Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

The Life Education Trust, an organisation that provides health education to young people, says young vapers are consuming as much nicotine as someone smoking a pack-and-a-half of cigarettes a day.They say schools are crying out for help because they are dealing with young people with full-on dependency issues and it's becoming an epidemic.In response to growing calls from concerned parents and educators, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand yesterday launched "Spotlight on Vaping" - a series of videos designed to be conversation starters about vaping.Foundation chief executive Letitia Harding joined Francesca Rudkin.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Professional Firefighters union members start industrial action today in their fight for reasonable wages and safer working conditions.Speaking to the Mike Hosking Breakfast, New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union National Secretary Wattie Watson says as well as looking for a pay increase, they need more paid firefighters on the job.So according to the Union, there is currently a crisis with Fire and Emergency NZ failing to employ sufficient career firefighters and 111 emergency call centre dispatchers to meet minimum staffing.We've been hearing about this, haven't we? We've been hearing about career stations that have been closed. Fire trucks that have been taken offline or firefighters are riding in unsafe short crews to keep the fire trucks responding. If a fire truck is offline, a truck from further afield responds costing valuable time. At the end of the day, wanting better pay, more firefighters and mental health support all this sounds pretty reasonable to me.Why don't we look after our emergency services better in New Zealand? We're very much relying on our volunteers to keep this service up and running. We have the highest number of unpaid firefighters per capita in the world.We've got 11,500 New Zealanders giving their time to serve in voluntary brigades and we've got about 1800 professional firefighters.So you ask the question, we've got all these people who are really happy to volunteer to do the same training as a professional firefighter, so why aren't they stepping up to be firefighter? And it's pretty clear they're not getting fair wages. Not to mention the concerns about working conditions.The fire service is a necessity; it's not a nice to have. It's time for the Government to step up and at least look after the firefighters that we have. We can't afford to lose anymore. And then work out how they're going to attract more firefighters into the sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced it is going to redesign the attendance service to help schools deal with truancy and have released some new student attendance targets.The new target is for 70 percent regular attendance in 2024 and 75 percent regular attendance in 2026.Across New Zealand, fewer than 60 percent of students currently attend regularly.‘Chronic absence’ means a child might be missing at least three days per fortnight. This has also been rising with almost 8 percent of students now chronically absent and the strategy aims to cut that number to 5 percent by 2024 and 3 percent by 2026.I am very pleased to see that the Government is finally doing something about it. I don't know about you, but to me it seems one of the most important things for our kids, is to be in school.Schools sometimes can be a one size fits all environment. It doesn't suit every kid, but essentially we do want our kids to be at school in learning, it is the best start in life, isn't it?Only 60 percent of students currently attending regularly, I think you'd agree with me is not good enough. It's about time this took place.I absolutely think this needs to be localised.We need to have more truancy officers on the ground working in communities. Schools need to have more resources to have these people if they want.If you want absenteeism to be reported and for schools to be able to work on it, they need the funding and they need the people to actually make this happen.Of course, parents are responsible for getting their kids to school, but once again, sometimes those complex issues make it a bit tricky, don’t they?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Breast Cancer Foundation Pink Ribbon Breakfast registrations are down 32 percent, representing a drop in income of roughly $600,000.Usually held each May, the campaign has now been extended to June 17th to try and make up the shortfall, in order to ensure it's services aren't impacted.Services that are needed more than ever.There's a backlog of 50,000 women overdue for their mammograms due to Covid delays.The importance of clearing the back-log has been highlighted by our colleague, Coast radio host Lorna Subritzsky.After beating the disease six years ago, Lorna has been diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time following a mammogram that should have taken place in December.Breast Cancer Foundation CEO Ah-leen Rayer joined Francesca Rudkin.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we heard in the news this week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will meet Australia's new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese and we've been told to the controversial 501 deportation policy is near the top of her agenda.I said yesterday that I didn't believe the Australians would reverse their 501 policy. It's a sure vote winner for all political parties, it looks like they're taking strong action against crime, and the public appreciates that.On the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning, political commentator and associate professor at Massey University Grant Duncan was hopeful for a change.For many of the 501s, Australia is home.It's where they spent their formative years. They might have arrived as children and young adults. It's all they know. It's where their families and their support systems are.It's also the environment in which they committed their offending, and if they have already served their sentence, paid their debt to society, it sort of feels like it's a double punishment, doesn't it?If