Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Harry and Meghan have rarked me up more than usual lately. I think it’s because the delusion now seems so embedded, that their lost grip on reality has lost more and more of us along the way. I mean, how do we keep up?   People often misinterpret me when I comment on Harry and Meghan, so let me be as clear as I can. I wish them no ill will. I, like many others was happy for them to pull the plug on royal life and disappear into the private quiet life they said they so desperately craved. No problem with that at all. My problem with them stems from all the hypocrisy that followed.  It turned out it wasn’t so much a private life they were after, but a very publicised lucrative flogging of the royal family to anyone who would listen and pay top dollar. But the spleen venting has gone on and on and on to the point now where the Prince is even doing live on-air diagnoses with a trauma specialist. This is where Chris Rock comes in.  For the second time in a month, Harry and Meghan have been ridiculed on television

Forest Lifeforce Restoration Trust have almost got the formula for reintroducing kiwi to areas with otherwise low populations. The trust has improved numbers so much that the kiwi population is able to increase significantly on their own. Save the Kiwi has been steadfast in supporting this project, and chief executive Michelle Impey joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Government debt is lower than forecast, but financial pressures loom on the horizon. The Government's interim financial statement shows net debt is at $70.5 billion in the seven months to the end of January. It's $3.5 billion less than expected, mostly due to the Super Fund gaining value. Infometrics Chief Economist Brad Olsen told Kate Hawkesby it might be time to rein in the spending due to material shortages and inflation. He says the Government has to make a clear list of its financial priorities and potentially re-shuffle or scale back the spending. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has been disappointment Waka Kotahi is slipping behind in installing median barriers, while surpassing speed targets. A Road to Zero target aims to have 1000km of median barriers by 2030, but is projected to fall short by half. Meanwhile, the agency has exceeded its target of assessing speeds on 10,000km of road. AA Road Safety Spokesperson Dylan Thompson told Kate Hawkesby 100km of barriers should be installed every year. He says they didn't think it was a hugely ambitious target when it was set, but they haven't managed to get close to it so far.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I just wonder how, almost a month on since the cyclone, there are some pockets of small communities around the country still struggling with absolutely no assistance or help from anyone.  I heard some callers to this station yesterday saying how abandoned they feel, or how left out their area feels. No council, no government ministers, no police, nothing. No resources, no manpower, no input. Some orchardist’s say they feel completely bereft of any support. And I can't understand it.. millions of dollars have been raised, donations were sent in their droves, people flooded into the area to help. So, how is it possible there are some people still without any support at all?  Where has all the money and resources gone? Who's running the show on the ground? How much are people still relying on friends, family, and neighbours instead of professional resources? How are all the tonnes of silt going to get cleared? How have more diggers and trucks not been brought in? Where is the practical assistance? How are orchar

Changes are on the way to manage overcrowding at the Cardrona and Treble Cone ski fields. The changes include a multi-day pass, where visitors will be asked to choose which day and time they'll visit the mountain. If the mountain is full, they'll be denied access. General Manager Laura Hedley says the aim is to improve the experience for everyone. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The trucking sector says transport decisions are never a black and white either/or situation. Newstalk ZB's newsroom yesterday revealed officials were thrashing out a plan to put emissions reduction as their top priority. Hours later, the Government announced the focus would instead be on rebuilding the roading network, following Cyclone Gabrielle. Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett told Kate Hawkesby he's heartened to see the government commitment to restoring roads. He says we need both good roads and good public transport. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don't forget to fill out your Census today - if you haven't already. Everyone staying in New Zealand tonight is required by law to complete the form. The Census helps create a clear picture of community needs so government agencies, councils, iwi, community groups and businesses can respond. However, Massey University's Emeritus Paul Spoonley told Kate Hawkesby there are some groups that aren't willing to give up any information.  He says officials are working to convince them otherwise.  The collection period has been extended for cyclone-impacted areas until June first. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people are picking a further fall in house prices. In the latest ASB Housing Confidence Survey, 43-percent of respondents expect house prices to fall in the coming year. People living outside Auckland and Canterbury are particularly pessimistic. ASB Senior Economist Kim Mundy says this is a shift, as Aucklanders and Cantabrians were previously more pessimistic. The survey also found three quarters of respondents expect higher interest rates over the coming year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think what Luxon did right in his State of the Nation, was to remind us of all the wastefulness of this government.  One of the things I worry about is that we have short memories; you know come October 14th do we still remember MIQ, inaccessibility to RAT tests, multiple lockdowns, or thousands of cancelled surgeries? Do people still care – or will they have they moved on by then?  It’s a fine line of course for an opposition party. On the one hand you don’t want to be seen as too negative or whiney, you have to be seen to offer up new policies and new ideas but it is still important to remind voters why there’s a choice. After all, governments get voted out, oppositions don't get voted in.  So reminding people of all the billions on consultants, a bloated public service, a cost of living crisis, rising interest rates, woeful education stats, and a ballooning hospital waiting list has merit. I mean we already know, but it’s confronting when you hear it all laid out and that’s what the Nats will be banking

