Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Auckland University Covid modeller Dion O'Neale says being fully vaccinated, wearing a mask and staying outdoors reduces the risk at gatherings. But he told Tim Dower even allowing ten-person two-household gatherings is risky at this stage in the outbreak. "The concerning part about that if that's happening at a point that we still do have ongoing community spread, this change definitely increases the risk that community spread can go much further, much quicker." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's ten years since the container ship Rena smashed into Astrolabe Reef off Tauranga, causing New Zealand's worst ever environmental disaster. Hundreds of tonnes of oil and cargo were spilled and kilometres of coastline was polluted. In the decade since, researchers have been monitoring the effects. Marine ecologist at Waikato University Dr Phil Ross has done hundreds of dives onto the wreck. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calls for the business community to lead the way on vaccination.The head of a travel company wants a logo which indicates when an staff's entire business is vaccinated.  Unvaccinated international travellers will be banned from flying with Air New Zealand, from February. Southern Crossings Chief Executive Sarah Farag told Tim Dower vaccination needs to be incentivised.  "I think soon enough we've got to see that actually being fully vaccinated does mean something." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're stuck now, a Level 3 lockdown in Auckland that's starting to fragment, and frankly no chance of that being eased today. And now cases in Waikato, no proven link yet to the Auckland outbreak, but if not there, where did it come from? Weeks of restrictions, and yet still Delta is still spreading. What does that tell you? It tells me that not everyone has been playing the game and as time goes on and people go out protesting in the streets, it's going to get away again. Even the Prime Minister admits that locking down Hamilton can't be done. There will be spot checks, but the bottom line is it's up to the general population to please co-operate. Fingers crossed, in other words. I'm lucky I live in a Level 2 region; I'd have probably gone around the bend in Auckland. People I hear on ZB and people I'm in touch with personally are trying to keep chipper but it's exhausting, and I really, sincerely feel for you; you must be so over it. You need your freedom back, but with vaccinations where they are and this

Hamilton is waking up back in lockdown -- following the confirmation of two new cases in Waikato. As well as the city, Tamahere, Raglan, Ngāruāwahia, Huntly and the rest of the Waikato District have moved to Alert Level Three. Other towns, including Cambridge and Te Awamutu remain in Level Two.  Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate told Tim Dower everyone is being trusted to play their part. "Hamiltonians, people passing through Hamilton, people living on the outskirts of Hamilton, they've all got the pay their part. Because if they don't this, won't work as soon as we'd like it to." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I won’t be here next week because I’m off for a week of the school holidays; to my living room, like every other Aucklander, but before I go, I thought I’d make a prediction for Monday. I still think, as I said the other day, that we’ll go to Level 2 in Auckland and Level 1 for the rest of the country. But it won’t be called Level 2, it’ll be a new bespoke arrangement, some version of a 2 with a cutesy catchphrase they’ll think up to try to make it sound fun; like Delta 2.5+ or something.  They'll just want to give us the illusion we're not in 3 anymore. It’ll include a hard boundary around Auckland, as we know already. But, we will get hairdressers open and a few shops, the idea being that we feel so grateful and appreciative for that, that we forget about how long we’ve had our freedoms taken off us. I know people tend to predict things they hope will happen, and I’m guilty of this too, this may be my hope overriding my common sense, but I just can’t see how they keep Auckland in 3 and the rest of the count

The Phillips investigation will need to approach the kids in a way that works for them.  Tom Phillips and his three young children Jayda, Maverick and Ember turned up at the family farm at Marokopa yesterday.  They hadn't been seen for almost three weeks, and many feared they've been lost at sea.  Child psychologist Kathryn Berkett told Kate Hawkesby the way children are approached differs from adults. "We have to sit back, just make them feel safe and let them tell us, and come through with what they need. That's actually the best therapy that we could do for them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mayors up and down the country are still far from convinced over the Government's three waters reform programme.  The plan is for the sixty-seven local and regional councils' drinking, waste and storm water to be absorbed by four entities.  Consultation with the councils ends today after eight weeks, and now Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta will present advice to cabinet about the next steps.  Local Government New Zealand president, Stuart Crosby joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The school holidays start today, but it may not provide much relief to struggling businesses around the country.  The Prime Minister signalled that Auckland's border will probably stay closed, even if the city moves down to Alert Level Two.  It's not the news many businesses dependent on Aucklanders wanted to hear. Blenheim's Phoenix Inn owner Marty Kennedy told Kate Hawkesby the situation is tough. "When you hear those numbers in Auckland going up... you just shake your head and wonder when they're going to get out of this in any great hurry." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could we see football players playing against robots? Well that's the aim of a group of robotic scientists. The Robot Soccer World Cup or Robo-Cup has been going for nearly twenty five years. It involves human shaped robots playing against each other in a game of football. But now they've set a goal, they want their robots to win a game against the winners of the real FIFA World Cup by 2050. Robo-Cup president Peter Stone joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 45 cases yesterday disrupted a gradual decline many of us were getting quite used to. Dr Ashley Bloomfield says many of the cases this week have been in large households, and those in emergency or transitional housing.  We also got confirmation the outbreak is within our gangs, and among the homeless.  Lieutenant Colonel Lynette Hudson, head of social services at the Salvation Army joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m trying not to write about lockdown every day. And Covid, and case numbers, and gang members, but can I just say to everyone outside of Auckland, please understand that we are living a wildly unpleasant emotional rollercoaster ride right now and it’s not easy. I’d like to know how anyone comes out of this not being 10 kilos heavier and not having aged about 100 years. That being said, I did notice the Police 10-7 review is out. See, I’m looking for things that take my mind off the seemingly never-ending lockdown we’re in. Remember how Police 10-7 was accused of being racist? Well, the review’s out and it basically says the previous host may've been a bit ‘blunt’ with his words, but that the show’s new approach these days, with a new host, is an improvement.  Apparently the old original version with Detective Inspector Graham Bell as host promoted a bit too much ‘old school’ policing. He also used phrases that these days would be regarded as, unsavoury, shall we say? Stuff like calling suspects ‘gutless goo

