Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

The headline this morning was that a Mongrel Mob boss was granted an essential worker exemption to travel to Auckland. Sonny Fatupaito, from the Mongrel Mob Kingdom in the Waikato, travelled in and out of Auckland last weekend. The PM was asked about this this morning on Radio Hauraki, after a track from Queens of the Stone Age and a question as to which vacuum cleaner she and Clarke used, and what would she recommend, Jeremy Wells asked her about the headline.I can imagine that if you are someone who is desperate to get across the border to see family and friends, or who has been denied essential worker status and is watching your business flounder, this would set your teeth on edge. This news has probably completely rarked up those who believe, justifiably, that this Police Commission and this government is soft on gangs.  But I have to say, in this case, I support the decision. I agree with the PM.   Contact tracers who are on minimum 20 bucks, median 27 dollars per hour, are unlikely to get the information required from gang members with Covid. Sonny Fatupaito will. According to a press statement released to selected media:“This work initially started with a cluster at the Assembly of God Church in Manukau which then extended to a Mongrel Mob Kingdom Chapter based in Auckland.This required immediate intervention from the senior leadership in the Waikato Kingdom, and this onsite intervention ensured compliance and welfare assistance was provided as needed. The Kingdom has collaborated closely with providers South Seas Healthcare and The Cause Collective based in South Auckland.A request for assistance from the Crisis Management Team in South Auckland was made to Sonny, to facilitate the process of members and their whānau being tested. Sonny was given exemption to cross the Auckland boundary, to complete this essential work, this travel was conducted under strict Covid-19 protocols enforced by Health Authorities and the Police.The high-level of risk is far from over, the Mongrel Mob Kingdom will be facilitating further educational health programs in the Waikato. To this end, a Covid-19 Education Workshop on 16 October will be held in Hopuhopu, with indigenous health experts, Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen from Te Ropu Whakakaupapa Uruta (National Māori Pandemic Group) and Associate Professor, Collin Tukuitonga from the Public Health department at the University of Auckland.This event is designed to give our members and their whānau, accurate and relevant information towards protecting their whānau from Covid-19 and will give our members the opportunity to question the experts, particularly surrounding much of the online social media content about the Covid vaccine. The event will also include a pop-up vaccination site for members wanting to vaccinate themselves and their whānau.”I know it must seem galling to see a gang leader get an essential worker exemption - but hey, at least he applied for one, rather than using the underground railway other gang members do. And none of us will be travelling around the country any time soon unless controlling the community spread and overcoming vaccine hesitancy is achieved. So, in this instance, Sonny Fatupaito has more to offer than that posturing narcissist Brian Tamaki.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a month since all New Zealanders over 12 became eligible for the vaccine and only 55 percent of Māori have had their first dose. Less than 50 per cent of eligible Māori have received their first vaccination in Northland, among the worst rates in the country. Auckland's Papakura Marae opened the first marae-based drive-through vaccination centre, which also provides provide wrap-around services including a testing centre and food bank. Papakura Marae CEO Tony Kake joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic continues to disrupt international freight. Among the issues is a shortage of shipping containers causing delays for both importers and exports around the world. President of the New Zealand Custom Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation and Managing Director of Go Logistics Chris Edwards joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A regional medical practice closed its doors to new patients after losing a doctor due to immigration issues. Last year, the Government suspended Expressions of Interest selections for the skilled migrant category, because of Covid-19. After waiting a year for things to change, Ōtaki GP Harding Richards gave up and returned to Wales. He had more than 1300 registered patients. Ōtaki Medical Centre chief executive Kiwa Raureti joined Kerre McIvor.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Mental Health Awareness Week, in New Zealand the theme is is “Mā te kōrero ka ora” which translates to 'talking saves lives'. The aim is to get more Kiwis talking about how they feel, and what they can do to improve their mental health. It's especially important when we are locked down in a pandemic. Psychotherapist and Host of The Nutters Club on Newstalk ZB Kyle MacDonald joined Kerre McIvor.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a surprise move, Justice Minister Kris Faafoi says he's introducing a 'fair proportion' clause into commercial rent agreements.From today, a landlord and their tenant can agree to paying a fair amount of rent if Covid-19 has stopped a tenant being able to fully conduct their business.Faafoi said the two parties could also agree the clause does not apply.Colliers Head of Research Chris Dibble joined Kerre McIvor.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT Leader David Seymour says he's thrilled at the response to a petition on Three Waters.Over 17,000 people have signed up to ACT's petition over a couple of days, despite National's petition reaching almost 25,000 signatures.Seymour says that Three Waters still have to get the councils to agree, of which they are failing at, but we aren't getting upset over nothing.David Seymour joined Kerre McIvor.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sir John Key has come out over the weekend, slamming the government's slow response and lack of initiative from ministers over the slow rate of vaccination, MIQ and the use of fear to control the population.  Both Sunday papers carried his opinion piece and this morning he spoke to the MHB.The PM has responded that the government is already working on some of the suggestions from the former PM - but seriously, how and why are we working on these measures?  It's such an utterly reactive response when we've had the benefit of seeing what has happened overseas and what has worked.  The saliva tests for instance - you may have read Vererena Frederika Hasel's piece in the Herald.  A German psychologist who lives in New Zealand, she went to Germany to visit family and friends in May of this year.  And far from being a place ravaged and devastated by Covid, life was pretty much back to normal.  Like everyone else, we were entitled to a free rapid virus test every day. So we started our days with a visit to a testing centre in our neighbourhood, joining people who turned up in their gym clothes because they were just about to go on their morning run. Thirteen thousand testing centres had opened up all over the country, all of them fully funded by the government. We received the test results within 15 minutes on our mobiles.  New Zealand on the other hand feels frozen in time ever since I returned.Eighteen months into the pandemic, the government has not introduced the tools that have proved effective in stopping the spread of Covid-19 in other parts of the world.  The government still owes the public an explanation for why the vaccine rollout has been so maddeningly slow. It has never explained this nor has it apologised for it. They even claimed everything was going according to plan. The reality is: If people had been vaccinated sooner, this long Auckland lockdown would have been averted.Experts who act as advisors to the government have been a bit smug. Sir David Skegg accused other countries of having let New Zealand down.They could have gone down the elimination path but they chose not to, he said. But it is not as easy as that. Not every country is an island or is able or willing to close its borders. I am actually having a very hard time accepting the border closure here.  So add this voice of reason to that of Sir John Key's, to Sir Ian Taylor's, to Rob Fyfe's - these are not people who are mad granny killers, who want to throw New Zealanders to the wolf of Covid.  They just see a government who does not seem to be able to pivot the way it has asked businesses to do, a government that is bereft of ideas, that is anything but transparent and that only knows one simplistic way to manage a crisis.  And that's to shut everything down.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is investing $45 million in a new frontline programme, instead of arming police. It includes $15 million for a Tactical Response Model and expansion of the frontline skills course. More than 200 additional police officers will be qualified to armed offenders squad standard. Police Association President Chris Cahill joined Kerre McIvor.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evergrande, one of China's largest real estate developers and one of the biggest businesses in the world, is causing a major crunch for the global economy. The massive business has massive debts, about $300 billion worth, and was due to pay off the interest on some of its bank loans yesterday. As the company remains in danger of defaulting, the US stock market and other global markets took a tumble.  Forsyth Barr Head of Wealth Management Matt Henry joined Kerre McIvor to discuss.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.