Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

The same Labour Party that now wants to build roads all of a sudden, also now wants to clamp down on student achievement. It wants to mandate reading writing and maths ‘core teaching requirements’ across all schools. So, in essence, they want to get serious now on education. After six years of abandoning every fundamental core principle there was in regards to student achievement and learning. Two things immediately jump to mind here, one, since when did Labour abandon all its mad cap ideology on what curriculums should look like and decide that the fundamental basics are in fact important in education, and two, what’s with now copying National? The first answer is, after six years of failed experiments, ideological tweaking, and neglect of education, record truancy numbers, teacher shortages, uni drop outs and failed achievement standards - they’ve realised the jig is up. The thought bubbles on rewriting curriculums and forcing Te Reo into every facet of every subject as a priority has left the fundamentals

The wait could be soon over for new cancer drugs in New Zealand. The National Party's promising to ring fence $280 million over four years to fund 13 new cancer drugs which are used in Australia. It will be funded by restricting fee-free prescriptions to superannuitants and those on low incomes. The Cancer Society's medical director Kate Gregory told Kate Hawkesby this would fill the treatment gap between New Zealand and Australia. She says it can be distressing for someone living here to find out they could have access to different cancer drugs across the Tasman. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Failed promises by Labour may be contributing to their slip in the polls. The latest 1 News Verian poll sees the party drop to 29 percent -- and National rise to 37. The Greens are up two points to 12 percent while Act is up one, to 13. Political commentator Peter Dunne told Kate Hawkesby there's a series of big pledges made before the 2017 election that haven't been fulfilled, like KiwiBuild and Auckland light rail. He says now Labour is making some big aspirational promises and people must be wondering, why should we believe you this time? LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The secondary teachers' union is concerned about the Government legislating how some subjects are taught. The Government has announced it'll mandate core teaching requirements in maths, reading and writing. It's been working on a common practice model to ensure nationwide consistency. Post Primary Teachers Association acting president Chris Abercrombie told Kate Hawkesby it could make teachers' jobs harder. He says one size doesn't fit all - so they'll have to think of other ways to teach to support all students. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of Britain's most prolific serial child killers is about to be sentenced. Former nurse Lucy Letby has been convicted of murdering seven babies and found guilty of trying to kill another six. Police believe the 33-year-old may have harmed dozens more infants. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby that it seems she'll refuse to appear for the sentencing, and many are saying she should be made to. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s some concern over Labour's promise to make teaching financial literacy compulsory. The party's vowing to make the change happen from 2025, if it's re-elected. Life Education Trust CEO John O'Connell says it's great it's finally being recognised. But, he told Kate Hawkesby, he's worried about it being taught mainly via the maths and social sciences curriculums. He says we have to shift the mindset of financial literacy being an academic achievement, because it's actually a life skill. O'Connell says until we do that we'll continue to fail. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m thinking the people we should be feeling most for this election campaign are the government’s security detail. Judging by the Prime Minister’s outing to Otara markets in South Auckland over the weekend, it could be a rough old time on the hustings. Bear in mind, this is South Auckland, Labour territory. The PM was not wandering through Fendalton or Remuera. He was in an area which should have his back, but not this time. Protestors from Freedoms NZ, which it’s reported is, “a new political party, joining together the Tamaki-led Vision NZ party and the Outdoors and Freedom Party..” reportedly, “chased him around the market, two on bicycles and others carrying big blue banners, until the prime minister eventually left.” So they caused such a ruckus, they ended Hipkins visit early. From the footage at the event, the person looking most surprised was the PM’s security. Chippy just kept smiling. Was he not aware of how bad it was? Did he just not care? Was he smiling to just keep up appearances? But this could

Wellingtonians are finally snapping up tickets to the city's craft beer festival. Two Beervana sessions are fully sold out, overturning concerns people weren't keen this year. Event Manager Ryan McArthur says there's a lot to get excited about this weekend. He says almost 60 breweries are represented, some from Australia, and about 340 brews to try. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So we spoke with Mark Mitchell earlier this morning on Ginny Andersen's claim that he's unfit to be Police Minister. This came about because he said the Government wasn't going after gangs properly, and more than half the charges they were laying for gangs were administrative like traffic offences or minor infringements. This is Operation Cobalt, the Government's so called 'gang crackdown' which the Police Minister is very defensive of. She fired back that the charges Police were laying were not minor, that many were for serious offences like burglary and theft. She went on to say it was ‘frankly appalling’ that Mitchell was ‘going after hard working police officers.’ Which is of course not what he was doing at all, but it’s election season, and a desperate government will latch onto anything as a means of a personal assassination of their opposition right now. What I don’t even need to point out to you here, because it’s so glaringly obvious, is that when you have achieved absolutely nothing in that space, i

