by Newstalk ZB
Join Kerre Woodham one of New Zealand’s best loved personalities as she dishes up a bold, sharp and energetic show Monday to Friday 9am-12md on Newstalk ZB. News, opinion, analysis, lifestyle and entertainment – we’ve got your morning listening covered.
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April 17, 2025
<p>I’m starting to wonder who isn’t running for mayor in Wellington. </p> <p>Former Labour leader Andrew Little is the latest one joining the race to oust current mayor Tory Whanau. </p> <p>And, just in case you think so, I’m not endorsing Andrew Little in any way, shape, or form. But I do think having former MPs on local councils is a very good thing. </p> <p>Because whether we like it or not, local councils cannot operate in isolation and knowing how things in Wellington work is invaluable. </p> <p>Andrew Little isn’t the first ex-MP wanting to get into local government. Former National MP Nick Smith is the mayor of Nelson. Phil Goff was mayor of Auckland. In Christchurch, former Labour politician Lianne Dalziel was elected mayor three times. Maurice Williamson —who was a National MP and minister— is on Auckland Council these days. John Banks. The list goes on. </p> <p>And they don’t admit it at the time, but when these ex-MPs stand for their local councils, it’s not just their political experience they're banking on. They also know full well that they’re making the most of apathetic voters who look for a name they know and end up voting for them. </p> <p>When it comes to name recognition, I reckon an ex-MP has way more chance of being successful in the job than some of the other people you see milking their name recognition to get elected to their local council. </p> <p>People in my game do it. In fact, it seems to me that if media people don’t go on to be marriage and funeral celebrants, they go on to be a local councillor. </p> <p>Not that you will ever catch me doing that. Last thing I’d want to do. </p> <p>Sportspeople milk their name recognition too. </p> <p>I’m not in Tauranga and don’t know all the ins-and-outs, but I think it's pretty safe to say that the reason Mahe Drysdale is the mayor of Tauranga is because of his brilliant rowing career. </p> <p>He’s got none of this so-called “business experience” that some people think is essential for someone to be good at running a town or a city. </p> <p>He’s got no prior political experience. He’s just a name. Voters obviously thought he was a good Kiwi bloke, he’s done well in his sport, so they voted for him. </p> <p>Not that, from what I’ve seen, it’s been all plain sailing for him so far. I’ve seen a few stories with him getting heat for stuff – and that is where people’s lack of political experience shows. </p> <p>And why I think it’s a very good thing to have people former MPs on our local councils. </p> <p>They’re not perfect —Lianne Dalziel was far from perfect— but they know what they’re getting themselves into. </p> <p>They generally don’t set the world on fire, but I don’t care about that. Because, whether we like it or not, local and central government are intertwined. Local government is way more dependent on central government than it would like to admit. </p> <p>Especially, when they’re in the schtuck. When they need to get Wellington on their side. </p> <p>Which is why having people as mayors and councillors who know exactly how to get the government on side —because they've been there and done that— that’s why it is so beneficial. </p> <p>And that’s why I’ll take an ex-politician over an ex-media personality or an ex-sporting hero any day, when it comes to who I want to see on my local council. </p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
April 16, 2025
<p>Inflation is officially on the rise again. </p> <p>The latest Stats NZ figures show the Consumers Price Index rose 2.5% in the year to March – up from a 2.2% rise in the year to December. </p> <p>The numbers cover the 12 months to March 31, and don't reflect the impact of Donald Trump's new tariffs and other new trade barriers. </p> <p>NZ Herald Business Editor Liam Dann told John MacDonald that despite the increase, economists are reasonably confident the Reserve Bank will be able to continue cutting interest rates. </p> <p>He says the economy is very slow, so they’re expecting non-tradable inflation to continue going down. </p> <p><strong>LISTEN ABOVE </strong></p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
April 16, 2025
<p>How are you feeling about the world, now that we know the Government’s goal of having 20,000 less violent crimes by 2029 has already been achieved? Four years early. </p> <p>Anyone who tries to pick holes in this result would be a bit of a misery guts, because who could find anything possibly wrong with there being 20,000 less victims? </p> <p>Try Ginny Andersen. Labour’s police spokesperson is saying today that the numbers raise more questions than they provide answers. </p> <p>Which is a bit like a school kid getting excellence in their NCEA and their parents asking how they managed it when they seemed to be on their phone all the time. </p> <p>That doesn’t matter, does it? The kid’s got NCEA with flying colours. Just like it doesn’t matter why there’s been this decrease in violent crime, there just has. </p> <p>Although, I kind of hear what Ginny Andersen is saying. In Canterbury, there’s been a 43% decrease – 15,000 fewer victims of violent crimes. And no one seems to know why that is. But I’ll take it, thanks. </p> <p>And Ginny Andersen doesn’t seem to be excited by the fact that the Government has released these numbers in a different way. Normally, they're released once a year, but the Government is now releasing them every three months. </p> <p>But however this decrease has happened, why it’s happened, and whoever can take the credit for it happening, is irrelevant. </p> <p>Because the data tells us that something is working. </p> <p>We could go down a rabbit hole of trying to work out what particular bit of government policy might have actually done the trick, but I don’t even think the Government can put its finger on that one. </p> <p>Which is pretty much what Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith was saying on Newstalk ZB today. </p> <p>But, for now, the target has been reached, which I’m going to the vibe that’s been coming from the Government regarding crime, because I think that’s as important as any specific policies themselves. </p> <p>I’ve always been very doubtful about the gang patch ban, for example. I’m not convinced yet on that one, and I don’t actually think that will have much of an impact on violent crime stats. </p> <p>Just like the boot camps for bad kids – I’m not a fan. </p> <p>But, despite my misgivings on those things, I won't be giving the Government a hard time today about these crime numbers. </p> <p>I reckon a big part of it is the increased visibility of the police. </p> <p>I don’t know how they’ve done it —because the numbers haven’t shot up or anything— but certainly in Christchurch, the police are way more visible. </p> <p>I spend a lot of time in the central city, and I would say that I haven’t seen as many police on patrol in that part of town for years. </p> <p>It wasn’t all that long ago when I’d have business owners in the central city telling me about assaults and things and the cops being nowhere and not even turning up when they called them. Even though the central police station was a hundred metres away. </p> <p>Fast-forward to today, and it’s a very different story. </p> <p>So that’s one thing I reckon has definitely made a difference and is part of the reason why violent crime is down. </p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
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