Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

Reducing the Interislander fleet by one could have wide-ranging implications, including on people's pockets.    Aratere will retire late this year or early next when demolition begins on its aged dock to add infrastructure for new ships.  Two new ferries aren't due until 2029.  Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih told Kerre Woodham it could affect ferry fares –...

Although some towns are feeling the pinch after the opening of motorways that bypass their towns, not all are struggling.  More than 22,500 vehicles used to pass through Warkworth every day, but since the opening of the Ara Tūhono section of State Highway 1, businesses have reported a drop in business.  However, Ōtaki has been thriving since the opening of the Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressw...

It was really disturbing to read the opening paragraph of this story on the murder of Juliana Bonilla Herrera. Truly frightening. It reads that high risk offenders are regularly being paroled from prison and into the community. It came from a senior Corrections staff member who was speaking at the coronial inquest into the murder of the Columbian woman. There is a shortage of suitable rehabilitati...

We know airfares are expensive, right? Everybody, and I mean everybody, I know who's booked flights recently has made the comment that an overseas flight is cheaper than flying just about anywhere around New Zealand – especially to the provincial centres. Easter was huge in terms of airfares, but even on your normal everyday Wednesday morning, flying to Timaru, flying to Tauranga, it's going to se...

Airfares are still on the rise, and the Government is considering getting involved.  It hasn’t ruled out underwriting the expansion of small regional airlines to help maintain routes and keep the price of tickets competitive.   Associate Transport Minister in charge of Aviation, James Meager says he’s uncomfortable with the idea of flying becoming accessible only to the wealthy.   N...

Speaking of the bad weather, it brings me to the emergency mobile alerts. The emergency mobile alerts came about because Fire and Emergency and the National Emergency Management Agency and other agencies including New Zealand Police, Ministry of Primary Industries and Ministry of Health use emergency mobile alerts to alert people if their lives, property or health are at serious risk. I'm pretty s...

If you’ve ever done a pre-school drop-off, what’s been the main thing going through your mind? Aside from ‘am I going to get to work on time?’.   Have you been more concerned about the safety and wellbeing of your child, grandchild, niece or nephew? Or have you been more concerned about the qualifications of the people working there?   For me, qualifications don’t even enter the equation...

There’s a chance you'll think I sound like I’m contradicting myself with my views on NZ First jumping on the gender identity bandwagon.     Politicians love a good bandwagon and that’s what NZ First is riding with its members’ bill to legally clarify the definitions of man and woman.   I say they’re riding a bandwagon because it comes on the heels of the Supreme Court in Britain doi...

There’s only been one pope’s death that has really shocked me – and I don’t think it was because I was only 10 years old at the time.   It was September 1978 and I remember the shock vividly. John Paul I died just 33 days after becoming the Pope.   We were a Catholic family so it was all everyone seemed to be talking about. Not just because he had died, but because he died so soon after...

I’m starting to wonder who isn’t running for mayor in Wellington.   Former Labour leader Andrew Little is the latest one joining the race to oust current mayor Tory Whanau.   And, just in case you think so, I’m not endorsing Andrew Little in any way, shape, or form. But I do think having former MPs on local councils is a very good thing.    Because whether we like it or not, lo...

Inflation is officially on the rise again.  The latest Stats NZ figures show the Consumers Price Index rose 2.5% in the year to March – up from a 2.2% rise in the year to December.  The numbers cover the 12 months to March 31, and don't reflect the impact of Donald Trump's new tariffs and other new trade barriers.  NZ Herald Business Editor Liam Dann told John MacDonald that despite...

How are you feeling about the world, now that we know the Government’s goal of having 20,000 less violent crimes by 2029 has already been achieved? Four years early.   Anyone who tries to pick holes in this result would be a bit of a misery guts, because who could find anything possibly wrong with there being 20,000 less victims?    Try Ginny Andersen. Labour’s police spokesperson i...

