Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The issues, the interviews and the inside Ryan Bridge new
for twenty twenty four on an early edition with Smith City, New.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Zealand's furniture Beds and a play a store Us Dogs.
It'd be good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
It is six after five. Welcome to your Friday morning.
In the next couple of minutes if you're in need,
and Civil Defense says do not go to work today.
We'll have the controller on the show in a few
minutes time. Coming up before six Casey Costello, loads of
people apparently want to be cops. Huge intake coming plus
the smoking scandal and help New Zealand finances on life support.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
The agenda.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
It is the fourth of October, a state of emergency
being declared in the need and following that torrential rain
and some flooding South Dunedin particularly hit. Hard hit people
advise to self evacuate if they feel unsafe, and evacuation
center has been set up at Forsyth Bars Stadium.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
We've cross has been here every air ear and a
half chicken is all out.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
Been all nighter for me.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I got half a meter of water.
Speaker 6 (01:07):
Not quite leaping out at the bottom step.
Speaker 7 (01:11):
Boy has been rough at the bottom of Surrey straight.
The pressure of the water is that intent said, it's
pushed the hydrant, you know, the metal grates out of
the water, pushing themmartin water coming up.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Some of our callers from overnight. Three year strikes have
hit Southern Bay Route. Nine people killed. A medical center
was hit. Israel's say it was a targeted attack against Hisbula,
but locals say it clearly wasn't It is very clear
that this is a center for ambulances.
Speaker 6 (01:38):
It has ambulances and rescuers volunteering to serve society.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
And the US President Joe Biden is in discussions with
Israel on a retaliation against Iran, and I have more
on that in a second. China has claimed to have
entered Arctic waters for the first time in a joint
patrol with Russia. The US Coast Guard has spotted four
Chinese and Russian vessels and the Bearing Sea before trying
to confirm the operation, saying they were testing their ability
(02:03):
to carry out missions in unfamiliar waters. Always a good thing,
isn't it. Eight minutes after five.
Speaker 8 (02:11):
Ryan Bridge New for twenty twenty four on early edition
with Smith City, New Zealand's furniture beds and a player
store news dog.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Zidby, how are you doing to need and give me
a text? Nine two ninety two is the number we're
thinking of you, Hoping you're dry and safe. A state
of emergency has been declared in duned And overnight this
following the surface flooding because of torrential rain. Scott McLean
is Toned and Civil Defense Controller Scott, Welcome to the program.
How many people have you got evacuated? How many in
the evacuation centers?
Speaker 9 (02:40):
So we've got a round about seventy people so far
have taken up the offer of our welfare centers. So
they are located at the Saint Clear Golf Club and
forsythe bath Stadium.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Are their houses flooded or are they just precautionary?
Speaker 9 (02:55):
Most of them with precautionary. We've had reports of one
or two starting to get water in there, but I
think it was out of caution that they've relocated.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Any reports of damage or injuries at this point, No.
Speaker 9 (03:08):
Reports thus far injury and we haven't been able to
get out in a cisny damage at this point.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
What about power?
Speaker 9 (03:18):
As far as we're were, power is still on.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Is the worst over yet? Has the rain stopped or
obviously the rain's going to keep going, but has the
river level peaked?
Speaker 9 (03:29):
So we understand the river levels have receded a bit,
but it's still raining fairly steadily. Met Service updated US
around about nine o'clock last night and forecast up to
one hundred mills for the following twenty four hours to
nine o'clock tonight, So yeah, it's still a weasit to go.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Scott, what's your advice to people this morning? Do they
go to work, do they go to school?
Speaker 9 (03:57):
Look, our advice is don't go out driving in particular
unless you absolutely have to. It causes problems for emergency responders,
it can cause problems for homeowners in the low lying areas,
pushing pushing water off the roads and into people's properties.
(04:19):
So the advices is to stay home and stay safe.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
So that's today. The advice from Civil Defense is if
you are in anywhere in Dunedin, stay home today.
Speaker 9 (04:31):
Look, it's probably safer to do so. If you don't
have to travel, the advice would be to not travel.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Scott, thank you for that, appreciate your time and best
of luck and Bridge Rich. It is just on eleven
minutes after five year on News Talk c B. Yeah,
hopefully everybody is doing okay the need and it sounds
like the river levels are peaking or have peaked already.
