November 17, 2025 • 34 mins
On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 18th of November 2025, The Government’s having another go at the clean car standard, Imported Vehicle Association CEO Greig Epps shares his thoughts.
Police and Health New Zealand are pressing ahead with phase three of their mental-health response changes, Police Association President Steve Watt tells Andrew what will change for the Police.
The court's recognised that Uber drivers are employees, Nureddin Abdurahman a Uber driver who took Uber to court shares his thoughts on the outcome.
Plus Australia Correspondent Lesley Yeomans has the latest on dozens of schools closed across the ACT and stores recalling special coloured play sand and Concerns about a newly discovered Koala colony in outback New South Wales.
Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The issues, the interviews and the insight. Andrew Dickens on
early leadership with r V Supercenter, explore r V successories
and servicing all in one news talk sat'd.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Be well, good morning to you, Welcome into your Tuesday.
I'm Andrew Dickens coming up over the next sixty minutes.
It was a landmark decision that will affect the gig economy.
We're going to talk to the uber driver who took
on the company and one. He's next. We've hit phase
three of the process to take police out of mental
health responses.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Where are we at?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
We'll talk about that in ten Australian schools join Kiwi
schools in closing down over asbestosphears. We'll go to Australia
and what are the changes to the rules over importing cars?
Will it make for a cheaper drive? We'll have that
just before six o'clock. We're going to have correspondence from
right around New Zealand and around the world of news
as it breaks and you can have your say by
(00:53):
sending me a text at The number is ninety two
ninety two and its small charge applies and it's seven
after five. The agenda it's Tuesday, the eighteenth of November
to Bangladesh and their former Prime minister. Sheikh Hasina has
been sentenced to death in absentia over the last year's
deadly student protests where fourteen hundred people were killed. She
(01:16):
denies the charges, calling the trial political.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
For protesters here, the death penalty is not enough. They
want more, even if that means marching towards the abandoned
family home of Sheikh Hasina's father, Sheek Mujibur Rahman and
demolishing it. They want to remove any remaining signs of
that family. That's the kind of public anger among many
over here.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
To the United Kingdom and the government there has announced
a big asylum shakeup. It's pushing faster deportations. Even approved
asylum seekers could be sent home if their country becomes safe,
and three African nations are on notice help with the
removals or say goodbye to UK visas.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
I think this is a small step in the right
place direction.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
We're going to need.
Speaker 6 (02:01):
A whole series of actions.
Speaker 7 (02:03):
You know, our borders plan is very very comprehensive.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
We just want to.
Speaker 7 (02:08):
Fan all asylum claims completely. We need to be out
of the ECHR, out of the ECAP need.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
A removal spurce.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
What we have at the moment isn't going to do that.
And finally to the United States of America, where Donald
Trump has done a u turn on his position on
the Epstein files. He's now urged lawmakers in his own
party to vote in favor of releasing the files because,
as he says, he's got nothing to hide.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
This is truly a manufacturer hoped by the Democrat Party.
For now, they're talking about it all of a sudden,
because President Trump is in the overlack.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
They're using Jeffrey Epstein as a deflection from the tremendous
success that we're having as a party. It's nine after five.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Get ahead of the headlines on early edition with Andrew
Dickens and.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Our the Supercenter, explore our these accessories and servicing one
News talks.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
It'd be Oh, when times are tough, blame the government.
That's the truest thing in politics. If you're in charge
of the books, as the economy tanks, then people are
going to take the chance to spit in your face,
which we can see happening right now with polls suggesting
that the National Led Coalition is useless at managing the economy.
And even more surprisingly, the same poll says the previous
(03:22):
lot who did their part in tanking the economy, it's
trusted more so, of course, the left is smiling because
they feel the ground is moving their way. They see
that a capital gains tax doesn't cause widespread revulsion, and
so they're starting to reckon that in a year they
just might be back in the driving seat. But of
course that would be very naive. Think about Australia. In Australia,
(03:44):
before the last election, Peter Dutton and the Coalition were
polling just great for two years before that election, and
they entered the campaign assuming they were the favorite and
Labor was vulnerable. That led to complacency, that led to
late policy announcements that left voters unconvinced about the party's
readiness to govern. And so what happened, Even though Peter
(04:05):
Dutton was the favorite, Albernizi swept home. So this next
election is not necessarily swinging Labour's way and assuming National
as a dead duck would be foolish. The election has
to happen before December next year, and things can change
immensely in that year's time. In fact, I reckon the
real possibility exists that no one votes for anyone because
(04:27):
on the performance of the past two regimes.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Who would Ryan Bridge.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Andrew Dickins in fact, and thank you now, big decision,
and it took a long time to come through, four
years to come through. But the Uber drivers won the
right to call their job a real job, which means
they get all the rights that real jobs have. So
what does this mean. It's got big implications for the
gig economy for everybody who works in this way. Now,
(04:54):
one of the drivers who actually took Uber to court
is also a Wellington City councilor and he joins me next.
His name is Neurdadena abdu Ahmen. And this is early
edition on Newstalk.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
ZBB Views and Views you Trust to start your day.
It's early EDISHIP with Adre Dickins and r V Supercenter
explore r VS accessor Results, Servicing, Fall and One News
Talks at B It's.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Fourteen out to five. Uber has run out of road
when it comes to appealing their driver's rights. A group
of four drivers has taken their dispute with the global
company to the Supreme Court and one the court recognized
that drivers are employees and should be given the same rights,
and that potentially means things like guaranteed minimum wage, sick
leave and annual leave. Two it was a five mil decision.
(05:41):
Nurdadena abdur Rahman is a driver who took Uber to
court and is also the Wellington City councilor and joins
me now Nurdaden, good morning.
Speaker 8 (05:47):
To you, Good morning Andrew.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
It's been a long four year fight for you through
three courts and in every court it's been in your favor.
This must be a very satisfying result.
Speaker 8 (05:59):
Yes, it's a very long fight, but it's I'm very
pleased and yeah it's I'm beyond proud of all the
three other drivers. And it's a union and first union
for the hard work.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
So once you read on the final reading, what will
it mean?
Speaker 8 (06:16):
Well, it means basically drivers are like any other employees.
They would have equal rights and they were, they were
to have human rights, and the fight was about employment
right as much as it was a human right.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
But what are the ramifications? I mean, will Uber prices
suddenly sky rocket? What is the meaning for the wider
gig economy which has a reason for existing?
Speaker 8 (06:40):
Well, I don't, I don't believe so I think Uber
and the last year they make about four hundred million
dollars and then how much they paid in tax i.
Think those are the kind of things they need to
do openly with the community, and it's not going to
be much increase for the for those who use Uber.
(07:00):
I think it's about fairness.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Will this have an international impact on the gig economy model?
Speaker 8 (07:09):
Well, I think it should and it will. What it
means it's in a positive way. And look, drivers are
in this case, they're saying they know what it is
good for them, and instead of Uber telling them why
it's good for drivers and the drivers they say they
want to have sickly, they want to have a minimum wage,
(07:29):
and they want to have most importantly, a decent way
of dealing when they get dismissed for reason, they believe
it's not the right one. And I think this is
a very simple question to ask.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Well, many have said, if you want these better benefits,
these better wages, and you want to drive a taxi,
then dry dry, you know, join a taxi company. What
do you say to that.
Speaker 8 (07:52):
Well, I think I myself I used to drive taxi
before I joined Uber. But that's the whole system was
check injur doing Uber joined the business and the business
model has changed since then in a big way, and
no one wants to be driving Uber until driving Uber
(08:12):
becomes like kind of the only way to survive. And
if you ask me, I wouldn't be driving Uba. I've
had just still got an opportunity to do better than taxi.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
But I've heard there's currently too many drivers, not enough rides.
