Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

I was telling you about my $7.99 lettuce yesterday – and my bad, as I said, I shouldn’t have bought it at that price – it’s ridiculous. But it’s also a reality at the moment that we’re not only paying more for fruit and vege – and all groceries actually, but that those prices are potentially going to get worse before they get better. That’s according to leading economist's and pretty much everyone involved in the sector – to be fair to them, they have been warning us.  But in the last month alone, groceries went up another 10.4 percent, that’s off the back of another 10 percent hike which we already had to swallow back in January. There’s a whole gamut of contributing factors.. fuel prices, packaging costs, farm feed and fertiliser, harvesting costs, and that’s before we even get to the cyclone damage and the impact that’s wrought. So it’s across the board.. not just fresh fruit and vege, but frozen, tinned goods, meat.. we know we’re paying more at the checkout because we look at the amount on the conveyor b

A researcher says urgent policy change is needed to ensure the future health workforce reflects the diverse communities it'll serve. An Otago University, Auckland University and AUT study in the British Medical Journal Open, has analysed data from 20,000 students. It's found systematic under-representation of Māori, Pacific, low socioeconomic and rural background students. Otago University Professor Peter Crampton says currently it's up to individual universities and polytechs to make selection decisions. He says the health system has a huge stake in these decisions and should be working with the Education Ministry and Tertiary Education Commission to guide funding. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori are in a key position, based on the latest poll results. The latest 1NEWS Kantar Public poll shows if an election were held tomorrow, a Labour-Green-Te Pāti Māori coalition would secure 63 seats in the Beehive to National and Act’s 57. Both Act and the Greens are on 11 percent, and Te Pāti Māori on three percent. Newstalk ZB's Political Editor Jason Walls told Kate Hawkesby Te Pāti Māori would definitely go with the left bloc. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says the Government is fixing its own mistake by increasing superannuation and main benefits in line with inflation. The change kicks in from next month. National Deputy Leader Nicola Willis says the Government switched to calculating them based off average wages, instead of inflation. But she told Kate Hawkesby the problem is, average wages haven't kept up with inflation and prices. Willis says they're pleased to see superannuitants getting the payments they deserve -- but what we need, is a plan to get inflation under control. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m noticing a lot of tourists in town and I’m just wondering what kind of experience they’re having.  I was walking through a well-known shopping precinct in Auckland, Newmarket, with my daughter at the weekend and there was a guy walking in front of a few of us just weaving across the footpath getting in everyone’s way and each time someone tried to pass him he’d cut them off and weave back across them just making sure the whole footpath was his. As we got closer and needed to get into a shop I said “excuse me” as we tried to pass him to enter it. He didn’t make it easy for us but as I glanced down I noticed on top of his jandals he was sporting a Home detention ankle bracelet. What sort of criminal might he be… just out here annoying shoppers? Who would know with the current justice system.  Then we walked past the train station where we saw a staffer explaining to a very bewildered American tourist that the trains weren’t working so she’d have to take a bus. She was laden with bags and looking increasingl

Business owners are being forced to take matters into their own hands as the level of retail crime continues to soar. Latest figures show there's been a 39-percent surge in retail crime since last year, with much higher rises in Canterbury and South Auckland. Newmarket Business Association Chief Executive Mark Knoff-Thomas told Kate Hawkesby that they're particularly concerned by the level of juvenile crime and are calling for more police. He says there are some stores trading with their doors locked and only letting customers in one-by-one due to the scale of crime. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So we learn this week what we already knew, but now have confirmation of - our health system is in dire straits. And it's only March. It's not even winter yet. I worry that we've dropped the ball on fixing it by being too slow to react when staffing, in particular, was first being flagged as an issue. We took far too long to get midwives, nurses and doctors onto the residency green list. And by the time we did, guess what? No one wanted to come. They'd already gone elsewhere, found other jobs, other countries that did have their doors open in time, other markets where health care systems, pay, and conditions were preferable. So we are crying out for midwives, nurses and doctors.  We are facing overloaded and overworked ED's and Hospitals, and that's before the winter bugs even strike. Doctors, nurses and midwives are rightfully tearing their hair out with frustration.  And then yesterday – news that the Ministry of Health is spouting incorrect numbers anyway. They don’t even have their stats right. They admit

