Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

A new online tool will allow tourists to avoid staying at mixed-use motels in Rotorua. Tourism outfit Rotorua NZ is identifying emergency housing motels after visitors finding themselves in unsavoury accommodation. Rotorua District councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Online shoppers are being misled through online sales. The Commerce Commission has issued a formal warning to online retailer, Occasion Box, for making false and unsubstantiated claims on its website last year. It comes after The Warehouse Group's 1-Day, has been fined $840,000 for misleading how long its daily deals would run for, and the quantity available.  Fair Trading General Manager Vanessa Horne told Kate Hawkesby this is a good reminder for other businesses. She says they need to be able to back up any claims. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think if anything symbolized how stressful and exhausting this week has been for the new monarch, it was ‘Pengate’. We saw a very tense, irritated King Charles, flustered that his pen was leaking, and with it all captured on microphone, we got to hear just how annoyed he was. Some media labelled it ‘rude’ others  referred to him as ‘losing his Royal cool’. This new incident off the back of a previous pen mishap he’d days earlier when he wanted his desk cleared and motioned angrily at his aides to do it, is a reminder, as if we needed it, that he is under phenomenal pressure, in trying circumstances, and he is handling it 'differently' to how we might. But then again, how do we know how we'd handle anything like this? We're not royals, and as much as we like to think they're 'just human' or 'just like you and me'.. they're not, they're a different breed. As long time listeners will know, I travelled on a plane with King Charles once. Prince back then, obviously. We were on Singapore Airlines, in First Class

Our largest education union says the Government's attempt to fix workforce shortages has missed the mark. Labour has announced up to one thousand new teachers will be recruited, mostly from overseas and more scholarships will be funded for people wanting to become teachers mid-career. NZEI President Liam Rutherford told Kate Hawkesby things have changed since 30 years ago when funding systems were set up. He says there are some roles which aren't being filled. Rutherford says we don't have the right specialist roles like speech language therapists and education psychologists and in the current environment it's kids who are missing out. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The queue of people lining up to see the Queen lying in state is now more than four kilometres long. Her Majesty's coffin has been transported from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on a gun carriage, with the new King and other Royals following behind. The procession itself was silent, except for the firing of guns at Hyde Park and the chiming of Big Ben. But Newstalk ZB's Anna Burns Francis told Kate Hawkesby the queue of people lining to see the Queen is growing by the minute. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Slight GDP growth is expected in the second quarter. It follows a 0.2 percent fall for the first three months of the year. ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley says while it's hard to predict at the moment, his best guess is a 1.2 percent rise. He told Kate Hawkesby while it's not a sure thing, there are some promising signs. Tuffley says air travel and construction looked like they performed well. The GDP figures will be revealed at 10:45 this morning. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So the Government’s looking at potential scope for a Covid review, and “taking advice”. That in and of itself should ring alarm bells given no government has ordered more reviews than this lot. They ordered reviews like a teenager ordering Uber Eats with their parents credit card. Reviews all round, bugger the expense. So now to pause, reflect, and take advice, seems out of character. It seems a stalling technique.  That aside, the taking advice bit is the other thing this Government’s record has been questionable on. They talked a big game – and often – about all the ‘advice’ they were taking – but then more times than not, didn’t take any of it. Case and point being anything Treasury ever said to them. It included advice from the business sector, real people, organisations, even their own review committees. But one sector they did seem to take a lot of advice from during Covid was the domain of the scientist and the epidemiologist. And fair enough, in the early days of confusion and uncertainty around a vir

An announcement is expected from the Government today regarding education. One thing being looked at is how to recruit more teachers. We know we need them, especially in rural schools. Tertiary education provider Te Rito Maioha is responding to the shortage. They're launching teaching courses that are specifically aimed to get more rural teachers. Academic leader of their primary programmes Anthony Fisher joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A win for residents who've been fighting for Christchurch City Council to reject housing density plans for the city, but it's not over yet. Ten councillors have voted no to the Government’s plans to allow up to three homes of three storeys each on most sections across the city without consent. Five councillors voted yes, one abstained and one was absent The council will now write to Environment Minister David Parker to ask that Christchurch be exempt from being a tier one city.  Riccarton Bush-Kilmarnock Residents’ Association chair Tony Simons told Kate Hawkesby one-size-fits-all isn't appropriate for housing He says the council is now asking for a bespoke plan for the city, instead of one that was designed for Auckland. The Government could decide to put a commissioner in place, or appoint a Crown manager, to push through the rules. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Severe weather is being blamed by some for soaring food prices. Annual food prices have shot up to the highest rate in 13 years. Stats New Zealand says it cost 8.3 percent more to buy food this August, compared with last year. Vegetables New Zealand Chair John Murphy told Kate Hawkesby the weather's been horrendous. He says severe weather isn't something that starts in 2050, businesses are facing the impacts of it now. Murphy says increases in diesel, fertiliser, power costs and staffing shortages are also impacting. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What a relief and not before time that we’re waving goodbye to the traffic light system. Big raps to the Government for getting their heads around that. We’ve moved on, and so should they. It was apparent yesterday when Grant Robertson said to Mike Hosking that they’ll ‘still take Covid seriously’ that they were laying the ground work for the naysayers, the panickers, those who’d freak out, that they were ‘still taking it seriously’, even though they were heaving the system out.  I don’t know if that reassured mask lovers or not. I do think it’s a crock they’ve kept the mask rule for pharmacies, that seems a waste of time, I was talking to a pharmacist yesterday whose sick to death of wearing a mask all day, seems unfair they’ve been captured by that rule. The greatest irony of the whole spiel from the PM though had to be when she said, “we take back control.” Ironic when this entire exercise has been about them having control. Then there’s the public holiday announcement. I really feel for small business her

