Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday praised the "colossal" effort to airlift civilians from Kabul, as U.K. troops and diplomats flew home after the two-week mission, ending 20 years of British military involvement in Afghanistan.In a video message, Johnson praised the "colossal exertions" of British troops engaged in "a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes."But his government is facing criticism for leaving behind hundreds, or even thousands, of vulnerable Afghans whom the U.K. had promised to protect.The U.K. ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, was among those who arrived at RAF Brize Norton northwest of London on Sunday, hours after the government announced that all British personnel had left Kabul. More flights bringing back approximately 1,000 U.K. troops from Kabul airport were due throughout the day.Britain says it has evacuated more than 15,000 U.K. citizens and vulnerable Afghans in the past two weeks, but that as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the

National says scrutiny of the Government, in person, is critical.The Prime Minister suspended parliament last week, on advice from the Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield.But, it will now resume tomorrow, after National and ACT rejected a proposal to hold it virtually.National Covid-19 spokesperson Chris Bishop told Kate Hawkesby the select committees on Zoom were pretty inadequate.“We need to get back to Parliament and ask the questions New Zealanders need the answers to like: why is our vaccine rollout so slow? Why are we the slowest in the developed world? Why did we not prepare for this Delta outbreak properly?”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isn’t it interesting how much lower the bar is for bureaucrats than the private sector? Even our sports teams get more scrutiny. Imagine if Ashley Bloomfield was an All Black coach. Bear in mind, this guy is our number one, head and shoulders above the next best suitable candidate. That’s the worryingly low benchmark we’re setting and accepting across the state service for where performance expectations sit. If he was an AB’s coach, he’d be getting dissected, analysed and critiqued by all, including the NZRU. There'd be unsolicited nominations from pundits left, right and centre on who should replace him. But obviously the national game is of greater public importance and held to a higher standard than our Covid response. Not only is this a major concern for the continued underperformance of our Health Ministry and Covid response and more importantly planning, but it also gives a stark and alarming insight to the calibre of bureaucrats in the Ministry of Health.  In a global pandemic threatening our safety an

Great news overnight with New Zealand winning our first medal in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Sophie Pascoe won her 16th overall medal, getting silver in the 100m breaststroke. This will be a great Paralympic watching weekend while we are all stuck at home. What are the ones to watch out for? Sports broadcaster and commentator John Mcbeth joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the South Island might feel some relief today if they head into Level Three, for teachers, Level Three can be bit of a headache.  Level Three is where schools are open for kids of essential workers, so enough teachers to cover that go into work.   That means some teachers are stretched between the kids at school and the kids at home learning online.  Perry Rush from the Principal's Federation says Level Three presents more challenges. “Level Four is definitely an easier level to manage, in terms of your whole staff being in the remote and being able to support all students who are in the remote.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some parts of the country could be about to move from one form of lockdown, to another. Cabinet will meet today to discuss whether to move most of the country out of Alert Level Four from midnight tonight.  Auckland, the epicentre of the outbreak -- will remain at Level Four until at least Tuesday night. Otago University infectious diseases expert David Murdoch told Kate Hawkesby other parts of the country, particularly the South Island, are likely to move to looser restrictions. "It's likely to be Alert Level 3. I think the Alert level 3 might be slightly different from before, we're learned a lot about the virus as time has gone on." There are now 277 cases in the current outbreak, and there's a growing list of more than 20-thousand contacts and 500 locations of interest. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The thing that should be scaring us all more than the virus right now is the information vacuum. Now laid stark before us, for anyone that was ever in any doubt, with the saline scandal. And this critical piece of information was not even offered up by the Government or the Ministry of Health, but instead revealed by the media. The disingenuousness of this not remotely open, honest or transparent Government should worry us all. The spin being peddled, the lack of honesty, the withholding of information, and the inability to admit mistakes. Why won't they admit they got procurement and rollout of the vaccine wrong? That mistake is going to cost us now dearly. Why won't they give the same data and information they gave last time? And in a timely way? Why are they hiding so much? Why the lack of transparency? According to Act, and some media sources, the Government's purposely not releasing each day's data before they get to reveal it under a spotlight at 1pm. By not releasing it when they have it, reporters hav

Spencer Elden, who appeared as a naked baby on the cover of Nirvana's 1991 album "Nevermind," has claimed the record's iconic artwork is child pornography and is suing the band over alleged "child sexual exploitation." The rock album's cover features Elden, then an infant, swimming underwater while undressed, his eyes fixated on a one dollar bill. It became one of the most enduring images in rock music after the record's release. But in a complaint, filed on Tuesday at a federal court in California and obtained by CNN, Elden's attorneys said the image was pornographic and that he has suffered "lifelong damages" as a result of his involvement. Elden, now 30, has listed the surviving band members, the executors of lead singer Kurt Cobain's estate, and various record labels as defendants. He is seeking $150,000 in damages from each of the defendants, plus legal costs, and alleges the defendants "knowingly produced, possessed, and advertised commercial child pornography." The lawsuit alleges Elden was sexualized

