOs.  And running through the document, a recurring theme: the message being that Auckland can't continue living beyond its means.  The chickens are coming home to roost to quote the Mayor, and he's flagged up that losing the Regional Fuel Tax and scrapping Three Waters will only make things worse.  Brown talks about, and I'm quoting here, “significant financial restraint and efficienc

Covid lockdowns may have played a part in the increase in learning and behavioural issues being picked up at early childhood education.   The Educational Institute says the increase has meant waiting lists for specialist support are far too long.   Clinical psychologist Dougal Sutherland told Tim Dower that the main thing kids that age do is play and interact with other kids, which provides social and cognitive development and learning.   He says that while teenagers could jump online to socialise with their friends, that play and interaction can't be replaced, so young kids missed out during isolation.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.