Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Kainga Ora is taking a step in the right direction. They have announced a tougher approach to rental debt, but they’re doing it in a fair way which hopefully gives people who intend to pay their rent, but have hit a hurdle, a chance to get back on track.   The debt was kinda crazy. Between 2017 and 2023 the total debt owed to Kainga Ora by its tenants increased from $1million to $21 million.   Now, obviously this period included the Covid days and cost of living crisis, and it would be a little heartless for the government to kick people out of homes during a lockdown, or due to a job loss caused by an unprecedented event like a pandemic. But $21 million - it's a big number!  Kainga Ora has worked hard to reduce the debt. It’s now down from $21.6 million in January 2024 to $16.1 million this January.  It’s a good effort, but clearly things have got out of control, and we're never going to get on top of the numbers.   So the Board of Kainga Ora has decided to help some tenants with sig

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to speak with Donald Trump as tariffs loom.  The US President has said he will announce a 25% import tax on all steel and aluminium entering the country, on top of already existing metal duties.  He implemented a similar policy in his first term, but later granted partners like Australia duty-free quotas.  Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Andrew Dickens the Albanese Government has been preparing for such a decision.  She says it’s been reported that attempts to secure exemptions have been developed behind the scenes.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A greater push for foreign investment in national infrastructure is being warmly received by the sector.   The Government's unveiled plans for a two-day international summit next month where it's inviting 100 global investment leaders.   It plans to highlight investment opportunities, hint at policy changes, and market growing industries.   Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett says the Government's aware it can't fill the infrastructure deficit on its own.   He says foreign investment is a way of helping while making infrastructure perform better.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A banking expert believes New Zealand First's move to fine banks for withdrawing services on environmental or social grounds misunderstands the situation.  MP Andy Foster has introduced a bill to the members' ballot in a bid to ensure banks make withdrawal decisions on a purely commercial basis, with fines of up to half a million.   Massey University banking expert Claire Matthews told Andrew Dickens the move is not surprising but misses the point of why banks are making these choices.   She says the banks decisions are based on risk management, which under the introduced legislation would still be possible, meaning it won't make the difference the party's looking for.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The economy has set the mood for the latest political polling.  Both the Taxpayers' Union Curia poll and the 1 News Verian poll show the left bloc has the numbers to form a government if an election was held today.  Both also have Chris Luxon losing support in the preferred Prime Minister stakes.  Political commentator Brigitte Morten told Andrew Dickens some of the Government's announcements on the economy won't be flowing through yet.  She says a lot of them are also around economic growth, rather than moves that are going to affect households. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It only took nearly twenty years to address, but high school rowing teams will no longer be able to have year 14 students in their crews. These were young people in their 6th year of secondary school.  They gave their crews an advantage because they’d had an extra year of training and development.  It's been a bugbear of many schools wanting a level playing field. Many of the year 14s were back at school finishing their academic work so they could take advantage of rowing scholarships, but the schools still included them in their rep crews. Critics of that decision said the problem was not just the young adults themselves but also the others at school who missed out on a place because of the year 14s. The first moves to police the practice involved age limits, but it still saw year 14 students with birthdays just after the cutoffs competing.  They still brought the advantage of an extra year of training. So now year 14s are gone. And that’s a good thing.  It’s stopped the attitude of schoo

On the Early Edition Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 11th February 2025, Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Nick Leggett tells Andrew Dickens wants he wants to see come out of the Government's two-day Foreign Investment summit.  Claire Matthews, Associate Professor at the Massey University Business school shares her thoughts on an New Zealand First members bill which intends to stop banks withdrawing services from customers for "woke" reasons.  And two recent polls give lean to the left block and spell trouble for the coalition, Political Commentator Brigette Morten gives her take. Australian Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on how Donald Trump's new steel tariffs will impact Australia.  Kendrick Lamar's Superbowl half time show featured latest Grammy winning dis track "Not like us", his brutal takedown of rap rival Drake which earned one billion streams on Spotify.  Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABO

England played France in a good 'good old rugby' showdown over the weekend, beating the French side by just one point. Fans are bringing into question Warren Gatland's coaching abilities after a 14th straight defeat for Wales.  Newstalk ZB's Andrew Alderson joins the show for a rundown of the weekend's sport.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is replacing the current visa settings with two new categories that will see visa settings relaxed.  In a bid to encourage more foreign investment, the Government is introducing the balanced category and the growth category, the latter requiring a minimum a $5 million invested for a minimum of three years.  Auckland Business Chamber Chief Executive Simon Bridges explains the change to Andrew Dickens.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have begun to unplug from Russia's electricity grid and join the EU's network, more than three decades after leaving the Soviet Union.  The three nations will officially transition away from the grid that has connected them to Russia since the years after World War Two and integrate with the European supplied via Poland. UK Correspondent Gavin Gray talks to Andrew Dickens about the separation, a British couple that was found murdered in their French home, and the auctioned-off first edition Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is officially Super Bowl Sunday in the US! The Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Louisiana's Superdome in New Orleans in what is to be a star studded night in sport.  Taking the stage in the half time show performance is rapper Kendrick Lamar.  Sirius XM Radio host Ben Harlum joins the show live from the Super Bowl.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’d like to applaud the outbreak of common sense exhibited by the new Minister of Transport, Chris Bishop. He has decided to revisit some of the blanket speed limits imposed by central Government in the wake of concerns by locals. Let me first say it is the new Government that has imposed blanket speed limits not the last. This new Government has determined that all speed limits should be either 50, 100 or occasionally 11km per hour over all roads. No matter the condition of the roads, their usage or their ability to cope with the higher speeds. They used the phrase blanket speed limits which was a great vote catcher but had little to do with the situation on the ground. The old Government left most speed limits in the hands of local authorities who maintain and operate local roads.   Their roads, their rules. The Labour Government issued a schedule of over 300 sections of road on the state highway network which are the only roads they control. This schedule was put in place over dangerous roads, badly b

