Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

ACT Leader David Seymour is alleging racism in Parliament over select committee tensions and claims of personal attacks towards MP Karen Chhour.   The ACT Party says its confidence in the Speaker of the House is “falling by the day”, accusing Gerry Brownlee of failing to address racial harassment in Parliament.   Seymour told Mike Hosking this morning they wrote to the Speaker, calling the issues...

Today marks the end of Dry July, an annual campaign that challenges people to abstain from alcohol to raise funds for cancer support organisations.   For some people, July has them realising they’d rather stay sober.   Kerre Woodham was joined by Maree MacLean, the author of ‘The No B*llshit Guide to Staying Sober’ for a chat about staying sober.   LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

There simply must be a better way of dealing with mental health patients rather than relying on police. For years now, police men and women have been left to pick up the pieces of broken minds because of a lack of resources within the beleaguered mental health sector. But more than the lack of resources is the lack of will on the part of the mental health sector. When you're overworked, when you'r...

We thought we'd start this morning looking at the Justice Select Committee’s review of the Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Amendment Bill. Exciting stuff, it's all in the way you say it!  This is something that is part of a suite of reforms that the government is bringing in to help crack down on gangs. It's the job of the Justice Select Committee, which is made-up of all parties, to take...

Although Federated Farmers has found farmer confidence to be slipping, not every farmer feels that way.   The latest Farm Confidence survey shows that 66% of farmers consider the current economic climate to be bad, which is up 11% since January.   However, there are farmers who are keeping a more proactive, positive outlook, knowing that farming is a longterm game.   Mark Guscott of Glen Eden Farm...

Officials have tried multiple times to build a life-saving disaster coordination system, similar to those other countries have invested in.   But, New Zealand has shied away from its latest attempt, a Common Operation Platform.   Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell tells Kerre Woodham many people are working to figure out a way to bring information together quickly during...

Ten young men will enter boot camp 2.0, more officially known as the Military Style Academy pilot. Not much is expected of these ten.   Critics argue that boot camps are cruel and unusual punishment that don't work and have never worked, so they won't work for this lot. Supporters of the boot camps really just want to see a few of the worst oiks punished with no real expectation that they'll be ab...

Rotorua's Mayor says the city is turning around its problems with emergency housing motels.   Resource consent applications are being sent to the Rotorua Lakes Council for seven motels for up to 549 people in 186 units.   The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development says it intends to stop referring people to emergency housing by July next year.   Mayor Tania Tapsell told Kerre Woodham there's be...

For those older survivors of abuse in state and church care, I wonder if you ever, ever thought this day would come?   When you could tell your story without fear of being further beaten and abused and called a liar. When you would be listened to and believed and told that the fault for what has happened to you, the grievous hurt that you have suffered, is not your fault.   It's the fault of sadis...

So there she was yesterday, 2pm House of Parliament, one Darleen Tana. Bold as brass as Sister Mary Claire would have said, sitting up the back in the naughty girl's seat lonely as Herb Alpert’s bull. Well, until the leader of Te Pati Maori came by and dropped a hongi on her, or them sorry, she's now a they/them, because she never walks alone. So the leader of Te Pati Maori came by, dropped the ho...

I heard a shocking story about someone who went out on Saturday night and, over the course of about five hours, polished off a bottle of wine.   They didn’t share it with someone else or with other people. A bottle of wine is what this person, themselves, drunk over about five hours while they were at some do, some party.   Then guess what this person did? They got in their car to drive home. And...

Kamala Harris could make history if the Democratic Party follows through in giving her the reigns.   Joe Biden's publicly endorsed his Vice President for the presidential nomination after deciding to end his campaign.   She could be the first Black woman and Asian-American to lead the ticket of a major political party.   Uncertainty had been circling since last month's debate about whether Biden w...

It's no surprise really, given that National campaigned on getting tough on work-shy beneficiaries, that benefit sanctions have increased more than 50% since the same time last year. Last year Louise Upston said should National become the government, they would make it crystal clear to those who were receiving the job seeker benefit, what their obligations were and what the consequences would be i...

