Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

A reminder for Aucklanders to cast their vote, as the race for the mayoralty closes in. A Ratepayers' Alliance-Curia poll shows centre-right candidate Wayne Brown in the lead at 28 percent - up eight points. Efeso Collins, who has the support of Labour and the Greens, is up four points but falling slightly behind at 26 percent. Viv Beck withdrew from the race during the polling period, but still has 10 percent. Brown told Kate Hawkesby he and Collins are offering voters a clear choice. “This year we’ve got a real choice of someone who wants to spend more and someone who wants to spend less.” LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A very special robot will begin operating this week to help cure brain cancer. Wellington teenager Jemima Gazley raised money for the 'Jem-Bot' as she was dying from an aggressive brain tumour late last year. It will eliminate human error and speed up the work of testing drugs on tumours by 400 times. Jemima's dad Oliver Gazley joined Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A property expert says banks are aiding and abetting housing speculation and thereby contributing to the housing crisis. Auckland University's Dr Michael Rehm says when it comes to speculation, banks take a more relaxed view towards lending to residential property investors than commercial buyers. And he says the banks are benefiting from that. Rehm says compared to countries like the United States, a huge amount of New Zealand's market is residential investment property. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in Australia, Queensland authorities will be reviewing DNA samples linked to major crimes.  This is over concerns over miscarriage of justice.  According to Australian correspondent, Donna Demaio, thousands of cases may need to be re-investigated. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson is concerned about the safety of MP's, leading up to the next election year, He's been facing unruly crowds and needed extra security at recent events. Here to share his insight on the matter and voice whether or not Grant Robertson should be concerned is former Labour Chief of Staff, Mike Munroe. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United Nations General Assembly begins today. It's the first one in two years, since the Covid-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is set to appear, and has touched down in New York after flying in on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's private jet. Our Newstalk ZB political editor, Jason Walls, joins us ahead of the event now. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gut health is crucial to take care of. It's one of the most important things you can do to look after yourself. Pendulum is a well-regarded biotech company in the states that's now launching here in NZ. Their scientists have created probiotics that pumps akkermansia, an important gut bacteria. Joining us now is CSO and co-founder of Pendulum John Eid. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Let them eat cake’. That’s possibly what Jacinda and Clark said to each other before each of them jumped on board their private planes out of London. Jacinda on board one as guest of Justin Trudeau en route to New York, Clark on another as guest of Albanese en route to Australia. Having both flown up first class on Qantas, clearly getting back home for Clark and Jacinda needed to be something a smidge better than god forbid – economy – on a commercial flight. Euuuw. Not lost on any of us of course is the fact the people who took private planes to the funeral – when the Royal family distinctly asked people not to – were the most socialist of leaders. The ones who want to go to battle for the little guy, to see a world of equality, to push a regime of fairness, to admonish wealth or capitalism. Your Trudeau’s, your Albanese’s, your Biden’s. Now I actually don’t have a problem with leaders (and their plus ones) travelling by personally scheduled private planes on business trips, if that’s how they want to and c

I’m not sure what was more interesting yesterday – the revelation that the Sam Uffindell allegations amounted to nothing and didn’t stack up, or the pasting Luxon got by the press gallery afterwards. The press gallery by the end of it had delivered what should serve as a warning to Luxon as to how election year might go for him. The press pack were not really having a bar of Luxon, or the report, or Uffindell, or the National Party. They were looking for a conspiracy, they demanded to know why the report would not be released, despite Luxon spelling out at the very beginning that the report was confidential to protect complainants and those interviewed, therefore it would not be released. Reporters went ahead anyway; demanding to know how many flat mates were interviewed, when, where, who.. all of which Luxon kept explaining he could not go into detail on, or even knew, given the report was conducted independently by Maria Dew KC. But the barrage of questions continued. Look, it was refreshing to see the pres