So there's more than enough people who still want to
work under the Uber model.
Speaker 8 (08:32):
Well, look the system we currently have. There are so
many drivers who what There are so many people who
are looking for work and they need a job. And
then Uber is using the human resource that we have
to exploit for their own benefit. And that is why
we need a loan in this country. The load that
(08:53):
just says no, it doesn't matter how many people are
out there looking for a job. They deserve right like
everyone else. And that is why the Supreme Court agree
was the drivers in the scars.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Well, congratulations new Adena and thank you so much for
joining us new abdul Ahman, the Uber driver who took
Uber to court, also a Wellington City councilor as well.
Of course, Brook van Velden is the Employment Minister and
she hasn't read the judgment, but she respects the ruling
of the court, and she says the case highlights the
existing gray area in employment and contract law that the
Employment Relations Amendment Bill aims to address, which she says,
(09:29):
will clarify the boundary between being an employee or a
contractor and cract more certainty for parties to a working arrangement.
And that's currently before solect Committee and Brook van Velden
will be joining Mike Hoskin after six o'clock this morning. Meanwhile,
I've had a text from Zane, and Zane says, I'm
a part time gig worker and I disagree with the
Supreme Court ruling. It completely misses the point. The freedom
(09:52):
to work when I want is the whole reason gig
work exists. These four drivers might have meant well, but
they have now put that free and the whole gig
economy at risk for the rest of us. Gig work
works because it's flexible. Don't break what is not broken.
And I have personal experience here. My son is trying
to make a life of Melbourne right now and he's
(10:13):
been doing a little bit of Uber Eats delivery on
his bicycle and every now and then when he's sort
of a bit of a bit of cash, he goes
out and does two hours of delivery, gets himself fifty
bucks and he says, it's not a real job, it's
a bit of fast, flexible money and that's the point
of it. So yeah, we'll see where we go with
all of this. What do you think you can text me?
(10:33):
Ninety two? Ninety two is the number to text now.
It is nineteen minutes after five. And the police, of
course is slowly withdrawing from responding to mental health emergencies.
They're into phase three. What does this mean? We'll talk
to the police next.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Andrew Dickens on early edition with r V Supercenter explore
r V successories and servicing all in one news Talks b.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
By twenty one. So Police and Health New Zealand are
pressing ahead with Phase three of their mental health response changes,
shifting more responsibility onto health teams and away from police.
And it means that police will no longer be involved
in mental health callouts eventually unless there is an immediate
safety risk. So I'm joined now by Steve Watt, who
is the Police Association Present GADATA.
Speaker 9 (11:17):
Steve Marina.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Is this whole scheme working the slow withdrawal.
Speaker 9 (11:22):
Look, it absolutely is, and it's a good news story
for not only our members, but members of the public
and also those that are suffering from mental health issues
about getting the response that they need, which is mental
health clinicians. And that's alleviating the pressure put being put
on place so we can spend more time out there
doing what we do best.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
The fear is that we're going to end out with
some people being left behind.
Speaker 9 (11:46):
Are they No, not at all, And that's why this
has been a phased approach to allow Health New Zealand
to head the services available so that as we slowly
withdraw from the mental health arena, the services are in
place so that no one's getting left behind.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Our officers relieved at the changes.
Speaker 9 (12:08):
Oh absolutely. You know, it frees up roughly half a
million police hours each year that we're spent responding to
mental health call outs, So that's time that can be
better spent elsewhere within the community doing what we do best.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
So what happens the first time someone harms himself and
police weren't there to respond, Do you think that responsibility
should rely on the police?
Speaker 8 (12:34):
No?
Speaker 9 (12:34):
Look, we'll always turn up to those jobs where life
is in danger or being threatened, So there's no you know,
there's a reduced risk that we are still there to
respond to those jobs that require us, all right.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
And police are now not automatically involved in missing persons
from mental health facilities. So does that pose a risk
to the community.
Speaker 9 (12:57):
No, not at all. Look, and it's not actually withdrawing
from that. There's still a process in place where those
missing persons from mental health can be reported to us
will make an assessment as to whether our services are
required or not, So there is still the ability there
to have police respond in those circumstances.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
All right, Well, Steve, carry on with the good work,
and I thank you for your time today. Steve. What
is the Association? The Police Association President? And this is
News Talks B and it's five twenty four and more
texts coming in on the Uber scenario, Andrew, I'm an
Uber driver and I disagree with the ruling. I'm wondering
if the Wellington City councilor that spoke to you realizes
that under the employee model, most drivers will lose the
(13:39):
ability to work for them, plus most or all of
the flexibility will be lost, which is the critical part
of the gig economy model. What do you think? Ninety
two ninety two is the text. It is five twenty four.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
The early edition full the show podcast on iHeartRadio Power
It by News Talks at B News.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Talks BI twenty six Andred Dickinson for Ryan Bridge. So
the latest plan to fix central Wellington traffic has been
released for consultation and it's a big old monster of
a thing. There's a couple of tunnels, a new one
at the Terrace end of the motorway and another new
tunnel through Mount Victoria Land and houses will be taken
out of the town belt at Mount Victoria and parkland
will be taken at the Terrace. There will be a
(14:20):
major redesign of the Basin Reserve roundabout and a bridge
maybe near the airport. And the price tag three billion dollars,
ironically the same sort of cost for two ports and
two ferries to cross Cork Strait that was thought to
be wildly expensive at the time. So the immediate reaction
to this plan is that it's wildly expensive, which it
(14:40):
is wildly expensive and totally predictable. The Rongatai Airport, Wellington's
airport was opened to nineteen fifty nine and from day
one to get to it you would dependent on the
Mount vic Tunnel, which opened in nineteen thirty one two
lanes and that's it. It should have been expanded when
they build the airport. The Mountvick Tunnel is Wellington's Auckland
(15:04):
harbor Bridge moment, a piece of insufficient infrastructure that has
only got worse. And you could argue the same thing
about the Terrace Tunnel that was built ending abruptly in
a tiny urban streets designed before the rides of the automobile.
And meanwhile, of course some of Mount Vick's funky houses
are going to be destroyed and that will get right
up the nose of the inner city residents, the ones
who don't have to drive far at all. So anyway,
(15:25):
console consultation is open now and what am I expecting.
I'm expecting it to be rancorous because it's expensive and
houses are being disappeared. But you know, it's the bed
Wellington chose to lie in when building an inner city
airport and not making the hard cause earlier. And that
also means strife for the good people of Candala who
(15:47):
are complaining about the plane noise over their suburb. After
the flight paths changed in twenty twenty two, of course
they would prefer the flights when over Newlands where they
used to go. Well, the people of Newlands are loving
the change fight path. But as soon as you put
your airport at wrong attide, this was bound to happen.
So on all of this, you can't really complain about
(16:08):
the bill that you've inherited from your forebears who lacked foresight.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
News Talk said, be.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
So we're talking to the guys from the Uber who
took the company to court, and now I'm just getting
reaction after reaction from Uber drivers who are in this
gig economy. Matt writes, I'm a part time Uber driver.
This court decision is wrong. Many Uber drivers are on
multiple platforms, Uber Bolt, and some even double as taxi
company drivers and own their own retail businesses like dairies
(16:36):
and such. So, for instance, Abdu Rahman, the fellow we
talked to, he's also a Wellington City councilor. The thing
is that he's asking if they have a sick day,
which company pays and what about the flexibility this allows?
