Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

A change to the Government's flagship budget policy on childcare is raising more questions than answers for the sector. It's backtracking on conditions involving the 20 hours free Early Childhood Education, after providers complained about the pay-by-the hour system. Montessori Aotearoa Chief Executive Cathy Wilson says the sector is pleased they're having their concerns responded to. But she told Kate Hawkesby communication is an issue and they've only met with the associate minister, not Education Minister Jan Tinetti. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The forestry industry is sick of being made into the villain on reducing emissions. The Government is proposing to amend the Emissions Trading Scheme and incentivise innovation over offsetting through planting. One option is taking forestry out of the scheme altogether and creating two separate markets. Forest Owners' Association president Grant Dodson says it's a bad idea and he joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins is set to discuss some of the world's most contentious topics with one of the world's most powerful men. The Prime Minister has secured a meeting with President Xi Jinping during his week-long trade visit to the country next week. It comes as the US and China restarted high-levels talks overnight with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledging to stabilise their tense relationship during a meeting in Beijing. Otago University international relations expert Robert Patman says Hipkins and Xi are likely to discuss a range of issues, including China's position on Russia and Ukraine. He says China knows New Zealand wants Russia to return to its borders, but may want to hear from Hipkins first hand. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK police are looking at fresh video of a rule-breaking event during lockdown at Tory Party headquarters. Footage shows Conservative staffers drinking and dancing in December 2020 during lockdown. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson quit Parliament altogether last week. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby that Johnson's still causing current PM Rishi Sunak headaches. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A leading doctor says inequities in the health system need to be addressed. Ethnicity is now a factor in a new medical wait list Te Whatu Ora has rolled out in Auckland, alongside clinical priority, time already waiting, location, and deprivation level. General Practice New Zealand Chair Dr Bryan Betty told Kate Hawkesby that there are dreadful health outcomes for Māori and Pasifika. He says it's an attempt to try to even up the playing field, and something has to be done. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research is highlighting the resilience of New Zealand's housing market. OneRoof and its data partner Valocity analysed residential home sales between 2018 and the start of this year. They've found sellers in 48 suburbs around the country have never made a loss in the last five years. OneRoof Editor Owen Vaughan says despite a recent slowdown in the market, sellers have been doing well overall. He says retail profits have declined since the market downturn, but the majority of sellers are still making a profit. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So as we look down the barrel of another week of potential strikes, I am heartened by the students calling for it to end, and the prospect that it just might with some independent arbitration. Not before time. As frustrated as we are with the striking teachers, I don’t blame them, it’s the government who’s dragged the chain here in not resolving it and allowing kids to be pawns in all this. So far teachers have rejected the latest pay offer, lump sum, and three payrises, as suggested by the Ministry. Teachers say it’s not good enough. They have more strikes planned right up until the end of term. But over the weekend the PPTA said they’d now look at an Employment Relations Authority proposal that they suspend strike action and start independent arbitration. I can only hope they make a decision on this quickly and that it’s the right decision – to suspend the industrial action. Obviously the Ministry of Education wants it stopped, and parents and many students want it stopped, but it may mean the Ministry has

So as we end the week three things have stood out to me as a bit of a let-down this week. One; the gangs and their cosy relationship with Police. Two; the media. Three; the teachers. I'll start with the Mob and the coppers. 'Working together collaboratively' as one of the Police put it, is not something that endears us to the force. This is not a collab, it's law enforcement and thugs. They're supposed to work at opposing ends - not together. Yes the motivation was clear - keep communities safe - but the execution involved inconveniencing and penalising those communities by allowing the gangs to run riot. And then telling us they did a good job because no one got hurt, and it was 'under control'. A gang intimidating a whole town and closing it down is not under control. It's being under the thumb of the gang. It's sending a message that gangs can close state highways and railroad through towns as they please, and the cops will stand by and wave them through. The odd vehicle will be searched but on the whole,

Is South Africa going to react to no change confirmed to the Rugby Championship Schedule? Sanzaar had to awkwardly clear up claims from its Rugby Australia chair Hamish McLennan on a potential change. Moving the schedule would give South African players a break from a gruelling calendar year. The chair's comments were made on Newstalk ZB's Rugby Direct podcast, hosted by ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith. Elliott joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It looks like Boris Johnson's political career may finally be over. A new privileges committee report has found the former Prime Minister misled parliament when questioned about Downing Street lockdown parties. It found he sewed distrust in parliament and undermined democracy - some of the highest offences for an elected politician. UK correspondent Vincent McAviney told Kate Hawkesby Johnson could have faced a 90 day suspension if he hadn't stood down. He says Johnson has gone from being the PM to an ex-MP in less than a year. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Organised crime groups keep finding ways to smuggle meth into the country. Police and customs officials intercepted a shipment of maple syrup from Canada at the New Zealand border in January. It was concealing 713 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $250 million dollars. Drug Detection Agency Chief Executive Glenn Dobson told Kate Hawkesby hiding meth in liquids is nothing new. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm not sure when the 6pm news decided to be a promo channel for gangs, or why they wanted to spend so much time eulogising a gang leader, but I thought the way that Mongrel Mob tangi was covered last night was disgraceful. We've lost the plot in this country - and we wonder why we have gang problems. The coverage looked like a recruitment drive or a PR video for the gangs. We got so ill served as viewers, the real news was not what a great man other gang members or whānau thought he was, it was not to display endlessly all their patches and motorbikes and burnouts like they're some kind of heroes, it was not to run glowing commentary on how they saw off their leader. The news angle was that a town got shut down yesterday, and a main road closed for two hours - by gang members who decided to block it - while Police do nothing. They allegedly said they'd try to clear it but the queue of traffic that couldn't get down the road in Ōhope for two hours may feel they didn't quite work hard enough on that. Gang memb

