Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

I miss the grown-ups.  I’m desperate for some grown-ups, or just someone informed and engaged to be running this country, instead of the malaise and fly by night experience we’re currently having. Like many of you, yesterday I despaired as I listened to Chris Hipkins on the Mike Hosking Breakfast. It was cringe worthy. He literally could not answer a single question, was so ill informed, offered nothing by way of answers on anything, it was depressing.  On Marama Davidson, he admitted he had not even spoken with her or dealt with her at all – their offices had talked to each other, that’s it. Acceptable for a Minister in his Government? Absolutely not. Had she apologised? No.  Did Hipkins know about the health figures out yesterday? He did not. Did he know about the Government’s targets on it? Nope.  Did he know about new stats around ambulance ramping? No. Shipping and supply chain issues? No.  He admitted he doesn’t watch the news. I mean I get it, I wouldn’t either if I didn’t have to.. it’s tedious, but t

A message to wine lovers; Hawke's Bay vineyards are bouncing back and open for business. Images of devastated wineries were widely circulated following Cyclone Gabrielle, but six weeks on, the industry is keen to bring back its customers. Hawke's Bay Wine Growers Executive Officer Brent Linn told Kate Hawkesby good weather over the past few weeks has meant the region is well prepared for the Easter weekend. He says most cellar doors and restaurants will be open. Linn says while there's been lots of support locally and overseas, he wants people to continue buying Hawke's Bay produce and wine. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A handwriting expert believes just 10 minutes of practice in junior classes a day could turn around our falling literacy rates. But a survey of 850 teachers last year found almost 90 percent of those trained in the last 20 years received no instruction on how to teach handwriting. Education researcher Helen Walls told Kate Hawkesby there's been an emphasis put on ideas children want to express in writing and the fundamental technical skills have been neglected. She says until those technical skills are automated children can't think about the creative aspects. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Government ministers will be checking themselves this morning. It comes as Stuart Nash has been dismissed from Cabinet. It's emerged the Napier MP emailed donors about private cabinet information around a 2020 rent relief package. Political Editor Jason Walls told Kate Hawkesby there will be a few ministers who will be wondering whether they've accidentally breached the Cabinet manual. He says Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has, on a number of occasions, reinforced the importance of ensuring they're on the right side of the manual. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As crime looks to be a hot election issue this year I worry about two things, well more than two things, but let’s start with these two.  One - the lack of arrests being made and two - the top-down obsession from the police hierarchy with supporting offenders, not victims.  David Fononga, if you don’t know the name, is the Auckland man who went on a shooting rampage in West Auckland firing at Police. They fired back and he was shot dead. But here’s the thing about him – he’d breached bail a month before this happened, and never been arrested for it. So among the many investigations and reviews launched after this shooting incident, one of them is an internal review of why the Police did not respond to his breach of electronically monitored bail in the first place.  Because, while we’re on that topic, he wasn’t the only one. Five others were at large last week apparently having absconded while on electronically monitored bail. How many people need to be slicing off ankle bracelets and breaching their bail cond

The Citizens Advice Bureau is making a last ditch effort to prevent Auckland Council budget cuts. It's taking a petition with 15,000 signatures to council offices today, in a bid to halt their $2 million worth of funding being cut. General Manager Citizen's Advice Bureau Kate Anderson says the service is worth every cent.  She says for every dollar invested, they get $13 of social value out of it. Consultation for the budget closes at 11pm tonight. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Online platforms are playing an increasing role in New Zealand's risk of domestic terrorism. The country's spy boss Andrew Hampton has revealed how the GCSB's capabilities were used in three counter-terrorism operations They included a person making bomb threats last year and increasingly concerning behaviour online from a white extremist. Massey University security expert John Battersby told Kate Hawkesby the issue of social media and misinformation advancing the problem has worsened in New Zealand. He says the number of people likely to be influenced by it are roughly the same everywhere, so while it may not get better, he's not sure if it will get worse, and we'll have to live with it. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Serious concerns after one of the biggest data hacks in Australasia. Latitude Finance has revealed around 14 million people across both sides of the Tasman have had personal information held by the company,  stolen. It includes passport numbers and driver licence details, but it's feared that even more could be involved. Australian correspondent Donna Demaio told Kate Hawkesby it's much more significant than the initial 300,000 it was first thought to be. She says some of the data has been held for more than ten years, with Latitude copping some criticism over holding data for so long. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support from within the family violence sector for Marama Davidson after controversial comments at the Auckland counter-protest to Posie Parker. The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence said most violence is caused by white cis men, cis meaning the gender a person's born with. She's now clarified, removing white and cis, saying when she spoke, she was in shock after being hit by a motorbike. Women's Refuge Chief Executive Ang Jury told Kate Hawkesby Davidson's correction is spot on. She says men are the main perpetrators of family violence and her initial statement, which has since been walked back, could have been delivered a little better. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Europe's human rights watchdog is accusing French police of brutality. A controversial pension law has seen protests erupt in Paris for a second week. UK-Europe correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby that the Council for Europe's Human Rights Commissioner believes comments will add fuel to the fire. He says the commissioner believes people have a right to be protected from police brutality, and attacks against officers don't justify a heavy handed response. King Charles' visit has also been cancelled, due to security concerns. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Posie Parker kerfuffle at the weekend in Auckland, I see the whole thing as so unnecessary. Her coming here, the publicity and noise around her coming here, the reaction when she got here, the vitriol and protests —from both sides—  when she tried to speak, the fallout after it.  How on earth did we end up with this much hubbub over a virtual nobody? How have we ended up with JK Rowling involved, MP’s involved, everyone seemingly imploding on each other. All over someone who should never have been given this much oxygen in the first place.  Like I said last week, how many of us had even heard of her prior to the media advertising her arrival and the impending doom. It all played right into her hands though, the frenzy whipped up resulted in big crowds, big protest, and her high tailing it out of here... all documented for a new and captive audience that she previously would not have had.  As my colleague, Heather pointed out, what an own goal by the Greens, Auckland Pride and Rainbow Youth. And as triumph