And another one, Henry says, you'll call one of the
rights of an employee of a taxi company, but working
(16:58):
for a taxi company was less lucrative them working for Uber.
I don't get the logic of them destroying the Uber
model to make it more like the taxi model, bringing
everybody down to the same level. So a lot of
the Uber drivers are not thankful for this action. We'll
have more on this with Book van Velden, who's joining
Mike Hosking after six o'clock this morning. Australia has the
asbestos problem as well. We'll go to Australia shortly and
(17:21):
before six. What about these new rules about clin car standards?
Will it be in a cheaper car? This is early edition.
It's US talks HEB.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
The news you need this morning and the in depth
analysis earlier edition with Andrew Dickens and r V Supercenter
explore r VS accessories and servicing.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Fall in one used TALKSB.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Why did you welcome to your Tuesday morning the eighteenth
of November. Want to do a congratulations of course to
Andrew Oldison who, in talking about cricket and voodoo and
the Congo, played a little bit of Jimmy Hendricks and
Voodoo Child that's art. That really is got some funky
stories for you from around New Zealand. Russell or wrong
Obey Holiday Park as removing all televisions from its accommodation,
(18:24):
encouraging visitors to get outside and back into nature. They're
going to be one of the first holiday parks in
New Zealand to go completely TV TV free, TV three
but TV free. What do you think about this? I mean,
is this a little bit overbearing by the holiday park
and by the manager. He apparently just hates seeing kids
on screen, so then decided write no screens at my park.
(18:47):
He's a very jovial chap and he's on with Mike
after six and sew in. District Councilors set to trial
a new rubber road surface in January in New Zealand.
First it'll be on State Highway seventy seven's Glen Tunnel.
They use recycled rubber annuals now. I think this is
probably a good thing. When you see all the tire
mountains that farmers store on their land, you have to
say this is a good thing that the tires can
(19:08):
actually be recycled into something new and something good. I'm
not sure though, if the farmers were making some money
out of that, will agree, But that story also with
Mike after six and of course big changes are coming
to New Zealand's clean car standard. The current penalties and
targets have been putting pressure on supply and pushed up
costs for consumers. How much the clean car standard has
(19:28):
been linked to a twenty five percent drop in vehicle
imports and a thirty percent rise and use car prices,
making popular family vehicles almost unsellable. But here's the question.
Are they just wanting to keep on selling old polluting
models on kiwis claiming that they're looking after the consumer?
Is the government wanting us to have a cheap fleet
(19:49):
and not a good fleet? We'll look at this story
just before six right here on early edition. That's twenty one.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
To six news Talk Sibby time to go.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Right around the nation to Duaneeda and Otaga, We go
Cadam Proact to good morning to you morning Andrew. So
as Southern students done some research and been rewarded for it.
Speaker 5 (20:08):
Yeah, this is quite remarkable for a year twelve South
and Girls High School student who names Sophie Inison, she's
been awarded the fifty thousand dollars Student Endeavor Award by
Prime Minister Chris Luxon and Space Minister Judith Collins for
her work. Sophie's project focuses on how wounds heal and space.
She's designed ways to prevent infection within the context of microgravity,
(20:30):
low pressure, antibiotic resistant bacteria and lunar dust. All this
in year twelve. The Prime Minister says, the prize highlights
the extraordinary talent driving the space industry.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Excellent stuff. How's your weather?
Speaker 5 (20:43):
Occasional rain here today with a strong nor'easter we get
to twenty four today.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
And I thank you Chris Sherwoo from christ Churche Good morning,
Good morning, christ Church gets IQA first we.
Speaker 10 (20:53):
Do well, at least a sneak peak of it. Anyway,
The Scandinavian furniture brand is hosting some pop umps, first
here in christ Church, but then another one in a
week or so in Wellington so the public can explore
a collection of IKEA's most popular products ahead of the
official opening of the Auckland store in two weeks time.
Ike ahead of marketing for Australia and New Zealand. Kirsten
(21:16):
Hasler says there'll be around twenty of IKEA's most popular
products on display, as well as their new Zealand pricing.
She says they have been humbled by the excitement of
Kiwi's looking forward to the launch. There are no plans
for a store down here permanently at this point, and
nothing can be purchased today from the pop up, but
they do say these will be the items available to
(21:37):
buy online and from the Auckland store.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
This store opens in two weeks time. And look, it's
causing chaos. It's just a furniture store and some meat balls.
But anyway, how's your weather?
Speaker 10 (21:47):
High cloud northerly strong this afternoon at a hive twenty
six and.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
I thank you. Max Told from Wellington, good morning to you.
Speaker 9 (21:53):
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
I've already spoken a little bit about it, but you're
back into another State Highway one debate.
Speaker 7 (22:00):
You said three billion dollars earlier. I think it's going
to cost probably closer to four billion, if not more.
It's obviously going to be a mammoth task of building
this thing. And just to paint a more exact picture,
both new tunnels are essentially going into the existing ones,
so the terrace tunnels would be two lanes northbound, two
lanes southbound. You're essentially dividing the traffic. And then it's
the same logic for the tunnel out toward the Peninsula
(22:22):
and the airport at Mount Victoria. Two lanes out, two
lanes in. You're gonna have a lot of traffic going
both ways around a basin reserve. Now both ways. It's
one way at the moment, three lanes along Vivian Street
through the city, which connects up straight to State Highway One.
It is in some ways very exciting. The pain, as
you say, will obviously just be getting to that point,
and as you say, it will be very painful for
(22:43):
some time. The new meyor Andrew Little, has spoken on it.
He's cautiously on board.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
He supports it.
Speaker 7 (22:48):
But let's talk a little further about what houses would
inevitably have to be knocked down. There's a crash as
well out by the War Memorial that's gone a lot
more traffic on streets not used to traffic. So yeah,
it will be interesting to see what the public feedback
looks like.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Now, absolutely, boy, I hope you guys like road cones,
because you're going to see an awful lot of them
for an awfully long time. And I did see some
reaction yesterday something saying how long are we going to
tolerate the basin reserve because.
Speaker 7 (23:15):
Well they've gone to look at ground, so hopefully forever.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
I know, I know, I'm totally with you on that.
But at the same time, if you got rid of it,
you could just go straight through there and have your
problems will be solved. But there we go. How's your weather, Yeah.
Speaker 7 (23:25):
Party cloudy, today's strong Northerlys twenty one and.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
To what can we go? And neither ret your MANA
good morning to you your reetings. We've got repairs to
the harbour bridge.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
That's right, we do.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
So what's happening? Excuse me? Water Key is going to
start these vital repairs to the water pipes under Auckland's
Harbor Bridge today. Now this will renew supports for about
one point two kilometers of pipe, which provides two thirds
of the North Shaw's water supply, so very very vital,
and it's part of this larger renewal project which is
going to see about three hundred and fifty million dollars
(23:55):
worth of repairs a year over the next decade. Suzanne
Lucas she is the acting tooth Program delivery officer. She says, quote,
there will be no disruption to water supply or for commuters.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
They're good her words, very good. You have very nice tangerine.
Now polish on someday.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
To go in the dark, will never lose you turn
the lights off. We'll know exactly where never is.
Speaker 11 (24:17):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
How's Awkan's weather?
