Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Got my jab yesterday.And here’s the rub on that.It was easy as.No queues, no faffing around, very efficient, very slick, very well organised.The jab itself is a non-event – and no one is more needle phobic than me, so if I didn’t feel it, you certainly won’t.I was, to be perfectly honest with you, vaccine hesitant.I felt like I was in no rush to get it, I didn’t need it, I thought it was too rushed of a vaccine, and I didn’t need that in my body.I’m into holistic healthcare and alternative medicine.My husband joked with me that what was I expecting to do when and if Covid hit me, was I just going to rub myself in orange peel, he asked.I’m not sure why he’d think that given I’ve never rubbed myself in orange peel, but I took his point.  I wasn’t anti-vax, I just wasn’t in any hurry.But then a few things dawned on me.Well firstly Delta hit Australia and I thought, wait a minute.This is not good.This is a bit close to home, this is a bit out of control.But also, I realised, getting vaccinated was not actually ex

Another country, another top 10 finish for Lydia Ko. Whether it's the United States, France, Singapore, Japan or Scotland - it doesn't seem to matter when it comes to the form of the New Zealander.Ko blitzed her final round to finish tied for second at the Scottish Open at Dumbarnie Links in Fife, nine days after taking bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.Ko shot a nine-under par 63 which included seven birdies - and an eagle on the par four 17th. The world number nine finished at 14-under for the tournament, three strokes behind winner Ryann O'Toole from the United States.O'Toole became the sixth first-time winner of the 2021 season after shooting an eight-under 68.It is Ko's third second place of the year and her ninth top 10 finish. Five of those top 10 finishes have come in different countries.Ko went straight into the Scottish Open on the back of her bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics as she prepares for the British Open next week less than an hour away in Carnoustie.Her best finish at the British Open was tied

Afghanistan will be on the Government's agenda today.Taliban fighters have swept into the capital Kabul forcing thousands to flee the city, including Afghan's president.This morning's Cabinet meeting will discuss how New Zealand could potentially help evacuate civilians who helped this country in the past.Meanwhile, an international security expert doubts the United States or the UN, will ask us to send troops to Afghanistan.Massey University's Dr Negar Partow told Kate Hawkesby the circumstances are different for New Zealand's last deployment.“There needs to be a coalition of willing, there needs to be some kind of discussion for the UN level for any form of invasion or military engagement with Taliban, and I can't see any determination or will, even from Americans.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns our first responders are coming under attack more frequently.$13 million has already been paid out by ACC this year for assault-related injuries.More than 3000 ambulance staff reported being verbally or physically attacked last year.Ambulance Association Chairman Mark Quin told Kate Hawkesby it's not just ambulance staff.“There's the same sort of level of violence that's been experienced by emergency departments and nurses and doctors and even firemen attending incidents, particularly car accidents.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Afghan officials say embattled President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country as the Taliban moved further into Kabul.Two officials speaking on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to brief journalists told The Associated Press that Ghani flew out of the country. Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council, later confirmed Ghani had left in an online video."He left Afghanistan in a hard time, God hold him accountable," Abdullah said.Ghani's whereabouts and destination are currently unknown.Several news outlets are reporting the Taliban have taken over the Presidential Palace and Maulana Abdul Ghani has been declared as Afghanistan's new President.A Taliban official earlier said the group will declare the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the presidential palace in Kabul.That was the name of the country under the Taliban government ousted by US-led forces after the September 11, 2001, attacks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised t

The Government's decision to start opening the border in the New Year is either a complete flip-flop or a deliberate tactic to scare us into getting vaccinated.For the past 18 months, the strategy has been to keep Covid out, whatever the cost.We've endured a total national lockdown, regional restrictions, worker shortages, family unable to come home and so on.And at the beginning, most of us were freaked out enough by what was happening overseas to go along with it.As time has gone on, people's willingness to go along with it has worn thin.We're over it.A lot of us will be very happy to see the borders opening, but the way it's come about seems bizarre.In one breath, you've got Chris Hipkins saying he hopes our Aussie mates - to quote him - get on top of their outbreak soon.But Hipkins doesn't expect to see the Aussie bubble operating again before the end of the year.Then you've got the PM saying we're opening to the world, people who've been vaccinated will be able to come and go pretty much as they please.A