All eyes are on the latest GDP number expected this morning. Economists are split on whether it will be another quarter of negative growth- after Q1 slipped back 0.6 percent. Another negative would technically put New Zealand into a recession. ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley joined Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is increasing med school intakes by 50 students next year the first increase in almost a decade. It'll be split across Auckland and Otago universities, with the total first year intake increasing to 589 places. But Resident Doctors' Association National Secretary, Deborah Powell told Kate Hawkesby it's not enough. She says there's need for at least another 200, but another 50 is better than nothing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The seafood sector has net some gains. The value of Primary Sector exports have hit a record high, now worth 14 percent of New Zealand's total GDP. Seafood is forecast to grow by eight percent to $2.1 billion  Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Jeremy Helson told Kate Hawkesby it's being driven by good price increases in a few key stocks. He says rock lobsters, hoki and mussels are all doing well which is encouraging and foreign exchange is also helping. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well we learned yesterday that state housing tenants call the shots at Kāinga Ora, in that they know they won’t be evicted so they do whatever they want. Figures showed despite 10,000 complaints, only three had been evicted in 18 months. So, bad behaviour rules the roost there. Then we learn also this week that gangs clearly run Ōpōtiki. Again, they know they can do whatever they want, and an entire community will just shut down around them. The fact this is happening in our country, in 2023, beggars belief. And yet still the PM tells us NZ is safe. Tell that to the Filipino family with the 12-year-old daughter who got viciously beaten outside an Auckland North Shore McDonalds at 1.30pm on a Saturday afternoon.   She’s been left traumatized, can’t go outside, doesn’t want to return to school, required hospital treatment and is suffering distress form the impact of her assault. The family ‘moved to New Zealand in August last year, and had “never” experienced incidents like this in the Philippines,’ they said.

A law change will make it harder for overseas buyers to plant pine on good farm land. The Government is giving local councils the authority to determine where, and how much, carbon forestry can occur. The move limits trees used for carbon farming being planted on productive land, shifting the incentives to make planting on hillsides more attractive. Federated Farmers Meat and Wool Industry Chair Toby Williams told Kate Hawkesby this rights some of the wrongs from the past. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern the public has been led up the garden path over a long-held promise to boost the country's police force. New police data shows of the Government's 1,800 new police officers, 270 are "authorised officers" and don't have arrest powers. Act Party Leader David Seymour told Kate Hawkesby if 1,800 police are promised, people expect to see officers who can assist and arrest if there's a crime. He says it doesn't mean they're not useful but they're not quite what the average person would think is a police officer. Police Minister Ginny Andersen has told our newsroom Government’s commitment has always included these authorised officers. LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former US President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. “We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty,” Todd Blanche, Trump’s lawyer, told US Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman. CNN reported Trump had his arms folded and periodically spoke to Blanche while in the courtroom Trump’s motorcade arrived on Tuesday afternoon (EDT) at the federal courthouse shortly before he was scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge, a stunning moment in American history days after he became the first former president charged with federal crimes. Members of law enforcement stand guard as supporters of former President Donald Trump rally outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami. Photo / Alex Brandon, AP Trump, as well as an aide charged as a co-conspirator, have been booked in the Miami federal court. The pair were digitally fingerprinted and had their birthdates and Social Security numbers taken as part of the booking process

A knife-wielding assailant stabbed two university students to death in the streets of the English city of Nottingham and then fatally stabbed a middle-aged man, stole his van and ran down three pedestrians in a shocking rampage early on Tuesday morning (GMT), police said. Police arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of murder. The Nottinghamshire Police force said investigators believe the perpetrator acted alone and detectives were working with counter-terrorism officers to try to establish a motive. “This is a horrific and tragic incident which has claimed the lives of three people,” Chief Constable Kate Meynell said. A man who was among the people struck in the hit-and-run was hospitalised in critical condition. The dead included two 19-year-old students from the University of Nottingham. “We are shocked and devastated by the news,” the school said in an announcement. A graduation ball scheduled for Tuesday evening was cancelled. One of the victims has been identified as Barnaby Webber, 19, with his gran