Speaker 6 (24:19):
Rain some heavy falls in the afternoon. Twenty three is
a high here in Auclid.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
We're off to Australia in a few moments time. And
they've got the problems with the asbestos as well. And
every time I've been hearing this asbestos story, I've been going, well,
how the hell did the asbestos get in there? And
apparently the asbestos found in the colored sand products have
come from naturally occurring sources and the raw materials used
to make the sand in China, so it's made in China,
sold in Australia and New Zealand educational colours, Rainbow sand,
(24:45):
creatistics colored sand and candink decorative sand. And the lab
tests found tremolite and chrysotile asbestos in the sand, both
naturally occurring minerals found in certain rocks and soils, and
so if the sand was produced in China by crushing
rock instead of using beach sand, asbestos could have been
(25:06):
present in the source. So the reason all our schools
are closed here and in Australia is because of Chinese
manufacturing standards. Will have more on this in a few
moments time with our correspondent Leslie Yeomans. And this is
early edition. It's sixteen to.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Six International Correspondence with ends and Eye Insurance, Peace of
Mind for New Zealand Business third.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Into six to Australia, we go Leslie Yeomans, good morning,
Good morning Andrew. So just like us, you've got schools
closed because of asbestos and sand.
Speaker 11 (25:36):
We have this in the Act around Canberra. We've got
more than seventy schools that have been closed because of
this cating sand which is used in sort of arts
and crafts and play and apparently also it's been sold
in a lot of the large retailers like Target and Kmart.
They've done this big recall of the sand and these
(26:00):
seventy two schools across the ACT have been closed down
while further testing is being done. There's also it's also
been found in the Northern Territory and South Australia as well.
In South Australia, more than one hundred sites have been
identified as using the sand. Northern Territory haven't closed any
schools as yet, but they have closed some classes so
(26:22):
that further testing can be done on this sand. So
it's this asbestos that's been found in it. It's called
it tremolite asbestos and apparently it's found as a natural
sort of asbestos, but we're not really sure exactly how
bad it can be. They're still doing tests on it.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Thank you so much, China. Meanwhile, you've got a koala
colony in out back New South Wales which is under threat.
Speaker 11 (26:51):
It is they've been doing some koala testing for koala
numbers in central western New South Wales in the and
the researchers have found this really large colony of koalas.
The only trouble is it's in an area where there
is a coal mine that wants to expand, and the
(27:14):
coal mine is wanting to move into an area about
one hundred and or just over one hundred hectares of
where the koalas are now. The operators of the coal
mine say that they're aware of it, and they're more
than happy to relocate koalas if they come into the
area that the coal mine wants to go to.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
But the.
Speaker 11 (27:36):
Environmental researchers and the wildlife researchers are saying that that's
maybe not the best thing because this new colony has
really surprised them because they haven't sort of done a
lot of workout in central New South Wales as far
as Koala numbers have gone, and they've been really pleasantly
surprised that they've found this huge colony of koalas out there.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Yes, has anyone asked the Koala how long they feel
about being moved?
Speaker 5 (28:01):
There?
Speaker 2 (28:01):
We go and I thank you, Leslie yemens all the
very best. It is now eleven minutes after six. Does
that be all right? The government's having another go at
the clean car standard, saying importers just cannot hit the
current targets. It's moving to slash emission charges, cutting the
twenty twenty three Clean Vehicle standard by nearly eighty percent
and the change is expected to save around two hundred
(28:23):
and sixty four million dollars in costs to consumers. And
we'll keep our imported cars cheaper, so let's talk to
Greg Epps, who is the Imported Vehicle Association CEO. Good
morning to.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
You, Grego morning.
Speaker 12 (28:35):
How are you good?
Speaker 9 (28:35):
Matt?
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Is this good news for you?
Speaker 12 (28:38):
It is. It's really welcome relief. The industry has been
struggling for least the last year and a half under
these targets. I mean, people might call this backsliding, but
when you've set a target so hard that we can't
even get to it, you know, it's not backsliding. It's
(28:58):
being realistic and coming back to what can we actually
do to be bringing cleaner cars into the country.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Government says consumers will save two hundred and sixty four million.
So what does that mean for the prices of used cars.
Speaker 12 (29:11):
Well, what we've been seeing is that there's a certain
segment of cars, especially it's the family sized vehicles, those
sort of six and seven seaters that have just been
pushed out of the price range of the family, the
normal key we family. You know, they've they've been suffering
from penalties of nearly three thousand dollars on top of
(29:34):
the price of the vehicle. And when you're looking at
things like a hybrid people Mover, which is a really
good car that you want people to get into, you
put another three thousand dollars on top of the price,
and it just gets out of reach.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
What I found interesting is exactly that the hybrids, which
have less emissions than your older cars, we're also getting penalized.
Speaker 12 (29:57):
Yeah, and from next year, And the thing is the
penalties that have been cut, the target is still going
to be harder to reach. Next year, it's still it's
still going to go down. So next year, almost all
all hybrids, whether they're new, used, we're going to be penalized.
So we were going to be pushing this technology out
(30:19):
of reach.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
And evs were they penalized too.
Speaker 12 (30:23):
No evs, if it's a pure EV it would still
have got a credit. But the problem for us is
that in the used sector, Japan hasn't been making evs,
and so there aren't used evs for us to bring
into the country, and so we weren't able to generate credits.
The policy expected you to be able to generate credits
(30:45):
to offset your penalties. But as the as the government
noted yesterday, well over eighty percent of people of importers
bringing cars and we're just being penalized and being penalized
over one thousand dollars A can't Does.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
This mean that evs are a bus in that Japan
is not making them? However, China is making thousands.
Speaker 12 (31:07):
That's that's the thing I mean. I think what we've
pointed out to the government is that there are really
two markets here. There are new cars, and the new
car manufacturers have got a lot of opportunity to get
out there and find these to say, the Chinese vehicles,
and to push the Japanese manufacturers to head towards evs
(31:27):
as well. But in the used car market, we haven't
had that opportunity. And so you know, we bring affordable
vehicles for Kiwi families and the average Kiwi. We can
bring in class that are cleaner than what we've got here,
and that's how we progress and refresh the fleet and
move it forward. And we can, you know, let's get
(31:48):
as many evs as we can, but we've got to
be realistic about about what the average ki we can afford.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
And what do you say to the people that say, oh, great,
we're going to have cheap cars, but we're also going
to have dirty cars.
Speaker 12 (32:02):
Every used import that comes in at the moment is
better in terms of CO two than the average vehicle
in the sleep. We're talking about replacing twenty year old
vehicles with a ten year old vehicle that is cleaner.
So we're not we're not bringing dirtier cars, and we're
not bringing dirty cars, and we're actually trying to shift
(32:25):
four million cars and change the composition of that fleet.
So no, we're working to bring that carbon level down,
but it does take time.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Greg, thank you so much for your time this morning.
Greg is the CEO of the Important Motor Vehicles Association.
It is six to six.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
The first word on the News of the Day early
edition with Adre.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Dickins and r V Supercenter explore r VS, accessories and
servicing all in one news talks V.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
So we talked to the Uber drivers who won yesterday,
the four of them, and we talked earlier this morning,
and I've had reply to reply from real Uber drivers
not agreeing with it. So this is from Robin who says,
I am an Uber driver, I'm a member of the
Uber Drivers Advisory Panel. I interact with Uber regularly. The
court made the only decision it could under the current legislation. However,
the four drivers represent themselves as representing the industry. The
(33:18):
problem is eighty percent of drivers do not want the change.
Maybe they want better conditions, but they don't want to
be employees. They enjoy the flexibility. So yeah, Mike, you're
talking to Brook microphone on.
Speaker 13 (33:31):
Please. My reading of it is the judges it was
unanimous and two of them got there differently from the
other three. So it means the law's fairly solid as
far as I can work out. So they'll need to
make a law that allows them to do what they
want to do, because you're right, the gig economy is
based on freedom to do what you want to do,
(33:55):
not what some so they don't seem to be interventionist
as well. I'm saying this court they seem to have
interpreted the law is it currently sits? Anyway, She's with
us and we'll talk about the aforementioned that cow business.
