Holiday Breakfast

The number of family harm incidents is continuing to rise, with authorities concerned about a potential summer spike.   The numbers over the past decade have almost doubled, with about 200,000 reports over 2023.    Women's Refuge Chief Executive Ang Jury told Tim Dower that violence tends to increase around Christmas and New Years, as more people are home and spending lots money to try make the pe...

Better news for mortgage holders, with Kiwibank the latest bank to cut home loan rates.   It's also reducing term deposit rates following a decrease in wholesale rates for banks.   Infometrics Economist Brad Olsen says these lower rates for banks are still not being fully passed on to customers.   LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerning data on the numbers of Kiwis who exercise as obesity rates soar.   Figures released by the Ministry of Health reveal only 46% of adults are meeting global exercise guidelines, down 5% from the year prior.   Exercise New Zealand's Richard Beddie told Tim Dower that it's a growing health crisis which needs immediate action.   He says we're the worst western country in the world in this ar...

Economic development in Germany has come to a halt.   High inflation, rising interest rates, and weak global demand has come home to roost, the final quarter of 2023 seeing a 0.3% decrease.   Europe Correspondent Catherine Field told Tim Dower that a recession is possibly on the cards for 2024, which itself is not off to a good start.   She said that Germany has started the year with a hole in the...

Auckland ferry commuters are left frustrated as cruise ships are leading to regular services being delayed and cancelled.   Close to 100 ferry sailings were affected by cruise ships arriving or departing at Princes Wharf last month alone.   North Shore Ward Councillor Chris Darby told Tom Dower that there's a big contest for this water space, but commuters are the priority.   LISTEN ABOVE   See om...

Concerns are being raised about the price of school uniforms, with some parents saying they go without food so they can afford them.   Secondary school uniforms can cost hundreds of dollars.   Secondary Principals' Council chair Kate Gainsford told Tim Dower that as the cost of producing a uniform rises, this will likely become more of an issue.   She says while the fact they're used every day can...

Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins is due to begin the year in opposition hot on the heels of attending his predecessor’s lavish wedding over the weekend. Hipkins was among the many famous faces at Dame Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford’s Hawke’s Bay wedding over the weekend. The former Prime Minister spoke to Newstalk ZB this morning, saying the wedding was “lovely”. Chris Hipkins and Toni Grace s...

Union members at One NZ are working remotely for the next fortnight -- in protest at the telco's work from home policy. Formerly Vodafone, the company's asked all contact centre employees to come into the office for at least three days per week. Unite Union National Secretary, John Crocker told Tim Dower it's about multiple things including transport costs, emissions, and time on the roads. He say...

An Auckland city-centre business leader says public transport is vital. The Government's officially scrapped the $15-billion-dollar Auckland Light Rail. There were projections the cost could blow out to $30-billion. In six years, not a metre of track has been laid. Heart of the City Chief Executive Viv Beck told Tim Dower there needs to be quick action on the city's transport -- and we need to mak...

The Transport Minister says the Government has other transport plans for Auckland. It's formally scrapped the $15-billion Auckland Light Rail project after estimates that the cost of the project could blow out to almost $30-billion. Nearly 230-million-dollars has been spent on it in six years and not a single metre of track's been laid. Minister Simeon Brown told Tim Dower they need to invest in b...

Brothers-in-law Daniel McLaughlin and Mark Neal have been running Scapegrace for around ten years. They established the brand in 2014, and in the last financial year they sold more than 100,000 cases of product. They're now in the final stages of building New Zealand's largest distillery, and are making a push from gin into single malt whiskey. McLaughlin told Tim Dower that the brand began when t...

The Upper Hutt mayor says they've been let down as water usage is set to tighten. The Wellington metropolitan area — that's Wellington, Porirua, Hutt and Upper Hutt cities — will move to level two water restrictions first thing Wednesday. The ban applies to all irrigation systems, soaker hoses, and unattended watering systems. Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy told Tim Dower that they've been talking a...

The Black Caps are taking on Pakistan.   The first T20 clash for the team is this evening at Eden Park, the game kicking off at 7:10pm.   Coach Gary Stead told Tim Dower that Pakistan is always a formidable opponent, and a great foe to play against.   He said that the team is pretty close to full strength for this game, with about twelve or thirteen games to work out the team makeup for the World...

