Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

Labour and National are making changes to their controversial housing bill which is being rushed through Parliament before Christmas. The two parties came together for the bill to make it easier to build three buildings, of three storeys, on most sections in our biggest cities. Initially, the bill allowed height to boundary ratios of 6m at the side and rear boundaries, but concerns over sunlight loss saw the environment select committee recommend this be reduced to 5 metres as of last Thursday. Now, an amendment from the Government, which National has indicated it is likely to support, has watered that down to 4 metres with the same recessionary plane. Town Planning consultancy company Sentinel Planning says it's being rushed through before Christmas without considering the impact on communities.  Managing Director Simon O'Connor told Kerre McIvor it would be radical. "It's a massive change, it's going to cause a lot of stress and concern for people who enjoy their outdoor space as it is." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How you feeling waking up this morning knowing that the Ministry of Health thought it was a good idea for Auckland boundary restrictions to be lifted and the whole country should have been in orange, bar Auckland and Northland. Apparently, in the recommendations to the government, there was even a wild and crazy public servant who thought it would be a great idea to start some of the South Island in green, but then, of course, he or she was pulled back into line and reminded of vulnerable Maori and the Delta spread so official health advice was to put the whole country in orange bar Auckland and Northland and to lift the Auckland boundary restrictions. Now, this is official health advice from a ministry not known for its cavalier hoots wahay, damn the torpedoes, attitude towards public health. This was that the border, the much-loathed border keeping us from family and friends, should be lifted because there was no reason to have it still there once we move to the traffic light phase. But oh no, no, no, no, no, no Ms all abundance and caution herself put a number of regions in red, not just Auckland and Northland for at least two weeks. No regions in green and the border has to stay around Auckland until December 15. She has, I suppose, the Prime Minister, being consistent in her cautious approach. She has pinned her colours to the Covid mast and does not want to see a single Covid death on her watch, and it must be really difficult juggling peoples morbid fear of the virus with common sense. But when the Director-General of Health says there is no public health justification to maintain a boundary around Auckland, once we move to the traffic light system, when the boundary around Auckland has served its purpose as Ashley Bloomfield said, and greatly reducing the risk of the virus escaping Auckland, thus giving the rest of the country the opportunity to vaccinate. Why the hell are vital policemen and women still stuck on the borders? People still stuck in traffic waiting to get through the much-loathed borders and others stuck in the hell of waiting for official permission to cross the border that is not deemed to be necessary by the Director-General of Health to see sick and dying relatives?  And it's not really the end of the boundary even come December 15, because the northern border controls are going to be there. Border controls that iwi want to protect the vulnerable and their communities who haven't had the opportunity to get vaxxed yet. The police don't want to do them, they reckon up to 300 police officers around the country could have their work disrupted and Chris Cahill, the Police Association President, said it's a busy time for police anyway, there'd be far better off in their own districts, policing the higher demands they have at that time of year and all the things you mentioned, you've got the boozy parties over Christmas, you've got the family harm, the mental health, the crime that doesn't take a holiday over Christmas. Shane Jones says the Government bowed to pressure from what he called self-appointed hapu leaders. He says the need for checkpoints has long gone and that the highway should be the freeway. should never ever have elevated iwi to the point of having enforcement powers at the borders. Always good for a sound bite, Shane Jones isn't he, always good for a sound bite! So there is the tension in the North as well from those who were saying no stop wait give us time and that would be the Far North DHB chair, who also chairs Ngāti Kuri trust board, He says we just need time to get more of the people who live rurally, who are disengaged, who just need more time to talk to people they trust.You know, time seriously? Come on now. Come on, Harry.I understand the need to protect the vulnerable, but Shane’s right. Most of us are vaccinated. The vast majority of us are vaccinated. I mean, you'd have to be a pretty loathsome sort of person to...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As you would have heard Mike discussing this morning, Christopher Luxon has announced his shadow ministers.  