Travel agents are feeling encouraged by the Government's roadmap to reopening our borders.It's introducing three-tiered risk pathways to get into New Zealand, from early next year.They will range from vaccinated travellers from low risk countries getting to skip isolation, to the unvaccinated or visitors from high risk countries having a 14-day stint in MIQ.Travel Agents Association president Brent Thomas told Tim Dower they're gearing up for lots of pent up demand, from people wanting to go to the United States and Europe to visit family.“And then also we’ll see the travel starting to pick up from next year, particularly as we start bookings for the winter season of 2022.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While New Zealand is looking to close its door to Fiji -- Fiji is looking to open its door to the world.All travel from Fiji and Indonesia to New Zealand will be banned from Monday morning, with an exception for New Zealand citizens and their parents, children and siblings.Fiji remains in the midst of a major outbreak -- with almost 40,000 cases and almost 350 deaths.But Tourism Fiji Chief Executive Brent Hill told Tim Dower case numbers are dropping, vaccinations are increasing, and Fiji could open to vaccinated travellers before the end of the year.“That won’t be for everybody, but certainly there are people that are up for coming and from Fiji’s perspective we do want to get back open again.”Indonesia's total case number has doubled in a month, to almost four million cases.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A mismatch in the workload, structure and staffing numbers of the country's Emergency Departments.They're revealed in a study published in today's New Zealand Medical Journal.The problems differ between bigger and smaller hospitals.Staffing is the main issue at larger urban hospitals - having enough doctors on at any one time; while at regional ones - space and ED beds are the biggest problem - then staffing if there's an ED surgeMedian wait times range from 13 minutes to more than an hour and a half.College of Emergency Nurses chair Sandy Richardson told Tim Dower we need to recognise EDs are under incredible pressure.“And there is variability in terms of waiting times, and it’s not just the geographical location, it’s also the fluctuations in work load across those EDs.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So yesterday we got a bit of blah blah basic arm waving around a potential roadmap out of Covid, but no hard and fast plan, no detail, no specifics.And that’s what business needs desperately, some surety, some certainty, some specifics.But details are not this Government’s forte, and they won't want to set a vaccination target they can't reach and then get politically punished for.So is the business sector in for a giant disappointment today?I mean, if yesterday is anything to go by, probably.It looks like we’ll keep the elimination strategy, which as David Seymour has said may well turn out to be the thing that started as our biggest strength and ends up our biggest weakness.I mean is it totally naïve and idealistic to think we can pull that off long term? Or are we just prolonging the inevitable? Do we really believe we could be one of the few countries in the world to keep Delta out, and stay virus free during a global pandemic?Or is that arrogant?I mean sure, we have some advantages, our whopping great mo

The ball is truly in the job seekers court.Job ads are up 88 per cent compared to this time last year.And it looks like job seekers are starting to make the most of this, with nearly two-thirds of job seekers wanting flexible hours, and half wanting flexibility over location.Jarrod Haar, professor of management at AUT, told Kate Hawkesby while job seekers are definitely in a strong position, they should not be overconfident.“I’ve heard from recruiters of candidates coming in and slapping a $10,000 raise on the table and if an organisation has two candidates to choose from, you may price yourself out of the market.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business New Zealand says the Government has plenty of work to do, to prepare the country for gradually reopening borders.Chief Executive Kirk Hope told Kate Hawkesby at the moment, we're extremely vulnerable.“I don’t think we’d have the capacity, if an outbreak occurred, to manage it particularly quickly, particularly if it’s Delta, because we haven’t advanced contact tracing.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch city councillors are set to go head to head today, over the city's planned multi-use arena.Some councillors have called for a U-turn on the decision to proceed with a 25,000 seat stadium – a reduction from the initial concept of 30-thousand seats.Christchurch Employers' Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Leeann Watson told Kate Hawkesby 30,000 seats would benefit the city the most.“Why would we build something that’s not going to enable us as a city to compete with other main centres around the country, when we’ve got the opportunity to build a first-class, purpose-built facility?”Adding five thousand seats would cost an additional $50 million to the present budget of $473 million.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Immunologist is warning Australians to take lockdown more seriously.I’m watching Australia closely at the moment with this Delta outbreak, because I can’t help thinking we are just one border mishap away from Delta being our problem here too.And like Australia, we’ll have no choice but to lock down immediately.Thankfully, we have form here on taking lockdowns seriously, we seemed to oblige willingly the last few times we’ve had them, most Kiwis seemed to get it. But I wonder with the onset of time, whether we’ll get less compliant with lockdowns.Towards the end of the last Auckland lockdown, people were over it, flouting a few more rules, and it didn’t take us all long to ditch the contact tracing and mask wearing.So we’ve become complacent.In Australia, they’re watching what’s happening in America, where fully vaccinated people are still getting infected with Covid. So the message appears to be that while vaccination rates are crucial, so is keeping up certain restrictio

