Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

The closure of Kiwi YHA hostels is a massive blow to tourism.Due to financial difficulties, the eleven hostels will close from December 15.Haka Tourism has used the YHA hostels for its multi-day tours for the last few years.General Manager Eve Lawrence told Kerre McIvor the YHA had an amazing holding in New Zealand, knowing what clients want and need.“In some of the regions, this is gonna be a huge blow to the tourism infrastructure. And some of these new hostels like Tekapo, Mt Cook, Franz Josef — they're actually pretty lovely hostels.”Lawrence says the company could offer a seven-day isolation package to international travellers to help the industry.“But the problem is offshore partners and airlines simply just will not sell New Zealand when the rest of the world is open if people have to isolate for seven days. They just won’t sell us.”She says the industry will be lobbying the Government to get rid of the isolation as it will still prevent many tourists coming to New Zealand.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flames are licking around the feet of Kāinga Ora bosses and Associate Housing Minister Poto Williams, as calls mount for the no evictions policy to be scrapped by the state landlord. Litigation Lawyer Adina Thorn says the no evictions policy has to end - she's been inundated with dozens of stories from neighbours of Kāinga Ora tenants who have endured all sorts of abuse. For example, an elderly couple is being terrorised by Black Power neighbours in Whangarei. They have been left terrified and fearing for their lives, since intimidating Kāinga Ora neighbours moved in earlier this year. One of the residents allegedly threatened the 82-year-old husband saying he would slit his throat. Overnight, a statement from Kāinga Ora was released that says: “While Kāinga Ora has a Sustaining Tenancies policy, it is not a No Evictions policy. Kāinga Ora will both move people as a last resort, in very limited circumstances. However, moving people may also bring other issues where children and schools are involved, or family support networks and other support services are involved because moving someone does not remove the underlying problems" Associate Housing Minister Poto Williams joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Gray's piece in Monday's New Zealand Herald detailed what the Reserve Bank will do with the $55 billion in New Zealand Government bonds now Quantitative Easing is over. There seems to be consensus the Reserve Bank will increase the Official Cash Rate today - but the question is, by how much? Governor Adrian Orr will be making the announcement at 2pm, along with the Monetary Policy Statement. Senior Economist at Infometrics Brad Olsen joined Kerre McIvor and told her that we have a very hot economy at the moment. “We’ve got record high inflation and record low un-employment and we had economic activity over the first half of the year that grew at nearly double the pace the Reserve Bank thought.” He said things are a lot hotter than the Reserve Bank expected and they'll want to increase interest rates. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, the winners and losers from yesterday's announcement - hairdressers can open as of Thursday, and spare a thought for the poor men and women behind the scissors. After more than 100 days in lockdown they will have at least 3 to 4 hundred heads to catch up on. I can't even begin to imagine the bargaining, pleading and horse-trading going on trying to get an appointment in Auckland.  I enjoyed hearing the woman from Rodney Wayne on this morning; staff have been given pep talks on how to talk to clients about vaccinations and mask wearing, and a crash course in how to fix the damage from home dye jobs.  Beauticians miss out, as do those in hospitality. Deputy PM Grant Robertson says he doesn't know why, but the Government simply acted on advice from the Health Department.  Hairdressers are being used to trial the vaccine app that shows businesses you are in fact double vaxxed and therefore you have permission to enter the premises.   But not beauticians, restaurants, bars and cafes. They will have to wait until December 3.   So, hairdressers one, beauticians and hospo nil. The even bigger losers are those who had flights booked to Australia over Christmas. People who had managed to play the cruel lottery of MIQ and find a space, or who had made life plans to head to Oz for a new life across the Tasman. They have had their plans scuppered with Air NZ cancelling flights leaving thousands of would-be travellers in the lurch.   The problem is MIQ, and according to Air New Zealand, the continued uncertainty around that. Grant Robertson talking to Mike Hosking this morning was adamant we still need to stem the flow of travellers into this country. It all sounds very reasonable. But you'd have to ask whether it's the vaccinated being held back yet again to protect the unvaccinated. Who doesn't want to be protected?   I’d love to hear some feedback on the traffic light system. Are business prepared and ready to open? How are salons and barbers shops coping with the demand for services?  For those who were booked on Air New Zealand flights, how are you dealing with the news that your flights have been cancelled and do you buy the reasons for continued border controls? And for those regions with poor vaccination rates, and those who have chosen not to be vaccinated, if you're currently enjoying Level 2 freedoms, it's going to be a bit grim going backwards.   No confirmation from Robertson, but certainly low-level vaccination rates make it likely you'll be going into the ‘red light district’. As one who's spent most of the last three and half months in that, you are NOT going to like it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Downtown Auckland is sinking into anarchy and becoming a lot like 1980s New York City, just with fewer murders, a concerned resident has told city leaders. "Auckland is internationally regarded as one of the safest, and most friendly big cities in the world. I think if things don't change before the borders are reopened - this is a reputation we will quickly, and irreparably lose," the resident said in an open letter to Mayor Phil Goff and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick. Chlöe Swarbrick joined Kerre McIvor.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is growing frustration over unruly Kāinga Ora tenants in south Auckland's Papakura and other areas around the country. An internal policy at the state rental agency heavily discourages evicting problem tenants. It's designed to prevent people being cycled through emergency and transitional housing - at a greater cost to taxpayers. Neighbours are reporting noise, illegal parking, dumped rubbish and violence. Kerre McIvor spoke to Manurewa-Papakura Ward Councillor Daniel Newman, he says Kāinga Ora is too soft.   