Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

National MP Chris Bishop is feeling vindicated by the Government's decision to introduce rapid antigen tests in some hospitals. He told Tim Dower it's something he's been calling for, for some time. "Other countries have them, they use them. They are a useful tool to pick up Covid in the community and we should be using them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Great to see the TV news last night, and clips of Auckland people so relieved to get out into the park and meet a few friends. Ordinary, working people finally getting permission to enjoy a sniff of normality. And for the most part, they're diligently doing all the right things; wearing their masks and keeping their distance. Meanwhile, the outlaw element has apparently been carrying on as normal. Today we can confirm that the index case in the Hamilton outbreak is a drug deal dealer, with a long criminal history and gang affiliations. There are suggestions they crossed the Auckland boundary to buy drugs, and then delivered those drugs in the Waikato. Chris Hipkins has publicly confirmed that - quote - "quite a number" of people in the latest outbreak are gang members. So, while people who just want to get on with making an honest living and provide for their families suffer, people with a contempt for that way of life just carry on as they please. Naturally, we'll pick up the pieces, as we always do. We'll p

Covid-19 has sneaked through the Auckland boundary. In Kawhia and Karapiro the finger's been pointed at outsiders sneaking to their holiday places. Some say the gangs have brought it in with their Methamphetamine deliveries. The mayor of Waipa Jim Mylchreest has called for all the North Island to go back at level 3 with Auckland. Immunologist Dr Dianne Sika Paotonu joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frustration from businesses that want to do more to help, during the Covid-19 crisis. The Herald's Mood of the Boardroom survey shows CEOs rate Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's ability to build confidence with business, a 1.97 out of five. Employers and Manufacturers' Association Chief Executive Brett O'Riley told Tim Dower businesses feel grumpy, sombre and frustrated. "And really looking to work much more closely with government to be part of the solution; rather than relying on daily press conferences to find out what's going." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A PR expert says the Government needs to attract more people if they want to get vaccination rates up.  Just over 20 percent of New Zealanders still haven't had a single dose of the vaccine.  Pead PR chief executive Deborah Pead says the Government is making steps in the right direction with the national day of vaccination on October 16th.  But she told Tim Dower certain groups have been demonised.  "The enemy is not the anti-vaxxers, the enemy is Covid. And so they need a campaign that unites us against a common foe." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like a good supporting act, one of the country's biggest summer festivals is supporting the Government's vaccine certificate. Festival and concert-goers will need to be fully vaccinated this summer in order to attend large scale events.  A printable digital Covid-19 vaccine certificate is expected to be available from November Rhythm & Vines co-founder Hamish Pinkham told Tim Dower it's a good move. "That's the new push, that's what we need to get behind and it's certainly going to be no jab, no entry and Rhythm and Vines this summer from all accounts." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vaccine passports are on the way. The Government wants a system up and running from November in time for the summer event season. They'd be both printable and in digital form, although you wouldn't need one for the pharmacy for example, or the supermarket. OK, on the face of it, so far so good. Especially in places where there's close contact. There is a growing expectation among customers that people working in hospitality, people operating taxis and buses and on planes will be vaccinated. Businesses see this and some are already moving towards no-jab no job, and they want to be able to display the fact that their staff are vaccinated. Now, the vast majority of us accept we have a responsibility to others to avoid spreading this virus. We'll wear a mask in a shop or on public transport no problem. So vaccinations, and vaccination passports, a card if you like that says 'I'm clean' don't seem too much of a stretch. The problem comes when you start saying people CAN'T go somewhere without the right document. W

Job listings are continuing to rise, despite the Covid-19 restrictions and Auckland's lockdown. Trade Me job listings are up by nearly a half in the third quarter Enterprise Recruitment chief operating officer Ian McPherson told Tim Dower there's a shortage of supply in most sectors, at most levels. He says that's because the borders are shut, and international students and travellers can't come in. "The lack of ability to bring in skills, it's all creating this storm of demand outstripping supply." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank makes its monetary policy review announcement this afternoon. The guts of it is the Official Cash Rate, which is still at 0.25 percent. Inflation is outside the target range right now at 3.3 percent; so what should we expect? ASB's chief economist, Nick Tuffley, joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It won't have been a surprise to see Auckland still locked down pretty tight, after yesterday's Cabinet meeting. The PM talked about this so-called road map, and about going safely and carefully. But reading between the lines, I don't think she's especially comfortable with even these tiny little changes. As I said yesterday, we are stuck between a rock and a hard place; we can't go forward with less than half the country vaccinated. And we can't stand still because the people just won't have it, they're climbing the walls. So the freedom, such as it is, of being able to gather in groups of 10 outdoors with no more than two households, is a very reluctant relaxation. And it's one that could be snatched away with a moment's notice if this thing gets away on us again. This, and all the other changes, will be reviewed on a weekly basis. When you hear that, you might think that in maybe three weeks or so we're starting to see some normality. But you'd be wrong; 20-odd minutes into media conference the truth emerg

