Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Criticisms of Labour's latest election promise are rising. The party's promising to axe GST from fresh and frozen fruit and veggies from April, with the average household expected to save roughly $20 a month. But New Zealand Initiative Chief Economist Eric Crampton told Kate Hawkesby that these policies always end up costing more in revenue than they deliver to families, and make the tax system more complex. He says the accounting gets more difficult, and lawyers have a field day on definitions of what's included and what isn't. Labour's also promising to boost In-Work Tax Credits by $25 a week, and lift the Working for Families abatement threshold. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Homes are still covered in silt and roads are far from repaired six months on from Cyclone Gabrielle. The devastating weather event left Gisborne without power and communication for days, and took the lives of 11 people nationwide. Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz told Kate Hawkesby that resilience is as important as recovery, which could cost billions. She says we can't just keep on patching up these areas, as more storms expected in the coming years. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Democracy's interesting isn't it? I mean it’s our best option, but look at what we got this weekend in the latest mad grab for power. We’ve got an anti-vaxxer conspiracy theorist revealed as a NZ First candidate (read the Stuff piece from yesterday and weep), and we’ve got a ruling party announcing no tax on fruit and vege, in a completely pointless policy that even their own Finance Minister hates. It feels like a world gone mad, but then I have to remind myself, we voted for this, and people may yet vote again for it. Democracy in action can be a terrifying ride. I said on Mike’s show last Friday that I worry about the Kiwis with short memories who are saying they’ll vote for Winston again this time round. My colleague Kerre Woodham put it best when she said, ‘I’m sure there are intelligent people who vote NZ First, but I’ve never met or heard of one’. To throw a vote to Winston is to waste your vote. The people voting for Winston are doing it because they say he’ll ‘get rid of all the Maori signs’, or he’l

Getting to work on time isn’t usually an issue for me.   I have a well-staged and orchestrated routine that has me rolling out of bed on the first alarm, staggering with mediocre accuracy to the bathroom where I plunge my freshly light tortured eyes and body into an overly hot shower, before dressing at fireman like speed and sliding down the lift shaft to my Newstalk ZB racing car.  Today, all of that speed and agility was once again exercised expertly as I’ve done hundreds of times before.  But then I was caught like a possum in the lights at the intersection of Newton and Ponsonby Road. As I approached, the lights for me were red. And they stayed red for what seemed like hours.  I sat there contemplating all forms of wizardry that might entice the lights to change to that favourable shade of green that we all love. I sat there calculating the action of getting out of the car, running over to the pedestrian lights and activating those – so that the opposing green light would within seconds turn red.  Then I

One political party is making a comeback. New Zealand First has gained popularity in the latest Taxpayers' Union Curia poll, gaining enough support to push over the five percent threshold to return to parliament. It comes after Act leader David Seymour says he refuses to partner with Winston Peters. But that may have to change as a National-Act government is looking more solid. Political commentator Brigette Morten joined Roman Travers to break down the latest numbers. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday's news that another of our major banks has made another record profit, just about had me falling off my financially unstable rocking horse. ASB have reported another record annual profit in the same week that the TSB have said they'll be closing seven of their 25 branches, even though they are rated highly in customer service and satisfaction surveys. The ASB is our third biggest bank, and they've just reported this record profit, after all costs, of an eye watering $1.56 billion which is an increase of 6% on last year. In a way that's supposed to induce some form of pity for them, they've also announced that because of the slowing economy and rising interest rates, their earnings have been detrimentally affected. Oh dear. Oh my. How tragic is that? Isn't it amazing to see the power of the PR machine spinning madly in the background even with a business as profitable as the ASB bank? Isn't it sickening to see that within the same outward gush of hot halitosis breath, laced with stale gin and tonic f

Six people have died as wildfires engulf the Hawaiian island of Maui. Residents and tourists have been escaping into the sea to escape the blazes, devastating the town of Lahaina. Some with burns and smoke inhalation, are being flown to Honolulu for treatment. US correspondent Mitch McCann told Roman Travers the fires are being exacerbated by wind from a hurricane moving past the island. He says thousands of homes have lost power and cell services, leaving people stranded and unable to call 911. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is an expectation McDonald's will address charging loyal app users higher prices. Users have taken to complain on social networking site Reddit, after pointing out a $3 difference between what app users and casual customers are charged. McDonald's says the prices may be different to entice some customers to return to the app. But Massey University marketing professor Bodo Lang told Roman Travers it's doing the opposite. He says companies want people to engage with it and this personalisation of prices is counterintuitive. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The primary teachers union says the secondary teachers pay rise is great news for the whole sector.  PPTA members have accepted a 14.5 percent pay bump, meaning roughly 30,000 teachers will receive the first of three pay boosts between now and the end of next year. NZEI President Mark Potter told Roman Travers there's more to be done, but this is a good step towards recognising the value of teachers. He says resolutions to workload and resourcing issues are also needed to bring the teaching profession back to the status it once had. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For all the people ‘hopping across the Tasman’ at the moment I can tell you one thing - it’s not a hop.   It used to be a short haul quick trip - painless. But these days it seems to be less painless and more painful. I’m not sure who’s more at fault - Auckland Airport or Air New Zealand, or both. Of the three times I’ve crossed the Tasman in the last month; I’ve been held up on the tarmac or delayed every time - twice without any communication at all. Once was a lengthy tarmac sit where they announced after an uncomfortably long wait - that there was an issue with the brakes needing fixing. More delay - then another announcement - they’d need to actually replace the brakes. How you can’t sort the brakes out before you board everyone is beyond me but that added two hours to our flight, so the short hop across the Tasman was no longer short and we hadn’t even left the ground yet. Likewise coming home the airport had no dogs rostered on, so they were screening every single bag of every single passenger includin