National's Housing Spokesperson Nicola Willis called in to Newstalk ZB, she is hot on the issue, asking questions of the Associate Housing and Public Housing Minister Poto Williams. Kāinga Ora Chief Executive Andrew McKenzie joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So the noose around Auckland is finally loosening, but don't get too excited.   We have nearly a month before we can head out to other parts of New Zealand to reconnect with family and friends and inject some much-needed Auckland disposable into the economy.   And given that a number of districts most visited by Aucklanders are well below the 90 per cent vaccination target, how is it all going to work?  Well, thank you for asking, but amazingly, none of this is clear.   If you thought the unvaccinated wouldn't be able to travel, well, it appears they can.  Despite an implicit message from Ardern and Hipkins earlier this month that travel would be the privilege of the vaccinated, nope.  You will need either to be double vaxxed OR to have had a negative test within 72 hours.   So, if you haven't been vaxxed you're free to leave.  I actually think the testing makes sense because as we know, even if you are vaxxed, there's a chance you could have Covid and pass it on.   So, before I head north, I will take a test - just to do a belt and braces job.  And how will we know that everyone will comply?  Again, thank you for asking.  We won't know. It's another high trust model.  There will be no hard boundaries, no checkpoints heading south out of Auckland - just random spot checks from police, in much the same way as they do drink driving spot checks, WOF and rego checks.   It will apparently be a bit stricter at the northern border, given Northland's low vaccination rate, so police will be working with iwi - it will be interesting to see how that works.   And why aren't we loosening that border right away, given Auckland has achieved 90 per cent 1st vaccination?  It's because, yet again, we're pandering to the minority.   Nine per cent of the country has yet to be vaccinated.  Based on the percentages, the public health system should be able to cope that number.   It makes me very, very grumpy that I have to wait, my friends have to wait, to see family because the Government has decided that people who don't want protection, need protection and are being given one last final chance to get it.   I suppose it's something to look forward to but after this long, gruelling, punishing lockdown, joy and optimism is a lot harder to find than it used to be.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This morning, the Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins spoke to Mike Hosking. He was explaining how, very soon, people would need to have proof of vaccination and that their boffins had been working on a digital passport - nearly a year after other countries had their passports operational.  But, nonetheless, the glorious day had arrived and people would be able to download proof of their vaccinations and they'd be good to go, ready to show their permission to attend church, or go to a bar, or head to a sporting event. Really seamless, hey?  Yeah, not so much.   Has anyone been able to download theirs yet?  A chocolate Santa to the first person who has.   And even if you do get into My Covid Record are you able to find out where to download the vaccination certificate?   I wasn't able to get on at work. I will be able to at home because I've set myself up - I've just forgotten my password - but the boss did. And he's technologically competent.  More than competent. But he couldn't find the open sesame to get through to the digital passport.  Why do we have to reinvent the wheel when there are digital passports that have been operating successfully overseas for months?  Couldn't we just have bought the technology off them?   And is the two-tier system of the vaxxed and the unvaxxed becoming a reality now for those who haven't had the shot? Does the concept of being denied access to many public places and spaces make you feel resentful or sad?   Or are you happy enough on your own with your own family living your best vax-free life?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to unruly Kāinga Ora tenants, the agency is hamstrung by an internal policy that stops them evicting problematic residents It's to prevent them being recycled through emergency and transitional housing at further cost. South Auckland Councillor Daniel Newman believes New Zealand taxpayers deserve better thank being held to ransom by bad tenants. Daniel joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I touched on this yesterday - stories coming out from people whose lives are being made misery because of anti-social Kāinga Ora tenants who are being protected at the expense of good law-abiding citizens.   In Avondale, a suburb of Auckland, a couple say they are at breaking point because of their Kāinga Ora neighbour.  72 noise complaints have been made against the woman in just seven months, and residents in the neighbourhood say screaming and fighting is also a problem as well as the woman's visitor, an intimidating and threatening patched gang member who's a frequent visitor.   Then you have two pensioners living in a Kāinga Ora property in Whangarei who say they've had death threats from their neighbours - one of them a patched gang member - who allegedly threatened to slit the 82-year-old's throat and watch him bleed out.   And I told you about the Papakura man yesterday who was so fed up with the violent and abusive behaviour of his state house neighbours he sold his property and moved to the South Island to protect his family. And Kāinga Ora's response to complaints from existing law-abiding tenants?   That THEY be moved from their homes - that THEY be forced to leave the neighbourhood because, apparently, an internal policy exists that prevents the agency evicting difficult tenants, to prevent them being recycled through emergency and transitional housing at further cost.   And presumably so that the housing numbers don't look worse.   There are 24,000 people waiting for a home to live in - enormous numbers, and most of them would be grateful for the opportunity to have a roof over their head.   So why can there not be a ‘three strikes and you're out on your arse policy’ with Kāinga Ora?  How is it that police can be called at least 50 times to a home - as was the case with the Papakura property - and still the tenants are allowed to stay?  How can people trash their state house homes and still be allowed to live in them? I get that some people are very high needs - that they have in effect been raised by wolves and struggle to fit into civilised society. But how are they going to learn what the rules of civil society are if they are excused appalling behaviour and implicitly told to continue what they're doing.   That crime does in fact pay?  Yes, they may well end up in transitional housing - but that means somebody in transitional housing right now can get a home of their own who may well appreciate it more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.