Canterbury Mornings

Travellers to New Zealand will be able to find resources on being responsible campers in one handy site, with the re-launch of Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s freedom camping website.Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Chris Roberts spoke to Richard Green about the need for good information for campers.

Organised crime will be the focus of some of the extra police bound for Christchurch.The Commissioner of Police yesterday announced 1800 extra police officers throughout the country - including 121 for Christchurch.Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price told Richard Green they want to focus on prevention first.He says this means concentrating on policing the community and a big part of that is organised crime so gangs and drugs.John Price says extra resources will also go into family harm, child protection and mental health.

Canterbury is again bucking national trends, with investor confidence staying steady.The latest ASB Investor Confidence Report shows that, while the rest of the country dipped in the three months to June, Canterbury's remained steady at plus 19 percent.It's also a good time to buy in Canterbury according to respondents to an ASB Housing Confidence Survey. House price expectations within the survey are at the highest level since April last year.Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce CEO Leeann Watson told Richard Green that this is a really good signal for the future for Christchurch.

Richard Green spoke to Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel about Christchurch getting its first refugees since the earthquakes, business confidence is in Canterbury, hot water cylinders affected by chlorine and lights in the botanic gardens all year round. 

A 91-year-old man and his 81-year-old wife were attacked and robbed in their St James Avenue home in Papanui around 5pm yesterday.Age concern's Simon Templeton told Richard Green it's shocking these elderly people were hurt in their own homes.Simon Templeton says there's a lot of fear of crime from the older population. Two women - 39-year-old Maera Elizabeth Todd of Whangarei - and 38-year-old Shantai Lawson of Rotorua - have been remanded in custody following the incident.Todd is also alleged to have been involved in the kidnapping and robbery of an 87-year-old man in Hastings last month.

The world's first openly trans-sexual MP has high hopes for a new bill allowing people to change the gender on their birth certificate - by way of a statutory declaration.The bill - in the name of Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin - would allow people to label their gender as other than male and female - with intersex, or X unspecified among the options.Former Labour MP Georgina Beyer told Chris Lynch this would bring the birth certificates in line with passports and driver licences.She says there needs to be some recognition for those who wish to be officially identified in the gender to which they wish to be identified.Georgina Beyer says because there are so many new terminologies under the umbrella of transgender - it can get confusing.

A former Press cartoonist claims Stuff won’t run his drawings because they're not PC.Al Nisbet is no stranger to controversy, but that's the point of his cartoons.Labour MP Louisa Wall took Fairfax to court because she was offended by his cartoons but the High Court ruled merely being offensive doesn't make it illegal.Al Nisbet told Chris Lynch the Press told him his cartoons were “old fashioned.”He says “there seems to be a tsunami of lefty thinking” which doesn't appeal to him as a cartoonist because “you are supposed to look at all angles.”Editor of the Press Kamala Hayman denies canning the cartoonist over complaints.She says the decision to no longer publish Al Nisbet’s cartoons was part of a refresh of the paper with the move to a compact format.She says they had an opportunity to welcome a new cartoonist to the mix, and decided to no longer print Al Nisbet’s cartoons.

Just in time for spring - Ex All Black, Cantabrian and part-time landscaper Andy Ellis has released a fantastic new book called Kiwi Backyard that presents creative landscape ideas that you can adapt for your garden.Andy Ellis joined Chris Lynch in studio to talk about the book.

Chris Lynch and Mike Yardley discuss the week that was. Mike is a travel editor, syndicated columnist & correspondent on radio, in print and online. Plus he is a current affairs columnist and commentator.

Chris Lynch spoke to Minster for Christchurch Regeneration Megan Woods and National MP Nicky Wagner in the regular political segment where they discuss the big issues of the week facing Canterbury.