That's funny as so we'll talk about that as well.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Yeah, I'm actually looking forward to the filler from the
holiday park who's got rid of the TVs? That's gonna
be great.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live
to News Talks it be from five am weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
The issues, the interviews and the insight. Andrew Dickens on
early leadership with r V Supercenter, explore r V successories
and servicing all in one news talk sat'd.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Be well, good morning to you, Welcome into your Tuesday.
I'm Andrew Dickens coming up over the next sixty minutes.
It was a landmark decision that will affect the gig economy.
We're going to talk to the uber driver who took
on the company and one. He's next. We've hit phase
three of the process to take police out of mental
health responses.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Where are we at?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
We'll talk about that in ten Australian schools join Kiwi
schools in closing down over asbestosphears. We'll go to Australia
and what are the changes to the rules over importing cars?
Will it make for a cheaper drive? We'll have that
just before six o'clock. We're going to have correspondence from
right around New Zealand and around the world of news
as it breaks and you can have your say by
(00:53):
sending me a text at The number is ninety two
ninety two and its small charge applies and it's seven
after five. The agenda it's Tuesday, the eighteenth of November
to Bangladesh and their former Prime minister. Sheikh Hasina has
been sentenced to death in absentia over the last year's
deadly student protests where fourteen hundred people were killed. She
(01:16):
denies the charges, calling the trial political.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
For protesters here, the death penalty is not enough. They
want more, even if that means marching towards the abandoned
family home of Sheikh Hasina's father, Sheek Mujibur Rahman and
demolishing it. They want to remove any remaining signs of
that family. That's the kind of public anger among many
over here.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
To the United Kingdom and the government there has announced
a big asylum shakeup. It's pushing faster deportations. Even approved
asylum seekers could be sent home if their country becomes safe,
and three African nations are on notice help with the
removals or say goodbye to UK visas.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
I think this is a small step in the right
place direction.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
We're going to need.
Speaker 6 (02:01):
A whole series of actions.
Speaker 7 (02:03):
You know, our borders plan is very very comprehensive.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
We just want to.
Speaker 7 (02:08):
Fan all asylum claims completely. We need to be out
of the ECHR, out of the ECAP need.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
A removal spurce.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
What we have at the moment isn't going to do that.
And finally to the United States of America, where Donald
Trump has done a u turn on his position on
the Epstein files. He's now urged lawmakers in his own
party to vote in favor of releasing the files because,
as he says, he's got nothing to hide.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
This is truly a manufacturer hoped by the Democrat Party.
For now, they're talking about it all of a sudden,
because President Trump is in the overlack.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
They're using Jeffrey Epstein as a deflection from the tremendous
success that we're having as a party. It's nine after five.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Get ahead of the headlines on early edition with Andrew
Dickens and.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Our the Supercenter, explore our these accessories and servicing one
News talks.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
It'd be Oh, when times are tough, blame the government.
That's the truest thing in politics. If you're in charge
of the books, as the economy tanks, then people are
going to take the chance to spit in your face,
which we can see happening right now with polls suggesting
that the National Led Coalition is useless at managing the economy.
And even more surprisingly, the same poll says the previous
(03:22):
lot who did their part in tanking the economy, it's
trusted more so, of course, the left is smiling because
they feel the ground is moving their way. They see
that a capital gains tax doesn't cause widespread revulsion, and
so they're starting to reckon that in a year they
just might be back in the driving seat. But of
course that would be very naive. Think about Australia. In Australia,
(03:44):
before the last election, Peter Dutton and the Coalition were
polling just great for two years before that election, and
they entered the campaign assuming they were the favorite and
Labor was vulnerable. That led to complacency, that led to
late policy announcements that left voters unconvinced about the party's
readiness to govern. And so what happened, Even though Peter
(04:05):
Dutton was the favorite, Albernizi swept home. So this next
election is not necessarily swinging Labour's way and assuming National
as a dead duck would be foolish. The election has
to happen before December next year, and things can change
immensely in that year's time. In fact, I reckon the
real possibility exists that no one votes for anyone because
(04:27):
on the performance of the past two regimes.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Who would Ryan Bridge.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Andrew Dickins in fact, and thank you now, big decision,
and it took a long time to come through, four
years to come through. But the Uber drivers won the
right to call their job a real job, which means
they get all the rights that real jobs have. So
what does this mean. It's got big implications for the
gig economy for everybody who works in this way. Now,
(04:54):
one of the drivers who actually took Uber to court
is also a Wellington City councilor and he joins me next.
His name is Neurdadena abdu Ahmen. And this is early
edition on Newstalk.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
ZBB Views and Views you Trust to start your day.
It's early EDISHIP with Adre Dickins and r V Supercenter
explore r VS accessor Results, Servicing, Fall and One News
Talks at B It's.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Fourteen out to five. Uber has run out of road
when it comes to appealing their driver's rights. A group
of four drivers has taken their dispute with the global
company to the Supreme Court and one the court recognized
that drivers are employees and should be given the same rights,
and that potentially means things like guaranteed minimum wage, sick
leave and annual leave. Two it was a five mil decision.
(05:41):
Nurdadena abdur Rahman is a driver who took Uber to
court and is also the Wellington City councilor and joins
me now Nurdaden, good morning.
Speaker 8 (05:47):
To you, Good morning Andrew.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
It's been a long four year fight for you through
three courts and in every court it's been in your favor.
This must be a very satisfying result.
Speaker 8 (05:59):
Yes, it's a very long fight, but it's I'm very
pleased and yeah it's I'm beyond proud of all the
three other drivers. And it's a union and first union
for the hard work.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
So once you read on the final reading, what will
it mean?
Speaker 8 (06:16):
Well, it means basically drivers are like any other employees.
They would have equal rights and they were, they were
to have human rights, and the fight was about employment
right as much as it was a human right.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
But what are the ramifications? I mean, will Uber prices
suddenly sky rocket? What is the meaning for the wider
gig economy which has a reason for existing?
Speaker 8 (06:40):
Well, I don't, I don't believe so I think Uber
and the last year they make about four hundred million
dollars and then how much they paid in tax i.
Think those are the kind of things they need to
do openly with the community, and it's not going to
be much increase for the for those who use Uber.
(07:00):
I think it's about fairness.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Will this have an international impact on the gig economy model?
Speaker 8 (07:09):
Well, I think it should and it will. What it
means it's in a positive way. And look, drivers are
in this case, they're saying they know what it is
good for them, and instead of Uber telling them why
it's good for drivers and the drivers they say they
want to have sickly, they want to have a minimum wage,
(07:29):
and they want to have most importantly, a decent way
of dealing when they get dismissed for reason, they believe
it's not the right one. And I think this is
a very simple question to ask.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Well, many have said, if you want these better benefits,
these better wages, and you want to drive a taxi,
then dry dry, you know, join a taxi company. What
do you say to that.
Speaker 8 (07:52):
Well, I think I myself I used to drive taxi
before I joined Uber. But that's the whole system was
check injur doing Uber joined the business and the business
model has changed since then in a big way, and
no one wants to be driving Uber until driving Uber
(08:12):
becomes like kind of the only way to survive. And
if you ask me, I wouldn't be driving Uba. I've
had just still got an opportunity to do better than taxi.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
But I've heard there's currently too many drivers, not enough rides.
So there's more than enough people who still want to
work under the Uber model.