The Government’s cracking down on dog owners tying up pets for too long.  MPI and SPCA Animal Welfare Inspectors will now be able to issue fines topping $1,000.  The regulation targets dogs tethered in poor conditions with signs of mistreatment like excessive barking.  SPCA Scientific Officer Dr Alison Vaughan told John MacDonald that the regulations won’t be targeting people who te...

The Justice and Police Minister says the Government's surpassed its own violent crime reduction target.  It set a goal in March last year of having 20 thousand fewer victims of serious violent crime, with an initial 2029 deadline.  It claims it’s already beat the deadline, but admits the data is volatile and subject to change.  Chief Victims Advisor Ruth Money told John MacDonald th...

I’m liking the sound of Education Minister Erica Stanford’s approach to sex education. But it won’t be plain sailing, and she knows that.   But there’s a glaring gap in this new framework she’s put out for consultation, with ideas of what kids might be taught and when from year 1 to year 13.    I’ll come back to the glaring gap. But Erica Stanford is going into this with her eyes wi...

The driver licensing system may be in for a government overhaul. Under proposals released yesterday, the practical driving test for a full licence will go, and fewer eyesight tests will be needed. A clean record would be needed for restricted drivers to gain to their full licence, the demerit threshold for learner and restricted drivers would fall to 50, and there'd be zero alcohol limits for lear...

Air New Zealand’s new uniform has been unvieled.   It was designed by world-renowned Kiwi designer Emilia Wickstead and comes 14 years after the airline’s last uniform update.  An onboard wearer trial is beginning in May, and the new uniform will be rolled out in full from 2026.  Henry, a pilot for Air New Zealand, told Kerre Woodham it’s definitely a change, but airlines all around...

Industry celebrations over a directive to use Kiwi wool in Government buildings.   New builds worth more than $9 million and refurbishments costing over $100 thousand must use wool where possible from July, meeting a Coalition deal.  The directive orders state agencies to follow the directive where practical.  Campaign for Wool Chairperson Ryan Cosgrove told Kerre Woodham they’re st...

The phrase “may you live in interesting times” is bestowed not as a blessing, but as a curse. And living in these most interesting of times, you can see why that might be. That's not even taking into account the previous five years – if we just take 2025 as our year of living in interesting times, you can see why it might be a curse.    Donald Trump raised tariffs on goods from China to...

Now the police have been in the spotlight in the past few weeks. It should have been criticism, with Wellington Central MP Tamatha Paul's comments and the criticism of police pulling back from attending mental health call outs, but in fact, the attention has highlighted just how much our men and women in blue are valued.   I'm pretty sure that wasn't the original intention of Tamatha Paul whe...

Pak’nSave shoppers seem to be getting the best deal.  A recent study by Foodstuffs North Island has found that New Zealand stores offer the lowest grocery prices when compared to leading retailers in Australia and the UK.  The study compared 20 everyday necessities, and after adjusting for sales tax and exchange rates, Pak’nSave came out on top – cheaper than Woolworths NZ, Woolworths Au...

Kiwis are being urged to stay calm and stay the course as stock markets tumble.  There’s global uncertainty off the back of Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, and investment funds like KiwiSaver have been taking a hit.  Mortgage brokers have been facing concerns from first-home buyers, wondering what to do about the slump in their balance as they look to purchase.   Personal Finance J...

Well, we were a little in advance of the day yesterday, weren't we? If you were with me yesterday, I was looking at the armed forces lowering their standards to try to attract more people into the services. They're leaving in droves, finding it very hard to recruit new people, men and women, to join the services. And instead of lowering standards, I said, why not make the Defence Force more attrac...

I find it incredible that within a few days of a report into the sinking of the Manawanui - a damning report that revealed the crew and the Commanding Officer of the Navy ship were under trained, ill-prepared, not up to the job, the boat wasn't up to the task it was doing when it grounded on a Samoan reef - we learn that the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has lowered its standards to make it eas...

Backyard granny flats are about to get bigger, and easier to build. The Government's announced it's going further to ease construction regulations, allowing for an estimated 13-thousand new flats to be built without consents. The proposed 60 square metre maximum is now increasing to 70. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk, says removing these barriers is critical for increasing housing s...