Episodes
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Unemployment is continuing to rise.
New figures from Stats NZ show the unemployment rate was 4.3% in the March quarter, up 0.3 percentage points from 4% in the December quarter.
The unemployment rate has been steadily rising since reaching a record low of 3.2% in the December 2021 quarter.
Business NZ Director of Advocacy Catherine Beard told Mike Hosking that the biggest problems businesses are seeing is a slowdown in demand from consumers as opposed to unemployment.
It’s a bit of a crunchy time we’re going through, she said.
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Questions are arising around the Police response to a fatal sword attack in London.
A 36-year-old man has been arrested after a 14-year-old boy was killed in the incident near the suburb of Hainault.
Four other people were injured including two officers.
UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that the Police's response time will likely be looked at.
He says it took officers 22 minutes to arrive at the scene and taser the man.
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Missing episodes?
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It’s unfortunate but hardly surprising.
Around 10km of highway through Northland's Brynderwyn Hills has been closed since February for repair work.
It had been due to reopen in a couple of weeks, but a slip has put paid to that.
Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo told Mike Hosking that delays had to be expected.
He says around 40-thousand cubic metres of soil will now have to be moved, and it's currently moving as if it was sand.
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It's looking like an MP pay rise is going ahead this time around.
The Remuneration Authority's set to increase salaries 2.8% backdated to October, followed by further increases out to 2026.
Ministers inside Cabinet will take home just over $304k a year and those outside Cabinet, nearly $257k.
Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls told Mike Hosking there hasn't been a pay rise since 2017 - because Parliament can overrule it.
He says the last time MPs were in line for a pay rise, former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern decided to freeze salaries due to the cost of living at the time.
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Queensland’s abuse support services are receiving a financial boost.
The state government has announced an additional $36 million in funding that will go to frontline domestic, family, and sexual violence support services over the next 12 months.
Premier Steven Miles said the figure was an increase of 20% of the current funding, calling on the federal government to match it.
Donna Demaio, Australian Correspondent, told Mike Hosking that the Prime Minister has called a national Cabinet meeting tomorrow to discuss the call to action.
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Household spending seems to be rising faster than inflation.
Data from Stats NZ showed that it rose an average of 6.2% in the year to March, reflecting the average person’s overall costs across the board.
Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Mike Hosking that part of the big difference between inflation sitting at 4% and this figure is that inflation doesn’t include interest rates.
He said that interest rates have gone up about 28% over the last year, which households are seeing a lot more.
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Pharmac's record funding-boost will fill a fiscal hole to ensure it can keep funding the treatments currently on offer.
The drug-buying agency is being promised an additional $1.7 billion over four years in the upcoming Budget.
Medicines NZ Chief Executive, Graeme Jarvis told Mike Hosking that without it, some patients would have lost out on medicines paid for by time-limited funding.
He says while it sounds like a lot of money, it's being spread over four years and simply keeps things as they are.
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The Government may need to re-consider its stance on healthcare in the upcoming budget.
An OIA has discovered the current health minister’s initial surgery wait list targets are estimated to have a $723 million price tag, over two years.
Christchurch colorectal surgeon Chris Wakeman tells Mike Hosking the biggest hurdle is the lack of people and facilities.
“This is a much bigger picture problem than just a budgetary allotment.”
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British troops could be deployed on the ground in Gaza to help deliver aid via a new sea route.
The US has said no American forces would go ashore from a floating pontoon – a “third party” will drive trucks along a causeway onto the beach. Britain has been closely involved in planning the sea-bourne aid operation.
Europe correspondent Gavin Grey tells Mike Hosking the task is risky due to the accidental killings of aid workers by Israel Defence Forces.
Meanwhile, the UK’s largest cider maker has chopped down a huge orchard, sparking fears for wildlife.
Lower demand for cider meant Bulmer’s Cider, owned by Heineken, had an excess of apples and uprooted thousands of trees.
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Super Rugby fans saw some high quality action over the weekend.
The Blues v Reds clash was decided dramatically after the siren and the Hurricanes had their unbeaten streak ended, being smothered into submission by the Brumbies.
Meanwhile, Scott McLaughlin took pole position for Monday morning’s IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama.
And, crowds are flocking to LIV Golf across the Tasman.
ZB Sport’s Elliott Smith wraps the weekend in sport.
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Professional driving instructors are suffering an unexpected consequence of last year’s change to free re-sits for driving tests.