We have another stoush between Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen - this time over Operation Cobalt. National's police spokesperson this week claimed more than half of charges from the gang crackdown were for minor offences. The Minister has fired back, saying that's simply not true and those "minor offences" include burglary, theft, fraud and others. She claims Mitchell is "unfit to be Police Minister." Mark Mitchell joined Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of the UK's biggest names are paying tribute to veteran broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson. The talk show great has died at 88 after a short illness. He presented 'Parkinson' from 1971 to 2007 quizzing celebrities over more than 800 episodes. Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Kate Hawkesby he's being remembered for his dedication to making his guests feel comfortable. He says he always made sure the interviewee was the person who shone. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everything that's wrong with our justice system at the moment was summed up this week by the judge who gave those two sex offenders home detention. They were described as two of this country's most notorious sexual predators, their offending so heinous one of the victim's called it depraved, one's had PTSD and flashbacks since, one had attempted suicide twice. The judge apparently choked back tears as he said, ‘The harm to the victims can only be described as profound.’ The judge 'described graphic details of some of the offending, which at times involved the use of beer bottles and a deodorant ball.' Yet given all that, what did the judge give them? Permanent name suppression - and a discounted sentence. One offender got 11 months home detention, the other got seven months. The victims urged the judge to lift name suppression, they said they felt like they had little value or worth and 'this victim blaming culture would never stop', but the judge upheld the suppression, based on the fact he felt the offender

The housing market is unlikely to be greatly impacted by the latest Reserve Bank announcement. The bank confirmed the Official Cash Rate will remain at 5.5 percent, although there is a possibility this could be raised again this year. Corelogic Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson told Kate Hawkesby the decision is neutral for the housing market, with a muted recovery still likely. He says whatever was going to happen to the housing market will still happen. Davidson says there is no need to panic and the hint of a further OCR hike is just a warning. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deciding the verdict in the Lauren Dickason trial would've been an extremely difficult decision for any jury. The 42-year-old has been found guilty of murdering her three daughters at their Timaru home in 2021. Dickason pleaded insanity, caused by postpartum depression. The Criminal Bar Association's former president Gary Gotlieb told Kate Hawkesby it was a case of having to weigh up the different views of experts. He questions whether it's appropriate for juries to determine the outcome in cases like these - where experts themselves are divided. Dickason has been remanded to Hillmorton Hospital, before her sentencing. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Transport is celebrating an end to bus driver shortages, but some believe it's too early to pop the champagne. At the height of the crisis AT needed 578 drivers. The city has three more drivers than the 2,206 required to operate the bus schedule. But, Public Transport Users Association's Jon Reeves told Kate Hawkesby only having three spare is a bit dicey, when it comes to staff sickness. He says people will hear buses are all running again, then experience a cancellation due to illness and feel let down by the marketing. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I see one of the favourite holiday playgrounds for many Kiwi families, has been hit with a travel advisory over violence. ‘Fiji police to increase presence after reports of violent attacks on tourists’ read the headline. These attacks apparently include assaults, robberies and sexual assaults, mainly in Suva’s downtown nightspots. Fiji, one of the safest countries in the world, facing the same problem many CBD’s are facing these day;  increased violence. I mean if a safe haven like Fiji can end up with a travel advisory for New Zealand, the US and Canada to ‘remain alert in public places’ then god knows what the warning should be for tourists coming to downtown Auckland these days. It sort of seems unfair that Kiwis are being told to ‘exercise increased caution in Fiji’ - I mean that’s what I’d tell anyone visiting Auckland too to be honest. But every time I raise how dangerous Auckland is these days, people always contact me from other centres telling me crime is rampant there too. It’s not just the violence

A leading economist is sceptical of claims Official Cash Rate hikes will be halted until next year. The Reserve Bank is providing an OCR update today, with economists predicting it will stay at 5.5 percent. Westpac Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold says the bank believes this will be on hold until the second half of next year. But he told Kate Hawkesby with a strong labour market, strong migration, and high inflation, he isn't confident this will be the case. Eckhold says the Reserve Bank may need to lift the OCR a bit more, so it can get the inflation rate back to under 3 percent in a reasonable time frame. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former US President Donald Trump is facing his fourth indictment in less than five months. He's been charged in Georgia with attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat - he denies all 13 charges including racketeering and election meddling. A phone call has emerged of him pressuring a Georgia Secretary of State to find votes. Washington Post Political reporter Amber Philips told Kate Hawkesby prosecutors believe the call is an essential piece of evidence. She says they believe it was an overt act in the conspiracy of trying to overturn the election results. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than half of New Zealanders say they're starting to sink when it comes to money. Fresh data collected by the Retirement Commission, shows 55 percent are having a hard time with their finances, up 17 percent from 2021. However, Sorted Personal Finance Lead Tom Hartmann told Kate Hawkesby the research also shows more people are starting to focus on positive money management skills. He says more people are considering purchases before they buy, which will help get through this financial rough patch.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The audacity of this Government - seriously, it makes you wonder whether this the most hypocritical government ever. Yesterday, Chris Hipkins - as in pulpit of truth Chris Hipkins – Covid Minister Chris Hipkins, the guy who ran the whole shebang alongside Jacinda - showed he's now so desperate for votes, that he said he now regrets the 2021 lockdown length for Aucklanders. No kidding. Does he really? I lived through that lockdown, alongside everyone else in Auckland. These guys could not have banged on about the importance of locking us down more. They could not have been clearer and surer that they were doing the right thing. Despite all of us who were vocal at the time - myself included - that it was overkill, and too much, and out of hand, and ridiculous, and way too long, they defended it. They chastised those who spoke out against it. They tried to frame anyone who railed against it as some kind of far right conspiracy theorist or anti-vaxxer. They lambasted and discredited anyone who questioned it. They