Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Prince Harry has launched a fierce attack on what he calls the "vile" press. The Duke of Sussex and 100 others is accusing Mirror Group Newspapers of widespread unlawful information-gathering between 1991 and 2011. He's told the High Court in London he blames the tabloids for destroying his adolescence and later relationships. Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby they looked at 140 stories over a 14-year-period since 1996, which made for interesting evidence. He says the defence keeps pointing out Prince Harry has no direct evidence that hacking took place, it's just his suspicion. He adds the defence also stressed every story he referred to had also appeared in other newspapers as well. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think what that new NZ Herald poll at the weekend on crime tells us is what we already knew, the Government's completely out of touch. It will be this, among other things, that will see them lose the election come October. Despite telling us over and over again that crime is down and that we all feel safer, you can only lie and feed us so much BS before your cover gets blown. And as it turns out, that turned up in the form of actual data over the weekend where a new survey polling New Zealanders showed in fact we feel less safe today than we did five years ago. This is not news to us, we know it, we’ve been telling the Government that for months, dairy owners, liquor store owners and retailers across the country have been telling them for months, we’ve all seen it, because it’s real. The survey showed that ‘two-thirds of Kiwis are more concerned about being a victim of crime today than they were five years ago, and harsher prison sentences and more police would make them feel safer.’ 1,000  respondents were

Red meat consumption is on the decline in New Zealand, as shoppers fill trolleys with chicken instead. A study out of Lincoln University shows that while nine in ten of us still eat meat, over all intake is lowering due to cost and health concerns. But it also found that chicken now makes up about a third of meals a week. Poultry Industry Association Executive Director Michael Brooks says people are more likely to continue buying chicken to save money. He says its versatility, being able to be dressed up or dressed down, will also be adding to the appeal. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An electoral law expert is supportive of some proposed changes to how we vote. The Independent Electoral Review Panel has suggested changes designed to make our electoral system fairer, clearer and more accessible. It includes changes to donations and lowering the party threshold from 5 percent to 3.5 percent. Graeme Edgeler says that change would allow greater diversity of thought. He told Kate Hawkesby it could prevent big parties going back on their promises. Edgeler says it would mean splinter groups could be more likely to get in and make a difference. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think what we’ve seen this week is indicative of what we’re going to see for the rest of the election campaign from now until October. And that is – sideshows. And that’s the real let down for us the voters. We are being done a disservice not only by the politicians themselves but also the media covering them. What this country urgently needs is the basics. Roads fixed, hospitals functioning again, schools with students attending and passing, and crime sorted out. What we don’t need is the sideshow on bilingual road signs, who gets a free prescription and who doesn’t, who’s dog whistling and who isn’t. We deserve better. We have also got to stop this collective attack on anyone who dare question anything to do with Maori culture or Te Reo, it is not racist to say you don’t think bilingual road signs are a priority right now. To question the Government’s desire for this and then be deemed racist and a dog whistler when you do, is pathetic. This government has developed a modus operandi of lecturing us on how

Questions are being raised around the finer details of a plan to buy out cyclone affected properties. The Government will help fund council buyouts of about 700 category three properties where future severe weather event risks can't be sufficiently mitigated. Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise told Kate Hawkesby the plan is a significant milestone, but there are still some unanswered questions. Wise says they will be working closely with the Crown to sort these parts of the process. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A group of students is demanding the Government put the brakes on Victoria University's planned job cuts. The Wellington university is facing a $33 million deficit; so to combat this they're proposing to scrap up to 260 jobs and have put 59 courses under review. Due to the planned changes the group Victoria University Students Against Cuts is holding an emergency meeting at the uni today. Group member, Marcail Parkinson told Kate Hawkesby the Government has played a role in creating the issues. She says over the past decade, per student funding has fallen by 20 percent compared to inflation. Several hundred jobs are also set to go at Otago University, where applications for voluntary redundancy close today. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A detailed bit of work in the Herald today about a critical election issue, that being crime, law and order if you prefer, or the lack of it right now. Among other things, the work has found the number of people charged and convicted actually fell faster under the last National Government, than the current Labour Government. I think the idea there is to put a question mark into the air over which party, if it's either of them, is soft on crime. Apparently, when you allow for population growth, police are laying charges now at just over a third of the rate they did in 2009. Charges and convictions have dropped about a quarter in the past five years. But under the last National government, the number of people charged fell by 40 per cent, and convictions by 36 per cent. What this doesn't take into account is whether there was less crime in those years or what other factors were at play. And there's not a lot of point going back over those figures anyway, the reporting process has changed, what gets counted has

The tide may be turning on tumbling property values after three analysts all judged fresh real estate data shows a “possible floor in [house] prices is approaching”. New reports from OneRoof, CoreLogic and ANZ Bank point to potentially better times ahead for homeowners, despite interest rates likely staying higher for longer. Today’s latest OneRoof-Valocity House Index showed New Zealand’s average property value fell 2.3 per cent ($22,000) to $950,000 in the three months to the end of May, as successive interest rate rises put downward pressure on prices. Auckland’s average value fell a further 3.2 per cent ($43,000) over the quarter to $1.29 million, but there were some bright spots with Northland, Otago and West Coast enjoying lifts in their average property value, while the rate of decline slowed in Canterbury, Taranaki and Wellington. CoreLogic, in its own data released this morning, said property values fell nationwide in May but the rate of change had eased. The 0.7 per cent fall in May was “tentative e

