Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

I’m just wondering if, when the PM announces they’re dropping mandates and vaccine passes, they could also drop the scaremongering epidemiologists? Seriously, can we please retire them?  The hysteria is over, the peak is passing, in the grand total of two years of this pandemic, fewer than ten percent of New Zealanders actually caught Covid, many more had their lives disrupted and damaged in ways some may never get over. We need to draw a line in the sand. I’d love to know if the hysterical headlines are still getting the clicks. Is anyone even interested in reading or hearing from these guys anymore? Yesterday’s drama from Rod Jackson was that hospitals were overwhelmed, that it’s too soon to drop mandates.  Spoiler alert – the hospitals are not overwhelmed, a point even Jackson conceded, the health sector is actually coping, which is what other health professionals including Saint Ashley himself say too. They were probably under worse stress with RSV last year. We had an employment lawyer on the show yester

A prediction New Zealand will provide military aid to Ukraine in the near future. The Government is giving an extra $5 million to sure up fuel supplies, rations and medical kits.  The Defence Force is offering just over a thousand body armour plates and around 500 each of helmets and camouflage vests. Otago University's Professor Robert Patman says what Russia's doing in Ukraine is a huge challenge to the rules-based international order. He says there's a growing realisation the rest of the world has to communicate to the Putin regime that this is unacceptable, and New Zealand has to do its bit. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Act Party says New Zealand is out of step with its traditional allies, and should show a united front. The Government is stepping up support to Ukraine with an extra $5 million to bolster the supply of fuel, rations and medical kits.  The Defence Force is offering just over a thousand body armour plates, and around 500 each of helmets and camouflage vests. Act leader David Seymour told Kate Hawkesby New Zealand can't afford to be apart from the rest of the free world, which is being challenged in a Cold War-esque way. He says it's brutal and awful, and we need to start confronting it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A couple of students from Massey University have developed technology to help farmers monitor their cow's health. Their start-up Protag has developed small device clips that go onto a cow's ear, from there it transmits important data to farmers about the cow's health. They've raised $1m from investors to fast-track the development of the ear tag sensors. Co-founder of Protag Tyrel Glass joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Saturday that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a “turning point for the world,” arguing that a victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces would herald “a new age of intimidation.”But the British leader was accused by opponents of making a crass comparison by likening Ukraine’s fight against invasion to the U.K.’s exit from the European Union.Speaking to a Conservative Party conference in Blackpool, northwest England, Johnson claimed Putin was “terrified” that the example of a free Ukraine would spark a pro-democracy revolution in Russia.“That is why he is trying so brutally to snuff out the flame of freedom in Ukraine and that’s why it is so vital that he fails,” Johnson said.“A victorious Putin will not stop in Ukraine. And the end of freedom in Ukraine will mean the extinction of any hope of freedom in Georgia and then Moldova, it will mean the beginning of a new age of intimidation across Eastern Europe from the Baltic to the Black Sea,” Johnson said.Joh

I popped into my local Dairy the other day and was surprised to see two Policemen standing there.I asked if they’d had a burglary, and one of the owners told me, not today, the Police were just here talking to them about safety protocols and how to beef up security. I asked why, had something happened.They said they’d been ram raided, and since then they’d installed a fog cannon machine which she pointed to on the ceiling – a large contraption resembling an air-conditioning unit which, once a button is pressed by staff, sends immediate fog throughout the shop allowing staff to scramble and escape quickly if an intruder came in with a weapon.Sounded more LA than Auckland, but here we are. It’s becoming commonplace apparently in many cities throughout the country now. I asked her if she or the staff felt scared or worried, or whether they largely feel safe at work. She said the threat of intruders with weapons is always a worry and they want to ensure everyone feels as safe as possible.The problem with the ram

Fresh concerns around the sustainability of tourism.It comes as the country is set to reopen to international tourists from next month onwards.Massey University Development Studies Professor Regina Scheyvens told Kate Hawkesby good progress has been made by implementing the Tiaki promise, but more can be done.“That could be elevated more in terms of the awareness of all visitors coming to New Zealand about what they should be promising to do to be good guests.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ifs, buts and maybes will haunt the White Ferns.Stand-in captain Amy Satterthwaite admitted as much while poring over the immediate aftermath of New Zealand's agonising one-wicket defeat to England at Eden Park on Sunday, a result that all but ends their World Cup semifinal hopes.Three tight pool matches – the tournament-opening three-run loss to the West Indies; two-wicket defeat against South Africa and this latest near miss – will prove costly in the quest to reach the knockouts.The White Ferns could have reversed each of those defeats but they all carry the familiar theme of batting collapses and not scoring enough runs.The rollercoaster of emotions was still raw when Satterthwaite, filling in for injured captain Sophie Devine, fronted after England held on for a tense victory that confined the White Ferns to two wins from six games."If you see our changing room at the moment it's difficult for everybody regardless of how experienced or old or young. Everyone is devastated," Satterthwaite said."We're