Nine ninety two is the number if you want to
update me. Could oil hit one hundred dollars a barrel
(04:59):
by the end of this month. We'll talk about that
in a few seconds. Plus why the pound is taking
a hammering or a pounding over in the UK, We'll
look at that. To eleven after five News TALKSB.
Speaker 8 (05:16):
The first word on the News of the Day early
edition with Ryan Bridge and Smith City, New Zealand's Furniture
Beds and a Planet Store.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
News TALKSB.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Thirteen after five News TALKSB. As we speak Biden and NYA,
who are discussing options for a retaliatory strike against Iran.
Here's why we should all hope that Israel just cools
its jets a little bit. Obviously there is the loss
of life, et cetera. But also there's a potential inflation
issue here. Oil prices have been pretty stable. We reported
(05:46):
on this yesterday after the strike against Israel. However, if
Israel hits Iranian energy facilities, they reckon that the price
impact on a barrel of crude oil could go from
seventy four dollars currently to eighty six dollars a barrel,
and any energy analysts are worried that one point eight
(06:08):
million barrels per day is what they produce and ninety
percent of that is exported out of one export facility.
Of that is it, then you've got a problem. And
remember you don't have to think back too far to
the war in Ukraine. We had one hundred and thirty
dollars a barrel when they went in their stoking inflation
and led to all of our woes and misery. So
(06:29):
something to watch for you this morning, fourteen after five.
Ryan Bridge Health New Zealand's financial position remains on what
would you call it? Life support quarterly performance report out yesterday.
It showed the financial performance declined significantly in the three
months to June this year, a one billion dollar deficit
for the last financial year. The slump came after a
(06:50):
two hundred and ninety nine million dollar forecasted surplus in
the previous quarter. What's going on here? Sarah Dalton is
the Association of Salaried Medical Specialist execus of director. Sarah.
Good morning, Good morning, Ryan, how are you very well.
Thank you, Nice to have you on the show. This
is interesting because it says staffing costs are up. There
(07:10):
are some one off impairments, but staffing costs are up,
there's outsourcing going on, and yet we're actually starting to
meet some of these targets.
Speaker 10 (07:20):
Yeah, it's kind of a mixed bag. I think it's
also really important to note that more than five hundred
million of that deficit is money that should be in
there to deal with pay equity settlements that hasn't been
passed across by CANN'T, and so you know, it's a
little bit of not quite what it seems in there,
(07:43):
do you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Bit of trickery, a bit of Yeah.
Speaker 10 (07:46):
Yeah, that must be really frustrating for the for the director,
it's all of whom have been told they have to
make significant cuts to their costs over the next financial
year to try and deal with this problem, this ongoing
problem they have balancing their books. You know, they're still
struggling to deal with holidays discrepancies that has been going
(08:08):
on for years, and the payroll systems are so problematic
that it is taking a very long time all that
stuff out and all of those really, you know, secondary
to the points you raise about actually delivering healthcare to
people who need it.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
I understand that, but I mean, is this not more proof?
Does this not strengthen the case for more cuts?
Speaker 10 (08:32):
Well, watch what happens because listening to what we were
told Marzida meeting with the health unions and to start
to order just this week where we had presentations from
Public health Services, Mardine, Pacific Health Services, data and digital
strategy and innovation, they're all going to be dealing with
significant cuts. Some of that's going to impact staffing levels.
(08:56):
Some of that's going to impact things like the ability
to roll out digital solutions that will make systems and
stuff more efficient. It will make it easier for them
to do their jobs, easier to see people quickly. Radiology
and pathology services, which are the things that patients don't
often think about, but they are really critical to forming
diagnoses and setting out treatment pathways. They have heavy reliance
(09:20):
on data and digital and that's not functioning effectively for them.
That's going to make, you know, inefficiencies and costs down
the line.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
So some troubled waters ahead. But on the face of it,
these measures, the metrics and non financial stuff. You know,
the things seem to be it's tiny fractions, but it
seems to be improving. If you look at cancer wait times,
emergency department surgeries, et cetera, etc. Most of those measures
(09:50):
seem to be improved slightly, which I mean that must
be a good thing.
