Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Thursday the 11th of December 2025, Parliament's education and workforce committee has dropped its interim report on youth online harm, Dr Parmjeet Parmar who represents Act of the committee shares her thoughts. Emeritus Professor & Massey University Sociologist, Paul Spoonley tells Andrew whether or not the worst of the brain drain is over.  The Cancer Control Agency has released it's 2025 report, Chief Executive for the Southern Cancer Society Nicola Coom shares her thoughts.  Plus, US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Trump's rally in Pennsylvania and plans in the US to scrutinize foreign visitors social media.  Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT says New Zealand isn’t ready to follow Australia with a youth social media ban. An interim report from Parliament's education committee suggests we consider taking a similar approach to our neighbours, who introduced a ban yesterday. It's found social media is exposing young people to a wide range of harm. Act representative Parmjeet Parmar told Andrew Dickens we should watch how the policy unfolds in Australia before moving ahead with our own. She says this is a natural experiment happening in real time, and it would be irresponsible to rush forward with a ban. LISTEN ABOVESSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The story that keeps getting my goat this week has been the accusation that New Zealanders take too many holidays over the Christmas-January period.  It’s burbled along since the weekend. Business owners, economists, Simon Bridges, and talkback callers all alleging that the country closes down for a month and that’s killing our productivity.  But there’s no proof of that and the allegations seem little better than reckons.  Let’s remember that the rest of the Christian world are also off for Christmas-New Year, so we’re not losing competitiveness over that week.  And the northern hemisphere closes down for August while we’re working our butts off.  Maybe some of the people moaning about the summer break have lost track of reality for most New Zealand workers. The minimum statuary leave for most New Zealanders is 4 weeks after a year of employment. 20 precious days that week out over 12 months.   There are four big school holiday periods that parents need to think about.  For

An urban planner's giving the proposed Resource Management Act a big thumbs up, calling the reforms awesome and fantastic.    The Government's confirmed the current RMA will be replaced by two pieces of legislation, one for the environment and one for planning.  They'll be phased in by 2029.   Independent urban planner and strategic development expert Bruce Weir told Andrew Dickens there will always be hiccups, but the changes are great.   He says the compensation element of the changes could be a headache, however previous planning rules were frustrating and full of nonsense.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's pioneering social media ban is casting ripples around the world.   The new law sets a mandatory age limit of 16 or older for accounts on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Now countries like Malaysia and Denmark are following the Australian lead with similar approaches.  AUT communications studies professor Patrick Usmar told Andrew Dickens enforcement will be difficult, but it should limit exposure to the thousands of ads kids had been seeing every week.   He says parents now won't need to persuade their kids to get off it, and teachers won't need to monitor it as much, because they can just say it's the law now.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Supreme Court decision has finally settled the long-running battle over whether family carers should be paid.  The ruling —brought by parents Christine Fleming and Peter Humphreys, who care for their severely disabled adult children— confirms family carers are entitled to pay.  Employment lawyer Joe Williams told Andrew Dickens it’s a monumental shift in how these workers are recognised and how the Government will need to respond.  He says it brings them a minimum wage entitlement, holiday pay, and protections against unfair treatment.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 10th of December 2025, the government's announced it's replacement of the RMA, independent urban planner and strategic development expert, Bruce Weir shares his thoughts.  The Supreme Court's ruled parents caring for their severely disabled adult children will now be recognised as home-workers, employment lawyer Joe Williams, tells Andrew how big of a difference this will make to people's lives.  Hundreds of thousands of under 16s in Australia will be kicked off their social media accounts from today, AUT communication studies academic Patrick Usmar tells Andrew whether or not New Zealand should follow suit.  Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on a new report into the activities of a top British spy inside the IRA during The Troubles and a man who received four parking tickets when a disabled bay was painted around his car while he was away on holiday. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every week

So today is the day the Australians lead the world with a social media ban for people under 16.  Good luck with that. The kids who still want to be online will get around it. Because, you know, kids and computers.  They can’t speak the Queen’s English, but they sure can speak computer.  They’ll VPN and forge and weasel their way through the same way we all got our hands on booze when we were underage.  And the kids who’ll actively skirt the law are either the ones who believe social media benefits their life in society, or they’re hoping one day that they’ll get some positive self-affirmation even though more often than not they’re bullied, and of course, the bullies themselves, because bullying is fun for them.  They’re not going to pay attention to some words in black and white written by some old parliamentarians in a grand hall wearing their fancy clothes. And the kids aren’t going to be thankful. You’ve taken away their town hall, their community centre, their pub.   They’re

