Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Primary school principals are doubling down on their call for a better pay offer.  Principals belonging to the NZEI union have rejected the Government's latest collective agreement offer, including a 4.6% pay rise.   They say it's substantially inferior to the deal accepted by secondary school principals.  Principal Karl Vasau, the principal for Rowandale Primary School, told Andrew Dickens they're working hard to get huge changes implemented quickly, and they want acknowledgement.   He says they're drawing a line in the sand.  The Public Service Commissioner says he's disappointed the offer hasn't been accepted.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Swings and roundabouts for the dairy sector, with prices set to weaken.  Research by Rabobank suggests overall global production peaked last quarter, and this quarter won't be far behind.  EU and UK are seeing their strongest growth since 2017 and US milk output has increased for five consecutive months.  Lincoln University Adjunct Professor Jacqueline Rowarth told Andrew Dickens dairy farmers aren't feeling too glum, coming off good margins.  She says they feel good when people want their product, and that joy's clearly spreading to other countries.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Costs to fix our water infrastructure are increasing as we get a better picture of its current state.  Every council has now submitted their plan under the Government's Local Water Done Well programme. As Newstalk ZB first revealed last week, the final bill is expected to be almost $48 billion - about $9 billion more than first thought. Water New Zealand Chief Executive Gillian Blythe told Andrew Dickens with all the plans submitted, we've now got a better picture of water infrastructure than we ever have before. She says it's like when you look at your own house and realise you've got to spend some money fixing a roof or painting a window. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 12th of December 2025, primary school principals have rejected the government's latest pay offer, Rowandale Primary School Principal Karl Vasau tells Andrew why. A new report from Rabobank says there's "too much milk for the market", Director at DairyNZ Dr Jacqueline Rowarth shares her thoughts. Local Water Done Well is going to cost $9 billion dollars more than previously estimated, Water New Zealand Chair Gillian Blythe tells Andrew why water is so expensive.  Plus UK/Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on more than 600 artefacts of significant cultural value stolen from Bristol Museum's archive and Iceland will boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I don’t want to ask what America is thinking, but what are they thinking? As more details of their social media information requests to enter the States came to light yesterday, the less I wanted to go there. To get in I need to supply a wealth of personal information, including DNA and all my social media links. Now I love America and its people, but if I have to jump through all those hoops my first reaction is "forget it".  The Land of the Free is no longer the Land of the Free Speech. Say the wrong thing on social media and they may cancel you. This is worse than anything under Biden or Obama, it’s cancel culture writ large.   And the irony is that it’s so dumb. If you’re really an enemy of the States, you’ve already cancelled all your social media. This will cancel the tourists, not the terrorists. Righto: here’s the most bonkers thing I heard yesterday out of Trump’s America  Secretary of State Marco Rubio halted the State Department’s official use of the typeface Calibri, calling the Bid

Could the worst of the brain drain be over?   Though migration remains low year-on-year, provisional figures show that net migration for October was up 7% on 2024.   Massey University Sociologist Paul Spoonley told Andrew Dickens he’s optimistic we’re starting to see it plateauing, if not turning around.   He says the pull of Australia is still very strong, but in terms on non-New Zealand migrant departures, that’s looking a bit healthier.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are areas for improvement in how we prevent cancer, with the number of new cases expected to jump in the next two decades.   The Cancer Control Agency's latest State of Cancer report shows cancer's on the rise.  Diagnoses are expected to rise from 30 thousand this year to more than 45 thousand in 2044.  Cancer Society National Chief Executive Nicola Coom told Andrew Dickens people with cancer are living longer, but we could have less cancer to begin with if we introduced more screening.  She says other OECD countries we compare ourselves to are preventing more cancer because they do far more in the cancer prevention space than we do.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Thursday the 11th of December 2025, Parliament's education and workforce committee has dropped its interim report on youth online harm, Dr Parmjeet Parmar who represents Act of the committee shares her thoughts. Emeritus Professor & Massey University Sociologist, Paul Spoonley tells Andrew whether or not the worst of the brain drain is over.  The Cancer Control Agency has released it's 2025 report, Chief Executive for the Southern Cancer Society Nicola Coom shares her thoughts.  Plus, US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Trump's rally in Pennsylvania and plans in the US to scrutinize foreign visitors social media.  Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT says New Zealand isn’t ready to follow Australia with a youth social media ban. An interim report from Parliament's education committee suggests we consider taking a similar approach to our neighbours, who introduced a ban yesterday. It's found social media is exposing young people to a wide range of harm. Act representative Parmjeet Parmar told Andrew Dickens we should watch how the policy unfolds in Australia before moving ahead with our own. She says this is a natural experiment happening in real time, and it would be irresponsible to rush forward with a ban. LISTEN ABOVESSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The story that keeps getting my goat this week has been the accusation that New Zealanders take too many holidays over the Christmas-January period.  It’s burbled along since the weekend. Business owners, economists, Simon Bridges, and talkback callers all alleging that the country closes down for a month and that’s killing our productivity.  But there’s no proof of that and the allegations seem little better than reckons.  Let’s remember that the rest of the Christian world are also off for Christmas-New Year, so we’re not losing competitiveness over that week.  And the northern hemisphere closes down for August while we’re working our butts off.  Maybe some of the people moaning about the summer break have lost track of reality for most New Zealand workers. The minimum statuary leave for most New Zealanders is 4 weeks after a year of employment. 20 precious days that week out over 12 months.   There are four big school holiday periods that parents need to think about.  For