Speaker 8 (08:32):
Well, look the system we currently have. There are so
many drivers who what There are so many people who
are looking for work and they need a job. And
then Uber is using the human resource that we have
to exploit for their own benefit. And that is why
we need a loan in this country. The load that
(08:53):
just says no, it doesn't matter how many people are
out there looking for a job. They deserve right like
everyone else. And that is why the Supreme Court agree
was the drivers in the scars.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Well, congratulations new Adena and thank you so much for
joining us new abdul Ahman, the Uber driver who took
Uber to court, also a Wellington City councilor as well.
Of course, Brook van Velden is the Employment Minister and
she hasn't read the judgment, but she respects the ruling
of the court, and she says the case highlights the
existing gray area in employment and contract law that the
Employment Relations Amendment Bill aims to address, which she says,
(09:29):
will clarify the boundary between being an employee or a
contractor and cract more certainty for parties to a working arrangement.
And that's currently before solect Committee and Brook van Velden
will be joining Mike Hoskin after six o'clock this morning. Meanwhile,
I've had a text from Zane, and Zane says, I'm
a part time gig worker and I disagree with the
Supreme Court ruling. It completely misses the point. The freedom
(09:52):
to work when I want is the whole reason gig
work exists. These four drivers might have meant well, but
they have now put that free and the whole gig
economy at risk for the rest of us. Gig work
works because it's flexible. Don't break what is not broken.
And I have personal experience here. My son is trying
to make a life of Melbourne right now and he's
(10:13):
been doing a little bit of Uber Eats delivery on
his bicycle and every now and then when he's sort
of a bit of a bit of cash, he goes
out and does two hours of delivery, gets himself fifty
bucks and he says, it's not a real job, it's
a bit of fast, flexible money and that's the point
of it. So yeah, we'll see where we go with
all of this. What do you think you can text me?
(10:33):
Ninety two? Ninety two is the number to text now.
It is nineteen minutes after five. And the police, of
course is slowly withdrawing from responding to mental health emergencies.
They're into phase three. What does this mean? We'll talk
to the police next.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Andrew Dickens on early edition with r V Supercenter explore
r V successories and servicing all in one news Talks b.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
By twenty one. So Police and Health New Zealand are
pressing ahead with Phase three of their mental health response changes,
shifting more responsibility onto health teams and away from police.
And it means that police will no longer be involved
in mental health callouts eventually unless there is an immediate
safety risk. So I'm joined now by Steve Watt, who
is the Police Association Present GADATA.
Speaker 9 (11:17):
Steve Marina.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Is this whole scheme working the slow withdrawal.
Speaker 9 (11:22):
Look, it absolutely is, and it's a good news story
for not only our members, but members of the public
and also those that are suffering from mental health issues
about getting the response that they need, which is mental
health clinicians. And that's alleviating the pressure put being put
on place so we can spend more time out there
doing what we do best.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
The fear is that we're going to end out with
some people being left behind.
Speaker 9 (11:46):
Are they No, not at all, And that's why this
has been a phased approach to allow Health New Zealand
to head the services available so that as we slowly
withdraw from the mental health arena, the services are in
place so that no one's getting left behind.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Our officers relieved at the changes.
Speaker 9 (12:08):
Oh absolutely. You know, it frees up roughly half a
million police hours each year that we're spent responding to
mental health call outs, So that's time that can be
better spent elsewhere within the community doing what we do best.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
So what happens the first time someone harms himself and
police weren't there to respond, Do you think that responsibility
should rely on the police?
Speaker 8 (12:34):
No?
Speaker 9 (12:34):
Look, we'll always turn up to those jobs where life
is in danger or being threatened, So there's no you know,
there's a reduced risk that we are still there to
respond to those jobs that require us, all right.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
And police are now not automatically involved in missing persons
from mental health facilities. So does that pose a risk
to the community.
Speaker 9 (12:57):
No, not at all. Look, and it's not actually withdrawing
from that. There's still a process in place where those
missing persons from mental health can be reported to us
will make an assessment as to whether our services are
required or not, So there is still the ability there
to have police respond in those circumstances.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
All right, Well, Steve, carry on with the good work,
and I thank you for your time today. Steve. What
is the Association? The Police Association President? And this is
News Talks B and it's five twenty four and more
texts coming in on the Uber scenario, Andrew, I'm an
Uber driver and I disagree with the ruling. I'm wondering
if the Wellington City councilor that spoke to you realizes
that under the employee model, most drivers will lose the
(13:39):
ability to work for them, plus most or all of
the flexibility will be lost, which is the critical part
of the gig economy model. What do you think? Ninety
two ninety two is the text. It is five twenty four.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
The early edition full the show podcast on iHeartRadio Power
It by News Talks at B News.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Talks BI twenty six Andred Dickinson for Ryan Bridge. So
the latest plan to fix central Wellington traffic has been
released for consultation and it's a big old monster of
a thing. There's a couple of tunnels, a new one
at the Terrace end of the motorway and another new
tunnel through Mount Victoria Land and houses will be taken
out of the town belt at Mount Victoria and parkland
will be taken at the Terrace. There will be a
(14:20):
major redesign of the Basin Reserve roundabout and a bridge
maybe near the airport. And the price tag three billion dollars,
ironically the same sort of cost for two ports and
two ferries to cross Cork Strait that was thought to
be wildly expensive at the time. So the immediate reaction
to this plan is that it's wildly expensive, which it
(14:40):
is wildly expensive and totally predictable. The Rongatai Airport, Wellington's
airport was opened to nineteen fifty nine and from day
one to get to it you would dependent on the
Mount vic Tunnel, which opened in nineteen thirty one two
lanes and that's it. It should have been expanded when
they build the airport. The Mountvick Tunnel is Wellington's Auckland
(15:04):
harbor Bridge moment, a piece of insufficient infrastructure that has
only got worse. And you could argue the same thing
about the Terrace Tunnel that was built ending abruptly in
a tiny urban streets designed before the rides of the automobile.
And meanwhile, of course some of Mount Vick's funky houses
are going to be destroyed and that will get right
up the nose of the inner city residents, the ones
who don't have to drive far at all. So anyway,
(15:25):
console consultation is open now and what am I expecting.
I'm expecting it to be rancorous because it's expensive and
houses are being disappeared. But you know, it's the bed
Wellington chose to lie in when building an inner city
airport and not making the hard cause earlier. And that
also means strife for the good people of Candala who
(15:47):
are complaining about the plane noise over their suburb. After
the flight paths changed in twenty twenty two, of course
they would prefer the flights when over Newlands where they
used to go. Well, the people of Newlands are loving
the change fight path. But as soon as you put
your airport at wrong attide, this was bound to happen.
So on all of this, you can't really complain about
(16:08):
the bill that you've inherited from your forebears who lacked foresight.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
News Talk said, be.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
So we're talking to the guys from the Uber who
took the company to court, and now I'm just getting
reaction after reaction from Uber drivers who are in this
gig economy. Matt writes, I'm a part time Uber driver.
This court decision is wrong. Many Uber drivers are on
multiple platforms, Uber Bolt, and some even double as taxi
company drivers and own their own retail businesses like dairies
(16:36):
and such. So, for instance, Abdu Rahman, the fellow we
talked to, he's also a Wellington City councilor. The thing
is that he's asking if they have a sick day,
which company pays and what about the flexibility this allows?
And another one, Henry says, you'll call one of the
rights of an employee of a taxi company, but working
(16:58):
for a taxi company was less lucrative them working for Uber.
I don't get the logic of them destroying the Uber
model to make it more like the taxi model, bringing
everybody down to the same level. So a lot of
the Uber drivers are not thankful for this action. We'll
have more on this with Book van Velden, who's joining
Mike Hosking after six o'clock this morning. Australia has the
asbestos problem as well. We'll go to Australia shortly and
(17:21):
before six. What about these new rules about clin car standards?
