Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

An international relations expert says it's important New Zealand shows its face at a big climate change conference. COP 26 is taking place in Glasgow at the end of the month. Patrick Bayer from Strathclyde University says told Kate Hawkesby United Nations decision-making happens on a consensual basis. "Every country that is not represented to is going to throw a spanner the works, in terms of other countries not knowing what governments stand for." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Breast Cancer Foundation says at least 133 women across the country won't know they have the disease right now.  The national breast screening programme was put on hold at level 4 and has been running at reduced capacity from level 3.  Breast Cancer Foundation Chief Executive Ah-Leen Rayner says told Kate Hawkesby barriers to participation need to be removed. She says screening needs to continue during any level four outbreak. "And we need action plans in place with extra resources given to our screening agencies." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's books are supposedly in better shape than expected. The Finance Minister revealed a deficit, a business would call that a trading loss, of only $4.6 billion. Mmmm...we lost $4.6 billion. That said, the Budget picked a number more like $15 billion, so it could have been a lot worse. But one thing caught my ear in the announcement. Kainga Ora properties (what we used to call Housing New Zealand) are on the books as assets. But is it really truthful to call a property portfolio that LOSES money an asset? Minus $20-30m a year sounds more like a liability to me. And that's AFTER it sucked nearly a billion out of WINZ in rent subsidies. Of course, we need to have cheap housing, but doesn't expanding Kainga Ora's portfolio just feed an ever-growing liability for the taxpayer? And while I'm on this point, the Government says the value of all its property and equipment is up by $27 billion. That's land, buildings, state highways, electricity generation and railways. Land can be sold, so it's an asset,

Support for New Zealand to have another tilt at hosting the Commonwealth Games. Organisers have reduced the number of mandatory sports down to athletics and swimming. Auckland business association Heart of the City says the event would bring increases to GDP and tourism.  Birmingham is hosting next year's games, but the slot for 2026 remains open.  Heart of the City Chief Executive Viv Beck told Tim Dower says the gains would be more than just economic. "It's also good because people rally around, kids participate and volunteers get involved. There's a lot of upside." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A call to set aside MIQ spaces for the parents of babies who are about to be born. The ACT Party and some health experts are calling for the Government to prioritise them. Plunket chief executive Amanda Malu told Tim Dower every baby deserves to have as little stress and anxiety as possible, particularly in the first weeks of their lives. "It's a pretty important category, we think, those about to be newest citizens of our country and we think we should look after them." Amanda Malu says it would involve small numbers of MIQ spaces, but science shows how important the first thousand days of life are. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Work is underway to target low vaccination rates in rural communities. Dunedin Medical School research has found people who have had at least one jab is 11 percent lower in rural areas.  The rate of people with at least one dose is 726 per 1000, compared to 816 per 1000 urban residents.  Rural GPs Network Chief Executive Grant Davidson told Tim Dower going to the people is the answer. "Above Te Kaha, for example, they're getting 87 percent in their community, and that's because they're going out using community volunteers to bring people in or taking vaccines out to those communities." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The only good thing to come out of yesterday is that I won a bet.  My husband bet me that they’d loosen something or announce something yesterday.  That they’d throw a bone, announce a target, unveil some details, open something up, name the Northland absconder, something, anything.  He said there was no way they could just do nothing. There was no way they could keep locking us down at this level with no plan, no detail, no guide. I don’t know why he keeps over estimating this Government; I knew they’d do none of that. I knew they’d leave us languishing because 1) they’re out of touch, and 2) they don’t have a plan. What I didn’t bank on was how much high fiving they’d do of their own ability. This far into this much farce, how are they still claiming to be successful? To be world leading? Is there anyone out there still buying that crap? Seriously? How are they still milking these press conferences as an opportunity to gloat? It again shows, I guess, how out of touch they really are. Schools got a mention,

Across the ditch, gyms are struggling to get their members back after lockdown.  Sydney's having to offer free workouts, new programmes, and promise better ventilation to drag people away from the comfort of home work-outs.  Questions are still being raised as to what stage Auckland gyms can re-open. Richard Beddie, Exercise NZ CEO joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pushback on the idea that some businesses need to fail after lockdown.  Economist Shamubeel Eaqub suggested some businesses should be left to fail, so others can thrive. He says the Government shouldn't be expected to prop up businesses who go under post lockdown, as there will be too many businesses and not enough demand.    Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois told Kate Hawkesby it's not that simple.  "We need to remember these business owners are people. They contribute to the economy, they affect the supply chain, so it's absolutely imperative that we look at helping these businesses out." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's decision to delay the reopening of Auckland schools by a week, is being seen as the right call, despite some believing it will result in lost learning for some children. As well, all school and early learning staff who have contact with students, must be fully vaccinated by January 1, and have their first dose by November 15. Developmental paediatrician Dr Jin Russell told Kate Hawkesby in the current context it's the right move. She says if you don't get it right, there will be transmission of Covid-19 in schools, mainly between adults. "And that will cause small rolling small closures and the need for children to isolate from one another, so it is smart to delay it a little bit.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite Auckland being in it's longest lockdown ever, daily Covid-19 cases keep climbing up. Yesterday we had 60 community cases, 56 of them in Auckland. Covid's also hit the regions now, with cases in Waikato, Northland and Bay of Plenty. Today the Government's announcing whether any restrictions will be loosened. University of Otago senior lecturer in primary healthcare and general practice Lesley Gray joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s lucky we weren’t on air last week, because we probably would’ve been sacked.  I mean there are only so many swear words tolerable on air, but expressing the rage of Aucklanders right now would use up a lot of them.  I get the overwhelming sense now that people are angry, and over it. I mean they were angry and over it a while ago, but it seems to be gaining momentum. There’s less empathy for lockdowns and teams of 5 million talk, and more rage. Rage against those breaking the rules, border breachers, gangs.. don’t even get me started on the gangs.. the incomprehensible rules we are supposed to be following, the lack of a plan, the needlessness of all this.  All of it. It’s rage inducing. And it’s landed in Auckland, as well as Northland and Waikato laps this past week, that we're potentially not getting out of this anytime soon. Some people mistake rage at lockdown as being about first world problems like not being able to get to the hairdresser, but it’s actually so much more than that.  It’s watching y