Speaker 10 (09:54):
I don't think the improvements. I'm sorry, I'm going to
ruin your tea party, but I don't think the improvements
are significant for us to take particular comfort, and also
what our members tell us, and our senior doctors in
dentists out there on the frontline, and hospitals that are
are still significant staff and gaps, particularly medicals. So we're
seeing lots of junior doctor gaps, which means a lot
(10:17):
of the senior doctors our members are having to cover
their work as well as their own. It's not an
efficient way to run our hospitals. And a lot of
our hospitals are still running out one hundred percent plus.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
So, Sarah, you're taking that boastful, bashful press release from
the minister yesterday and you're ripping it right up, aren't you.
That's what you're doing.
Speaker 10 (10:35):
Thank you well. I was in Westport over the weekend,
you know, with the quarter of their population who are
protesting about proposed cup for health access and look at
duned and New Zealanders care deeply about access to health
and we need better, all.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Right, Sarah, thanks for your time this morning, nights to
have you on the show. Sara Adults in Association of
Salary Medical Specialist Executive Director. Actually, I was thinking of
Dunedin this morning, obvious with the flooding going on, and
normally you would dispatch the Prime Minister and whoever else
to go down there. Gee, it'll be a frosty reception,
you'd have to say, wouldn't it. Nineteen minutes after five
news talks, he'd be up next ghost homes, would Attax
(11:14):
fix it?
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Get ahead of the headlines?
Speaker 8 (11:18):
Ryan Bridge, you for twenty twenty four on early edition
with Smith City, New Zealand's furniture beds and a playing store.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
News Talks'd be twenty.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
One after five news talks, here'd be Casey Costello on
smoking and cops. Just before six Britain the pounds taking
a hammering. This was about half an hour of last
time I checked, it was on track for the worst
day against the euro since twenty twenty two. Why interest
rates the Bank of England was hinting in an interview
with The Guardian at much more sustained cuts than they
(11:48):
had been previously. Previously, they thought they'd cut in November
and hole at four point seventy five percent. Now they're
expecting a quarter percent twenty five basis point cut at
each meeting from November right through till May. That's one
hundred and fifty basis points that they are looking at
cutting the OCR and the Bank of England inflation. This
is why inflation down to two point two percent and
(12:10):
falling twenty two after five Ryan Bridge ghost houses? Would
a tax on these houses work to fix the problem.
Chloe Swaalbrick has previously said that she would be in
supportive one. You've got some housing Charitable Trust to being
supported one. More than one hundred thousand houses were empty
in the latest census, the so called ghost houses. Brad
Elson is the Informetrix's principal economs. He's with us this morning. Brad,
(12:34):
Good morning, good morning, Good to have you on the show.
So is this all like evil rich people sitting on
houses of vacation homes or what are they? Well?
Speaker 5 (12:45):
And this is the thing often we don't have that
good of an idea. Every five years in the census
we get a bit of an update on what we
call unoccupied dwellings, so dwellings that had no one in
them on census night, and we know that looking through
the numbers, around about half of those were where people
do live in them, they just weren't there on census night.
The other remaining aution, which is like you say, around
(13:07):
about one hundred thousand were empty on since night and
don't normally have anyone living in them. But there's a
variety of reasons that could be. They could be holiday
homes or batches, they could be because they're undergoing renovations.
Looking through some of the figures, some of the biggest
are the areas that had the biggest increase in so
called ghost homes or completely empty dwellings were in the
(13:30):
likes of Auckland, Gibson, and Hawk's Bay. And what that
leads me to believe is that actually there's a not
insignificant part of those apparent ghost homes that were probably
cyclone damage, that have a flood damaged, or particularly in Auckland,
they might well have been homes that had recently been built,
but hadn't quite moved on yet, So I really don't
know if we're actually going to be able to tax
(13:50):
something that we can't normally see. It's a big project,
big proposal that people talk about, but I'm not sure
we could actually have the information to do it no good.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
It sounds like a too basket situation. And do we
actually know that if we if all of these homes
aren't be they batches or whatever, if they were released
onto the market, would have helped to solve or ease
a housing crisis in an area or would it not
have Is it not the quantity in you say, Queenstown
to actually make a difference.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
I mean, any additional housing is useful, But again, you know,
it's not the sort of thing I don't think that
anyone would propose that government would come in and sort
of necessarily force these houses into work. Again, some of
them are under renovations and similar they might actually not
be all that sits of purpose for a lot of people.