South Canterbury will ask residents if its anniversary day should be moved to the same day as Canterbury. As things stand, South Canterbury anniversary day is September 26, the same day as the country's one-off public holiday to mark Queen Elizabeth II's death. Waimate District Mayor Craig Rowley told Kate Hawkesby they're looking to change the day to November 11, Canterbury Anniversary day. He says businesses are probably keen for the Queen's Memorial Day and Anniversary Day to be the same day - but the general consensus among most people is shifting it's a good idea. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Due to global supply chain issues, some shipping companies are leaving New Zealand off their schedule entirely. This is of course causing massive headaches for companies who rely on export. Rockit Global are a Hawke’s Bay based apple company whose largest export market is China. They were concerned this year's apples wouldn't make it by sea and normal air freight was too pricey. So they've managed to convince Air New Zealand to stack some of their planes heading to China with the apples. CEO of Rockit Mark O'Donnell joined Kate Hawkesby on Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Praise for an easing of restrictions from our retail sector. Covid-19 restrictions have been scrapped almost completely, with only aged care facilities and hospitals still requiring masks. Retail NZ Chief Executive Greg Harford says it takes away a lot of tension and confusion around exemptions that retail workers had to deal with. He told Kate Hawkesby he doesn't expect many retailers to ask their customers to mask up. Harford says many workers were on the receiving end of verbal abuse and even violence after asking people to mask up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So today is D-day on the traffic light system and whether it continues for us or not. Let’s hope not. I’m optimistic – but the caveat is, this Government likes control. This system was all about control, and to ditch it is to lose that. Problem is, and part of the reason I think they’ll ditch it, is that we’ve all ditched it anyway. Sick of masks and controls and traffic lights and restrictions, coupled with seeing Covid in the community for what it really is these days, which is a non-event, we’ve voted with our feet, or our faces. I was out and about at the weekend both in town and in the country, and you can count on one hand whose still wearing masks. Those of us with school aged children who’ve been buying an endless supply of masks for our kids to wear to school are sick of buying them, the kids are sick of wearing them, and as summer approaches and the weather heats up, they’re actually finding it unbearable to wear them. Teachers too. So we know most of us won’t miss them. But will the Government miss

A New Zealand Defence Force contingent will join the Commonwealth Forces marching contingent at Queen Elizabeth's funeral. More than 30 personnel from the Navy, Army, Air Force and Defence civilians have started to leave for London. Deputy Contingent Commander Lieutenant Colonel Edward Craw says told Kate Hawkesby  they'll arrive at a barracks near London and start rehearsals for the funeral procession. He says a small group of Colonel Commandants, retired Army officers from this country, will be on a separate programme operating close to Defence staff in the UK. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey joined Early Edition as Queen Elizabeth II's coffin was carried into the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh after a crowd-lined final journey from Balmoral. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says our Covid-19 traffic light system is no longer needed. Jacinda Ardern will announce Cabinet's decision on whether to do away with it at 4pm. National Party Covid-19 spokesperson Chris Bishop says compliance with mask wearing is waning. He told Kate Hawkesby he reckons the timing is right. Bishop says now that cases are falling and we're past the winter peak, it's time to move on. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's city rail link is the project that appears to keep bleeding money with no end date in sight. The public has already been warned there has been a cost blowout of the originally budgeted $4.4b project. But now bosses have admitted they have no idea when the project will be completed. They even haven't ruled out works going beyond 2025. Chief executive of Auckland Business Chamber, Simon Bridges joined Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I visited my parents on Waiheke yesterday and my Mum was telling me a story about an Uber driver she’d had in town who was taking her through Auckland’s CBD, which – as most Aucklanders know, is a bit of a dive these days and certainly not easy to navigate if you’re in a car. They’ve made it so impossible to drive through the city now – that like most cities these days - if you’re in a car you’re punished, they’d prefer you on a bus or a bike.  But that doesn’t work for everybody and this driver was telling Mum how he'd been transporting a passenger with a disability, who was unable to get on a bus or ride a bike, so he was driving her to her destination, and it became apparent there was nowhere for him to stop to let her out. He realised that with all the parking taken away and all the cycle lanes and enlarged pedestrian paths, he’d have to stop a fair way from where she needed to get to, and she would have to walk back.  Worried about his duty as an Uber driver to deliver her safely to her destination, he p