Australia’s Opposition leader has taken up arms against Woolworths.   The chain supermarket has decided not to sell Australia Day merchandise this year, citing a significant decline in demand.   Australia Correspondent Murray Olds told Tim Dower that Peter Dutton has called for Australians to boycott Woolworths, demanding they reverse the decision.   According to Dutton, “until we get common sense...

Wellington Water says it's focused on fixing the city's massive water leaks before it'll address supply.   The metropolitan area will move to level 2 water restrictions on Wednesday.   It means garden sprinklers are banned in the cities of Wellington, Porirua, Hutt, and Upper Hutt.   Wellington Water's Charles Barker says heaps of the water already available is being lost.   Barker says they're lo...

Health warnings over potentially toxic algae in Lake Rotorua will likely last weeks.   It can be harmful for people and animals.   People should avoid contact with water if it looks discoloured, smells unusual, has green or brown particles or scum, or leathery algae mats floating or on the lake floor.   Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell told Tim Dower that it's brought on by the hot temperatures.   LIST...

Many questions for the owners of a blueberry orchard in Hawke's Bay after around 700 bushes were stripped by thieves. Hastings-based Bay Blueberries — hard hit by Cyclone Gabrielle in February — has had hundreds of kilograms of berries stolen from its premises on Railway Road South. It's believed to have happened in the middle of the night between January 1st and 4th. Owner Marian Hirst told Tim D...

Warm weather conditions are here to stay for the day ahead of a rainy weekend.   Most of the country will see temperatures in the mid to high 20s today.   Canterbury was a scorcher yesterday, with the mercury reaching above 30 degrees.   MetService Meteorologist Mark Todd told Tim Dower that today will remain warm, though coasts will get some cooler air.   He says the hottest temperatures today wi...

A heated face-off last night between those vying to be the Republican nominee for US President.   Florida's Ron DeSantis and South Carolina's Nikki Haley have clashed, days ahead of the Iowa caucus where registered Republicans will pick their favourite.   Trump did not attend the debate despite qualifying, though his record was attacked from DeSantis and Haley.   Correspondent Richard Arnold told...

Comedian Tom Sainsbury has broken onto the big screen, writing, directing, and starring in his debut feature film 'Loop Track.' The psychological-horror film reframes the scenes of New Zealand's picturesque tramping tracks. He told Tim Dower that content wise, it's a deliberate, but not calculated, departure from his usual comedy. "I love comedy so much, but my kind of heart lies in dramatic and k...

It took five years to get here, but the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark has become the first UNESCO accredited Geopark in New Zealand and Australia.   There are nearly forty different sites across the district such as the iconic Moeraki boulders, the Ōmarama Clay Cliffs, the Elephant Rocks, and Anatini Valley, featuring million-year-old marine fossils.   Waitaki District Mayor, Gary Kircher, told Tim D...

A series of events featuring pro-Russian speakers visiting Italy has caused a conflict with the Ukrainian embassy.   The embassy is urging local authorities to cancel the events, including one that was going to feature the far-right Kremlin ideologue, Alexander Dugan, whose concept of a Russian world helped to inspire the war in Ukraine.   Italy Correspondent, Jo McKenna, told Tim Dower that autho...

A Wellington Councillor is appalled a Wellington Water employee has bragged online about doing nothing at work.   The staffer uploaded a video clip —since deleted— labelled:  'one day slacking off and no work.'   The company is investigating.   City Councillor Ray Chung told Tim Dower that some of it must be down to the culture and management.   He asks why management aren't overseeing such things...

The number of students in home education has continued to rise.   About 11,000 students are in home education as of November 2023, compared to more than 6,000 in 2018.   The Education Ministry's noted a decline in the number of applications since the peak in November 2021, but this is still higher than pre-pandemic levels.   National Council of Home Educators government liaison Cynthia Hancox says...

Cloud cover is keeping a warm blanket over much of the country this morning.   MetService Metereologist Mads Naeraa-Spiers told Tim Dower that it was a very warm night, with many regions seeing 20 to 21 degree temperatures.   He says the cloud will burn off, so much of the North Island will be warm/hot and muggy today.   LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.