Since fees for re-sitting practical driving tests were scrapped in October, delays to licence booking times have grown as a result of a surge in demand.
There were 2000 booked no-shows last month alone through VTNZ.
President of the New Zealand Institute of Driving Educators Mark Revill-Johnson tells Mike Hosking that funding training gets better outcomes as people are well prepared when turning up for tests.
Instead, people are using the test as an opportunity for a free lesson, affecting business for professional instructors across the country.
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Horses and people are still hospitalised after a number of animals belonging to the Household Cavalry ran through the streets of London.
Four of the seven horses threw off their riders after being spooked by a loud noise yesterday.
UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Andrew Dickens that they were right by Buckingham Palace, running through some of the busiest streets in the city.
He said that it frightened a lot of people, one horse crashing into a cyclist, another into a taxi, and a third into a double decker bus.
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Some of New Zealand's biggest tech names have sent a letter to the Government as millions of public funding is set to expire in the cloud software sector.
The letter sent to Tech Minister Judith Collins includes executives from Xero, Datacom, and Gallagher.
Serko Chief Marketing Officer Nick Whitehead says they want "engagement' not just to talk "funding".
He told Francesca Rudkin that they want to understand what the Government’s plans are for the sector going forward, so they don’t lose all the work put into growing the community.
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The economic value of cruise-ships is on full-display as the season draws to a close.
They've brought in 350,000 visitors, with an estimated value of $540 million.
Newmarket Business Association Chief Executive Mark Knoff-Thomas told Francesca Rudkin they've seen a 30% rise in international visitor spending this season.
But the bounce-back may be short-lived, a 20% decline in port visits is projected for next season as rising costs bite the market.
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A barrister says the High Court's decision to overturn the Waitangi Tribunal summons of the Children's Minister was a good and clear decision.
It ruled Karen Chhour could not be compelled to appear before the Tribunal over her plans to repeal part of the Oranga Tamariki Act.
Treaty activist and lawyer Annette Sykes has lodged an appeal.
Marie Dyhrberg KC told Francesca Rudkin it doesn't set a precedent, as there's already a law.
She says the judge said had the evidence not been available in other forms, he would not have quashed the summons.
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At least five are dead only hours after the passing of the UK’s controversial migrant deportation bill.
Approximately 100 migrants were rescued while crossing the English Channel, placed abroad a French Navy ship to be taken to the port of Boulogne.
The approved bill aims to deter situations like this, deporting illegal immigrants to Rwanda as a deterrent to those seeking asylum.
UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking that so far, some 52,000 people have been earmarked for deportation, Rwanda looking to take in only a few hundred.
He said that if the deterrent works, this will be good for the UK, however, there is a backlog and time is running out for Rishi Sunak.
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There are calls for harsher punishments for repeat distracted driving.
New Ipsos research commissioned by AMI found 55% of drivers admit to driving distracted, with 21% admitting to driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
The top distractions were mobile phones, other drivers, other passengers, and daydreaming.
Road safety advocate Greg Murphy told Mike Hosking that fines have gone up for distracted driving, but it's still not enough to deter people.
He says it's one of those things where a stiff penalty would prevent them from doing it again, but we don't have that.
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A health recruiter is giving assurances that practices are in place to help migrant doctors.
An Otago University study has found international doctors are struggling with cultural integration and New Zealand is at risk of losing them unless practices improve.
Accent Health Recruiter Prudence Thomson told Mike Hosking that she's been recruiting for 25 years, and migrating is always a challenge.
She says if a good orientation and induction are in place —which the Medical Council has in writing— people adapt pretty well.
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Chinese business travellers are first priority Auckland tourism for a first-of-its-kind alliance.
Since travel resumed last year, 6% of the 210,000 Chinese tourists were here for business.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Auckland Airport will work with China Southern Airlines to market their daily non-stop flights from their main hub in Guangzhou to business travellers.
Auckland Unlimited Destination Director, Annie Dundas, told Mike Hosking that this is the first collaboration they've had with a Chinese airline.
She says we hosted five thousand people from Amway China last year, and this is the kind of business they're looking for.
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There are fears health worker strikes could become common place as conditions worsen.
Two and a half thousand resident doctors will strike next month over pay and conditions.
Former Health New Zealand chairman Rob Campbell told Mike Hosking that it could be the first of many more health worker strikes.
He said workers are feeling increasingly disaffected and unheard.
Campbell said that the agency needs to do better to prevent the strikes, it’s not good management for the issue to be hashed out in public.
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