Audrey Young and the New Zealand Herald has done a great head-to-head with the shadow ministers versus Ardern and her cabinet, and there do appear to be a number of capable spokesmen and women who could ask tough questions of this Government now that the lineups been announced.  I think this has been National’s most egregious failing, to have spent the past 18 months allowing this government to get away with a number of major stuff-ups, and not holding their feet to the fire and holding them to account.  In part Nationals been stymied by lockdowns and Parliament being limited by social distancing rules and skeleton representation, but really and truly an opposition party could, indeed should, have been calling out this government on its failings over the past year.  From memory, even Labour, when it was going through its own musical chairs hunt to find a leader, were better at calling out the Key Government on its failings, remember housing that became such a hot topic, than National have been doing in the past 18 months.  Still, as Christopher Luxon has said time and again, they are looking forward not back and the announcement of the shadow government should give a few Labour ministers a run for their money, looking at you, Michael Wood, Poto Williams, and Khris Faafoi.  Although Labour does have a very, very strong leader and a very capable deputy leader in Grant Robertson, and it'll be hard to remove their shine, I'm absolutely certain Christopher Luxon and Simon Bridges will give it a go.  Christopher Luxon says all of his appointments have been made on merit.  Absolutely, he’s bang on about that. So, looking at the shadow government, at the lineup. Do you think that's what he's been able to achieve?  Todd Muller was asked about the party caucus, and although he hasn't been given a ranking, he says it's a great lineup. You get a real sense of a National Party caucus, chosen very much on performance. People want to see a shadow cabinet of MPs who can run the future Government, and that's what it's starting to feel like. Not a cabal of malcontents. It's actually starting to look like okay on the one hand, you have Labour offering this, on the other, you have National offering that. And we haven't seen that for a while.  So, I'd like to get your feedback on this. Does this look like a party of capable performers who could offer you an alternative? If you don't like the incumbents, does this give you a valid choice? To me looking at it, it does. For the first time in a while, you have a sense that okay here are people who can get things done.  Early days I think you know, even the National Party faithful would probably be holding their breath and just hoping that this gets through Christmas and the first six months of next year.  But it is looking capable in the way that Christopher Luxon was appointed as Leader of National. Shows a party that's unified and on song. Not driven with inner feuding. It looks like a good lineup and it looks like an alternative. Which is the best we've seen for a very long time.  Speaking of Todd Muller, though, he's now decided he will in fact be standing in the Bay of Plenty electorate. After announcing in June that he'd be retiring at the next election. The electorate chair said he had plenty of support stand again, she's delighted. He says he's re-energized and ready to go after his infamous meltdown when he was the National Party leader for a very short time. And I think you should be given a chance to do it again.  I'd be very interested to hear from the people of Bay of Plenty. He’s your MP after all? It'll be up to you whether it gets his job back again. According to the electorate chair, he has plenty of support. Is that among the party faithful in the Bay of Plenty? Or is it among the actual voters?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inland Revenue have undertaken its biggest-ever computer project, switching off its first computer system following a five-year transition to new technology. Unisys last week unplugged the mainframe computers at its data centres in Auckland and on the Kapiti Coast that ran the tax system for more than 20 years. The phased switch to a new software system has gone hand-in-hand with tax rules designed to ensure people and businesses are taxed more accurately through the year. Inland Revenue chief executive Naomi Ferguson joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A solar farm big enough to power 20 percent of residential Christchurch is to be built at the city's airport. Kowhai Park is 400 hectares of land at Christchurch Airport that will be used to generate renewable energy. Phase one will deliver a 220-hectare solar array capable of generating 150 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 30,000 homes, on the airport campus. Australian renewable energy fund, Solar Bay, is committing $100 million to the development of Phase One. They say there is nothing else like this in New Zealand; it’s innovative, far ahead of its time and absolutely world leading in every sense. Solar Bay co-founder Andrew Archibald joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An interim report into Pharmac has found issues with transparency, fairness and equity. The independent review is the first since the drug buying agency was established more than 25 years ago, looked at how well it performs against its targets. Pharmac Chief Executive Sarah Fitt boss accepts the drug buying agency needs to do better and they're working to be more transparent. The ACT party have labelled the review a whitewash and are calling on Minister of Health Andrew Little to reset the report and start again. ACT's Deputy Leader and Health Spokesperson Brooke Van Velden joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An interim report of a major Pharmac review has slated Pharmac over its fortress mentality as regards sharing information and its poor progress in addressing equity issues.  