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast for Monday 10th February 2025, Auckland Chamber of Commerce CEO Simon Bridges shares his thoughts on the Government relaxing Visa settings to encourage more foreign investment. We head to the US where Superbowl Sunday is underway, Ben Harlum a Radio host at Sirus XM paints a picture of the big day. We get an update on the weekend's sport - Black Caps batter Rachin Ravindra suffered a sickening blow to the head after he appeared to misjudge a catch during their One-Day International victory over Pakistan. And Tiaan Whelpton for setting the second fastest time by a New Zealand 100 metres runner. Andrew applauds the outbreak of common sense exhibited by the new Minister of Transport, Chris Bishop. More than three decades after leaving the Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have begun to unplug from Russia's electricity grid and join the EU's network, Gavin Gray shares the latest. Get the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast every

US allies are broadly rejecting Donald Trump's plans for a US takeover of the Gaza strip.  The US President has again doubled down on the idea, posting on social media that Israel will turn over Gaza to the US when fighting has "concluded".  He's also reiterating his plan to resettle Palestinians in new housing elsewhere in the Middle East.  Correspondent Vincent McAviney says US allies in Europe and the Middle East aren't criticising Trump directly, but they aren't supporting the idea.  He says leaders have been restating their support for a two-state solution, with Palestinians being able to keep their land.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federated Farmers is calling on the Government to double its funding of the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust.  The trust was established to encourage protection of natural and cultural features on private land, without selling or donating it.  But its base government funding runs out in June and is warning it will have to scale back the new covenants it can support.  Vice-president Colin Hurst says the $4.3 million in funding hasn't increased in 10 years, but demand for it has.  He says it's increased from 4,000 to 5,200 covenants —around 28 percent— with no extra funding.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More details have been revealed about a potential deal between the Cook Islands and China.  It's being reported that Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown will travel to Beijing today, where he's expected to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership with China.  MFAT says it would have expected our Government to be consulted by the Pacific nation before such an arrangement is struck, under the free association model.  Geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller told Andrew Dickens the Cook Islands PM has said it's economic focused.  He says it will not contain defence and security, and it's likely to be a comprehensive strategic partnership, something New Zealand signed with China back in 2014.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the country's most iconic multi-sport events returns today.  The first day of the South Islands' Coast to Coast kicks off from Kumara Beach, with athletes biking, kayaking, and running to Christchurch's New Brighton Beach.  Around 1,700 participants are competing in the 43rd edition of the event.  Race director Glen Currie told Andrew Dickens Klondyke Corner will be an unusually busy spot, full of spectators and competitors.  He says the odd tramper is normally the only one at the Arthurs Pass National Park campsite, but there will be seven thousand people there tonight.  Records could also be broken this year.  Currie says that Simone Maier is going for a sixth win in tomorrow’s Longest Day event, which would give her the most wins for any female ever.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The last thing I did before the Waitangi day holiday was talk to Kieran McAnulty about the financial strife surrounding Kainga Ora, and it's bugged me ever since.  The Labour Housing Spokesperson denied the agency was in financial difficulty.  He told me that Housing New Zealand's asset base was so large there was no problem borrowing more money to keep its construction schedule on track.  And that bugged a lot of you too.  The typical response was typical socialist – just borrow more and more to fund your ideological programme.  But it doesn't really have anything to do with your political bent, it's basic fiscal management.  The world is full of people who have the assets to borrow whatever they like, but the devil in the detail is whether they have the capacity to pay it back.  Increasingly we don't.  Yes, our debt is internationally insignificant and still not at an extreme level.  We're not the UK or the United States who have debt ratios over 100% of GDP, and

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast for Friday 7th February 2025, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mike Brown is travelling to Beijing today where he is expected to sign a major partnership deal between the Cook Islands and China. Geoffrey Miller explains what it means for New Zealand.  Federated Farmers are calling on the Government to double the amount of funding landowners get to help protect special areas and species on private farming land.  Andrew shares his thoughts around Kainga Ora's new plan.  And UK and Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney shares the latest on the State of Emergency declared in the popular Greek island Santorini, after days of earthquakes.   Get the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's announced a funding boost for Māori economic development projects on the eve of Waitangi Day.  Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says $7.1 million will go towards three projects in Northland and Taranaki.  He says a major infrastructure upgrade at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds is going well, and some new facilities will be open in time for this year's celebrations.   Senior Political Reporter Sophie Trigger is on the ground and told Andrew Dickens it's set to be a busy day, with politicians arriving this morning.   She says last year there was a separate powhiri for Government and Opposition, but they'll all be arriving side-by-side today.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.