Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

As it's been reported, youth crime now is much lower than it has been for decades.   The number of children under 16 being charged is just a quarter of those facing the courts 20 years ago. Stats NZ says in the year to June, 1344 children and young people - aged 10 to 17 - faced charges. That's down from 1782 in the 2017-2018 financial year. According to Justice Minister Kiri Allan it's an indicat...

So we wake to a glorious morning … crime is down. Record low crime numbers. Is that what it feels like Are we living in some kind of alternate universe where on the one hand, there's a proportion of the population living in a glorious, bucolic paradise where no crime is committed, where children go to school to learn and go on to become productive, hardworking citizens of this country. The rest of...

Every generation thinks they can do something newer and better, starting with sex and going through to politics and how to manage the planet and, you know, everything. We all think we know better than the previous generation. But seriously, when the Ministry of Education started banging on about bringing back modern learning environments, I rolled my eyes and thought they don’t work. I've seen the...

The Queen has finally been laid to rest in a private burial service inside Windsor Castle surrounded by her loved ones. It looked very, very personal, despite the pomp and circumstance, it was a funeral for the country, for the people and a very impressive and historic moment. Newstalk ZB's Mike Yardley was in London, Kerre Woodham spoke to Mike and asked him what his motivation was for layering j...

We have all seen the stories of the broken abused babies and children from this country - the Nia Glassies, the Kahui twins, Hale Sage McClutchie, Saliel Aplin, Olympia Jetson – there's way too many of them. More than 60 children in the past several years who have been horribly abused and killed by the people who should have been protecting them. The roll call of dead children in this country is a...

James Smith and Richard Heller have been sentenced for their roles in a sophisticated meth ring in Waikato. However, they've received hefty reductions in their prison sentences for admitting guilt, and the circumstances of their childhoods. Criminal Bar Association President Fiona Guy Kidd KC told Mike Hosking this morning, adverse childhood experiences have an impact - and they can contribute to...

Incredibly, despite the fact that this is the Government that seems hell bent on not prosecuting anybody or not putting people into prison, the number of monthly crimes recorded in Auckland has increased by 19.1 percent. If you look at 2021 to 22 and compare it to 2017 to 2019, 2020 being taken out of the mix because of lockdowns, Waikato and Nelson crime increased by more. The frequency of crime...

New Zealand has dodged recession after the economy 1.7 grew per cent in the June quarter. To discuss, NZ Herald Business Editor at Large, Liam Dann, joined Kerre Woodham. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rotorua's is confident progress is being made towards addressing the current emergency housing situation in Rotorua. Mayor Chadwick says she met with Housing Minister Megan Woods and MSD Minister Carmel Sepuloni on Tuesday, and assures the Rotorua community that they do have the attention of the Government. Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick joined Kerre Woodham. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener...

Good news, people. Good news! A much needed boost for education. The Government has allocated $44 million to recruit 1000 new teachers and to give extra support for students whose learning has been disrupted by Covid. I'm so excited by this.  I don't even care where the money comes from. Don't care, just print it as they say. According to Jan Tinetti, the Associate Education Minister and a passion...

The Government is moving to boost teacher supply and give extra support to young people whose learning has been disrupted by Covid. They're investing another $24 million in recruitment initiatives here and overseas. $20 million will also go into extra teaching and tutoring services including exam prep, workshops, and one-on-one mentoring. Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti joined Kerre Woodh...

Sophie Gray, author of Destitute Gourmet, called in to Kerre Woodham with ways to manage the grocery spend through tough financial times. Gray has lots of free resources on her Destitute Gourmet Facebook page and website. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, it was as expected. Yesterday we heard that 927 days since the Covid pandemic triggered extraordinary defensive measures here and around the world, the Government has decided, as the Prime Minister put it, to turn the page. No more mandates, no more requirements for masks, except in health care facilities and aged care environments, no more traffic light settings. I think I'm happiest about...

I've just been watching the news coverage of the cortege as the Queens coffin has been making its way from Balmoral Castle on its way to Edinburgh. It has been stopping off in places so people could pay their respects and there's some very moving footage of just people lining the streets, not just in the countryside but also thousands of mourners lining the streets in Edinburgh. Clearly the coming...

Chef Peter Gordon, Restaurateur, co-founder of Homeland, joins Kerre Woodam memories of Queen Elizabeth and that of his own investiture. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Prime Minister Sir John Key had the unusual privilege of staying at Balmoral with the Queen - one of the greatest memories of his life. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a morning to remember Queen Elizabeth the second, who died at 96. An extraordinary woman and a number of people who had the great good fortune to work with her great good fortune to spend time with her in a capacity have been able to share their memories. One of those was Clare, Lady McKinnon, wife of Sir Don McKinnon who spent many years in London.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Simon Gimson is one of a number of people who had personal connections with the Queen. Simon was part of the household of Queen Elizabeth the second, with positions as the chief of staff and later as political director at the Commonwealth Secretariat.  Simon Gimson joined Kerre Woodham from Geneva. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sir Don McKinnon, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and Secretary General of the Commonwealth, came to know Queen Elizabeth well during his eight years as Commonwealth Secretary General. Sir Don received his Knighthood from the Queen and they came to be personal friends.  Sir Don McKinnon joined Kerre Woodham from London. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/lis...

A massive waste of taxpayer money is resulting in rotting food and unrecyclable packaging adding to our carbon footprint. Or, the single biggest difference in terms of initiatives to improve the well-being of schoolchildren. What is the truth of New Zealand school lunches? The Ka Ora, Ka Ako Lunches in Schools programme was first launched in 2019, was expanded to some high schools in 2020/2021. Si...

Before I join the calls from various people, organisations, and political parties for the Government to apologise for the unnecessary 11-day lockdown of Northland, I would like to apologise to the two women who were at the centre of this latest stuff up that's been revealed. The two women who were accused of using illegal documents to travel across the Auckland border into Northland, and who it wa...

I have now seen the Sunday programme on emergency housing in Rotorua. Really, it's what we have known has been happening, but seeing the inside of these motel units, seeing the cramped and squalid conditions in which many of them are living, seeing and hearing from the women who have been tenants in these houses, and who were supposed to be getting the sort of pastoral care from a highly paid welf...

According to the New Zealand Drug Foundation, the introduction of an overdose prevention centre would reduce harm and save lives by shifting drug use of city streets and alleyways and into a safe, medically supervised setting. This would go alongside basic health, harm reduction and support services. It's not a new idea, it's just a new idea for New Zealand.   The Foundation's executive director,...

Auckland mayoral candidate Efeso Collins says public transport can become free and also more reliable. He says his flagship free public transport policy could save around $27 a week for people using buses, trains and ferries regularly, and about $8 a week for less frequent users of public transport. Collins has said he will pay for free public transport through reallocating council spending. Publi...

The death of Princess Diana in a car crash 25 years ago exemplified the media's role in her public adoration. Her death in Paris sparked an outpouring of grief. Vassar University psychologist Dara Greenwood told Kerre Woodham even though the emotion wasn't reciprocated, there was a sense of intimacy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.