Disappointment from Auckland early childhood centres they weren't consulted about phase one of the region's road map out of Covid-19 restrictions. They'll be able to open to all children from tomorrow, not just those of essential workers. However, there'll still be bubbles of 10, and infection control processes. Early Childhood Council acting CEO, Sue Kurtovich, told Tim Dower families are calling to get spaces but most centres are already at capacity. "It’s rather unfortunate that the sector was not involved at all in this announcement, or having any discussion about it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland University Covid modeller Dion O'Neale says being fully vaccinated, wearing a mask and staying outdoors reduces the risk at gatherings. But he told Tim Dower even allowing ten-person two-household gatherings is risky at this stage in the outbreak. "The concerning part about that if that's happening at a point that we still do have ongoing community spread, this change definitely increases the risk that community spread can go much further, much quicker." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's ten years since the container ship Rena smashed into Astrolabe Reef off Tauranga, causing New Zealand's worst ever environmental disaster. Hundreds of tonnes of oil and cargo were spilled and kilometres of coastline was polluted. In the decade since, researchers have been monitoring the effects. Marine ecologist at Waikato University Dr Phil Ross has done hundreds of dives onto the wreck. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calls for the business community to lead the way on vaccination.The head of a travel company wants a logo which indicates when an staff's entire business is vaccinated.  Unvaccinated international travellers will be banned from flying with Air New Zealand, from February. Southern Crossings Chief Executive Sarah Farag told Tim Dower vaccination needs to be incentivised.  "I think soon enough we've got to see that actually being fully vaccinated does mean something." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're stuck now, a Level 3 lockdown in Auckland that's starting to fragment, and frankly no chance of that being eased today. And now cases in Waikato, no proven link yet to the Auckland outbreak, but if not there, where did it come from? Weeks of restrictions, and yet still Delta is still spreading. What does that tell you? It tells me that not everyone has been playing the game and as time goes on and people go out protesting in the streets, it's going to get away again. Even the Prime Minister admits that locking down Hamilton can't be done. There will be spot checks, but the bottom line is it's up to the general population to please co-operate. Fingers crossed, in other words. I'm lucky I live in a Level 2 region; I'd have probably gone around the bend in Auckland. People I hear on ZB and people I'm in touch with personally are trying to keep chipper but it's exhausting, and I really, sincerely feel for you; you must be so over it. You need your freedom back, but with vaccinations where they are and this

Hamilton is waking up back in lockdown -- following the confirmation of two new cases in Waikato. As well as the city, Tamahere, Raglan, Ngāruāwahia, Huntly and the rest of the Waikato District have moved to Alert Level Three. Other towns, including Cambridge and Te Awamutu remain in Level Two.  Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate told Tim Dower everyone is being trusted to play their part. "Hamiltonians, people passing through Hamilton, people living on the outskirts of Hamilton, they've all got the pay their part. Because if they don't this, won't work as soon as we'd like it to." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I won’t be here next week because I’m off for a week of the school holidays; to my living room, like every other Aucklander, but before I go, I thought I’d make a prediction for Monday. I still think, as I said the other day, that we’ll go to Level 2 in Auckland and Level 1 for the rest of the country. But it won’t be called Level 2, it’ll be a new bespoke arrangement, some version of a 2 with a cutesy catchphrase they’ll think up to try to make it sound fun; like Delta 2.5+ or something.  They'll just want to give us the illusion we're not in 3 anymore. It’ll include a hard boundary around Auckland, as we know already. But, we will get hairdressers open and a few shops, the idea being that we feel so grateful and appreciative for that, that we forget about how long we’ve had our freedoms taken off us. I know people tend to predict things they hope will happen, and I’m guilty of this too, this may be my hope overriding my common sense, but I just can’t see how they keep Auckland in 3 and the rest of the count

The Phillips investigation will need to approach the kids in a way that works for them.  Tom Phillips and his three young children Jayda, Maverick and Ember turned up at the family farm at Marokopa yesterday.  They hadn't been seen for almost three weeks, and many feared they've been lost at sea.  Child psychologist Kathryn Berkett told Kate Hawkesby the way children are approached differs from adults. "We have to sit back, just make them feel safe and let them tell us, and come through with what they need. That's actually the best therapy that we could do for them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mayors up and down the country are still far from convinced over the Government's three waters reform programme.  The plan is for the sixty-seven local and regional councils' drinking, waste and storm water to be absorbed by four entities.  Consultation with the councils ends today after eight weeks, and now Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta will present advice to cabinet about the next steps.  Local Government New Zealand president, Stuart Crosby joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The school holidays start today, but it may not provide much relief to struggling businesses around the country.  The Prime Minister signalled that Auckland's border will probably stay closed, even if the city moves down to Alert Level Two.  It's not the news many businesses dependent on Aucklanders wanted to hear. Blenheim's Phoenix Inn owner Marty Kennedy told Kate Hawkesby the situation is tough. "When you hear those numbers in Auckland going up... you just shake your head and wonder when they're going to get out of this in any great hurry." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.