Some very exciting fashion news for those interested in the rise in athleisure clothing.It's when people wear activewear in casual settings, at home, supermarket, even work.Well it's a booming industry, and JD Sports has been a market leader overseas.This month they're opening their first store in New Zealand at Sylvia Park.JD Sports ANZ CEO Hilton Seskin told Kate Hawkesby they are attempting to carve out a new market here.“We create new demand for product that’s never really been readily available in the market.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been suggested that labour shortages aren't as easy of a fix as the Government would like.It seems bringing in more automation is the Government's plan to resolve current labour shortages in the meat industry.But those in the industry say it's not that simple.Meat Industry Association CEO, Sirma Karapeeva told Kate Hawkesby a robot or computer can’t fill every role that a human can do.“We have many, many roles within the industry for which there simply isn’t any automation or technical solutions available.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's been told any travel bubble the Government chooses to open, should only be for the fully vaccinated.An independent panel of experts, led by Sir David Skegg, has released advice about reconnecting New Zealand.It says border restrictions must remain in place until the majority of us are vaccinated, but doesn't give a target.Bubble travel should be restricted to the fully immunised, as more people get jabbed. Newstalk ZB chief political reporter Jason Walls told Kate Hawkesby it's highly likely the Government will agree to that.“It kind of makes sense doesn’t it, you see how devastating the Delta variant has been in places like Australia and Fiji.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New figures show we might be plugging the brain drain.A report from the Helen Clark Foundation revealed the first net gain of New Zealanders in 20 years.The pandemic saw fewer Kiwis leaving the country and more returning home.Economic consultancy group Infometrics says the reversal is mostly based on people not wanting to leave.Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Kate Hawkesby it may not last long.“24 percent of people through MIQ who were surveyed said ‘look if Covid conditions get better across the world, I’m outta here again.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party's idea to keep Marsden Point oil refinery in an operational state in case we need it in the future, is being seen as a little too late.Shareholders have voted to drastically scale back operations at the Whangarei refinery - and switch to distributing pre-refined fuels.Whangarei Mayor Sheryl Mai says the deal's already been done.She told Kate Hawkesby shareholders are the fuel companies that would buy the fuel from the refinery, and they're the ones who voted for the change.“They’ve got a tremendous amount of power, so I think the discussions for that should have happened some time ago.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So there's been a link between a spike in dairy robberies and our tobacco tax hikes.The tobacco tax came into place in 2016.At the same time, reported store robberies went from 41 to 136 in 2016, and to 200 the year after.This is leaving more dairy owners traumatised and injured, as they seem to be taking the hit from the extremes some are going to get tobacco.Sunny Kaushal, from the Crime Prevention Group, which was set up to advocate for dairies after robberies increased, told Kate Hawkesby the price increases have forced people to source their cigarettes by alternative means.“That has been putting a lot of hard working people into dangerous situations because the smokers who are not able to buy smokes, they are either going to the black market, or they’re going to the crime side.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.