One of the encouraging signs we actually had in the
(14:39):
census was that some of the policies that have gone
by the likes of healthy Home standards have actually quite
substantially lifted housing quality across the country. So you know,
some of those signs are encouraging. We've now got fewer
homes that are damped, we've got fewer homes that are moldy.
Two thirds of homes now have a heat pump. So
when those are encouraging numbers. But I don't know a falce.
(15:00):
You know, homes that we don't actually know a huge
amount about. Onto the market is necessarily a solution.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Now, Brad, we have to leave it there. I'm really sorry,
but Brad Olsen, who's the Informetric's chief executive and principal
economists with us this morning talking about those ghost homes
and more generally about the census. Just gone twenty five
minutes after five, we do have an update for you
on the civil defense emergency in Dunedin. Plus we are
talking to our UK correspondent just before just after the
(15:26):
news at five point thirty here on news Talks B the.
Speaker 8 (15:29):
Early edition full show podcast on iHeartRadio powered by News.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Talks AB twenty seven after five, News Talk said, be
great to have your company on this Friday morning. Kudos
to Quantus this morning for introducing a well being zone
on cattle class of their aircraft. Airlines are cramming us
in like Sardine's. Anyone who's traveled will know this. They
serve you booz you recline your seat, the planes dry
you out, and then as a natural consequence, people go nuts.
(15:58):
Unruly passengers. You would have seen the stories in the news,
ripping open the emergency doors, running up and down the aisles,
screaming like mad people. Globally, physical assaults on aircraft up
sixty percent post pandemic. In New Zealander, lone deals with
two hundred reports a month of abusive behavior, two hundred
a month. So people are responsible for their behavior, yes,
(16:21):
but the airlines are responsible for the environment which you
travel in. And this is long haul. I'm talking long haul. Really,
the world is full of nutty people, and you have
to cater for nutty people, don't you on aircraft? So
good on Quantus from twenty twenty six, I might add,
don't go and book them tomorrow. But from twenty twenty six,
(16:42):
a dedicated well being area at the front of economy.
They've got sculpted wall, integrated handles for exercise, stabilizing you
and doing some squats or whatever you want to do.
They've got a cabinet of healthy snacks, fruit juices, smoothies,
self service. Now here's the kicker. It's for their twenty
(17:04):
hour flights. Would you do it? Would you do it?
Even if there's fruit, smoothies and integrated handles for stretching
an exercise, The answer for me is a resounding note.
But at least they're trying something others should follow. Suit
(17:25):
nine ninety two is the number to text. Casey Costello
and our UK correspondent coming up after the news at
five point.
Speaker 8 (17:31):
Thirty on your radio and online on iHeartRadio Early Edition
with Ryan Bridge and SMIT City New Zealand's Furniture Beds
and a Playing Store.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
News Talks.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
B Good morning, twenty four away from six News Talk,
said B, I'm Ryan Bridge, great have your company this morning.
To the people of Dunedin who have been texting in,
thank you for your text. Hope you're keeping safe. The
Civil Defense Controller Scott McLain told me earlier on the
(18:09):
program that seventy people have taken up the offer of
an evacuation center, visiting one of those, not necessarily because
their houses have flooded, but because there is flooding in
the area. The advice from Civil Defense this morning. If
you don't have to travel, if it is not essential,
do not, and especially don't use your car, because pushing
those floodwaters into already damaged homes not a good idea.
(18:33):
This morning, we're looking at Casey Costello over a couple
of issues. One is the police, huge increase in recruits
or people signing up to be police recruits and wanting
to join the force, so we'll look at that, but
also the smoking issue. Some advice released yesterday. We'll have
more on that too. Lots to come here on News
(18:54):
Talk CB. We're also over to the UK Europe as well.
It is twenty three to six Rainbridge and comes not
with us today, but Claire Sherwood is with us from
christ Church with the latest on the weather situation in
the South. Clar why don't we start with Dunedin.
Speaker 11 (19:09):
Yeah, let's start with Daneda and that makes sense.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Ryan.
Speaker 11 (19:11):
We've got a state of emergency declared there at about midnight.
As you know, the red heavy rain warning remains in
effect for North Otaga as well as Dunedin and coastal Kluther.
That will stay in place until about nine o'clock tonight.