The tide could be turning for those looking to buy a home.   High interest rates are dropping, ANZ dropping its home loan rates amid falling inflation and a softened tone from the Reserve Bank.   Westpac dropped their rates a week prior, cutting its 6, 12, and 18-month home loan rates.   Property Commentator Ashley Church told Kerre Woodham it’s good news for the housing market.   He said he didn’...

The Government is no longer on track to meet its third emissions budget according to projections, and unless we meet those Paris commitments, billions of dollars could be sent offshore to pay for international climate mitigation. We failed to meet our budget. We failed to complete the plan and therefore we will be punished. Very bad news.   But guess what? As of December 2023, not a single G20 cou...

Shane Jones has come under fire for an undeclared dinner with mining interests.   An article from Newsroom reveals that the dinner was excluded from his ministerial diary, Jones saying that the dinner was “informal” and “last-minute”.   He then corrected himself, saying the dinner was arranged in advance.   When questioned why the dinner wasn’t in the dairy, Jones said it was “less conspiracy more...

Inflation is continuing to fall.   Latest Stats NZ figures show the Consumer Price Index rose 3.3% in the year to June.   Today's rate is down from 4% in the year to March this year, and well down from 7.3% annually to June 2022.   Economists had forecast inflation would land on 3.3-3.5%.   NZ Herlad Business Editor Liam Dann told Kerre Woodham that there is finally starting to be some light at th...

The other big news story from last night was the result of the arbitration between the New Zealand Police and the Police Association. This is what happens when you go to arbitration, there's a winner and there's a loser. And in this case, the Police Association has lost in final offer arbitration, with the government's proposal to increase police pay being chosen.   When you go to arbitration, you...

Cancellation rates at Air New Zealand are falling but the airline’s chief executive Greg Foran acknowledges delays for passengers are frustrating and have to be reduced.   Speaking on Kerre Woodham’s Newstalk ZB show, Foran also said he could understand the frustration at being bused to destinations when flights are cancelled, but the airline was meeting its obligations if it did get passengers to...

Goodness gracious me, what a weekend, wasn't it? If he wasn't a shoe-in after Joe Biden's bumbling mis-speaking performance that we were incredulous about on Friday, you can bet the presidency is the Donald’s for the losing now, after the failed assassination attempt at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend. Yet to be officially confirmed that it was an actual assassination attempt, but w...

I know the road cones might seem trivial, but to me, I've always thought they were a metaphor for excessive spending and over-rigorous regulation.   When you looked at road cones, it wasn't a little cherry orange witches hat you saw, it was costs being inflated and people being overly cautious, the wasting of time and money, which was happening across so many government departments. When National...

This week Tony Astle ate at Grand Harbour, a Chinese fine dining restaurant with a host of delicious traditional recipes. He sampled the Pork and vegetable spring rolls, the Xiaolongbao, the spinach and prawn dumplings, and their famous deep fried squid. "I have consumed many more dishes at this venue. I LOVE the tripe and tendons." LISTEN ABOVE   Recipe of the Week: Cassis Macerated Apples and Bl...

Well, did we get some good news with the Reserve Bank's report yesterday? Not as full as their OCR statement that we're expecting in August, but an update nonetheless. Is the long winter of our financial discontent about to be made glorious summer? Will the Reserve Bank ease its restrictive monetary policy this year so that we don't all have to survive to 25, we can thrive in 25, giving those who...

The Reserve Bank has softened its language in the July Monetary Policy Review, leaving the cash rate unchanged at 5.5%   It's now saying inflation will make the 1-3% target this year.   Kiwibank economists say it's a move that has increased market confidence in a rate cut later this year.   Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr told Kerre Woodham that we’ve been in a recession for a year and a half, and it’...

I am absolutely gobsmacked at the sheer gall of Labour even considering, suggesting, putting it out there, hey, run it up the flagpole, some form of capital gains tax might be back on the agenda. Apparently Barbara Edmonds, who is the finance spokesperson for Labour, is just putting it out there, seeing what people think. How very dare they for two glaringly obvious reasons. A) because they had ev...