The review panel itself said it had been blocked from accessing information it needed, consequently making it unable to make meaningful comment about the performance of the agency.  The Act Party says the whole process needs to start again, which is absolutely outrageous.  You've been charged with doing a review. You need to know how Pharmac makes the decisions it makes, why it buys the drugs that does, why it approves funding for some drugs and not for others. But the agency won't work with you.  How very dare it! I mean, it is supposed to be working for all New Zealanders. It's not doing a good enough job according to Labour. Labour had campaigned before last year's election to conduct a review into Pharmac. They love a review, but you know, in many cases it looks like they're needed.  Pharmac’s role is to decide which medicines to buy with government funding. The review was to look at timeliness, transparency, and equity of its decisions.  So, the interim report was delayed for months. The Government says that was because of COVID-19. But what the actual panel says is that it found it very, very difficult to get the information that needed. It couldn't make any meaningful comment on Pharmac’s performance. So, it's been running for months - And can't comment.  Pharmac zealously guards information about a host of operational and financial matters, making it difficult to measure the extent to which it is meeting its objectives. Sack the lot of them! And put new people in. That fortress mentality, which seems to pervade the public health system, and indeed a lot of government departments, needs to go.  They're supposed to be working for New Zealanders. Their decisions should be transparent. Sarah Fitt, the chief executive of Pharmac, was on the Mike Hosking breakfast this morning and said they're trying to be more transparent.  Well, that's a bit piss poor, isn't it? Really? That's the best she can come up with. We're working on being more transparent. No, you're not actually, when you won't release information to a panel that's looking at your performance.  ACT say Pharmac and the review needs to start again. Pharmac has obfuscated an independent government commissioned report. This is insulting to people who have lost loved ones due to their medicines not being funded. The report’s a whitewash and the whole review process needs to start again, according to Brooke van Velden. And Andrew Little should be required to make Pharmac co-operate.  I don't know if you are one of those who has a family member or if you yourself are desperately waiting to get a medicine funded through Pharmac. If you've had to sell your house will go into a given little page or fundraise desperately to try and raise the money needed to get a life preserving medication that isn't funded by Pharmac, but this really isn't good enough.  This bunker mentality, this fortress mentality around the Ministry of Health, it’s Pharmac, a number of other government departments. I mean at least, bless, the Kianga Ora chief executive came on and answered questions. The minister fronted up. There needs to be more of that. Even if they just parrot the party line it gives you an example to hear their caliber or lack thereof.  And you have to front. It's a government agency that is supposed to be working for us. It's funded by us. The CEOs have made themselves unaccountable. And when they’re criticised, they just parrot out the party line and seem to be impervious to any kind of criticism. They just keep on going.  You're working on transparency. It's not that hard to be transparent. Just answer the questions. Give the people the information. Really not that difficult. How do you work on being transparent? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When did it become a crime to own property in this country? Or indeed, when did it become a crime to be successful in this country? The attempt to destabilize the leader of the National Party has begun.   For a start, it was the religion and then that segued into his ownership of property. Remember the furor over Todd Muller's MAGA cap? He collected American political memorabilia and as a politician he displayed it.  The cap was alongside Hillary Clinton badges, Obama banners and the like, but all any critics focused on was the MAGA cap and thus began the pile-on for Muller and he was gone before anyone had learned how to pronounce his last name.   