Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

A principal says schools across the country are struggling to fill teaching roles.   More than 400 principal and teaching roles are currently being advertised in the Education Gazette.   In 2024 there were almost 1600 vacancies - a similar number to recent comparable years.   Lumsden's Northern Southland College Principal Pete Wilkinson told Francesca Rudkin that traditionally, it's always been difficult to attract teachers to rural areas.  But he says it's a nationwide problem now.  Wilkinson says it's exceptionally hard to attract people into teaching and they have vacancies going unfilled for months, if not years.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Tuesday the 21st of January. Donald Trump has been ssworn in as President for his second term - the first non-consecutive second term since the 1800's. Election expert Sean Trende joins us from the U.S. Water New Zealand's Chief Executive reacts to a new report which has found our water infrastructure is leaking at a very high rate. Auckland Council is considering big changes to dog walking. What does it mean for you and professional dog walkers? Get the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stats NZ will release Consumer Price Index inflation numbers for quarter four on Wednesday, and economists are predicting it will be within the Reserve Banks's target range of 1 - 3% It comes off the back of December card spending numbers which saw retail spending increase by 2% NZ Institute for Economic Research Deputy Chief Executive Christina Leung says they're expecting a rise of 0.6% for the quarter, and put annual inflation at 2.2% She says today's numbers shouldn't change the chances of a rates cut in February, expected to be 0.5% LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a lot going on in the world this week.   This Friday The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences provides some lighthearted relief from the world's challenges by announcing the Oscar nominees for the 2025 Academy Awards.   The nominees were due to be announced on January 18th, then January 20th, before being delayed again, giving those impacted by the fires still raging in Southern California more time to vote.   But as filmmakers, actors and the masterful craftspeople responsible for making some of the best films of the year wait patiently to see whether they get the nomination nod from their peers, a prickly conversation is brewing about AI.   The latest controversy in film is around the use of AI in two potential nominees, The Brutalist and Emila Perez, which both won at the Golden Globes. These two Oscar front runners are dealing with a backlash after it was revealed they used voice-cloning to enhance actors’ performances.  In The Brutalist, Adrien Brody and Felicity

Professional dog walkers say proposed Auckland Council changes will impact their services.   The council's looking at limiting the number of dogs people can walk at once to six, with only three of those able to be off a leash.   There are also changes proposed to keep dogs out of places with vulnerable wildlife at parks, and to provide some places that are completely dog free.   Cassie Jefferies from the Professional Dog Walkers' Association told Francesca Rudkin they take large packs of around 14 so it's affordable for people.   She says they take them to the beach or forest, and the cost of petrol is balanced out by taking the numbers they do.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are pleas for more investment in the country's water infrastructure.  Otago University research shows 21% of piped water is being lost – in comparison, the Netherlands loses 5% and Germany 6%.  They're also wasting around $122 million each year.  Water New Zealand chief executive Gillian Blythe told Francesca Rudkin different technologies like thermal imagery or acoustic devices need to be utilised.  She says there are leaks throughout the system, not just the ones that show in your house or on the street.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Tuesday the 21st of January. Donald Trump has been sworn in as President for his second term. Election expert Sean Trende joins us from the U.S. Water New Zealand's Chief Executive reacts to a new report which has found our water infrastructure is leaking at a very high rate compared to other countries. Auckland Council is considering big changes to dog walking. What does it mean for you and professional dog walkers?  Get the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump has been inaugurated President for the second time. It's the first time since 1893 a president has been sworn in for a second non-consecutive term, the last being Grover Cleveland. Trump has promised to to issue multiple executive orders on day one, with immigration and border protection a big focus. Real Clear Politics Senior Election Analyst Sean Trende says things have changed since his first term. "He won the most votes this time around, unlike 2016. And so I think there's just a general sense of legitimacy about this presidency that there wasn't in 2016." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, it’s a big day in the United States today - and in Panama, Greenland, Canada, Mexico, and the many countries who are going to feel the weight of President Trump’s return.   Today is a day of ceremony, tradition and balls; but most importantly a day of action as Trump begins to fire off the first of the many executive orders promised on the campaign trail.   What I find most interesting about this Presidential transition is how transactional it has been. The New York Times reports there are at least a dozen billionaires among Trump’s cabinet picks or in line for senior roles in his administration. Another publication worked out that the combined net worth of the wealthiest members of his administration could surpass $460 billion.   Many are his richest donors, such as Elon Musk, who we all know spent a large sum getting Trump elected. Some of the roles these billionaires are taking on will see them become responsible for sectors they’ve been involved with.   Off the back of this, Pres

