Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

I'm wondering how long we're going to turn a blind eye to youth crime for. ACT came out with a plan to try tackle it in its law-and-order policy the other day, but that's about it. Ironically, as David Seymour was on the street talking about how to tackle youth crime, 5 storeys above him on the side of a building, youths were busy tagging.  But it's no longer just an Auckland problem - we had the Palmerston North mall attack the other day - and the Queensgate mall in Lower Hutt is also proving an issue. There've been a raft of brutal assaults around there, school students being targeted for their phones, or intimidated and harassed, and the other day a 14-year-old had his front teeth knocked out in a brutal attack. It was reported he now has to wear a brace to hold his teeth in place and blend up his food in order to eat it. He's just 14. The Lower Hutt Mayor says it's 'deeply concerning', he's 'appalled' by the number of attacks in the area.  But this is where it gets left to the community to fix these probl

Two lawyers and two journalists are suing the CIA, saying the agency violated their constitutional rights when it obtained copies of the contents of their electronic devices and helped enable the recording of their meetings with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange during the latter part of his seven-year stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. The plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages in a lawsuit filed Monday in Manhattan federal court. New York lawyers Margaret Ratner Kunstler and Deborah Hrbek, along with journalists John Goetz, who lives in Germany, and Charles Glass, who lives in England, alleged that the CIA got the information through a deal with UC Global, a private security company that was based in Spain and provided security at the embassy. The lawsuit said they suffered considerable emotional distress and anxiety from the uncertainty and concerns about how their personal and privileged information was being used. They said the illegal spying may have violated the rights of over 100 Amer

I can’t work out if this Sharma stuff is something voters care about or not. It’s a lot of he said / she said. It’s a lot of claim and counter claim – it’s something we may never really get to the bottom of given Labour ruled out an independent investigation. That in and of itself may tell us something actually. The way it’s been handled by the party – a clearly furious Ardern and Robertson, shows that for all the talk of kindness and kumbaya, they couldn’t have been less kind in the way they’ve dealt with all this. So Sharma’s been suspended, which really solves nothing. On top of that, and even worse in my view, is that we learn yesterday that prior to yesterday’s Zoom caucus meeting, they’d already had another secret meeting the night before. Worse yet, when Sharma leaked that info to the media, the Prime Minister’s office disputed it. Didn’t outright deny it, but disputed it. The PM was eventually forced to confirm it after Sharma provided proof of it, with a shot someone inside the caucus had sent him, o

Labour MP Gaurav Sharma's future is uncertain. The Hamilton West MP has been suspended from the caucus after what Jacinda Ardern called repeated breaches of trust. A review will take place in December about whether he will be allowed to return. Former Labour and New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says politics is a tough game which not everyone is suited to. He told Kate Hawkesby Sharma could go down a couple of different paths. Jones says if he wants to make money he should move on, but if he wants to make drama he should try to set up a by-election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank is expected to raise the Official Cash Rate by 50 basis points again today. Making it an unprecedented fourth consecutive hike. To give us more insight is Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen who joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A nutritionist says junk food affects how well kids perform in schools. Auckland's Western Springs College is the latest school to ban food delivery services, due to environmental concerns. Nutritionist Nikki Hart told Kate Hawkesby kids have to remain cognitive in school. She says parents need to understand their kids can't do well and feel good on a diet of junk food. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Albanese has revealed "there may be more" portfolios that former prime minister Scott Morrison secretly appointed himself to, as he launches an investigation into the bombshell revelations. Describing the situation as "extraordinary" and "unprecedented", the Prime Minister said he simply could not understand the mindset that decided keeping Morrison's extraordinary move a secret was a good idea. So far, it has emerged that Morrison was appointed as a Minister for Health, Finance and Resources during his time in power through a secret mechanism that did not require him to make the change public. Only then-Health Minister Greg Hunt was aware that Morrison was joining his portfolio. Cabinet will be briefed on the unfolding scandal this morning, but preliminary advice suggests that the three portfolios that Morrison is believed to have been secretly appointed to may not be the full extent of the changes. "There may well be more,'' Albanese told ABC Radio National on Tuesday. "But I'll have more to say abo