And thus it has begun again. I hope for Christopher Luxon’s sake, he is made of sterner stuff.   In the numerous interviews he did yesterday, he was quizzed time and time and time again on his properties, first on Radio New Zealand then this is One News Political Editor Jessica Mutch McKay followed by Newshub Political Reporter Jenna Lynch.   Stuff are leading with the capital gains Luxon has made on his properties as well. Really?! Can you not care about affordable housing for all New Zealanders if you own property? No wonder people think the media is biased in this country and pro the government when that’s the focus of the questioning.   If you're at all interested in whether MP's own properties and how many they own, the information is all there for you with a quick Google. They have to declare what they own. So many of Labour's Maori MPs have interests in multiple properties, mainly because of their shares in Maori land blocks. Does that matter? Do you care?   If Luxon didn't own his apartment in Wellington, he'd be using taxpayer money to rent one, just as the other MPs do and have the right to do. If you don't own your apartment, you take money from the taxpayer to rent one.   I really am interested to know whether you think being successful in this day and age or being an owner of multiple properties rules you out of public office.  Does it make Luxon difficult to relate to? And I ask this because I really am interested.   I own properties. Well, the bank owns more of them than I do.   I'm like Christopher Luxon and I'm, you know, he's probably had the great for good sense and financial nails to have the mortgage free and focused on that, so I none of them is mortgage free.   I didn't even dream of owning a home until I was in my early 30s. I understand the importance of home ownership and the benefits it brings for individuals in society. I support the building of more houses, even if it brings down the value of mine. I know I have a good job and that I've been able to capitalize on owning one home to be able to get another, and I feel very fortunate. But I want everybody to have that possibility and potential. And I'm sure that's what Christopher Luxon wants as well.   And what is wrong with being a highly paid successful businessman or woman?  I wouldn't want to be running in New Zealand. I have no desire to do it. Even if I had the skill, do we really all want to aim for mediocrity? Is that basically where we're going?   I remember a caller telling me before a general election that he was a blue-collar worker, but he wouldn't be voting for Labour as it didn't intend to be a blue-collar worker for the rest of his life.   That sense of aspiration seems to be a thing of the past. We all seem to have adopted the Cullenism of sneering at rich prick's or prickettes. Is it because the gap between the wealthy and the poor has never been wider? That for those who are struggling, it seems an impossible dream just to be able to pay the rent far less own one property. Shouldn't we all be focusing on raising everybody up, not tearing down the ones who are successful?   You know, I really scratched my head on this one. Is it a bad thing to own property?   That was something I always...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speaking of new faces, new leader of the National Party!  The first email arrived just after the announcement, that as expected, Christopher Luxon would be the leader of the National Party.The email arrived from JG.‘National have just lost my vote’ was the headline, and in the body of the email ‘a mere novice and another wrong leadership choice. A favourite of John Keys. How very unintelligent.’However, I do wonder whether JG heard Luxon on with Mike this morning and if so, I wonder whether JG has changed his or her mind about Christopher Luxon. Who knows whether Luxon will be the answer to the National Party and all its woes? Whether he’s the man the faithful are looking for, whether cometh the hour the man has indeed cometh? After the horror run National has had with Bridges. then Muller, then Collins, who could blame National Party voters for being just a little bit cautious in their approval?But having listened to Christopher Luxon this morning, you'd have to say it is bloody refreshing hearing somebody answer questions -  like answer them. Listen to the question and answer it. Who knew that would be such a rare and sought after value? No faffing around, no repeating party lines. Not being scared to pin their colours to the mast and not being afraid to answer hard questions.Agree with his positioning or not agree, but you have to admit, surely even JG has to admit he does answer the questions and draws a line in the sand. This is where National is, this is where National stands. Come at us.Nicola Willis is Luxon’s deputy, and while she's a good choice, I hope she has not lost to the debating chamber. She's an excellent housing spokesperson and has done a great job asking the hard questions of the Government. So Christopher Luxon, Nicola Willis - they are the two who are charged with, as Christopher Luxon put it, re-setting National. But really it's more of a