An urban planner's giving the proposed Resource Management Act a big thumbs up, calling the reforms awesome and fantastic.    The Government's confirmed the current RMA will be replaced by two pieces of legislation, one for the environment and one for planning.  They'll be phased in by 2029.   Independent urban planner and strategic development expert Bruce Weir told Andrew Dickens there will always be hiccups, but the changes are great.   He says the compensation element of the changes could be a headache, however previous planning rules were frustrating and full of nonsense.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's pioneering social media ban is casting ripples around the world.   The new law sets a mandatory age limit of 16 or older for accounts on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Now countries like Malaysia and Denmark are following the Australian lead with similar approaches.  AUT communications studies professor Patrick Usmar told Andrew Dickens enforcement will be difficult, but it should limit exposure to the thousands of ads kids had been seeing every week.   He says parents now won't need to persuade their kids to get off it, and teachers won't need to monitor it as much, because they can just say it's the law now.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Supreme Court decision has finally settled the long-running battle over whether family carers should be paid.  The ruling —brought by parents Christine Fleming and Peter Humphreys, who care for their severely disabled adult children— confirms family carers are entitled to pay.  Employment lawyer Joe Williams told Andrew Dickens it’s a monumental shift in how these workers are recognised and how the Government will need to respond.  He says it brings them a minimum wage entitlement, holiday pay, and protections against unfair treatment.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 10th of December 2025, the government's announced it's replacement of the RMA, independent urban planner and strategic development expert, Bruce Weir shares his thoughts.  The Supreme Court's ruled parents caring for their severely disabled adult children will now be recognised as home-workers, employment lawyer Joe Williams, tells Andrew how big of a difference this will make to people's lives.  Hundreds of thousands of under 16s in Australia will be kicked off their social media accounts from today, AUT communication studies academic Patrick Usmar tells Andrew whether or not New Zealand should follow suit.  Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on a new report into the activities of a top British spy inside the IRA during The Troubles and a man who received four parking tickets when a disabled bay was painted around his car while he was away on holiday. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every week

So today is the day the Australians lead the world with a social media ban for people under 16.  Good luck with that. The kids who still want to be online will get around it. Because, you know, kids and computers.  They can’t speak the Queen’s English, but they sure can speak computer.  They’ll VPN and forge and weasel their way through the same way we all got our hands on booze when we were underage.  And the kids who’ll actively skirt the law are either the ones who believe social media benefits their life in society, or they’re hoping one day that they’ll get some positive self-affirmation even though more often than not they’re bullied, and of course, the bullies themselves, because bullying is fun for them.  They’re not going to pay attention to some words in black and white written by some old parliamentarians in a grand hall wearing their fancy clothes. And the kids aren’t going to be thankful. You’ve taken away their town hall, their community centre, their pub.   They’re

The Hurricanes have revealed a $2 million loss is projected for the current financial year, after announcing a new leadership structure.  Local developer Malcolm Gillies has stepped in to buy the Wellington Rugby Union's 50% stake in the Super Rugby franchise.  NZ Rugby will also take a minority shareholding and bolster the 'Canes with loans.  Interim CEO Tony Philp told Andrew Dickens rugby’s had a difficult few years, but there’s certainly opportunities at the club to settle the finances moving forward.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Rural Communities Minister believes a new wool deal will take the sector to a whole new level.  It's a significant milestone for the country's wool sector, as Wool Source confirms its first commercial export order.  The Wool Research Organisation company's signed a deal with a Japanese company, for eight tonnes of Kiwi products.   Minister Mark Patterson told Andrew Dickens its currently constrained by capacity, but it's a big step forward.  He says there's a very small laboratory and there's plans to scale it up as demand increases.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farmers are hoping an RMA shake-up will deliver a faster, cheaper consenting system. The Government's today announcing significant changes to consenting as part of a shake-up to the Resource Management Act. It's expected to slash the need for consents in 46% of cases that currently need them. Federated Farmers' spokesperson Mark Hooper told Andrew Dickens layers of added costs hold farmers back from getting on with normal farm operations. He says they have to go through expert planners, consultants, and iwi for consents, which takes time and is a large bureaucratic cost. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For as long as I’ve been in talk radio, I’ve been talking to people about RMA reform - and I’ve been in talk radio since 1996.  The Resource Management Act was introduced in 1991 and it has ballooned into an albatross around our necks. To comply you need to pay a fortune. To check your compliance authorities, have to spend weeks reviewing your plans.  So today we learn what comes next. Now the reason the RMA grew like a cancerous growth around our progress is simple: too many people took too many liberties and caused too much damage.  Worrying about their margins, they took shortcuts, and then projects failed. Like so many laws, we had to take into account the lowest common denominator: the developer who did it cheap, did it bad, and then liquidated the company to leave others to clean up the mess. That experience is why many will not welcome a simplification of the rules today, but the overcompensation for the bad actors has cost us all too much.  Today I'll be looking for the efficiencie

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Tuesday the 9th of December 2025, the Government's announcing a major shake up to the Resource Management Act, Federated Farmers RMA Reform Spokesperson Mark Hooper tells Andrew what he's hoping for.  Kiwi company wool source has landed its first big export deal with Japan, Rural Communities Minister Mark Paterson tells Andrew what the deal means for farmers. The Hurricanes will start the new season with a different ownership model, interim Hurricanes CEO Tony Philp shares his thoughts.  Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on more pressure on Sports Minister over her taxpayer funded trips to sporting events and a federal police blitz targeting people they allege are a threat to Australian cohesion. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.