So still a long day ahead. Significant flooding is being
reported in several parts of Dunedin. Residents of South Dunedin
particularly impacted. The initial evacuation center at Sint Clair Golf
(19:35):
Club is already full. The decision was then made to
open Forsyth Bar Stadium for those who needed somewhere to go.
If you do need that, the entry is at Gate Jay.
Some people are without power, a couple of without water around.
There are a couple of reasons for that. There is
a ruptured water main on the Othago Peninsula as well
as a culvert that's blocked at Kris Bay. Flooding has
(19:56):
closed several roads that include State Highway eighty seven from
Kyburn to Hide as well as State Highway ninety between
y Corkwai and Tapa Nui. Sandbags are still available at
multiple places. Council is the best place to jump on
their Facebook to get that information. We also have landslides
that State Highway eighty eight from Forsyth Bar Stadium to
(20:17):
Port Charmers. There's also one lane of Adomana Road between
Kerris Bay and Deborah Bay that's impacted. In terms of
what's to come today, Met Service does tell us the
rain is expected to stick around, he says, people will
notice it's a prolonged period of persistent rain falling on
what is already very saturated ground. The significant falls, according
(20:37):
to Met Service right now should be around nine this morning,
as well as midday and then again at four. And
in terms of extra resources, FENS has some urban search
and rescue personnel, engineers and even a specialist drone team
traveling down from here in christ Church today.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
All right, good to night, Cliar, Thank you very much
for that. Quite the comprehensive update from the south from
Clear this morning. Thank you for that. Clear mac toll
is in Wellington, Max. The government considered exing the Malori
Crown Relations Office.
Speaker 12 (21:05):
Yeah, good story by z B. Zazaria. How Here, in
its search of course for public sector cuts improvements, the
government at one time strongly considered disestablishing altogether the Crown
Maori Relations Office, the Arafiti, which was established in twenty eighteen.
Some of its work would have been shifted to the
Justice Ministry. Of course, the government instead choosing to retain
(21:27):
the departments, scaling it back rather clarifying functions between it
and the Maori Development Agency Tipuny Corky. These documents show
heightened public interest in the treaty as citing a reason
why the office should stay. Labor and the Greens critical,
the latter calling these that even considering scrapping to Adrafiti
(21:49):
highly disrespectful.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
It doesn't sound good, does it. Let's get rid of
the Maori Crown Relations Office. How's the weather in the
capital today?
Speaker 12 (21:58):
A well, shame to admit it. It's mostly fine. Sixteen
the high in the city.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Even when it's good. You're miserable, Max, Thank you, Nevis
and Oakland, Hey Nev.
Speaker 13 (22:10):
With Hippie Friday.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Hey Friday. What's going on with the dogs in South Auckland.
Speaker 13 (22:15):
Well, yes, look, work is underway to fix the South
Auckland dog problem. So Local Democracy Reporting is saying that
the council's Animal Management team they've picked up more than
five thousand roaming dogs in the area. That was from
twenty twenty three to twenty four. So now they've got
this new proactive team which is going to patrol the
high risk areas. Now. These areas include Autata, Mundldeerware and
(22:38):
Papacuta in South Auckland. They reckon this roaming dog problem
has been growing post COVID, so part of the problem
dogs brought during COVID desext and socialized and then you
know Aaron Neary, he's in charge of the team, he says,
So these animals are now escaping while the owners are
at work and countering other dogs and people. So they've
got these five teens and.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Over a couple of years. That's a bunch of dogs.
Speaker 14 (23:01):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Do you know a cafe yesterday and they were saying, oh,
there's a there's a pigeon council pigeon person who comes
along and gets rid of all the pigeons.
Speaker 13 (23:09):
What where where this is an It's not possibly May
of course it's Bay.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Well, I don't know. I just heard the heard the
conversation and oh you eves dropping dropping, and then I
had to go quick. My phone rang and so I
couldn't ask follow up. But if anyone knows about the pigeons.
Speaker 13 (23:30):
Maybe they get someone who just chases them.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Like the bird lady for lady, I'm alone.
Speaker 14 (23:36):
Actually, you know, I quite like that, jaw.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
I'd rather do that.
Speaker 13 (23:40):
The news reading the weather today mainly fine, apart from
the chance of a shower this afternoon. Auckland's hi eighteen degrees.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Thank you, Neva. Happy Friday everyone. Eighteen away from six.