I talked this time yesterday about the reshaping our streets proposals coming to a street near you, and I notice the Road to Zzero campaign in full swing alongside it too. Our roads are changing, you can see it happening already, and there’s more where that came from. And the Greens are taking credit for it. Julie Ann Genter was saying yesterday it’s “years of pressure from the Greens” that is bringing this stuff to fruition. And as we talked about earlier, new speed cameras are coming now too. These cameras take two pictures at different spots in order to work out your car's average speed, rather than just a spot speed read, but not only that, as we know they’ll also capture a clear enough image to include more offences – like tailgating or drivers using cellphones or not wearing seatbelts. The Waka Kotahi is calling them "safety cameras", and according to one article I read that’s ‘a Cabinet-ordered attempt to shift the public away from perceptions that safety cameras are an enforcement, revenue-gathering t

Labour's special caucus meeting to decide the fate of MP Dr Gaurav Sharma will be held this afternoon. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed yesterday Labour's caucus would meet this week to discuss the fallout of Sharma's public allegations of bullying within the party against specific MPs. The meeting will be held at 2.30pm today over Zoom, given MPs are currently spread out across the country during recess. Ardern will hold a press conference following the meeting at about 4pm. The NZ Herald has reported it is almost certain Sharma will face a vote to suspend or expel him from Labour's caucus for his repeated salvoes at the party. Just prior to Ardern's post-Cabinet press conference yesterday, Sharma published his latest Facebook post concerning allegations of bullying by Labour's former chief whip, Kieran McAnulty, among others. He also attached screenshots of messages allegedly from other MPs who he claimed had also been bullied. Sharma's chances of escaping a vote appeared bleak unless he backed down:

Despite the Government seeming to be spending money elsewhere, they've given early childhood teachers the rough end of the stick. It's come out that the Government reduced pay parity funding for ECE teachers in the May budget, to keep it's education spending within agreed limits. It also scaled-back subsidy increases for education providers. Chief executive of the Early Childhood Council Simon Laube joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cameras hidden around Auckland by a government agency have recorded the better part of 1000 drivers per day unlawfully using their phones behind the wheel, the Herald can reveal. The cameras were installed at three secret spots by Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency) as part of a six-month safety trial. Police are not involved in the trial and the findings will not lead to enforcement action or warning letters, the agency said. The findings for the first weeks of the trial, obtained by the Herald under the Official Information Act, revealed the shocking extent of illegal phone use - including texting - while driving in the Super City. Last year, the total number of infringement notices issued by police for illegal use of mobile phones while driving was 40,976 nationally. But the Waka Kotahi trial data shows there were 44,358 mobile phone use offences detected from May 24 to July 16 this year in Auckland alone, from a total of 3,662,024 vehicles travelling past the camera sites. That works out as an average of 83

I see the latest attempt by councils to control our lives and get us all out of our cars is to axe the school drop off. Actually it’s not fair to just lay the blame at the feet of councils; these powers are allegedly going to be given to them by the Minister of Transport Michael Wood. So it’s more anti-car government ideology creeping into our lives at every turn. You’ve probably already noticed the spate of extra speed humps, pedestrian crossings, increased sets of traffic lights and cycle ways squeezing our roads. But wait, there’s more. The Minster wants councils to ‘restrict traffic outside schools to encourage parents and children to walk and cycle’. As if that will work. The same way getting us all on buses and bikes haven’t worked. The government claims it will improve exercise safety. I say it will just add to more congestion. You tell me how many parents, in the middle of a wet winter, with kids battling all kinds of winter ills and chills, how many of them are going to suddenly pop all those kids on