The Police Association says a fall in prosecutions doesn't mean a fall in crime. The number of people charged with non-traffic offences has halved since 2009. Herald analysis has found between 2017 and 2022, the total number of people charged and convicted for all offences dropped by a quarter. That number fell at an even faster rate under the National governments of Sir John Key - and rose the most under Helen Clark's Labour administrations. Association President Chris Cahill told Tim Dower people don't feel as safe as they did 10 years ago. He says frontline cops say there's certainly more visible crime than 10 years ago. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Battle is brewing over those Auckland Airport shares currently owned by Auckland Council. The Council actually inherited 22 percent of the airport when it was formed and since then there's been a capital raising by the airport which has diluted that holding down to 18 percent. But it's worth well over $2 billion; enough to plug that Budget gap six or seven times over. So, the Council's in a bit of a spot. Their choices are either a great big rates increase, or some pretty serious cuts or sell part or all of the family silver. Mayor Wayne Brown wants to flick the shares - and you can see the logic of that. Part of the argument for keeping the shares has been the dividend, but there hasn't been one of those in more than three years, there may be later this year, we'll see. And until recently those shares brought with them seats on the airport's board, which something the Super City chose not to take up, but not an irreversible move if you hold the shares. Now, should local bodies be involved in business activit

Farming produces by-products and there is one by-product in particular that has become an increasing issue in recent times; effluent, and in particular, methane emissions from farm effluent ponds. A trial by Craigmore Farming in North Canterbury will test a system designed to remove nearly all of that methane. Craigmore General Manager Stuart Taylor joined Roman Travers to discuss their plans. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand has been named New Zealand’s Most Attractive Employer for the seventh time, according to Randstad’s latest Employer Brand Research. The HR and recruitment specialist surveyed 4302 Kiwis, with the market’s 150 largest employers eligible for the recognition. While Air New Zealand bumped last year’s winner, Evolve Education, it could be seen as a continuation of its dominance in the category, given Randstad doesn’t allow an organisation that wins the most attractive employer accolade three years in a row to be eligible for the award for a period of three years. The airline previously held the title between 2017 to 2019 and 2011 to 2013. And Air New Zealand overnight was named by Australian website AirlineRatings.com the Airline of the Year for 2023, a remarkable seventh time it has won that award in the past 10 years. AirlineRatings said the airline was being honoured this year for its multi award winning in-flight innovations such as the SkyNest economy beds, operational safety, environmental le

It's a challenging time for transport funding. Treasury says Fuel Excise Duty or Road User Charges may need to go up in a year's time to manage pressures on the National Land Transport Fund and a loan granted to Waka Kotahi. But, Transport Minister Michael Wood says he doesn't want to foreshadow Cabinet consideration of the upcoming transport budget. Transporting New Zealand Policy Advisor Billy Clemens told Tim Dower there are challenges with the user pays model. He says there's an increasing number of EVs on the roads that aren't paying Road User Charges and inflation of the cost to maintain roads. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You'll be well and truly aware that when our primary producers do well, the whole country benefits. When our farmers, orchardists and horticulturalists make a decent living, they’re able to invest a new capital and clear debt. That all trickles down through to our towns and cities. Those selling farm implements, car dealers with the latest utes and farm to town cars for the family, boarding schools looking to increase their roles, and the likes of appliance clothing retailers, all reap the benefits of a good harvest. The problem is that for a long time, even with decent payouts, the rate of inflation and rising costs has absorbed a lot of that disposable income. Some in the dairy sector have commented about the excitement of increased payouts due to success at the global dairy auction - only to have their margins smashed with rising costs. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Rural cost inflation has evidently peaked. Input prices across all farm and orchards, excluding livestock costs, dipped from an

Kegs in cafés may become the new norm, but not the kind of keg you're probably thinking of. Waikato's Green Valley Dairies is supplying cafés with 18 litre milk kegs to help reduce waste. It's set to eliminate up to 10,000 plastic milk bottles per café a year. Green Valley Dairies General Manager Mark Pullman joined Roman Travers. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sheep and Beef farmers are feeling the pressure of a second year of high inflation levels - which have not been seen since the 1980s. Beef and Lamb New Zealand reports show a 40 year high at 16.3 percent; that's two and a half times consumer price inflation. The most recent March figures follow a 10.2 percent increase over the previous 12-month period. Westpac Agricultural Economist Nathan Penny told Roman Travers times are tough for farmers. He says fertiliser, feed and interest rate bills have been red hot. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police pursuits are being viewed as a double edged sword. Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says a new fleeing driver policy gives officers more scope to pursue offenders. The Fleeing Driver Framework factors in the threat from the driver, their suspected offence - and the chance they'll offend more. Road safety and crash investigation expert Hamish Piercy told Roman Travers Police are between a rock and a hard place - and there's always going to be risk. He says if a person decides they want to take off and aren't pursued, there's just as much risk of them continuing to behave recklessly and going on to crash. LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The trades are giving a tick of approval to the Government's promise to make its Apprenticeship Boost Scheme permanent. Brought in during the pandemic, the programme was set to end this year - but was extended till the end of 2024 in the Budget. Building Industry Federation Chief Executive Julien Leys told Roman Travers that it's very good news for an industry needing lots more workers. Leys says it's going to encourage younger people into vocational trades such as building, where they're needed more than ever before. He says spending hundreds of millions a year on a sector that contributes 18-billion to the economy is worth it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Delegations from nearly 200 countries are gathering in Paris to work on a Global Plastics Treaty. It's the second round of talks on an internationally binding agreement, which will lay out how to address plastic pollution globally. The UN Environment Assembly aims to finish negotiations by the end of next year. Tearfund's Claire Gray says plastic production doubled between 2000 and 2019, and it's badly affecting people living in poverty. She says about one in four people have no access to waste management and must burn or dump their rubbish, causing huge health impacts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.