Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

A tribute from one Pacific leader to another.  49 yearold Green Party MP and former Auckland Councillor Efeso Collins collapsed and died at a charity event yesterday morning.   Pasifika Medical Association Board Director Sir Colin Tukuitonga told Mike Hosking that he picked up the causes that other people perhaps wouldn't.  He says that includes young people and poor south Auckland communities, and his joining of the Green Party highlighted his concern for the environment.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Children's Minister says she's prioritising frontline staff investment in Oranga Tamariki.   Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has released a report detailing two thousand complaints and enquiries he's witnessed in the past four years.   He concluded work is inconsistent across the country, with some parts showing an alarming "absence of discipline"  Minister Karen Chhour told Mike Hosking that we can't keep having report after report saying the same things.   She says we're talking about children and young people with futures ahead of them and we need to do everything we can to ensure these futures are positive ones.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seems the path has been cleared for a multi-million-dollar film studio in Hawke's Bay.  Number Eight Studios has received resource consent from Hastings District Council for its 400-hectare facility in the coastal township of Te Awanga.  Despite having been five years since the first proposal, project leader Tony Keddy says it's been worth the wait.  The idea is for buildings to be built for the specific needs of the film industry, bringing a raft of international productions to Hawke's Bay home.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's Grant Robertson is retiring from Parliament next month and will become Otago University's Vice-Chancellor in July.  The 15-year MP was Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in the Labour Government.  He says the time is right for new challenges.   Political Commentator Brigitte Morten told Mike Hosking that the writing was on the wall when he decided not to run in Wellington Central again.  She said that making room for the new guard is a painful transition, but it's the right thing to do.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's no silver bullet when it comes to improving our physical activity levels.  Health New Zealand's latest review of the state of our health has found one in three adults carries enough weight to affect their health.  Exercise New Zealand Chief Executive Richard Beddie says we're one of the worst in the western world when it comes to being active.  He told Mike Hosking that if information was key, we could solve it overnight.  Beddie says the answer is easy —move your body— but the behaviour is the complicated bit in terms of how they get people to do that.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High mortgage rates are continuing to pressure the housing market as the year starts with slow January sales.   CoreLogic data shows there were more than 3,100 sales last month, up just 2% on the same time last year.  It's the slowest start to a year since 1983.  Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson says a slowdown in the Auckland market has also had a big impact.   He says mortgage rates have stopped increasing but aren't falling either, which is creating a bit of variability in the market, which he expects to continue for a while yet.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A taskforce is proposing a crackdown on drugs and alcohol in the Australian parliament.  Australian Senator Perin Davey admitted to having a couple glasses of wine before a senate hearing, where she was seen slurring her words.  Australian Correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that this isn't the first time an Aussie politician has been caught drinking on the job.  She says the image of former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce lying and babbling on the street is still fresh in the minds of Australians.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lack of resources are being blamed for St John's move to pull some ambulances off the road.  The service is aiming to rein in costs for when a worker is sick or goes on leave.  Health commentator Ian Powell told Mike Hosking that it comes down to having enough staff, and funding isn't matching the increase in health demand.  He says this is not just a St John's problem there's a problem in the model, and there's a problem tangled up in the generalised under-funding of our health system.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's defending its work in the benefit space when in government, saying it takes time for change to occur.  Social Development Minister Louise Upston's announced a ramp up of work check-ins for jobseekers, with sanctions for those who don't meet obligations, starting in June.  Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni told Mike Hosking that when she was minister, there were record levels of people leaving benefits to get into employment.  But she says there were a lot of people coming onto the benefit who didn't necessarily have the skills to match the jobs that were out there, which is why they invested in upskilling and training.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The British and American ambassadors to Russia have laid flowers at a memorial to Alexei Navalny in Moscow. The Russian opposition leader died after collapsing following a walk in his Arctic prison, over the weekend. Meanwhile, G-7 foreign ministers have met in Munich to discuss ideas to punish Russia for his death.Europe correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that the UK and US have suggested seizing Russian central bank assets held abroad to pay for Ukraine. He says they believe the way to make Vladimir Putin uncomfortable is not demanding an explanation for Navalny's death, but to hit him in the pocket.