Australia believes in social responsibility, then the added punishment of deporting them isn't really helping anyone. So while I don't believe Australia will reverse the policy, surely there is room to make decisions on a more case by case basis and reduce the number of deportees arriving back here in New Zealand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A surge in gang violence has Auckland on edge at the moment as a tit-for-tat gang war between two rival gangs plays out on the street.The Minister of Police, Poto Williams said she wants the Police to work faster to tackle this particular issue. The Police have responded by saying they're making arrests, mostly on firearms charges and working behind the scenes to de-escalate the situation.And yet still communities fear for their safety. The Government recently announced a $562 million investment into Police and $94 million to target gangs and organised crime. Obviously more resources are key to tackling the gang problem, but is it enough?National Party spokesperson Mark Mitchell has suggested tough anti-biker laws introduced in Australia should be considered here. In 2013, Queensland instigated some laws which meant that it was against the law for three or more known criminals to meet in public. They went a bit further than that as well.If you associate with non-criminals, even text them, you're given a warning and if you breach that warning you were then regarded as a known criminal and can be monitored.Giving police more resources and the power to investigate and supervise gang activity and those associated with them is surely a step in the right direction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we've been discussing, an increase in gang violence in Auckland has opposition parties eyeing up Australia's strict anti-bikie laws.In some Australian jurisdictions, anti-consorting laws mean gang members gathering together can be prosecuted.In Western Australia, they face up to five years in prison.Is this a way for New Zealand to dismantle the gangs from the inside out?National Party police spokesperson Mark Mitchell joined Francesca Rudkin.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According two new reports out this week, national house values have fallen in the latest quarter.One Roof's Velocity House Value Index and the latest Core Logic Data found residential property values in the quarter to the end of May down by precisely the same amount - 0.9 per cent.While dropping property values may be a concern for homeowners, questions have been asked as to whether it is a good time for first home buyers to enter the market.Property commentator Ashley Church joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Obesity and the state of children’s dental health is in our news regularly.New research out has once again prompted the call for the Government to introduce a levy on sugary drinks.An extensive review of policies from around the world where taxes are in place, and let’s remember over 45 countries have already taxed sugary drinks, shows the tax leads to 15% lower sales on average.The research, which looked at studies from across 12 countries and 5 US states, showed that while these taxes lifted the price of products and lead to fewer sales, it did not affect jobs within the beverage manufacturing industry.We know that the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages is associated with dental decay and diet related disease. We know 8000 children have had a general anaesthetic to have their teeth out.It seems like a no brainer to me to bring this into place here in NZ, however, yesterday Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare, who is responsible for nutrition, made it very clear, the Government is not considering a sugar tax.The taxes work overseas, so they should be introduced here, I think.It seems like a pretty simple way to get our sugar consumption down. As much as I feel that we might need a tax on sugary drinks, we also need to be looking at how we promote and educate good eating habits in general.I am disappointed the Government isn’t acting on this.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Very early this morning, the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met with US President Joe Biden. The meeting went longer than it should, it went over time and it was warm and friendly. Is that enough for you? On the agenda, of course, was trade and the CPTPP, there was global security, the Indo-Pacific economic framework.They talked climate change, the Ukraine and various things and of course, the CPTPP has been a focus for New Zealand and a discussion between New Zealand and the US for quite a while.It is unlikely we'll probably ever get a free trade agreement with the States so the CPTPP really is our best bet.  President Trump pulled the US out of the agreement in 2017, so it's very much back on the cards.This wasn't going to be a meeting that was going to produce a whole lot of accountables.You know, the Prime Minister said that we're not going to be announcing any new initiatives. It was made very clear before the meeting so that our expectations were kept in check; we weren't to expect any great announcements.So was it worth it this trip that the Prime Minister has just undertaken to the United States? I would say yes, because the more you hear from politicians we understand the importance of face-to-face talks and it has been a long time since we visited, seven years or so.  Sir John Key made the point in the last week about the importance of having that personal relationship with the US. If it benefits New Zealand, if it benefits the tourism industry which has been decimated over the last two years, then surely that on its own makes this trip worth it.We're this amazing little country at the bottom of the world. You can't actually just pop there for the weekend if you're coming from the States. You need a bit of time to plan, you need to put the seed into people minds.Yeah, come back, we're open. Come back and enjoy this amazing country and I think she did a very good job in achieving that. So, are you impressed with what the Prime Minister has achieved?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.