National plans to crack down on cellphone use in schools, if it wins the October election. It would ban phones for all year groups - with some exemptions for those needing the devices for health or learning purposes. Party Leader Christopher Luxon says it's about eliminating unnecessary disturbances and distractions.  But social media expert Vaughan Davis told Kate Hawkesby studies show cellphone use in schools doesn't really hurt, or improve learning. He says the accusation that they hurt academic performance doesn't really stand up. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A change in attitudes is needed before people will stop using cellphones in their cars. A six-month Waka Kotahi safety camera trial across Auckland spotted 242,000 potential offences, including drivers using handheld phones or not wearing a seatbelt. Neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis says we need a culture change so people don't have to be constantly available by phone. He told Kate Hawkesby people need to take the issue more seriously, as continual phone use is just waiting for an accident to happen. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Criticism of the Government's climate deal with a major investment company is being disputed. BlackRock Capital has launched a $2 billion fund to help New Zealand achieve 100 percent renewable electricity. ACT condemned the announcement saying it amounts to the Government micro-managing energy supply. But BusinessDesk journalist Dileepa Fonseka says this isn't the case. Fonseka says the fund doesn't emphasise one form of energy over another. He adds they could be referring to the target, but this also isn't set by the fund. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I got sent a video yesterday, which I assume is doing the rounds, of the Point England shooting in Auckland on the weekend. 2.30pm on a Saturday afternoon in a suburban neighbourhood in Auckland. That makes three shootings in a week by the way for our country, three separate gunmen on the loose – still at large – and three victims dead. It seems unfathomable that this is the state of our country right now. The video of the Point England one shows a scene of chaos; people running around, as shots volley out across the reserve. It’s incredulous to watch and think this is just a family suburb of Auckland. How did we end up here? The answer to that is lengthy, but the consequences are people left terrified in their own communities. The Herald yesterday reported a “traumatised mother who’d spoken of her horror after her two young children witnessed the fatal daylight gang shootout from their living room window. She told the Herald her children, aged 6 and 8, were watching television when gunshots rang out. “They s

The All Blacks' squad for the 2023 World Cup has been named. Former player Richie McCaw announced the 33 players heading to France at an event in Napier last night. The first game with France verses New Zealand is Saturday 9th September local time. So will the boys handle the heat? Sky Sports rugby commentator Tony Johnson joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police in Victoria are keeping an open mind after three people died from a poisoned mushroom lunch, cooked by their daughter-in-law. Another guest is in critical condition in hospital. Australian correspondent Donna Demaio told Kate Hawkesby the daughter-in-law is denying any malice.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's main fast food company says its full year profit could be half of last year's. Restaurant Brands, responsible for KFC, Taco Bell, Carl's Junior and Pizza Hut, is blaming inflation. Devon Funds Management Retail Manager Greg Smith told Kate Hawkesby there's a clear driver of higher costs in the sector. He says the price of ingredients has risen threefold in some cases. The company is expecting between $12 and $16 million in profit. LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A plea for action has come to address the recent spate of violent crime. Police are raising concerns about rising gang tensions, after fatal shootings in Auckland's Point England and Palmerston North's Highbury over the weekend - both linked to gang rivalries. They're also continuing to hunt for the man wanted over Thursday's fatal shooting in downtown Auckland. Heart of the City Chief Executive Viv Beck told Kate Hawkesby Auckland is now at risk of no longer being seen as a safe place. She says if that doesn't change now, Auckland could become known internationally as a "dangerous city". LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"It’s a fantastic place to grow up as a kid... and it’s also a great place to retire... it's the in-between bits that are tricky,” said Neil Finn when once asked what NZ was like. It’s the same now I’d argue. He also said, and bear in mind this is many, many years ago, that it was "the worst place in the world to be if you had any ambition.” That’d be true now too I reckon. And at the risk of sounding like Marc Ellis and all the other Kiwis bailing, we have definitely lost our mojo. We are backwards on too many metrics. Australia - where I’ve been three times in the last month —Sydney and Melbourne— is more forward focussed than we are, it’s going places, people are upbeat - my sister's currently in Queensland, she says it’s the same there. Here, it feels like we are still mopping up from a pandemic and a shut down that we should've bounced back from ages ago. The fact we haven’t yet, or don't want to, or don't know how to, speaks volumes about where we are and who we are. Focussed on all the wrong things, he

Auckland's Business Chamber is keen to see some momentum on a second harbour crossing. The Government's released a plan which will include two 3-lane vehicle tunnels and a light rail route connecting Albany and the CBD. Chamber Chief Executive Simon Bridges told Kate Hawkesby that the plan is positive, and he'd love to see more details. He wants to know if it can be sped up, and exactly how much it will decongest the roads. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.