Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Labour's special caucus meeting to decide the fate of MP Dr Gaurav Sharma will be held this afternoon. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed yesterday Labour's caucus would meet this week to discuss the fallout of Sharma's public allegations of bullying within the party against specific MPs. The meeting will be held at 2.30pm today over Zoom, given MPs are currently spread out across the country during recess. Ardern will hold a press conference following the meeting at about 4pm. The NZ Herald has reported it is almost certain Sharma will face a vote to suspend or expel him from Labour's caucus for his repeated salvoes at the party. Just prior to Ardern's post-Cabinet press conference yesterday, Sharma published his latest Facebook post concerning allegations of bullying by Labour's former chief whip, Kieran McAnulty, among others. He also attached screenshots of messages allegedly from other MPs who he claimed had also been bullied. Sharma's chances of escaping a vote appeared bleak unless he backed down:

Despite the Government seeming to be spending money elsewhere, they've given early childhood teachers the rough end of the stick. It's come out that the Government reduced pay parity funding for ECE teachers in the May budget, to keep it's education spending within agreed limits. It also scaled-back subsidy increases for education providers. Chief executive of the Early Childhood Council Simon Laube joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cameras hidden around Auckland by a government agency have recorded the better part of 1000 drivers per day unlawfully using their phones behind the wheel, the Herald can reveal. The cameras were installed at three secret spots by Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency) as part of a six-month safety trial. Police are not involved in the trial and the findings will not lead to enforcement action or warning letters, the agency said. The findings for the first weeks of the trial, obtained by the Herald under the Official Information Act, revealed the shocking extent of illegal phone use - including texting - while driving in the Super City. Last year, the total number of infringement notices issued by police for illegal use of mobile phones while driving was 40,976 nationally. But the Waka Kotahi trial data shows there were 44,358 mobile phone use offences detected from May 24 to July 16 this year in Auckland alone, from a total of 3,662,024 vehicles travelling past the camera sites. That works out as an average of 83

I see the latest attempt by councils to control our lives and get us all out of our cars is to axe the school drop off. Actually it’s not fair to just lay the blame at the feet of councils; these powers are allegedly going to be given to them by the Minister of Transport Michael Wood. So it’s more anti-car government ideology creeping into our lives at every turn. You’ve probably already noticed the spate of extra speed humps, pedestrian crossings, increased sets of traffic lights and cycle ways squeezing our roads. But wait, there’s more. The Minster wants councils to ‘restrict traffic outside schools to encourage parents and children to walk and cycle’. As if that will work. The same way getting us all on buses and bikes haven’t worked. The government claims it will improve exercise safety. I say it will just add to more congestion. You tell me how many parents, in the middle of a wet winter, with kids battling all kinds of winter ills and chills, how many of them are going to suddenly pop all those kids on

All eyes are on the Labour Party with bullying accusations against MPs. Hamilton West MP Gaurav Sharma has accused party whips and the Parliamentary Service of bullying. But Sharma himself has also been accused of bad behaviour by previous staff. A senior staffer has also made allegations against first term Tukituki MP Anna Lorck. Former Labour Party staffer Shane Te Pou told Kate Hawkesby from what he can see, whips handled Sharma appropriately. He says Sharma had a high turnover of staff, so the party put a staffing freeze in place and tried to provide support. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A grim milestone for Afghanistan; today marks one year since the Taliban's takeover. A year on, a new World Vision report paints a dire picture with the country's children facing starvation, forced child marriage and child labour. World Vision Afghanistan National Director Asuntha Charles told Kate Hawkesby the situation on the ground is changing day by day. She's concerned people no longer care. With crises increasing globally, she says people are forgetting about Afghanistan, but the crisis is not yet over. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I see the latest outburst of thuggery from our youth happened at a Palmerston North shopping mall. 30 teens ‘rampaged through it’, stealing, smashing things, throwing glass at staff, kicking them. Here’s the rub: they came back the next day bold as brass to skite about their performance and mock staff they'd abused. Understandably, businesses are fearful.  As well as this group’s destructive spree through the place where they also threw chairs, they assaulted a young worker while other offenders cheered on. Police took 20 minutes to arrive apparently, despite the station being two minutes from the mall, and by then a bunch of the teens had escaped, they only managed to round up two girls. But this gang of thugs are relentless, they carry BB guns and knives according to mall businesses, and they don’t fear police. I tell you who is living in fear though, retailers. A contact recently told me a well-known jewellery chain in this country is struggling to get staff to work there anymore given the recent spate of

Surprise about scathing bullying allegations from a back-bench Labour MP. Gaurav Sharma has hit out at bullying between MPs and from parties towards MPs.. He says it's facilitated and promoted by the Prime Minister's Office, the Parliamentary Service, party leaders' offices and party whips' offices. Newstalk ZB Deputy Political Editor Jason Walls told Kate Hawkesby it's rare to see an MP break ranks like this. He says for an MP to call out their party in such a public way is extraordinary. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There will be a lot of nervous rugby fans heading into this weekend. The All Blacks have their redemption test match against the Dpringboks on Sunday morning. But all week, there has been an enormous amount of scrutiny and criticism of the team. Most of it is directed at coach Ian Foster, with pundits warning this could his last match. Sports psychologist Gary Hermansson joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss the impact this criticism may have. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changing university terms may not address the tourism worker shortage, but it could help fill other gaps. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has suggested moving the university year by six weeks so more students can work in tourism and hospitality over summer. It follows the release of a new plan, aimed at boosting the sectors' workforce. Tourism Export Council Chief Executive Lynda Keene told Kate Hawkesby many tourism businesses need workers with particular qualifications, but she isn't opposed to the idea. She says for industries like horticulture, the idea could be very helpful. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although we’re crying out for teachers, I don’t think we’re doing ourselves any favours. Well, certainly not the Teachers Complaints Committee and the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal. Stuff had a story yesterday about a relief teacher at Mt Maunganui College, who objected to two ten year olds in his class sharing headphones listening to music from a cell phone, and drumming on the table, refusing to stop apparently. The teacher tried unsuccessfully to take the phone away, so removed an ear bud from one of the students instead. Cue the hanging offence.  This, the committees from on high decreed, was an act of ‘serious misconduct’ and one that could “adversely affect the students wellbeing..” Now I don’t know if you’ve been in a school lately but there is some serious attitude going on inside many classrooms, and some pretty reprehensible behaviour, much of it stemming from a lack of any respect for authority.  So I can understand this teacher’s frustration. These days you’re expected to be not just teacher but