All eyes are on the Labour Party with bullying accusations against MPs. Hamilton West MP Gaurav Sharma has accused party whips and the Parliamentary Service of bullying. But Sharma himself has also been accused of bad behaviour by previous staff. A senior staffer has also made allegations against first term Tukituki MP Anna Lorck. Former Labour Party staffer Shane Te Pou told Kate Hawkesby from what he can see, whips handled Sharma appropriately. He says Sharma had a high turnover of staff, so the party put a staffing freeze in place and tried to provide support. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A grim milestone for Afghanistan; today marks one year since the Taliban's takeover. A year on, a new World Vision report paints a dire picture with the country's children facing starvation, forced child marriage and child labour. World Vision Afghanistan National Director Asuntha Charles told Kate Hawkesby the situation on the ground is changing day by day. She's concerned people no longer care. With crises increasing globally, she says people are forgetting about Afghanistan, but the crisis is not yet over. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I see the latest outburst of thuggery from our youth happened at a Palmerston North shopping mall. 30 teens ‘rampaged through it’, stealing, smashing things, throwing glass at staff, kicking them. Here’s the rub: they came back the next day bold as brass to skite about their performance and mock staff they'd abused. Understandably, businesses are fearful.  As well as this group’s destructive spree through the place where they also threw chairs, they assaulted a young worker while other offenders cheered on. Police took 20 minutes to arrive apparently, despite the station being two minutes from the mall, and by then a bunch of the teens had escaped, they only managed to round up two girls. But this gang of thugs are relentless, they carry BB guns and knives according to mall businesses, and they don’t fear police. I tell you who is living in fear though, retailers. A contact recently told me a well-known jewellery chain in this country is struggling to get staff to work there anymore given the recent spate of

Surprise about scathing bullying allegations from a back-bench Labour MP. Gaurav Sharma has hit out at bullying between MPs and from parties towards MPs.. He says it's facilitated and promoted by the Prime Minister's Office, the Parliamentary Service, party leaders' offices and party whips' offices. Newstalk ZB Deputy Political Editor Jason Walls told Kate Hawkesby it's rare to see an MP break ranks like this. He says for an MP to call out their party in such a public way is extraordinary. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There will be a lot of nervous rugby fans heading into this weekend. The All Blacks have their redemption test match against the Dpringboks on Sunday morning. But all week, there has been an enormous amount of scrutiny and criticism of the team. Most of it is directed at coach Ian Foster, with pundits warning this could his last match. Sports psychologist Gary Hermansson joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss the impact this criticism may have. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changing university terms may not address the tourism worker shortage, but it could help fill other gaps. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has suggested moving the university year by six weeks so more students can work in tourism and hospitality over summer. It follows the release of a new plan, aimed at boosting the sectors' workforce. Tourism Export Council Chief Executive Lynda Keene told Kate Hawkesby many tourism businesses need workers with particular qualifications, but she isn't opposed to the idea. She says for industries like horticulture, the idea could be very helpful. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although we’re crying out for teachers, I don’t think we’re doing ourselves any favours. Well, certainly not the Teachers Complaints Committee and the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal. Stuff had a story yesterday about a relief teacher at Mt Maunganui College, who objected to two ten year olds in his class sharing headphones listening to music from a cell phone, and drumming on the table, refusing to stop apparently. The teacher tried unsuccessfully to take the phone away, so removed an ear bud from one of the students instead. Cue the hanging offence.  This, the committees from on high decreed, was an act of ‘serious misconduct’ and one that could “adversely affect the students wellbeing..” Now I don’t know if you’ve been in a school lately but there is some serious attitude going on inside many classrooms, and some pretty reprehensible behaviour, much of it stemming from a lack of any respect for authority.  So I can understand this teacher’s frustration. These days you’re expected to be not just teacher but

So, Sam Uffindell has now been stood down from caucus while the National party investigates some new allegations that have come to light from when Uffindell was a uni student. He's been accused of banging on the bedroom door of a female flatmate in 2003, screaming obscenities, she claims he was a bully. The former flatmate says she lived with Uffindell and three other students for several months in Dunedin in 2003, she says he was verbally aggressive.  She says he excessively used alcohol and drugs, and that she didn't feel safe. She eventually moved out, her Dad corroborates her story. And there were other details reported like the flat had no furniture in it, handles had been broken off doors etc. That part of the story I'm afraid is probably to this day the state of many Otago Uni student flats, if not worse. And you could mount an argument that that's flatting culture in a student town like Otago - students sitting around drinking, smoking weed, yelling obscenities, trashing flats.  Doesn't make it right,