National says compounding issues in the health sector are coming to a head in emergency departments. Figures released to Newstalk ZB show over the past five years, 32 of the country's 37 main public hospitals recorded an increase in ED wait times. National Health Spokesperson Shane Reti says it's an ongoing trend. He told Kate Hawkesby too many people are ending up in ED for issues that should have been resolved much earlier. Reti says emergency departments are tired, exhausted, and understaffed, with people turning up with issues that could have been dealt with in primary care. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frustration between education unions and the Government has boiled over. 50,000 educators will down tools next Thursday in what's set to be one of the country's biggest ever strikes. Both secondary and primary unions have voted to take the action. Te Tai Tokerau Principals Association President Pat Newman told Kate Hawkesby poor conditions are causing massive issues for the workforce. He says people are leaving the profession in droves and it's hard to get any new staff on board. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A shockingly low number of nurses, midwives and doctors have entered the country. That's despite changes to the immigration green list last year aimed to plug skilled labour shortages. Out of 200 healthcare workers granted residency, most were already here and only one has entered the country. Questions have been asked as to whether has anything changed. Kate Weston, Executive Director of the College of Nurses, joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your Instagram food pictures may be influencing more people than you think. In a bid to be ahead of food trends and expectations, researchers are using your hot takes to look at customer preferences and food production. AgResearch is leading the study into it and science team leader Dr Marlon dos Reis joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As I tried to wade through Auckland traffic yesterday on a simple 15 minute journey which took three times that long, I asked myself again, why do I live in Auckland?  I asked myself a second time when I saw the Herald headline, ‘Auckland residents violently attacked on street by large mob.’ A resident in the story was quoted saying she’s from the Middle East and would rather be in her country than have to deal with all this violence.  The problem is, I love Auckland because I’m a born and bred Aucklander and I think there’s something about where you come from that always tugs at your heartstrings and pulls you back in. It’s like a bad ex-boyfriend that you take back one too many times. You forgive all the bad stuff and only remember the good things; until you’re reminded again of why you broke up in the first place.  My point is, I want to love Auckland, but I’m running out of puff.  It doesn’t help that my Southern-born husband increasingly feels the pull back to his hometown of Christchurch and is running

House prices are down, but still not to pre-pandemic levels, according to QV's latest report. It shows prices have fallen 12.6 percent in the last year, but on average they are still 24.5 percent higher than February 2020. QV communications manager, Simon Petersen joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Harry and Meghan have rarked me up more than usual lately. I think it’s because the delusion now seems so embedded, that their lost grip on reality has lost more and more of us along the way. I mean, how do we keep up?   People often misinterpret me when I comment on Harry and Meghan, so let me be as clear as I can. I wish them no ill will. I, like many others was happy for them to pull the plug on royal life and disappear into the private quiet life they said they so desperately craved. No problem with that at all. My problem with them stems from all the hypocrisy that followed.  It turned out it wasn’t so much a private life they were after, but a very publicised lucrative flogging of the royal family to anyone who would listen and pay top dollar. But the spleen venting has gone on and on and on to the point now where the Prince is even doing live on-air diagnoses with a trauma specialist. This is where Chris Rock comes in.  For the second time in a month, Harry and Meghan have been ridiculed on television

Forest Lifeforce Restoration Trust have almost got the formula for reintroducing kiwi to areas with otherwise low populations. The trust has improved numbers so much that the kiwi population is able to increase significantly on their own. Save the Kiwi has been steadfast in supporting this project, and chief executive Michelle Impey joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Government debt is lower than forecast, but financial pressures loom on the horizon. The Government's interim financial statement shows net debt is at $70.5 billion in the seven months to the end of January. It's $3.5 billion less than expected, mostly due to the Super Fund gaining value. Infometrics Chief Economist Brad Olsen told Kate Hawkesby it might be time to rein in the spending due to material shortages and inflation. He says the Government has to make a clear list of its financial priorities and potentially re-shuffle or scale back the spending. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has been disappointment Waka Kotahi is slipping behind in installing median barriers, while surpassing speed targets. A Road to Zero target aims to have 1000km of median barriers by 2030, but is projected to fall short by half. Meanwhile, the agency has exceeded its target of assessing speeds on 10,000km of road. AA Road Safety Spokesperson Dylan Thompson told Kate Hawkesby 100km of barriers should be installed every year. He says they didn't think it was a hugely ambitious target when it was set, but they haven't managed to get close to it so far.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I just wonder how, almost a month on since the cyclone, there are some pockets of small communities around the country still struggling with absolutely no assistance or help from anyone.  I heard some callers to this station yesterday saying how abandoned they feel, or how left out their area feels. No council, no government ministers, no police, nothing. No resources, no manpower, no input. Some orchardist’s say they feel completely bereft of any support. And I can't understand it.. millions of dollars have been raised, donations were sent in their droves, people flooded into the area to help. So, how is it possible there are some people still without any support at all?  Where has all the money and resources gone? Who's running the show on the ground? How much are people still relying on friends, family, and neighbours instead of professional resources? How are all the tonnes of silt going to get cleared? How have more diggers and trucks not been brought in? Where is the practical assistance? How are orchar

Changes are on the way to manage overcrowding at the Cardrona and Treble Cone ski fields. The changes include a multi-day pass, where visitors will be asked to choose which day and time they'll visit the mountain. If the mountain is full, they'll be denied access. General Manager Laura Hedley says the aim is to improve the experience for everyone. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The trucking sector says transport decisions are never a black and white either/or situation. Newstalk ZB's newsroom yesterday revealed officials were thrashing out a plan to put emissions reduction as their top priority. Hours later, the Government announced the focus would instead be on rebuilding the roading network, following Cyclone Gabrielle. Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett told Kate Hawkesby he's heartened to see the government commitment to restoring roads. He says we need both good roads and good public transport. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.