National is labelling the Government's new transport strategy as "absolute madness". The plan –which is still being worked on– puts climate change as the top priority and dictates where tens of billions of dollars will be spent in the next three years. It will go out for consultation this year. The proposed changes will see two billion dollars of maintenance money spent on the likes of bus lanes and cycleways, rather than fixing potholes. National Transport Spokesperson Simeon Brown told Kate Hawkesby that money for maintenance should be spent on just that. He says we have potholes peppering our highways and those need fixing, rather than work being done on cycleways. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Banks. They're a nice, big, slow moving target, so it's pretty easy to throw mud and have at least some of it stick. Right now, with higher interest rates and more importantly fat margins between what they pay us for our deposits, and what we pay them for our mortgages. The sun is shining for the Banks and they're making' hay. And the numbers are pretty big. Westpac's most recent result was $1.16 billion for the year, up 12 percent. ANZ was at $2.3 billion and increased of 20, yeah 20, percent. You're probably aware from what we've heard his past few days, that if you shop around you don't have to pay the published mortgage rate. If you tell them such and such bank down the road is offering a fraction less, you'll be surprised how quickly they'll drop their pants. Same too, by the way, with term deposits.   Rather than just let those roll over, you simply have to ask and they'll grudgingly give you a little more.  Not much, but it's the principle of the thing. So are the banks being greedy. Well, yes, of

A well-known scientist says New Zealanders need to stop burning wood, to help curb two of the country's silent killers. Stats NZ indicator data, following a 10-year study, has found two air pollutants are quietly contributing to thousands of premature deaths each year. The two pollutants of concern, linked with pollution from vehicles and fireplaces, are PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide. Auckland University aerosol chemist Joel Rindelaub told Tim Dower combustion products create toxic cancer causing chemicals. He says sitting around a bonfire might be a fun activity to do, but it creates dangerous chemicals in the process. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calls for a banking sector market study are ramping up, after the Reserve Bank asked for one earlier this week. Bank profits have never been higher than those reported last year, it was the first time they’ve ever cracked $6 billion. Public Policy group Monopoly Watch has set out the terms of reference it thinks the Commerce Commission could use. Massey University Banking Associate Professor Claire Matthews told Tim Dower she isn't convinced it's a job for the Commerce Commission. But she says there's a lot of people that think it would be a good idea and it wouldn't do any harm. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes to rental laws to make properties warm and dry have driven up rents, which are now at record highs, according to a survey commissioned by the Government. The survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, found that a quarter of landlords put up rents in the six months before May 2022, and one of the most popular reasons for this was increased costs lumped on by the Government. Housing Minister Megan Woods said the survey reflected “the advice I have that there is not enough evidence to suggest regulatory changes are the main cause for rent increases”. But National says the survey provides evidence about what it has been saying regarding the law changes since they were originally legislated in Labour’s first term. Housing spokesman Chris Bishop said, “rents are up $150 per week under Labour and are a big driver of our cost-of-living crisis. The data is clear that Labour’s war on landlords is harming the very people they’re trying to help - tenants”. But Infometrics economist an

So just when we thought we may never hear from Sir Ashley again – up he popped yesterday defending the public service.  He was claiming they’re all neutral but do we believe him? It probably doesn’t matter because the man in question, Rob Campbell, and his particular lack of neutrality is no longer an issue.. given he’s been sacked. Not a great week for him having lost his Health NZ gig only then to have rumours swirling of David Parker also  being about to swing the axe on his other job as the Environmental Protection Authority Chair too. So, in a week, two jobs gone, and ironically the firing being done by two of the tamer members of the Labour party, really. I did not see Ayesha Verrall as someone who could fire anyone, she looks like the sweetest person on earth, so that was a turn up for the books. But David Parker too, I mean when you think of big swinging guns inside the Labour party, Verrall and Parker don’t ordinarily spring to mind. But let’s be honest, the person loading the bullets was most likely

Napier's Mayor is pleased with increased police support for Hawke's Bay. Two mobile police bases have been set up in the area, at Bay View and Puketapu, and a third is on the way. It follows concerns about crime in the area, which made some residents keen to take up arms. Kirsten Wise says residents weren't feeling heard. She told Kate Hawkesby keeping residents feeling safe is an ongoing process. Wise says she will keep in touch with locals abut whether they think they have enough support. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I see universities are asking students to come back to lectures in person because the low attendance is apparently ‘demoralising’ staff.  Covid lockdowns and closures saw more classes go online and as it turns out, many find that preferable to having to rock up in person. It is also no doubt a contributing factor to our truancy levels at school.  Once you stop something and let students know it’s OK to pause it, or to do it remotely, then guess what - they’re going to take that and run with it.  The reasons for not showing up to lectures I can imagine are similar to the reasons we skipped lectures back in my day. Sometimes just getting to uni is a hassle with traffic, public transport (if you’re in Auckland especially), weather, sickness, lack of parking, lack of bus services, and probably also lack of interest. I mean why trek all the way in if you don’t have to?  If you can have it beamed into your bedroom in the comfort of your own home, why wouldn’t you?  Obviously we didn’t have that option when I was at

You can guess what the conversation around the water cooler will be about today; the Blackcaps and that staggering win at the Basin Reserve. They took the victory by one run in the second test against England in an absolute nail-biter to the end. Newstalk ZB cricket journalist Andrew Alderson caught all the action at the Basin and joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few are surprised to learn that house values have fallen again. This time, it's by one percent for February, the largest monthly decline since October last year. It's in the latest CoreLogic report and chief property economist Kelvin Davidson joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.