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scepticism over whether handing over speed camera duties will reduce fatal speed-related crashes. NZTA is taking over the job from Police, with plans to increase the number from 150 to around 800, as part of a high-tech development of the network. It's estimated to process around three million infringements annually by 2030. But road safety campaigner Clive Matthew-Wilson told Mike Hosking it doesn't target those who cause most of those accidents. He says those who actually cause them are a very small group of poorly educated people, usually with substance abuse problems and an attitude.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon gave a somewhat grim outlook of the economy during his State of the Nation speech in Auckland yesterday, but he still has support. Luxon says the state of the nation is fragile, and says the problems the country faces won't be fixed in 100 days .. or 100 days after that .. but his Government is getting to work. Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls told Mike Hosking a lot of polls show he still has plenty of people backing him. He says Luxon's having to cut through the noise to keep getting his message out there.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The migration boom is easing ever so slightly.  Latest Stats NZ figures show annual net migration reached just under 126,000 in the year to December.  That's down 6.3% on the record high for the year to November.  The net migration gain is still one of the largest recorded, equivalent to the population of Taranaki.  Westpac Senior Economist Michael Gordon told Mike Hosking that he thinks we’re beginning to reach our peak.  He said he’d be surprised if we continued to see these numbers this time next year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been labelled "unrealistic" as concerns rise for Gazan city Rafah.  International relations expert Geoffrey Miller told Mike Hosking that Netanyahu seems to be in a fantasy land.  He says he seems to think the 1.5-million Palestinians sheltering in Rafah can all go to a small village on the coast seven kilometres away.  New Zealand, Australia, and Canada have issued a joint statement, warning that a humanitarian ceasefire is urgently needed.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The nurses union wants the new Health Minister to intervene on delays to payouts.  Te Whatu Ora owes nearly two billion dollars to nurses after failing to meet Holiday Act requirements, and its only paid roughly $250,000 back.  The union says the rest of the money, owed from 2010 onwards, has been pushed back.  Nurses Organisation President Kerri Nuku told Mike Hosking that they'll be writing to the minister.  She says deadlines keep getting pushed back and they want clarity.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour's preparing to take a harder line on the parents of chronically absent kids.   As the Associate Education Minister, Seymour's been tasked with tackling increasing levels of absenteeism in schools across the country.   Regular attendance is classed as being in school more than 90-percent of a term.  He says he's investigating whether the power to fine the parents of absent kids should be used more often.  Chris Abercrombie, Acting President of the Post-Primary Teachers Association, told Mike Hosking that he’s not sure if fining parents is the answer.  He thinks making sure that the needs of students are met would be more effective in getting students to school.  Abercrombie said it could be something as simple as making sure they have a uniform or sending around a van to pick up students.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Salvation Army says lifting people off benefits and into jobs is easier said than done.   The Government's looking to change benefit legislation that would see income support rise only with the rate of inflation.  Under Labour benefits rose with wage growth each year, which generally rises faster than inflation.  Salvation Army Head of Social Services, Lynette Hutson told Mike Hosking that many people receiving them are without any transport or education.  She says it's a very simple answer to say get everyone a job and it will be okay ... it doesn't work like that.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fletcher Building's poor results are believed to be indicative of wider pain in the construction sector.  The company's half-year financial results painted a dire picture, with a $120-million net loss.  Chief Executive Ross Taylor announced his resignation yesterday alongside Chair Bruce Hassall.  Combined Building Supplies Co-op Chair Carl Taylor told Mike Hosking that the industry is hurting.  He says it is quiet out there, and their numbers are down too.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More privacy concerns for supermarket customers.   It's been revealed that Woolworths will collect personal data like images, audio recordings, and license plate numbers when people sign up to their Everyday Reward cards.  Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says businesses need to be transparent with what they're collecting from people and what's done with that data once it's been collected.   He says they need to make sure it isn't at risk of cyber-attacks and isn't accessible to those who shouldn't see it.   It follows an earlier controversy with competitor Foodstuffs trialling facial recognition software in North Island stores.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel is facing pressure from various countries around their ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.  A raft of western allies, including New Zealand, is pleading with Israel not to escalate matters.  CBS correspondent Linda Gradstein told Mike Hosking that the United States has made it clear to Israel that their forces shouldn't go into Rafah without getting civilians out first.  She says there're about a million and a half Palestinians living in Rafah, many of whom have already been displaced twice.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.