Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

Now the news that the Supreme Court has ruled that the current voting age of 18 is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights came through late yesterday morning. We had a little bit of discussion on it, and as expected it dominated the news and the rest of talkback for most of yesterday. Most people reacted as though 16-year-olds would now be running the country. They bemoaned the ‘wokeism’ of the Supr...

The Supreme Court has ruled the law preventing 16 and 17 year olds from voting inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act. Lobby Group Make it 16 raised the claim in a bid to support its campaign to lower the voting age to 16 years old, however, only Parliament is able to change the law itself. Co-Director of Make it 16 Caeden Tipler joined Kerre Woodham after the Supreme Court’s ruling. LISTEN ABOV...

Anyway, another grim toll too, is the number of drownings this year. 74 preventable drownings, with the holiday season still to come. Water Safety New Zealand says although knowing how to swim is the best prevention method against drowning, too few New Zealand children are having swimming lessons. 48% of our kids are not having lessons. Despite the fact that 2/3 of parents aren't confident their c...

A new report emphasizes the need for parents to prioritise their children's swimming skills. Water Safety New Zealand figures show just under half of children don't take regular lessons. Last year, 90 people drowned - the highest since 2011. Daniel is the President of Swim Coaches and Teachers of New Zealand and he joined Kerre to have a chat. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

Statistics released yesterday showed that New Zealand's smoking rate has fallen to an historic low of 8% of adults smoking daily, down from 9.4% a year ago, probably down from 99.4% about 50 years ago. I might have just made-up that last one. Associate Minister of Health Doctor Ayesha Verrall said the Government's plan to reduce smoking is working. The number of people smoking fell by 56,000 over...

Requesting a ride has become one of the easiest things to do, you pull out your phone and with a touch of a button a driver has been sent to your location. However, if you live with a disability and use a wheelchair to get around, you are more likely to get your rides cancelled on the spot or have the other problem of nobody turning up due to the lack of accessible vans. Barney Koneferenisi is a N...

New Zealand now has one of the lowest smoking rates in the world. The annual New Zealand Health Survey shows that New Zealand smoking rate has fallen to a historic low of 8% of adult smoking daily, down from 9.4% a year ago. However, vaping is now more popular than cigarettes, with more than 40,000 Kiwis vaping daily and it's rising rapidly among young people. Dr Kelly Burrows is an associate prof...

The Government has announced more funding to the tune of $540 million to build infrastructure for thousands of extra homes around the country. Minister of Housing Dr Megan Woods made the announcement early Thursday and said that laying the literal groundwork with funding for roading, Three Waters infrastructure and flood protection will allow land to be prepared ready for affordable homes. Dr Mega...

Is Environment Minister, David Parker, the David who has tamed the RMA Goliath? The Resource Management Act as an absolute monster that's chewed up and spat out politicians of yesteryear, who have attempted to tame it in the past and bring it under control.  Now David Parker says he has done that. He and previous Ministers have noted that the Resource Management Act has failed at two of its key ta...

The Government plans to repeal the ailing RMA for new legislation by the next election. It will eventually slash and merge the 100-plus plans produced under the RMA, to just 15. The transition is expected to take roughly 10 years and is expected to cut costs to users by almost $150 million a year, as well as shorten the time to get a building consent. But will the new system stack up? Mt Hobson Gr...

Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran joined Kerre Woodham Mornings live in studio to take your calls. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Honestly, a budget of $2.9 billion and this is the best Waka Kotahi can come up with? They've announced sweeping speed limit decreases on state highways around the country, saying it is our, Waka Kotahi’s, responsibility to do better as this year's road toll surpasses 2021’s deaths, with more than a month and a public holiday to come.  This is how they do better? I cannot believe the amount of mon...

I hope your weekend was as splendid as mine. There’s nothing like catching up with friends, spending time with the family on a glorious summer's day. It was just wonderful.  It did involve a lot of toing and froing across the harbour bridge of course. Living on the North Shore as I do now, there were things to do in town and people to see in town and then back we come, which means that a harbour c...

It's Fraud Awareness and with that comes a fresh warning to be vigilant when it comes to fraud, as complaints increase. Financial Service Complaints Limited says it's seen an increase of about 20 percent in the past year. Financial Ombudsman Susan Taylor says complaints range from people ripped off in investment scams, to people having their identity stolen and used to obtain credit. FSCL Financia...

The story of Moana. On the face of it, it’s a no-brainer. A traumatised and neglected little girl is placed with a family who love and care for her in a safe and healthy environment, and what do you know? She blossoms. They love her and they adopt her to make her officially part of the family. Everyone is happy. Except the little girl is Māori , the family is Pākehā and Oranga Tamariki decided tha...

Good Reserve Bank Governors, like good Victorian children, should be seen and not heard. In other words, they should not be drawing attention to themselves. They should quietly get about their business, not alarm the horses and not draw undue attention to themselves. Ask yourself, apart from Don Brash, can you name any of the other Reserve Bank Governors who have served New Zealand over the past 2...

And thus, the bribes begin.  That's the good thing about being in government in the lead up to an election - you can actually do stuff.  Give stuff away.  The opposition can only promise. You can only imagine what the opposition will give you. Labour will be readying itself for a great big lolly scramble in the lead up to the election, as the polls show Labour slipping away, threatening to consign...

A Wellington family is speaking out this morning, sharing their experience with the health system after their 4 year old son died after complications from tonsillitis. The parents sorted treatment at the Kenepuru and Wellington Regional Hospitals, and the main complaint is the level of time it took for their son to be seen, and a lack of response to some of his symptoms. The matter is still before...

Having heard from Mahanga Mitchell on his journey and the decision to pull funding from the Sheilah Winn Festival, it's time for a different take on the matter, especially from someone close to him.  Mitchell's former teacher Fiona Churcher joined Kerre Woodham to talk the decision and her perspective of Mitchell's journey. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Creative New Zealand has decided to withdraw the funding for the Sheilah Winn Festival after deciding it represents a "canon of imperialism". Actor Mahanga Mitchell joined Kerre Woodham to discuss more about it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sonia Gray joined Kerre Woodham to discuss the challenges she and her family face having a neurodivergent child and TVNZ's new show Kids Wired Differently . LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We were streamed at our school - languages on one side, with Latin at the top - technical on the other.  Streaming seems like a relic of a bygone era - I wasn't even sure that streaming still existed until the story came out that teachers’ unions want streaming in schools to be abolished.  I'm sure it makes classes easier to teach. You're all on the same page, literally and metaphorically. You all...

It's hard enough accepting a much loved mum or dad needs to leave their home and go into assisted living. First the retirement village, then the rest home, then the hospital.  You want to ensure their last few years are full of life, full of fun then when the good times get fewer and farther between, that they are treated with care and respect as their bodies and minds start to let them down.  And...

The Mood of the Boardroom has been taken and the mood is decidedly grumpy.   This is a yearly survey undertaken by the New Zealand Herald. The survey of New Zealand major CEOs - 90 CEOs and 18 directors responded to the survey - found that confidence in Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson’s leadership is on the wane, as the Government struggles to push through its major reforms. Skills and labour s...

I want to start with the hooha around Nanaia Mahuta, and more specifically her husband. I want to be outraged. I really do. And when I first heard about all the contracts being awarded to Nanaia Mahuta’s husband, burning embers of outrage were flickering. Because how can someone married to a Government minister be awarded so many Government contracts, without there being a steaming rat? As a resul...