ACT says what happened at the Posie Parker rally in Auckland is seriously concerning. Thousands protested against the views of the anti-trans activist at Albert Park's Saturday rally, seeing her quit the country early. Scuffles broke out, Parker had tomato juice poured on her, and Green MP Marama Davidson was hit by a motorcycle. ACT Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden told Kate Hawkesby that it's what the party has feared: that the alternative to free speech and reasoned debate could become bullying, intimidation, and violence. She says in a civilised society like ours, you should be able to counter ideas you don't like with speech and debate, not violence and intimidation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In difficult financial times more investors appear to be turning to art. Record levels of interest have been recorded for an auction tonight that has works up for grabs by New Zealand greats such as Tony Fomison and Don Binney, amongst others. Webb's Director of Art, Charles Ninow, says it seems the stranger the world gets, the more relevant art becomes. He says art is real and will never be worthless, unlike some other forms of investment. Total turnover in the New Zealand auction market has more than doubled from its pre-pandemic levels. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So we end the week with some policy from the Nats and that's a good place for Luxon to be focussing, especially after the start to the week he had. But in defence of Chris Luxon - who by the way I don't know from a bar of soap,  I've met him in person once I think. I don't think people should be freaking out about his popularity - or lack of it. I just don't think it's a big deal that he's not wildly popular - because we've seen where that can end up anyway. Jacinda anyone? The higher your popularity, the further you have to fall.  I also think the lack of coverage of his exploits is against him, and that's not his fault. If he's out and about but nobody's covering it, then what can he do if the media prefer to cover their beloved Chippy from the Hutt - it's a tough gig to be up against. That will change however for him the closer we get to the election and as more policy gets rolled out and some semblance of balance is demanded by election rules - media will be obligated to cover parties more equally.  But a

Child poverty advocates don't want promises, they want solutions. The latest child poverty figures, covering the year to last June, remain unchanged on the year before. It still shows one in 10 children are living in material hardship and for tamariki Māori, it's one in five. Save the Children advocacy director Jacqui Southey hopes children aren't being used as an election point scorer. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National would be getting a 'F' on its education policy if our largest education union was grading it. The opposition is proposing standardised tests for children as young as seven, as well as training for teachers and a curriculum overhaul, if elected. The New Zealand Educational Institute says it's a reboot of National Standards but with a slightly different dressing. President Mark Potter joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A wave of Gen Zs and Millennials are setting their sights on cruise ships for their holiday of choice. Flight Centre says bookings for 18 to 30 year olds have more than doubled in under a year. Flight Centre's General Manager of Marketing, Jodie Burnard, says the increasing cost of airfares is part of the reason. Jodie Burnard joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Manhattan prosecutors postponed without any explanation a scheduled grand jury session Wednesday in the investigation into Donald Trump over hush money payments during his 2016 presidential campaign, at least temporarily slowing a decision on whether to charge the ex-president. The postponement was confirmed by four people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation by name. It was not immediately clear why the proceedings were postponed, but the grand jurors were told to be on standby for Thursday, another day when the New York panel has been meeting in recent weeks. When the grand jurors next meet, they may hear from yet another witness, according to a person familiar with proceedings that appear to be nearing a decisive vote on whether or not to indict Trump. The panel has been probing Trump's involvement in a $130,000 payment made in 2016 to porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep her from going public

What I can't understand about the trans activist coming into the country is how she's been given so much coverage and publicity. She's clearly a hateful woman just touring around spreading vitriol, I have no idea what the point of her is, or why she’s doing it, and I had never heard of her prior to this week - I doubt many of us had.  But the outraged made sure we did hear of her, and in doing so, helped publicize her brand and her message. I think we can all agree it’s just an attention-seeking tour on her part. And I think Chris Hipkins fell right into her trap when he said he’d get Immigration to look at not letting her in – that’s just the sort of headline she was looking for clearly.. and it certainly helped publicize her cause even more, and galvanise her base. So that was naïve bad form on his part. But she seems to have garnered way more publicity than is necessary.  The screaming and yelling about not letting her in has only promoted her presence and her message more. I’m not sure why the media and p

There are currently favourable conditions for buyers in the housing market. CoreLogic figures show close to 61,000 properties were sold in the year to February 2023, the lowest 12 month total since 1983. Real estate agent Diego Traglia told Kate Hawkesby says he knows it's a cliché for him to say now is a good time to buy but prices are low. He says nobody was expecting an up to 25 percent drop in less than two years, and we're getting back to what prices used to be before Covid. LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.