rebuild of National.The party was absolutely decimated at the last election, for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which the numerous own goals that National made. They have only themselves to blame for being exactly where they are right now. That's in the past, and Christopher Luxon has been very, very clear about that. Let me be very clear, as our Prime Minister would say, that is in the past. They want to look forward to the future. They want to rebuild the party. They want to focus on providing an alternative to the direction the Government is going in.The Government has made it very clear the sort of New Zealand they want to see. And National has begun to make it very clear, the sort of New Zealand they believe is best for all New Zealanders.So if you are one of the 413,000 voters who deserted National at the last election, is this the beginning of an answer? What do you need to see from Christopher Luxon and more importantly, the National Party to bring you back to the party? Does the future that Christopher Luxon began to outline and the interview with Mike this morning, does the future of New Zealand that he sees align with the future that you see?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I received this text yesterday. “I'm a police officer of 12 years. Every day I wake up and say what's the point? We have no support from the top dogs. Every day could be the end. You don't feel like anyone cares.” That was just one of the texts I received yesterday from police officers. Absolutely gutted that yet another call-out had ended in gunfire, death and hospitalisation, on top of the police officer who was targeted by a motorist last night at the night before, as he was laying spikes. I suppose at least we can be thankful that in yesterday's instance, the person who died wasn't one of the police officers, although one is seriously injured in hospital, the other two needed hospital treatment as well. It's only a matter of time though before another police officer is killed and the officers know that. I've spoken to so many and received correspondence from so many more over the past few years, who say that they have no confidence in their bosses and no confidence in the community appreciating the job that they do. And so most people have absolutely no idea what goes on, on a day-to-day basis. They try and keep it from their families as well. And there is very little appreciation shown. This seems to be almost a climate of them and us that's been generated. And you'd have to say that comes from the top when you are engaging with gangs. When you are treating gangs as equals at the table, where does that leave the police officers? We'll lose that police officer with 12 years experience and valuable experience. Just as we've lost so many officers who have hit that 10-year mark, getting all that experience, all those street smarts. And they become either so disillusioned with the job, or they have pressure put on them by family members to leave the police and get a job where there's a better than even chance they'll make it home at night. Being exposed to the news cycle all day, every day. I did wonder whether I thought there were more firearms incidents than ever before, simply because I heard about more of them. I was listening to more of the news, but no - figures released Newstalk ZB show there were 287 federal firearm-related call-outs in the Auckland region between March and June 2019. It's three months. Nearly 100 a month in 2019. This year that is up 10%. It seems like there are more gun battles because there are more. It's not a perception. And what is the Prime Minister's response to the rise in firearms use and violence on the streets and against our cops? She's sticking to the party line that Labour has taken “action quote to try to reduce the access and nature of firearms that are being accessed in the wider community. You'll see that we've moved on licencing. We've removed those weapons that are military style.” Well, whoopty bloody doo! A fat lot of good that's done for police officers and their safety.  And a fat lot of good. It's done for the good people of West Auckland. Ardern said authorities had been working on getting weapons out of the hands of the criminal fraternity and clamping down on firearms designed to cause mass devastation. Really? Again, whoopty doo, how would you rate that performance? Pretending a problem doesn't exist doesn't mean it's just going to go away. Chris Cahill, the Police Association President, says the emphasis on giving young people an alternative to gangs, a pathway away from crime, engaging with gangs is all very well and good, but you have to crack down on the hardened criminals and the Government is dragging the chain on that. “I totally get why we've got a problem with young people joining gangs and we've got to address it, but that doesn't mean you ignore those deportees from Australia, those long-term gang members have got in New Zealand, that have decided to arm up and put other people at risk. We've got a clamp down on them. Look at firearms prevention orders. A law of that...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.