Will it be in a cheaper car? This is early edition.
It's US talks HEB.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
The news you need this morning and the in depth
analysis earlier edition with Andrew Dickens and r V Supercenter
explore r VS accessories and servicing.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Fall in one used TALKSB.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Why did you welcome to your Tuesday morning the eighteenth
of November. Want to do a congratulations of course to
Andrew Oldison who, in talking about cricket and voodoo and
the Congo, played a little bit of Jimmy Hendricks and
Voodoo Child that's art. That really is got some funky
stories for you from around New Zealand. Russell or wrong
Obey Holiday Park as removing all televisions from its accommodation,
(18:24):
encouraging visitors to get outside and back into nature. They're
going to be one of the first holiday parks in
New Zealand to go completely TV TV free, TV three
but TV free. What do you think about this? I mean,
is this a little bit overbearing by the holiday park
and by the manager. He apparently just hates seeing kids
on screen, so then decided write no screens at my park.
(18:47):
He's a very jovial chap and he's on with Mike
after six and sew in. District Councilors set to trial
a new rubber road surface in January in New Zealand.
First it'll be on State Highway seventy seven's Glen Tunnel.
They use recycled rubber annuals now. I think this is
probably a good thing. When you see all the tire
mountains that farmers store on their land, you have to
say this is a good thing that the tires can
(19:08):
actually be recycled into something new and something good. I'm
not sure though, if the farmers were making some money
out of that, will agree, But that story also with
Mike after six and of course big changes are coming
to New Zealand's clean car standard. The current penalties and
targets have been putting pressure on supply and pushed up
costs for consumers. How much the clean car standard has
(19:28):
been linked to a twenty five percent drop in vehicle
imports and a thirty percent rise and use car prices,
making popular family vehicles almost unsellable. But here's the question.
Are they just wanting to keep on selling old polluting
models on kiwis claiming that they're looking after the consumer?
Is the government wanting us to have a cheap fleet
(19:49):
and not a good fleet? We'll look at this story
just before six right here on early edition. That's twenty one.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
To six news Talk Sibby time to go.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Right around the nation to Duaneeda and Otaga, We go
Cadam Proact to good morning to you morning Andrew. So
as Southern students done some research and been rewarded for it.
Speaker 5 (20:08):
Yeah, this is quite remarkable for a year twelve South
and Girls High School student who names Sophie Inison, she's
been awarded the fifty thousand dollars Student Endeavor Award by
Prime Minister Chris Luxon and Space Minister Judith Collins for
her work. Sophie's project focuses on how wounds heal and space.
She's designed ways to prevent infection within the context of microgravity,
(20:30):
low pressure, antibiotic resistant bacteria and lunar dust. All this
in year twelve. The Prime Minister says, the prize highlights
the extraordinary talent driving the space industry.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Excellent stuff. How's your weather?
Speaker 5 (20:43):
Occasional rain here today with a strong nor'easter we get
to twenty four today.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
And I thank you Chris Sherwoo from christ Churche Good morning,
Good morning, christ Church gets IQA first we.
Speaker 10 (20:53):
Do well, at least a sneak peak of it. Anyway,
The Scandinavian furniture brand is hosting some pop umps, first
here in christ Church, but then another one in a
week or so in Wellington so the public can explore
a collection of IKEA's most popular products ahead of the
official opening of the Auckland store in two weeks time.
Ike ahead of marketing for Australia and New Zealand. Kirsten
(21:16):
Hasler says there'll be around twenty of IKEA's most popular
products on display, as well as their new Zealand pricing.
She says they have been humbled by the excitement of
Kiwi's looking forward to the launch. There are no plans
for a store down here permanently at this point, and
nothing can be purchased today from the pop up, but
they do say these will be the items available to
(21:37):
buy online and from the Auckland store.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
This store opens in two weeks time. And look, it's
causing chaos. It's just a furniture store and some meat balls.
But anyway, how's your weather?
Speaker 10 (21:47):
High cloud northerly strong this afternoon at a hive twenty
six and.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
I thank you. Max Told from Wellington, good morning to you.
Speaker 9 (21:53):
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
I've already spoken a little bit about it, but you're
back into another State Highway one debate.
Speaker 7 (22:00):
You said three billion dollars earlier. I think it's going
to cost probably closer to four billion, if not more.
It's obviously going to be a mammoth task of building
this thing. And just to paint a more exact picture,
both new tunnels are essentially going into the existing ones,
so the terrace tunnels would be two lanes northbound, two
lanes southbound. You're essentially dividing the traffic. And then it's
the same logic for the tunnel out toward the Peninsula
(22:22):
and the airport at Mount Victoria. Two lanes out, two
lanes in. You're gonna have a lot of traffic going
both ways around a basin reserve. Now both ways. It's
one way at the moment, three lanes along Vivian Street
through the city, which connects up straight to State Highway One.
It is in some ways very exciting. The pain, as
you say, will obviously just be getting to that point,
and as you say, it will be very painful for
(22:43):
some time. The new meyor Andrew Little, has spoken on it.
He's cautiously on board.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
He supports it.
Speaker 7 (22:48):
But let's talk a little further about what houses would
inevitably have to be knocked down. There's a crash as
well out by the War Memorial that's gone a lot
more traffic on streets not used to traffic. So yeah,
it will be interesting to see what the public feedback
looks like.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Now, absolutely, boy, I hope you guys like road cones,
because you're going to see an awful lot of them
for an awfully long time. And I did see some
reaction yesterday something saying how long are we going to
tolerate the basin reserve because.
Speaker 7 (23:15):
Well they've gone to look at ground, so hopefully forever.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
I know, I know, I'm totally with you on that.
But at the same time, if you got rid of it,
you could just go straight through there and have your
problems will be solved. But there we go. How's your weather, Yeah.
Speaker 7 (23:25):
Party cloudy, today's strong Northerlys twenty one and.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
To what can we go? And neither ret your MANA
good morning to you your reetings. We've got repairs to
the harbour bridge.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
That's right, we do.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
So what's happening? Excuse me? Water Key is going to
start these vital repairs to the water pipes under Auckland's
Harbor Bridge today. Now this will renew supports for about
one point two kilometers of pipe, which provides two thirds
of the North Shaw's water supply, so very very vital,
and it's part of this larger renewal project which is
going to see about three hundred and fifty million dollars
(23:55):
worth of repairs a year over the next decade. Suzanne
Lucas she is the acting tooth Program delivery officer. She says, quote,
there will be no disruption to water supply or for commuters.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
They're good her words, very good. You have very nice tangerine.
Now polish on someday.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
To go in the dark, will never lose you turn
the lights off. We'll know exactly where never is.
Speaker 11 (24:17):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
How's Awkan's weather?
Speaker 6 (24:19):
Rain some heavy falls in the afternoon. Twenty three is
a high here in Auclid.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
We're off to Australia in a few moments time. And
they've got the problems with the asbestos as well. And
every time I've been hearing this asbestos story, I've been going, well,
how the hell did the asbestos get in there? And
apparently the asbestos found in the colored sand products have
come from naturally occurring sources and the raw materials used
to make the sand in China, so it's made in China,
sold in Australia and New Zealand educational colours, Rainbow sand,
(24:45):
creatistics colored sand and candink decorative sand. And the lab
tests found tremolite and chrysotile asbestos in the sand, both
naturally occurring minerals found in certain rocks and soils, and
so if the sand was produced in China by crushing
rock instead of using beach sand, asbestos could have been
(25:06):
present in the source. So the reason all our schools
are closed here and in Australia is because of Chinese
manufacturing standards. Will have more on this in a few
moments time with our correspondent Leslie Yeomans. And this is
early edition. It's sixteen to.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Six International Correspondence with ends and Eye Insurance, Peace of
Mind for New Zealand Business third.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Into six to Australia, we go Leslie Yeomans, good morning,
Good morning Andrew. So just like us, you've got schools
closed because of asbestos and sand.