So, Sam Uffindell has now been stood down from caucus while the National party investigates some new allegations that have come to light from when Uffindell was a uni student. He's been accused of banging on the bedroom door of a female flatmate in 2003, screaming obscenities, she claims he was a bully. The former flatmate says she lived with Uffindell and three other students for several months in Dunedin in 2003, she says he was verbally aggressive.  She says he excessively used alcohol and drugs, and that she didn't feel safe. She eventually moved out, her Dad corroborates her story. And there were other details reported like the flat had no furniture in it, handles had been broken off doors etc. That part of the story I'm afraid is probably to this day the state of many Otago Uni student flats, if not worse. And you could mount an argument that that's flatting culture in a student town like Otago - students sitting around drinking, smoking weed, yelling obscenities, trashing flats.  Doesn't make it right,

Concerns from National about the prospect of driving fines being linked to a person's income. The Ministry of Transport is giving the Government advice on potential changes to the system of fines, which have been largely unchanged for the past two decades. Possible options include a move towards income-based fines, and greater use of demerit points. National Party Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown told Kate Hawkesby he'd be concerned if ministry officials are recommending income-based fines. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The relationship between gun owners and the Government is continuing to sour. A new law passed by Parliament overnight will mean anyone with a serious conviction may be banned from having a gun or being in places where guns are likely to be for ten years.Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Chairman Michael Dowling says he's concerned about how those places will be defined. He told Kate Hawkesby gun owners feel they're being ignored during each change to gun law. Dowling says they've lost trust and confidence in Police and the Government. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Small businesses are still finding it hard to fill vacancies. A snapshot from MYOB shows 59 percent of SMEs have increased their wages, but a third are still struggling to find workers. Questions are being asked as to who fills the gaps. Doug Jarvis owns two butchers stores in Tauranga, and is having to work seven days a week, just to keep things operating. Doug joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Qantas has asked corporate executives to work as baggage handlers after getting itself in a pickle during the pandemic. The airline asked senior executives and managers to join a new contingency programme working as handlers up to five days a week for three months, overseas media reported. The Australian newspaper said Qantas bosses had previously worked at airports in peak times, but the new programme showed how severe worker shortages now were. The newspaper said the airline's head of operations wanted at least 100 volunteers to work at Sydney and Melbourne airports. Jobs would reportedly include loading and unloading bags as well as driving vehicles to move luggage around airports. Late last month, Qantas domestic and international chief executive Andrew David admitted the airline was struggling in some areas. "Much has been said about Qantas in the last few months. Some of it's fair, as we're absolutely not delivering the service that our customers expect, but some of it fails to take into consideration w

The Government says National is oversimplifying complex issues, with its new plan to tackle youth unemployment. National has unveiled a policy to get under 25s off the Jobseeker benefit and into employment.It includes incentives for people to take up jobs -- and sanctions such as money management or benefit reductions for those who don't take part. Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni told Kate Hawkesby the Government's policies are working, and National's policy won't. She says National is trying to demonise young people as if they don't want to work, when the vast majority do and just need some support. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine being Ian Foster right now. Worse than being the most hated politician, is being an under fire AB’s coach surely. We seem to be more aggressively passionate about rugby in this country than anything else. Not even the way the country is run, apparently compares to how the AB’s perform, in our eyes. So why are we so harsh? Why are we so invested in how a sports team performs? Is it because for so long our identity as a nation was wrapped up in having a strong rugby team? Did we idolise them and put them on a platform so early on that they became too high on the pedestal. You know how the saying goes – the higher up you are, the further you have to fall. It’s who gets the bulk of the blame I’m interested in though. Everything seems to be falling squarely on the coach’s shoulders. NZRU management and culture took a bit of heat for a while there with a spotlight on how things are being run top down. Players always take a bit of heat if they’ve committed some egregious sin like not kicking or passing the b

Your weekly grocery shop isn't likely to get cheaper any time soon. New analysis from Infometrics and Foodstuffs shows the prices supplies charge supermarkets has increased nearly eight-percent in the past year. The increases are being passed on to consumers. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Kate Hawkesby the increase follows minimal rises over previous years. He says throughout 2019 and 2020 supplier cost changes were minimal, but they've now been accelerating since April 2021, and it shows the pressure on suppliers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks play their first test in South Africa since 2018 this weekend. It means a wake up time of 3am Sunday morning, you could just roll over in bed and flick the radio on, there will be live commentary on ZB. The stakes are very high; Ian Foster is facing big pressure to make up for the series loss against Ireland. South Africa sports correspondent Sias du Plessis joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.