You may have heard about ‘netiquette’. The tips and tricks so your emails in lockdown don't start accidentally offending or disrespecting colleagues. A new study shows, no matter how much you try avoid sounding ruder than you'd like, the recipient's likely to find something to be offended by.  It's a real thing - called negative intensification bias.  Professor of Communication at Massey University, Ted Zorn joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calls for the Government to learn the lessons of previous lockdowns when they make their decisions around this one.  The transport industry is frustrated at road-blocks holding up freight, and dates for expired warrants of fitness not being automatically extended.Road Transport Forum Chief Executive Nick Leggett told Kate Hawkesby the decision-makers aren't helping. "It seems as though they're gripped by this timidity, and we don't understand where it is coming from. We think this stuff should be easier the second or third time around, not harder." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Much discussion has been taking place around the difficulty that some students, parents, as well as teachers are facing with remote learning. Several principals are said to be frustrated that some kids don't have the digital devices to do remote learning. But it's been over a year since most schools were last in lockdown, so have Kiwi schools gotten better this time round, when it comes to online learning? Kami are an education technology company that helps schools do remote learning.  Chair Bob Drummond told Kate Hawkesby schools were better prepared this time around. “They’ve had a lot more notice this time and people realised schools closing down was an actual thing.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m feeling for the teachers this lockdown. For everyone to be honest, not just the teachers, and also while we’re at it, those of us parents having to juggle work and home schooling while also keeping households calm, well stocked, as well as walking the dog. What a time.  Feeling slightly jealous of the people able to just sit back and watch Netflix this lockdown! But the teachers have been thrown back into something most of them don’t enjoy – and that’s having to drum up all their lessons into online learning. So much of what happens in the classroom these days is practical, hands on and experiential. That’s tough when kids are sitting at home in their PJs with a laptop on their knees trying to decipher worksheets. Made tougher if they have parents who, like me, aren’t the most helpful on the old maths front.  I mean to be fair to us, it’s a long time since we did maths right? How are we supposed to remember how to multiply fractions? Actually, I can multiply fractions, it’s the algebra that throws me. We

Fears a concerning pattern of healthcare inequity is once again being repeated.  The Director-General of Health's confirmed more than half of the cases in New Zealand's Delta cluster are Pacific people.  A health expert says it's depressingly familiar - with Pasifika making up 60 per cent of cases in the August 2020 outbreak.  Consultancy firm Pacific Perspectives' director Debbie Ryan says infectious diseases disproportionately impact Pasifika, time and time again.  She says there's abundant evidence the way health services are delivered is problematic.  "That one size fits all approach means that our diverse communities do not get the quality of services they require." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get off the screen and stretch your legs. That's the message from an expert in mental wellbeing after new research showing a marked increase in device-time during lockdown.  Neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis told Kate Hawkesby exercise is crucial. "People go on about it, but it makes a huge difference to your mental health. Kick-start the hormones that are in your brain and you can get that from just 20 minutes exercise a day, actually you can get it from just walking to the mailbox and back." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seems the Taliban holds the cards, in terms of the security situation and the military balance in Afghanistan. G7 leaders have met virtually overnight, as the Islamist militant group warns the US to leave by next Tuesday. It's understood European leaders urged US President Joe Biden to push for an extension. Rand Corporation political scientist Andrew Radin told Kate Hawkesby the Taliban is more willing to accept risks, in terms of what it gets from the international community. "They've lived in harsh conditions before, they have priorities. The first of which is getting US and foreign troops out of Afghanistan." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m feeling for the South Island this morning, who really shouldn’t be here, but here we all are.  They have a right to be more frustrated than anyone. And even though we had suspicions short and sharp would be no such thing, this seems a stretch for the South Island with zero cases. And every week this goes on, it’s more dire for us economically. Which makes me wonder what the handful of commentators saying the economy is in robust shape for this, are basing that on. If it’s based on printing more money, then your economic bar is very low. If it involves us all rushing out post lockdown and buying more cars and houses, I think that’s misreading the room.  This is different; Delta has changed everything.  Inflationary pressures are mounting, economic gains have stalled, we have no collective faith that we will stay out of lockdowns based on the Government’s flawed elimination strategy, people’s confidence will be more negatively affected this time round. If it’s based on borrowing more, how much more before i

A steady hand is calling for calm amid Parliament being suspended for a week due to Covid-19 restrictions. Select committees will still go ahead online. However, there have been calls for the Epidemic Response Committee to be reinstated in order to ensure the Government is being held to account. But Wellington Barrister Graeme Edgeler told Kate Hawkesby it’s not the end of the world. "They can wait a week; Parliament didn't sit last week. Parliament didn't sit for three weeks in July, it's a week's delay.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A call for employers to cut their staff some slack as they juggle their responsibilities. Under Alert Level 4, the majority of kiwis are working from home.  Working parent advocate Emma McLean told Kate Hawkesby employers need to have realistic expectations. "They wouldn't expect us to turn up to work with our three children, yet they're expecting us to work just like we do we don't have them when we're at home, so there's got to be allowances." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some South Island businesses have been left frustrated.Auckland will stay in Alert Level Four until at least next Tuesday while the rest of the country will stay in lockdown until at least this Friday.That's despite no community cases being detected in any South Island towns or cities.Business South Chief Executive Mike Collins Kate Hawkesby says there are businesses still feeling the pinch from previous Alert Level changes."I was just talking to the teams over in Queenstown the other day and they're really, really struggling. The wage subsidy is a great addition, but at the same time, it's not sustainable for the future, it doesn't cover all of the costs."LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Prime Minister's plan to reopen the country at a 70-80 per cent vaccination rate and treat the Delta variant "like the flu" has been slammed as dangerous and reckless by some of the nation's top health and economic researchers.According to modelling from the Australian National University, if Scott Morrison's current coronavirus plan proceeds, tens of thousands Australians will likely die and hundreds of thousands will likely develop cases of long Covid."We found substantial morbidity and mortality is likely to occur if the Australian government sticks to the national plan," ANU economics professor and study co-author Professor Quentin Grafton said.If Australia reopens with 70 per cent of Australians aged over 16 fully vaccinated, there could eventually be 6.9 million cases of Covid-19, 154,000 hospitalisations, and 29,000 fatalities, Grafton said."We simply can't afford to do that, both in terms of lives and long-term illness from Covid."And even if the PM waits until 80 per cent of the adult