We are lied to the UK.
Speaker 8 (23:50):
Next International correspondence with ends and eye insurance.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Peace of mind for New Zealand business.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Sixteen away from six New Talk CIBB. Vincent Mecavini is
at UK Europe Correspondent. He's with us this morning. Vincent,
Welcome to the show. Good to have you back. Good morning.
Tell me about this secretive islands in the Indian Ocean.
Speaker 6 (24:15):
Yeah, a bit closer to your part of the world.
The Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean have been used
by the UK for the last fifty years. They've had
sovereignty over them. They were given that by Mauritius and
the UK has operated a military base there on Diego Garcia,
and this involved moving off the Cegossian people who are
(24:37):
relocated here to the UK and have a long time
protest on this. But this military base, now used jointly
by the UK and the US, is a top secret facility.
It's used for US long range bombing. It's seen as
a critical point for their sort of global power projection,
particularly in Southeast Asia and with a sort of resurgent China.
(24:58):
But this deal has been announced now because of ongoing
protests that the UK will hand back sovereignty too Mauritius
of the islands, but they'll be able to keep control
of Diego Garcia and that special US UK military base
for Navy ships and as I said, long range bombers
for at least the next ninety nine years, in a
(25:19):
bit of a landmark deal for Kirstalma's new government.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
And also this morning, the flights that are coming out
of Lebanon for UK citizens they're going a hit.
Speaker 6 (25:30):
Yeah, that's right. There have been evacuation flights chartered in
part by our Foreign Office to get British people out
of Lebanon, but it's unclear how much longer they'll be
able to operate going in and out of the Beirut airport.
So what we believe is going on now, and we
have some confirmation, is that there's been an increase in
(25:51):
personnel at a UK military base in Cyprus that's aquitary,
an RAF base, and they're looking to potentially evacuate via sea.
They would deploy ships from the Royal Navy and get
British people who are no longer able to fly out
if they decide to go are given the war now
(26:11):
with Israel, they'll take them out by boat and then
bring them to Cyprus. We know already that earlier in
the week military assets, navy vessels in the Mediterranean, and
we think planes from Aquitari, that base in Cypress were
used to help defend Israel when it came under that
huge bombardment of.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Rockets from Iran.
Speaker 6 (26:31):
And the UK government is saying that it will continue
to defend Israel should it come under attack again.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
All Right, thanks so much for that. That's Viinctent mcavinniy,
a UK europe correspondent, just gone thirteen away.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
From six Brian Bridge.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
A surge in police college applications will see recruitment wings
expand from eighty to one hundred people from next year.
I record thirteen hundred and seventy two applicants were received
in July, followed by the second highest number in August.
But the increased recruitment numbers mean some other police call
courses might need to move to districts or even online.
Casey Costello is the Associate Police Minister. She joins US
(27:05):
Live this morning. Good morning, minister, good morning, I'm very well,
thank you. I have to start with you've released advice
on the smoking issue, on the heated tobacco products issue,
and you've released that last night, so I had to
start with this. The critics say most of this actually
isn't even related to heated tobacco products, or some of
(27:28):
it even is written by Philip Morris employees.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
So and there's a lot of confusion in this space.
Just really simply, heated tobacco products were already in New
Zealand's market.
Speaker 9 (27:39):
They were already here.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
What we know from health was that it was significantly
less harmful than smoking. That we know that Health New
Zealand released that, and we know other jurisdictions where heated
tobacco had been used we'd seen significant smoking reductions. So
what we did was a trial to make a price
differential to see is people who are hardcore, long term
(28:02):
addictive smokers, which is what we're dealing with now, had
other options. So when I met with quit smoking providers
as well, they confirmed that they are dealing with people
who all the existing products, including vaithing, aren't working and
are there other products. So this is a trial. So
one thing amongst the whole range of things that we're producing.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
So the Ministry of Health told you specifically that heated
tobacco tobacco products are proven to be less harmful than smoking.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Yes, and this is the data, and this has been
released to media as well, that there's in terms of
the harm reduction, the number of products that are less harmful,
there's a range of products that are less harmful, and
heated tobacco, which was already in the market in New Zealand,
was less harmful. So therefore, if you're trying to and
(28:53):
vaping since twenty eighteen, as much as we hate vathing
has been a significant contributor to our mass of reduction
and making.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Will people because an all, heated tobacco products are worse
than vaping, right, so.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
The worry they're not as low harm.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
So, but the worries you have people go from vaping
to heat heated tobacco products.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
No, and this was this was the point. We weren't
this This is just one option that we were trialing
to see if it could provide some support to the
smoking rates. And you know, it's really frustrating when I
you know, this is such a massive issue. When I
met with the heated quit smoking providers throughout New Zealand,
(29:35):
the frontline workers delivering the services. I'm told that I'm
the first minister to actually meet with the frontline providers. Okay,
so this is this is why we're doing stuff. We're
talking to the people who are delivering the service.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
I have three really quick yes, no questions, and then
I'm done with this and we can move to police.
