Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

When Labour holds its next party conference at the end of the year, tax policy is likely to be near the top of its agenda.   Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds sent a strong signal in March that a comprehensive capital gains tax may be back on its table, questioning the fairness of the current tax system.   The Labour Party's understood to be considering whether to advocate for an inheritance ta...

The boss said to me this morning when he arrived, “Good of you to show you support for the Greens.” It's like what? He gestured to my dress. I am in a dress that is utterly, unashamedly green. All green. My Christmas dress can also come out in winter. It is not the reason I chose the dress, but I can't help feeling the teensiest bit of sympathy for the Greens. They have had a shocking run. Elizabe...

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters doesn't feel the Greens are doing all they can in regard to Darleen Tana.   The Green Party's asked Tana to resign from parliament after receiving the investigation into alleged migrant exploitation at her husband's business.   Tana doesn't accept the findings, claiming it substantially misrepresents her level of involvement in the business.   She's resigned fr...

I may not have been flying to Brazil, but it took me almost as long to get from the North Shore to Auckland city on Friday night. There was a serious crash just before the Harbour Bridge and as fate would have it, I was due to meet friends to go to the Chelsea Handler show. Had I known what Chelsea Handler was going to be like, I wouldn't have made the effort. I'm sure she was all very risky and s...

Two billion dollars was poured into mental health by the previous administration, and it just proves that chucking money at a problem doesn't solve it. The Mental Health Foundation at the time was sceptical that the huge boost in funding would be spent in the right areas. Education about maintaining and boosting mental health and well-being, they said, should be just as important as the services n...

This week Tony Astle ate at The Engine Room, an Auckland restaurant with a focus on seasonal dishes and locally grown produce. He sampled the Bluff Oysters, the Grass Fed Scotch Steak with Maitre d’hotel butter, Hapuku -the catch of the day- with eggplant, caponata, and saffron aoli, and the twice-baked Cheese Souffle, which was once a signature dish at his own Antoine's.  The twice-baked cheese s...

The Government will officially announce this morning a plan “to flood the market” with land for development in a bid to end New Zealand's housing crisis. Chris Bishop will use a speech to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand later this morning, to announce a slew of changes to New Zealand's planning laws.  He wants to flood the market with affordable land to develop and to make it easier and c...

Christopher Luxon joined Kerre Woodham for an hour of talkback, taking questions from listeners and delving into their plans for the upcoming months.   The Prime Minister says our housing development has been running like it's 1975.   The Housing Minister is today announcing planning changes agreed by Cabinet in an effort to address the housing crisis.   It will reform council powers on urban boun...

First up today, a suite of announcements around the media. Paul Goldsmith, Minister for Broadcasting, thank heavens, has agreed to progress the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill. This was a bill initially proposed by Labour and rejected by National. Now, however, the coalition government, minus one of its partners, is progressing with amendments to support our local media companies to earn revenue...

Wairoa's getting another funding boost of half-a-million-dollars for recovery from last week's major flooding.   More than 100 properties were badly damaged in a district still recovering from last year's Cyclone Gabrielle.   It brings Mayoral Relief Funding allocated so far to $600 thousand.   Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell says it'll go into pressing and immediate needs in the commu...

“A successful second quarter Action Plan shows the coalition Government has continued to build on the momentum of its first 100 days”, says the press release from the Prime Minister's office. Well, Christopher Luxon would say that wouldn’t he?   The Press release continues: “Actions the coalition government has taken this quarter include:    - Deliver tax relief to hardworking New Zealanders.   -...

Big day today. Paid parental leave increases in line with increases to the average weekly earnings, so if you're about to go off on maternity leave, you will have an increase in parental pay for up to 26 weeks. Regional fuel and diesel taxes gone, saving the drivers of Toyota Corollas - those fairies of the land, the wakas of the whenua – about $6 every time they fill up, but you will need that $6...