Demand to be part of the home isolation trial is expected to be high.  It will allow 150 people to travel overseas and self-isolate for a fortnight when returning.  Business travellers will be able to submit expressions of interest from 9am today - but they need to be within 50 kilometres of Auckland or Christchurch airports.  Enztec CEO Iain McMillan told Kate Hawkesby they're hopeful the trial will become a full rollout early next year.  "The demand is no different to the demand for MIQ spots, where there is 10s of thousands of people." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you noticed the announcement blitz the Government is on ever since John Key’s piece got massive coverage? Hit a nerve anyone? I found it amusing how on the one hand, they called it insulting and simplistic, while on the other hand saying they were implementing a lot of his ideas.  So, which is it? Simplistic and insulting, or good enough for you to go ahead with? Either way, they’ve been dragging the chain on the ideas for so long, that if anything, at least his piece elicited some action. Because this Government is reactive, it hates bad press. It'll be alarmed to have had a swing taken at it, given it's become used to a fawning compliant media. The fact commentators are turning will be new and startling territory.  Combine Key’s critique of them with a bad poll result, and whammo, they’re going to start announcing some stuff. Watch all the announcements roll out this week; we’ve already had RSE workers, private quarantine for business trials, vaccine passport ideas and boundary exemptions for Aucklande

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage has confirmed construction on the controversial Mt. Erebus memorial will start shortly. Protestors have delayed the memorial for over two hundred days by camping on the land, which is in Parnell's Dove-Myer Robinson Park. Those opposed insist it's on a former pā site, it will damage a giant pōhutukawa  and turn a place of joy into mourning.  Waitemata local board member Sarah Trotman who voted against memorial, joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National has a plan to reunite New Zealand families for Christmas It's set to unveil a new 50-page plan this morning to allow safe travel in and out of New Zealand by December Leader Judith Collins says the current MIQ system is a "dreadful lottery". She told Kate Hawkesby the new system is the first immediate step towards reopening New Zealand to the rest of the world "It covers all of the aspects that we need to make sure that we have in place for the next twelve months at least, it is absolutely something the Government could start right now.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I wonder whether Greta Thunberg has been burnt by her moment in the sun.  Small time young climate crusader makes huge splash onto international stage, gets lauded across the globe and becomes a big star and icon for young people. And then, well, what happens next? Swiping and sniping at world leaders is nothing new, she had a few goes at Trump. But then, who didn’t? But now, now, she’s had the audacity to come for our great leader. Our revered saviour and high priestess, our beloved Jacinda who claimed climate change was our nuclear moment.  She possibly did not imagine when she said that, that it would include Greta Thunberg going nuclear on her. Thunberg has said Ardern “knows nothing” about climate change. She says Ardern’s doing nothing, and that our greenhouse gas emissions have not fallen under Ardern’s watch. Whatever would Greta think if she knew of our recalcitrant high flying Green MP James Shaw?  What if she knew the co-leader of our Greenest party of them all, was zipping round the globe to talk

Low satisfaction levels for the new MIQ booking system. It had its first run at the start of last week, and will be in action again this evening In a Grounded Kiwis survey about 900 respondents gave the new system an overall rating of 3 point 6 out of 10.  A quarter of them say they had technical difficulties.  AUT computer scientist Ken Johnson told Kate Hawkesby the lobby system was developed in response to automated scripts and bots.  "In a way, the lobby system is much fairer, of course. But it does have its own problems." The next tranche of spots will be released this evening from 5pm. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concern that  outcomes for New Zealanders living with dementia are going downhill, fast. Alzheimers NZ's Dementia Economic Impact Report shows dementia among Māori, Pasifika and Asian communities will more than double by 2050. It also estimates dementia will cost us nearly six-billion dollars a year by then too -- and one in four Kiwis will die with the condition. Chief executive Catherine Hall says our support services for those living with dementia are woefully inadequate.  "We need to be getting ready and starting to tackle this big and growing challenge now, because it isn't going anywhere and it is only going to get worse." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One-way quarantine free travel for seasonal workers from a handful of Pacific countries, starts next week.  Workers from Vanuatu will begin arriving on Monday, and Samoan and Tongan workers the following Tuesday.  They'll have to have a vaccine dose before they come, self-isolate and be tested on day zero and five.  Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor told Kate Hawkesby there'll be health measures in place.  "It won't be easy; it will require people to keep an eye on things. They'll be checked out by health to make sure it's suitable. We have to make sure there are people available that will be doing the testing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.