The Government's review of our Covid mandates is being described as a political tactic.Cabinet meets today to discuss whether the current rules should be eased over the coming weeks.Mandates, vaccine passes and the traffic light framework are all expected to be on the agenda.Buddle Findlay Employment and Health Lawyer Sheridan Cook told Kate Hawkesby the timing is questionable, given our hospitalisation rate is still so high.“I think it’s a response to the recent New Zealand Defence Force and Police High Court decision. When that decision came out which overturned mandates, my view is that the Government either needed to appeal that decision or it needed to abolish the other mandates.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An MIQ hotel has promised workers the living wage once it goes back to hospitality. Managed Isolation and Quarantine will be a four hotel operation by the end of June, but there's been concerns they'd be dropping back to a lower pay rate. Rydges Auckland has confirmed it will pay workers the Living Wage of $22.75 permanently. Unite Union National Secretary John Crocker told Tim Dower they're now trying to get the other hotels to follow suit. He's optimistic about some, but not others. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With borders opening, there are concerns as to whether Immigration New Zealand can meet demand. Apparently not, according to National's Immigration spokesperson Erica Stanford. Standford says the only reason the border reopening is being delayed for those that need visas to get into the country, is because Immigration NZ can't meet demand. Principal immigration lawyer at NZ Immigration Law Aaron Martin joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The news that Transmission Gully will finally open at the end of this month certainly surprised a few. The motorway hasn't been a great advertisement for large roading projects and there are concerns its failures may impact support for future projects. Nick Leggett from Transporting New Zealand joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I hold out hope that media reports that Russia’s ugly war could be over in about 10 days prove true. I also hold out hope that claims peace talks are working, prove to be true. Because even if this does wrap up after a month, which in the grand scheme of wars seems a relatively short time, it has nonetheless been utterly heart breaking, painful and abhorrent to watch. And that’s part of the problem, we’ve seen it all unfold in front of us for the past 3 weeks like a horror show we just can’t switch off. It feels as though condemnation of Putin is everywhere around us here – yet it’s actually not. I posted something on Instagram about the war being hard to watch and I was staggered to get responses from Russians living in New Zealand, saying, ‘what war?, it’s not a war, you are misinformed.’ I had up until then assumed this brainwashing was restricted to inside Russia only, but a Russian friend of mine here said there are Russians, who despite being here, still tap into only Russian news sources and still beli

St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Ireland are making up for a lack of cheer over the past couple of years.   Since 2020 events organised for the holiday have had to be restricted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.   However, Tourism Ireland’s Siobhan McManamy told Kate Hawkesby this year’s events are going ahead at full force.   “We’re back to parades in every small town and village.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis is continuing her rapid rise in the National Party. Yesterday, she was confirmed as the party's new Finance spokesperson. Arguably, the Finance portfolio is the toughest role to have in Cabinet. Infometrics senior economist Brad Olsen joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss what makes a good Finance Minister. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand will need to step up its marketing to Australia, ahead of our border opening to them. Vaccinated Australians can come here from April 13 and those in other countries with relevant visas can come here from May 2. Travel marketing consultant, Trish May, told Kate Hawkesby Tourism New Zealand has been keeping the name of New Zealand in the minds of the Australian consumer. And she says a lot of Australians came to visit from April to July when the trans-Tasman bubble was open. “So, we haven’t been completely off the radar with Australia, but certainly the opportunity is there now to get going and roll out the welcome mat.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I must admit I haven’t actually read his book, but I am reliably informed that Simon Bridges said in it that he was staying in politics despite getting dumped as leader, to fight the good fight.  Hence his announcement that he’s now quitting parliament, surprised me. Why now? Surely with a government on the ropes, a promising new opposition leader and potentially a bright future as a senior player within the National Party, there was good reason to stay. But I guess he worked out that long term, any return to leadership is now out. He says there’s no precipitating reason, that he just felt it was time. A personal decision he says, at 45 years old with 3 kids under 10, he said those metrics were important, and he’s making the call for the right reasons – family. But also, the commercial opportunities a new career direction holds. And that part he seems to be touting quite a lot, including what he referred to as "a media project or two” which sounds like: A) like he’s got something already planned, and B) it ma

The bringing forward of entry dates for tourists is expected to help with the Australian market but not for the long-haul one. It's understood fully vaccinated Australians will be able to arrive from April 12, without self-isolating. Visitors from other countries New Zealand has visa waiver arrangements with, like the United Kingdom, will be able to come in the following weeks. Nomad Safaris owner, David Gatward-Ferguson, told Kate Hawkesby it will help get Australians here for the ski season but says a year is needed to plan travel from further afield. “We won’t see internationals long-haul until next year, which will be way, way too late.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's hoped a new long covid advisory group focuses on developing treatments not just rehab.   Long covid is used to describe cases of people who have symptoms that continue or develop more than 12 weeks after getting the virus.   An expert advisory group is being set up to provide GPs with advice on how to help people who suffer from prolonged illness.   This includes advice around a rehabilitation framework.   Auckland University immunologist Anna Brooks told Kate Hawkesby the group also needs to be looking into the most up to date research into treatments. “Really the urgency lies with needing to treat people.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accusations of songs plagiarising or copying other songs isn't new. But copyright infringement cases are big business in the United States. Ed Sheeran is currently in court arguing he didn't plagiarise his song Shape of You. While Katy Perry has just won an appeal against an artist claiming she ripped him off with her song Dark Horse. Judith Finell is a forensic musicologist who's testified at several infringement cases and she joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.