So the South Korean show Squid Game has taken the world by storm. Despite being a Korean speaking show, it's number one in Netflix in 90 countries, and is soon to become the most popular show ever on Netflix. The show is about people who face severe debt play a series of deadly children's games to win a cash prize. If you lose, you're dead. There have been roll on affects from the show, sales for white Vans that the contestants wear has jumped over 7000%. Lecturer in Korean studies at University of Sheffield Dr Sarah Son joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's something to look out for in the next few months, or perhaps on the last day of Parliament before Christmas. Today's Herald reports there's about four billion dollars in debt on the Government's books. This is money owed by New Zealanders to the Crown, for a whole bunch of different reasons. About half of it is due to MSD, the Ministry of Social Development, that comes down to overpaid benefits essentially. Bottom line, about four billion, which is owed by the least well-off people in the country, people in no realistic position to ever pay it back. Now, cast your mind back to the start of the pandemic when benefits went up $25-a-week just like that, overnight. Since then, there's been another $20 a week since July this year, and by April next year some beneficiaries will be up as much as $55 a week. All up, we're putting another $3.3 billion into benefits, over four years. Which might sound like largesse when you're paying your tax, or seeing how much GST you've handed over in your grocery bill or pet

You'll be aware Chinese warplanes have been flying sorties into Taiwan's air defence zone. Naturally, Taiwan is a bit stressed by all this, saying military tensions are the most serious in 40 years. Its defence minister says China could be capable of a full scale invasion by 2025. From the research house Rand Corporation in Washington, Scott Harold joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cancellation of Canterbury's A and P show is a huge economic loss for the region. Three Cup and Show events - the Agricultural Show, Addington Cup Week and Riccarton Park Races - were expected to generate more than four million dollars of visitor spend. Christchurch Deputy Mayor Andrew Turner told Tim Dower Christchurch NZ is looking at other events which could mitigate the loss of visitors. "Very difficult to see what could replace that large number of visitors that normally would be in town." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National MP Chris Bishop is feeling vindicated by the Government's decision to introduce rapid antigen tests in some hospitals. He told Tim Dower it's something he's been calling for, for some time. "Other countries have them, they use them. They are a useful tool to pick up Covid in the community and we should be using them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Great to see the TV news last night, and clips of Auckland people so relieved to get out into the park and meet a few friends. Ordinary, working people finally getting permission to enjoy a sniff of normality. And for the most part, they're diligently doing all the right things; wearing their masks and keeping their distance. Meanwhile, the outlaw element has apparently been carrying on as normal. Today we can confirm that the index case in the Hamilton outbreak is a drug deal dealer, with a long criminal history and gang affiliations. There are suggestions they crossed the Auckland boundary to buy drugs, and then delivered those drugs in the Waikato. Chris Hipkins has publicly confirmed that - quote - "quite a number" of people in the latest outbreak are gang members. So, while people who just want to get on with making an honest living and provide for their families suffer, people with a contempt for that way of life just carry on as they please. Naturally, we'll pick up the pieces, as we always do. We'll p

Covid-19 has sneaked through the Auckland boundary. In Kawhia and Karapiro the finger's been pointed at outsiders sneaking to their holiday places. Some say the gangs have brought it in with their Methamphetamine deliveries. The mayor of Waipa Jim Mylchreest has called for all the North Island to go back at level 3 with Auckland. Immunologist Dr Dianne Sika Paotonu joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frustration from businesses that want to do more to help, during the Covid-19 crisis. The Herald's Mood of the Boardroom survey shows CEOs rate Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's ability to build confidence with business, a 1.97 out of five. Employers and Manufacturers' Association Chief Executive Brett O'Riley told Tim Dower businesses feel grumpy, sombre and frustrated. "And really looking to work much more closely with government to be part of the solution; rather than relying on daily press conferences to find out what's going." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.