Following last minute strikes over Gaza and a three-hour long delay, an Israel-Hamas ceasefire has begun.  Israel is expecting to receive 33 hostages from Hamas over the coming weeks. The first three hostages have been returned to Israel, after spending around 15 months in captivity. Hamas says for every hostage released, 30 Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails. UK and Europe Correspondent Gail Downey joins the show to discuss the details.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis will pick up a new role with a new name in the Economic Growth Portfolio - formerly the Economic Development Portfolio occupied by Melissa Lee. Willis told Francesca Rudkin she is planning to identify the barriers for small businesses, industry leaders and entrepreneurs.  The change is among a variety of shakeups to cabinet - Doctor Shane Reti has lost the health portfolio, Simeon Brown has become the new minister for health and handed over his portfolio to Chris Bishop.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis joins the show.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Foil's finished fourth in front of a home crowd in the Sail GP over the weekend.  Beat out by our rivals across the Tasman, Australia's Tom Slingsby said recovering after a technical scare was what helped them win the maiden final.  Sports reporter Elliott Smith joins early edition, giving a run down of the weekends sailing, the powerhouses taking on the Australian Open and Auckland FC is back in action.  LISTEN ABOVE.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The stage is set for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.  In less than 24 hours he will be sworn in as the 47th United States President, however dangerously cold temperatures are threatening the ceremony's outdoor venue.  The former President isn't missing a beat with promises to conduct 100 executive orders on day one of his second term.  Marco Rubio's former chief of staff Matt Terrill joins Early Edition to discuss what can be expected this time around.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Monday the 20th of January. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has reshuffled his cabinet with health and the economy the renewed focus. Minister for Economic Growth Nicola Willis talks to Francesca about her expanded role. Matt Terrill joins the show live from the United States a day before Donald Trump's inauguration as president for the second time. It was a busy weekend of sport with Australia winning Sail GP in Auckland. Elliott Smith has your weekend sport wrap. Get the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has made a series of changes to his cabinet for the new year. Melissa Lee has been demoted from his ministerial team, taking her economic development and ethnic communities portfolios off her. Lee’s economic development portfolio had morphed into economic growth, which has been given to Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “[Willis'] focus will be on leading the Government’s growth agenda to unleash the potential of our businesses to grow, develop talent and attract investment,” Luxon said. Nicola Willis says signs of economic recovery are already starting to show. "Our plan is about more than simply getting through the recent economic downturn."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like many of us over the summer, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon used his downtime to reflect on the year that had been, and like many of us put together his in and out list for 2025. This is the way young people do New Year’s Resolutions these days. But what’s in and out took on a new rather crude spin yesterday afternoon when he announced a reshuffle of Ministerial roles for National MPs.  Melissa Lee lost all her portfolios. Matt Doocey is handing over ACC, Tourism and Hospitality, and Youth to various other MP’s to focus on his Mental Health and Associate Health roles. And Dr Shane Reti passes on the Health portfolio to Simeon Brown, instead picking up a new Universities roles, plus Science, Innovation and Technology.   The emphasis on health and economic growth is not a surprise, and while the Prime Minister continues to express confidence in Reti, and spoke of his achievements last year, it’s clear he’s decided his Minister’s skills are better used elsewhere.   However, the health goals

According to the group who are upset about the monopoly-duopoly that's happening in our grocery sector, you could save, at most per person, about $74 per year. That's if they were to have perfect competition in the sector, which obviously would be very hard to achieve.    Do you know what else costs you $80 a year?  A friend and I were chatting at the gym the other day and he showed me his rates bill, which he had kindly brought to the gym to encourage him to run faster.  There's an $80 targeted rate for the food compost bin. He said, what's that for? And I was like, it's the green bin that's on the street that no one uses. Then he was running faster than I've ever seen him run on the treadmill.  So apparently 60 to 65% of us don't use them. I know they have them in other parts of the country, in Auckland we've only got them just recently, so we're all getting a bit used to them. But $80 a year is what you have to pay.  And I got quite angry because if you're on a fixed income, $

I've got an amazing wonder drug to tell you about New Zealand, and it saved me in the last couple of weeks.  People are talking about it from top of the country to the bottom and it's not Ozempic.  No, I'm not taking Ozempic, though, I wouldn't mind trying it. I think a lot of people are curious.  David Seymour made this drug a priority. Yes, I'm talking about pseudoephedrine.  I felt sick, I took it, the symptoms disappeared.  I had a wedding recently and people said they wouldn't have come without it.  What must it be doing for our productivity as well?  Fewer sick days.  I spoke to a friend of mine who's a mum, she's got young kids, and you send your kid to daycare, they get all the bugs under the sun, they bring the germs home. The kids are gross and they pass it on to mum and dad.  Mum and dad go down like flies, they take time off work, et cetera, et cetera. And then bam, pop the miracle drug. Pseudo mums and pseudo dads.  So they are absolutely over the

Guilty verdicts have been reached in France's mass rape trial.   Dominique Pelicot's been jailed for 20 years after drugging and raping his wife Gisele and inviting dozens of strangers to do the same for over nearly a decade.   He was also found guilty of taking indecent images of his daughter and his two daughters-in-law.   Of the other 50 men on trial, 46 were found guilty of rape, two of attempted rape, and two of sexual assault.  Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Andrew Dickens that there’s been some disappointment around the sentences for the other men, as they received sentences of between 5 and 8 years.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's teaming up with the private sector to get on top of text scams.  When people report scam texts as junk on some phones, text messages will soon go directly to the Department of Internal Affairs.  It can then share the info with telcos so they can be blocked.  Rush Digital founder and chief executive Danu Abeysuriya told Andrew Dickens we have to work together to solve this problem.  He sees it as a good approach because if you get a few reports of spam, thousands of further texts can be blocked.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.