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has attended many royal events, including performing at Charles and Diana's wedding. But she told Kate Hawkesby being at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “I can’t imagine where we’ll see that again in such a huge volume. The love, everything about it, I think, was monumental.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is no evidence Modern learning classrooms are effective. That is according to research by think tank The New Zealand Initiative that has found the Education Ministry's classroom experiment has not been based on evidence. The ministry has been unable to provide data on the number of learning environments, their cost and effectiveness. Senior Fellow Dr Michael Johnston told Kate Hawkesby the Ministry didn't research the effect these environments would have on students’ learning before forcing schools to adopt them. He says there's been a complete lack of information of its effectiveness before and after it was implemented. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's decision on Sam Uffindell could provide a window into their future policy. The Tauranga MP's been reinstated to the party's caucus after an independent investigation found bullying claims didn't extend beyond high school. Political commentator, Grant Duncan, told Kate Hawkesby National has shown they do believe in rehabilitation and giving a person a second chance. He told Kate Hawkesby he wonders whether that will be reflected in the party's future law and order policy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Queen's funeral is now only hours away. It will all take place tonight New Zealand time, with attendees heading into Westminster Abbey around 7pm before the funeral officially begins at 10pm. Joining us now is royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK’s biggest ever security operation is underway for The Queen's funeral. With the funeral set to happen in a few hours (10 pm NZT), UK correspondent Gavin Grey is here to update us. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In sports news, New Zealand has secured medals at the world equestrian event championship for the first time in 12 years.  Our ZB sports reader, Andrew Alderson, joins us today to update us. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So the Government has taken steps to try and protect productive land from urban development. The national policy statement will mean local councils will need to identify productive land and block it off from housing developments. This is aimed to protect land that grows vegetables, fruit and other produce. Joining us now is Dr Trish Fraser who leads Climate Change Systems at Plant and Food Research. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As if our justice system wasn’t soft enough already, I see they’re now handing out further reductions in sentences if you had a tough childhood.  ‘Mongrel Mob members in lucrative drug ring get reduced prison time for horrific childhoods" read a headline yesterday. The story went on to say that, “Two Mongrel Mob members sitting near the top of a sophisticated drug ring were jailed after admitting their roles in the commercial-scale manufacture and supply of methamphetamine across the Waikato. The pair received hefty reductions in their prison sentences for admitting guilt and the "horrific" circumstances of their childhood, the trauma of which a judge said led to their gang affiliations and criminal offending later in life.”  So, let’s get this straight. These two Mongrel Mob gang members "oversaw the manufacture" and day to day dealing of meth, in "clandestine labs", were placed in the second-highest category of meth offending based on the quantity of drugs and yet, they got their sentences reduced, because

I've got family coming down from Europe at Christmas, and bringing people who've not seen New Zealand before. We were talking on the phone the other day and the subject of spending a few days at Rotorua came up. It pains me to say it, but I wasn't able in good conscience to recommend Rotorua. I explained about the emergency housing, but only in broad brush terms. I didn't go into big detail about people knocking on the door at night looking to score drugs. Or the police turning up at all hours, places not being safe for families, gang activity and all the rest of it. Thing is we need tourism and especially international tourism if we're going to start paying our way in the world again. Rotorua is already back up to the thousands of visitors a day, so far mostly New Zealanders who kinda know the score. But those overseas visitors are coming back, and some of them are having pretty bad experiences, which of course they go home and tell ten others about. So the idea of, well, it's almost a black list of places t

The All Blacks have managed to retain the Bledisloe Cup for the 20th straight year. But it was a close one 39-37, and it's fair to say it was a controversial finish, with Wallabies getting infringed for taking too long to kick the last penalty. ZB's rugby commentator Elliott Smith joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's under fire for spending millions on consultants for its Three Waters reform. Newstalk ZB can reveal more than $16 million has been paid to contractors in the past Financial Year. Deputy Political Editor Jason Walls says the Government's confirmed even more will be spent in the coming year. Spending's included $100,000 dollars for a virtual showcase of Aussie initiatives, and almost $2 million on policy services. National's Simon Watts says it shows the Government's over-reliant on consultants. The Government admits it's more than usually spent on policy work, but it says these reforms are complex. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.