The Hurricanes have revealed a $2 million loss is projected for the current financial year, after announcing a new leadership structure.  Local developer Malcolm Gillies has stepped in to buy the Wellington Rugby Union's 50% stake in the Super Rugby franchise.  NZ Rugby will also take a minority shareholding and bolster the 'Canes with loans.  Interim CEO Tony Philp told Andrew Dickens rugby’s had a difficult few years, but there’s certainly opportunities at the club to settle the finances moving forward.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Rural Communities Minister believes a new wool deal will take the sector to a whole new level.  It's a significant milestone for the country's wool sector, as Wool Source confirms its first commercial export order.  The Wool Research Organisation company's signed a deal with a Japanese company, for eight tonnes of Kiwi products.   Minister Mark Patterson told Andrew Dickens its currently constrained by capacity, but it's a big step forward.  He says there's a very small laboratory and there's plans to scale it up as demand increases.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farmers are hoping an RMA shake-up will deliver a faster, cheaper consenting system. The Government's today announcing significant changes to consenting as part of a shake-up to the Resource Management Act. It's expected to slash the need for consents in 46% of cases that currently need them. Federated Farmers' spokesperson Mark Hooper told Andrew Dickens layers of added costs hold farmers back from getting on with normal farm operations. He says they have to go through expert planners, consultants, and iwi for consents, which takes time and is a large bureaucratic cost. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For as long as I’ve been in talk radio, I’ve been talking to people about RMA reform - and I’ve been in talk radio since 1996.  The Resource Management Act was introduced in 1991 and it has ballooned into an albatross around our necks. To comply you need to pay a fortune. To check your compliance authorities, have to spend weeks reviewing your plans.  So today we learn what comes next. Now the reason the RMA grew like a cancerous growth around our progress is simple: too many people took too many liberties and caused too much damage.  Worrying about their margins, they took shortcuts, and then projects failed. Like so many laws, we had to take into account the lowest common denominator: the developer who did it cheap, did it bad, and then liquidated the company to leave others to clean up the mess. That experience is why many will not welcome a simplification of the rules today, but the overcompensation for the bad actors has cost us all too much.  Today I'll be looking for the efficiencie

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Tuesday the 9th of December 2025, the Government's announcing a major shake up to the Resource Management Act, Federated Farmers RMA Reform Spokesperson Mark Hooper tells Andrew what he's hoping for.  Kiwi company wool source has landed its first big export deal with Japan, Rural Communities Minister Mark Paterson tells Andrew what the deal means for farmers. The Hurricanes will start the new season with a different ownership model, interim Hurricanes CEO Tony Philp shares his thoughts.  Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on more pressure on Sports Minister over her taxpayer funded trips to sporting events and a federal police blitz targeting people they allege are a threat to Australian cohesion. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Monday 8th of December 2025, Andrew Coster has made explosive claims in an interview with Q&A, lawyer and former cop Matthew Hague shares his thoughts.  Elliot Smith has the latest on the weekend's sport.  A new report from ASB shows clear signs of life for the economy in 2026, Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen shares his thoughts.  Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on a man arrested on suspicion of assault after a number of people were sprayed with what is believed to be pepper spray at London’s Heathrow Airport and four people have been arrested after custard and apple crumble were flung at a display case containing part of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.  Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One person's been arrested after a string of pepper spray attacks at London's Heathrow Airport. Twenty-one people suffered injuries, with five needing hospital treatment, after an argument escalated in a terminal carpark.  Social media footage shows a large armed police response, as the area was temporarily locked down. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Andrew Dickens police were quick to say it wasn't related to terrorism or a protest. He says the people seemed to know each other, and got into an argument, which led to someone spraying a substance at people they didn't like.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What to make of the Andrew Coster interview on Q and A yesterday  Firstly why did he do it.  Obviously he felt he had been thrown under the bus by Judith Collins, Mark Mitchell and Richard Chambers at their recent press conference  So he was prepared to throw them under the bus as well. And he does have a point when the IPCA report did not mention corruption but the politicians and the new police commissioner inferred it.  The protection of his name is the reason he negotiated with the Public Service Commissioner regarding the delay in resigning from his latest job and frankly I don’t blame him  But the problem is he has no proof of his claims.  And so now we have a he said, he said situation with nobody able to provide concrete proof of their claims.  He may have briefed Mitchell and Hipkins of the situation but which situation was he talking about.   An affair gone wrong or a police force covering up for one of their own. and how much detail of anything did he giver i

80% of trained secondary teachers will have a base salary of more than $100 thousand from late next month.  PPTA members have voted to accept a collective agreement offer from the Government.  The settlement includes a 4.6% pay increase over two years, increased allowance for teachers with greater responsibilities, and a million dollar a year fund for professional development.  Secondary school Deputy Principal Pip Tinning told Ryan Bridge she felt this was as good as it was going to get.  She says they’ve got a lot of stuff coming up, and it feels like time to just move on.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Climate Change Minister says we're still at the table for the Paris Agreement, despite the targets being challenging.  The Coalition rejected all three recommendations made to it by the Climate Change Commission yesterday.   It means it won't be including international aviation and shipping emissions in its 2050 reduction target.   Simon Watts told Ryan Bridge they remain committed to the Paris Climate Agreement and are still part of the global conversation.  He says they're challenging targets in reality, but they have the intent of hitting them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Retirement Villages Association is calling out the Government for issuing a double whammy against the sector.   Newly announced Retirement Villages Act 2003 amendments include ensuring money on a unit is paid back within a year after a resident leaves.    Interest will also be payable after six months if a unit remains empty.    Association Executive Director Michelle Palmer told Ryan Bridge the moves could seriously jeopardise the sector.   She says they were the ones who suggested the interest element, which the Government has taken and then topped with the full repayment at 12 months.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The family of a British woman who was killed by a nerve agent smuggled into the UK have spoken out following an inquiry into her death. 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess died in 2018, after spraying herself Novichok from a fake perfume bottle discarded in Salisbury by Russian agents. The inquiry states Russian President Vladimir Putin must have ordered the use of it to assassinate former spy Sergei Skripal. Sturgess' mother Caroline says a narrative's been created online, that's been distressing for family. She says she wasn't a known drug user as had been reported, she was a very loved, mother, daughter and granddaughter. UK/Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.