An Economist is claiming Stephen Joyce is going to be proven right - there is a fiscal hole and a softening economy is making it wider.The former Finance Minister identified during last year's election campaign, that Labour would have to borrow an additional 11.7 billion dollars to cover increased spending.Economist Cameron Bagrie told Chris Lynch that's the case but the main pressure will be a weakening economy. He says Treasury's expecting growth to be around three to three and a half percent but it's more likely to be 1 and a half to two percent over the next 12 months which will knock in excess of a billion dollars off tax revenue.Cameron Bagrie says that will multiply over a number of years but the good news is the fiscal accounts are in good shape.

Chris Lynch spoke to Christchurch mum Robyn Twemlow who is on a mission to make life a bit better for those with Tourette Syndrome.After Robyn's daughter was diagnosed she founded the Tourettes Association of New Zealand and from there Camp twitch which is a yearly camp for kids with Tourette's where they can spend time with others like them in an environment where they won't be judged.  

An effective water conservation scheme is going to be crucial in Christchurch this summer if remediation works on pump stations are to continue and allow the council to achieve its goal of chlorine free within 12 months according to water supply programme manager Helen Beaumont.She told Chris Lynch they are still trying to work to a 12-month chlorine free target but there's a lot of work left to be done and they're looking at other options.She says they're looking at the work time-tabling, and it's not yet coming to a point where they can recommend chlorine removal within the year.Helen Beaumont says about 24-percent of Christchurch water is now chlorine free.A report on work to improve the city's well heads is being given to the council tomorrow.

Massey University has cancelled Don Brash's speaking event for security reasons, but the Vice-Chancellor says his views also concerned many staff members.Mr Brash was invited by the students' politics club to give a talk on the National Party at the Manawatu campus tomorrow.Writer and political commentator Rachel Poulain told Chris Lynch she is very concerned by this - it is a dangerous precedent to set.She says threats of violence are not the way you establish your rights, you don't express your right to free speech by violently suppressing the free speech of others, particularly on a university campus.   

A planned speech at Massey University from Don Brash has been cancelled by the Vice Chancellor due to security concerns.  The former Reserve Bank Governor and Opposition Leader was due to talk tomorrow about his time in Parliament, and the National Party, at Massey University's Manawatu campus.It's been cancelled after the university became aware of violent threats against the event.Massey University Vice Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas - who disagrees with Don Brash's political messages - told Chris Lynch despite universities being the bastion of free speech, her ultimate responsibility was for the welfare of everyone on campus so she made the decision to cancel the event.  

Don Brash told Chris Lynch cancelling his speaking event because of a few bullies, is appalling.The former Reserve Bank Governor and Opposition Leader was due to talk about his time in Parliament, and the National Party, at Massey University's Manawatu campus tomorrow.It's been cancelled after the university became aware of violent threats against the event.Don Brash says it's an unbelievable move.He says it's hard to imagine there can be serious grounds to ban someone from speaking at a New Zealand university in 2018, due to security concerns.

The Act leader is calling the Vice Chancellor of Massey University "gutless".The Massey University Politics Society has invited former Reserve Bank Governor and Opposition Leader Don Brash to speak as part of its Past, Present and Future series.But after threats of violence, Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas has cancelled the speech.Act Leader David Seymour told Chris Lynch he believes she should resign.David Seymour questions why we pay tax for a university run by someone who runs for the hills at the first sign of trouble.

Controversial speakers Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux's were to speak at the Powerstation in Auckland but their talk was cancelled with reports of a possible bomb threat. Melissa Derby, a University of Canterbury Maori Academic and Free Speech coalition spokesperson, told Chris Lynch that it's disappointing they were not able to go through with their planned talk after all as it's a lost opportunity to be able to question them on their beliefs.  

Chris Lynch caught up with Newstalk ZB political editor Barry Soper on the latest Colmar Brunton political poll, the Prime Minister returning to work and the Celia Lashlie documentary. 

New Zealand firefighters have been called on to help their North American counterparts dealing with out of control wildfires in both Canada and California.The wildfires in British Colombia are now covering over ten thousand hectares and are creeping towards the US boarder.Jamie Cowan is the New Zealand liaison for the Canada deployment who has been working with Canadian authorities on what our people will do once they get there.Jamie told Chris Lynch that there will be 67 kiwi firefighters in Canada lending a hand.