Speaker 11 (25:36):
We have this in the Act around Canberra. We've got
more than seventy schools that have been closed because of
this cating sand which is used in sort of arts
and crafts and play and apparently also it's been sold
in a lot of the large retailers like Target and Kmart.
They've done this big recall of the sand and these
(26:00):
seventy two schools across the ACT have been closed down
while further testing is being done. There's also it's also
been found in the Northern Territory and South Australia as well.
In South Australia, more than one hundred sites have been
identified as using the sand. Northern Territory haven't closed any
schools as yet, but they have closed some classes so
(26:22):
that further testing can be done on this sand. So
it's this asbestos that's been found in it. It's called
it tremolite asbestos and apparently it's found as a natural
sort of asbestos, but we're not really sure exactly how
bad it can be. They're still doing tests on it.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Thank you so much, China. Meanwhile, you've got a koala
colony in out back New South Wales which is under threat.
Speaker 11 (26:51):
It is they've been doing some koala testing for koala
numbers in central western New South Wales in the and
the researchers have found this really large colony of koalas.
The only trouble is it's in an area where there
is a coal mine that wants to expand, and the
(27:14):
coal mine is wanting to move into an area about
one hundred and or just over one hundred hectares of
where the koalas are now. The operators of the coal
mine say that they're aware of it, and they're more
than happy to relocate koalas if they come into the
area that the coal mine wants to go to.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
But the.
Speaker 11 (27:36):
Environmental researchers and the wildlife researchers are saying that that's
maybe not the best thing because this new colony has
really surprised them because they haven't sort of done a
lot of workout in central New South Wales as far
as Koala numbers have gone, and they've been really pleasantly
surprised that they've found this huge colony of koalas out there.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Yes, has anyone asked the Koala how long they feel
about being moved?
Speaker 5 (28:01):
There?
Speaker 2 (28:01):
We go and I thank you, Leslie yemens all the
very best. It is now eleven minutes after six. Does
that be all right? The government's having another go at
the clean car standard, saying importers just cannot hit the
current targets. It's moving to slash emission charges, cutting the
twenty twenty three Clean Vehicle standard by nearly eighty percent
and the change is expected to save around two hundred
(28:23):
and sixty four million dollars in costs to consumers. And
we'll keep our imported cars cheaper, so let's talk to
Greg Epps, who is the Imported Vehicle Association CEO. Good
morning to.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
You, Grego morning.
Speaker 12 (28:35):
How are you good?
Speaker 9 (28:35):
Matt?
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Is this good news for you?
Speaker 12 (28:38):
It is. It's really welcome relief. The industry has been
struggling for least the last year and a half under
these targets. I mean, people might call this backsliding, but
when you've set a target so hard that we can't
even get to it, you know, it's not backsliding. It's
(28:58):
being realistic and coming back to what can we actually
do to be bringing cleaner cars into the country.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Government says consumers will save two hundred and sixty four million.
So what does that mean for the prices of used cars.
Speaker 12 (29:11):
Well, what we've been seeing is that there's a certain
segment of cars, especially it's the family sized vehicles, those
sort of six and seven seaters that have just been
pushed out of the price range of the family, the
normal key we family. You know, they've they've been suffering
from penalties of nearly three thousand dollars on top of
(29:34):
the price of the vehicle. And when you're looking at
things like a hybrid people Mover, which is a really
good car that you want people to get into, you
put another three thousand dollars on top of the price,
and it just gets out of reach.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
What I found interesting is exactly that the hybrids, which
have less emissions than your older cars, we're also getting penalized.
Speaker 12 (29:57):
Yeah, and from next year, And the thing is the
penalties that have been cut, the target is still going
to be harder to reach. Next year, it's still it's
still going to go down. So next year, almost all
all hybrids, whether they're new, used, we're going to be penalized.
So we were going to be pushing this technology out
(30:19):
of reach.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
And evs were they penalized too.
Speaker 12 (30:23):
No evs, if it's a pure EV it would still
have got a credit. But the problem for us is
that in the used sector, Japan hasn't been making evs,
and so there aren't used evs for us to bring
into the country, and so we weren't able to generate credits.
The policy expected you to be able to generate credits
(30:45):
to offset your penalties. But as the as the government
noted yesterday, well over eighty percent of people of importers
bringing cars and we're just being penalized and being penalized
over one thousand dollars A can't Does.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
This mean that evs are a bus in that Japan
is not making them? However, China is making thousands.
Speaker 12 (31:07):
That's that's the thing I mean. I think what we've
pointed out to the government is that there are really
two markets here. There are new cars, and the new
car manufacturers have got a lot of opportunity to get
out there and find these to say, the Chinese vehicles,
and to push the Japanese manufacturers to head towards evs
(31:27):
as well. But in the used car market, we haven't
had that opportunity. And so you know, we bring affordable
vehicles for Kiwi families and the average Kiwi. We can
bring in class that are cleaner than what we've got here,
and that's how we progress and refresh the fleet and
move it forward. And we can, you know, let's get
(31:48):
as many evs as we can, but we've got to
be realistic about about what the average ki we can afford.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
And what do you say to the people that say, oh, great,
we're going to have cheap cars, but we're also going
to have dirty cars.
Speaker 12 (32:02):
Every used import that comes in at the moment is
better in terms of CO two than the average vehicle
in the sleep. We're talking about replacing twenty year old
vehicles with a ten year old vehicle that is cleaner.
So we're not we're not bringing dirtier cars, and we're
not bringing dirty cars, and we're actually trying to shift
(32:25):
four million cars and change the composition of that fleet.
So no, we're working to bring that carbon level down,
but it does take time.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Greg, thank you so much for your time this morning.
Greg is the CEO of the Important Motor Vehicles Association.
It is six to six.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
The first word on the News of the Day early
edition with Adre.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Dickins and r V Supercenter explore r VS, accessories and
servicing all in one news talks V.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
So we talked to the Uber drivers who won yesterday,
the four of them, and we talked earlier this morning,
and I've had reply to reply from real Uber drivers
not agreeing with it. So this is from Robin who says,
I am an Uber driver, I'm a member of the
Uber Drivers Advisory Panel. I interact with Uber regularly. The
court made the only decision it could under the current legislation. However,
the four drivers represent themselves as representing the industry. The
(33:18):
problem is eighty percent of drivers do not want the change.
Maybe they want better conditions, but they don't want to
be employees. They enjoy the flexibility. So yeah, Mike, you're
talking to Brook microphone on.
Speaker 13 (33:31):
Please. My reading of it is the judges it was
unanimous and two of them got there differently from the
other three. So it means the law's fairly solid as
far as I can work out. So they'll need to
make a law that allows them to do what they
want to do, because you're right, the gig economy is
based on freedom to do what you want to do,
(33:55):
not what some so they don't seem to be interventionist
as well. I'm saying this court they seem to have
interpreted the law is it currently sits? Anyway, She's with
us and we'll talk about the aforementioned that cow business.
That's funny as so we'll talk about that as well.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Yeah, I'm actually looking forward to the filler from the
holiday park who's got rid of the TVs? That's gonna
be great.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live
to News Talks it be from five am weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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