More people are turning away from drinking alcohol than ever, according to new data. Premium Kiwi winemaker, Giesen, has invested over a million dollars into removing alcohol from their wine, to keep up with demand. Chief winemaker Duncan Shouler says consumers have always wanted an alternative, but the quality and product choice wasn't there previously. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

BrainFit Coach Jude Walter is here to talk us through staying on top of your brain health.   Is it really a case of use it or lose it when it comes to our brains? Spoiler alert – it is!   Click here to order the Brainfit Book Worm Winter Bundle ( 2x best selling books) for just $65 (ex. postage) when you use the promo code: bookworm    Click here to enroll in the Memory Tune online course. Just $1...

A familiar voice is back with us...  Allyson Gofton!    Allyson Gofton has been cooking for New Zealanders for nearly 30 years. She is known for her recipes and columns in magazines.   We are constantly talking about the cost of living and grocery prices going up – Allyson will have some tips and tricks to make your dollars go further at the supermarket.    LISTEN ABOVE.   See omnystudio.com/liste...

Mark Vette is an internationally renowned animal behaviourist, trainer, educator, author and TV personality.   He’s also the founder of Dog Zen, a dog training programme.   Mark joins Francesca Rudkin on Newstalk ZB to take your calls about your pet’s behaviour.   LISTEN ABOVE.     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I thought we'd have a look at the plans to amend New Zealand sentencing laws.   National, ACT, and New Zealand First campaigned on the law-and-order ticket. Tougher sentences, consequences for serial youth offenders, safer communities. It is their thing, all of their parties, this is what they do. Let's get tough on crime whenever there's an election campaign. But given that there had been an incr...

It's estimated New Zealand throws away $3.2 billion of food every year.   The Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor, Dame Juliet Gerrard, has issued 27 recommendations to the Government.   It calls for a national plan and target, smarter monitoring, better strategies to tackle food loss at source, promoting food rescue and upcycling to ensure edible food isn’t thrown out.   KiwiHarvest is a food...

A second Covid inquiry has been announced. And while that may sound like two Covid inquiries too many, this one may well get the answer a lot of us are looking for. New Zealand First has invoked the Agree to Disagree clause that allows a party within a coalition government to disagree in relation to issues on which the parties wish to maintain a different position in public. Generally, in a coalit...

Why shoplift something you can afford?   Not every shoplifter is doing it out of economic necessity, some thieves taking despite having a high income, status, and a steady career.   After ex-Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman pleaded guilty to four shoplifting charges today, the question of why an affluent person would commit retail theft is again being raised.   Dr Dougal Sutherland, a clinical psyc...

They promised they would. They said it would happen. I have to say it happened far sooner than I expected. Yesterday's post-Cabinet press conference saw Christopher Luxon, Shane Reti et al. announcing up to 26 new cancer treatments, alongside 28 other medicines to be funded as part of the government's $604 million health budget to honour National’s pre-election promise. The promise was made good o...

It was a joyous and emotional win for the Auckland Blues on Saturday night.   The Blues are Super Rugby champions for the first time since 2003 after routing the Chiefs 41-10 at Eden Park.   Back with us again is former All Black Coach and Auckland Blues Board member, John Hart.   Hart told Kerre Woodham “I was so happy for the team, the club, the city and our fans.”   He said “We’d had a semifina...

She's been a tough few months for Northland businesses and residents.     First, we had the Brynderwyns closing. State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills is finally set to open ahead of Matariki weekend after 17 weeks and three days. Lots of diversions, lots and lots of trucks on roads that where they really, really shouldn't be, and the crews have been working as hard as they can, but it's been...

This week Tony Astle ate at Sahana, a South Indian restaurant specialising in Chettinad cuisine. Their website boasts the cuisine to be the most aromatic in India, synonymous with spice that has a kick even for the Indian palate.   Tony sampled a variety of both vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes, including the Dosa, the Crispy Shredded Lamb and Raita, the Eggplant Curry, Aloo Gobi, and the Lamb...

The Blues and Chiefs will be facing off before a packed-out Eden Park for the Super Rugby Finals.   The game kicks off at 7:05pm this Saturday, tickets for the match selling out within a couple of hours.   Former All Blacks coach and Blues Board Member John Hart told Kerre Woodham that to have a full sellout crowd within a few hours of tickets going on sale shows that there’s a lot of enthusiasm f...