Do you trust tobacco companies and their advice?
Speaker 4 (29:56):
Well, I've never dealt with tobacco companies, so I have
no one of these.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
I've written some of these reports, haven't they that?
Speaker 4 (30:04):
This is where there's been some discussion that they have
funded research, but.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Research trust research fund.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
That This is why we're talking about. This is a
range of advice, a range of advice that has been
given for a product that is less.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
His lux and or his office been in contact with
you over the last twenty four hours.
Speaker 9 (30:25):
Not with me, No, But who was who?
Speaker 3 (30:28):
With Winston?
Speaker 9 (30:30):
No.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
I haven't had any contact with the promis's office. I'm
assuming my staff has met with his staff around what
we're doing and while the media noise, but as he said,
he fully supports what we're doing. We're on a pathway
to achieving a common target. We're all trying to get
to smoke through twenty twenty five, we've just got a
different approach.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Speaking of targets the police, obviously we need more police
on the beat. This must be encouraging. The number of
applicants to go to Police Training College.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
Yes, we're over double what we for the same period
last year were overdouble the number of applications. And the
one that's really encouraging. We've had seventy three so far
either rejoin or apply to rejoin the police. And our
attrition rate is still below five percent, which you compare
to other public services which range between eleven and fifty
(31:21):
four percent atrition rates. Police are at four point eight.
So you know, all of stuff we're doing about investing
in frontlines policing, supporting them to get back to their
core functions of keeping our community safe is really working.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
And it won't.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Great news, and it won't compromise the quality of the training.
Speaker 9 (31:38):
No, absolutely not.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
We have totally committed to ensuring that we maintain the
same standards that we're not going to compromise that in
any way, shape or form. But what we have seen
is a massive increase in the number of people interested,
and that's that's fantastic news.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
All right, minister, thank you very much for your time.
I really appreciate it. Casey had a great day. The
Associate Minister of Police with US also Associate Health. Just
gone eight minutes away from six News Talk SIBB News.
Speaker 8 (32:07):
And Views You Trust to start your day's early edition
with Ryan Bridge and Smith City, New Zealand's Furniture Beds
and a Flying Store.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
News Talk SIBB five away from six. Roy has a
novel approach on smoking. He says, just make smokes two
dollars a packet for adults and stop ripping people off.
Speaker 14 (32:25):
See this debate about Ryan. Hello, it's hither here. I'm
like one of.
Speaker 3 (32:29):
Those welcome yeah, thank you.
Speaker 14 (32:31):
I'm like one of those people that just joins the
phone conversation, like your husband's on the phone and the
speaker and you just chip in. That's me right now.
You've tried. The debate is about these what.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Are they called icoss? Yes, I have tried one of them.
Speaker 14 (32:45):
Yeah, I tried them two like years and years ago.
Because I've actually been on the market for age eighties.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
Yeah, and because I used.
Speaker 14 (32:51):
To smoke when I was young, like twenty years ago,
and so from time to time, you know, you have
a couple of beers and then you think, oh, there
would be loveling them. That's not a good idea. And
one time I actually I think with an employee of
Philip Morris and tried it. And I don't really understand
the argument quite. I mean, this is not science, but
I can kind of see how Casey Castello could say
(33:12):
that they may not be as harmful as siggi's because
it's not nearly as harsh as a SIGI when you.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Know, try it. The problem is can she prove it right?
And that's what the whole debate is about, and what
evidence is she using to prove it. We've just had
Casey to that point.
Speaker 14 (33:24):
Can I say also to that point, we can't say
that vaping is less harmful than smoking.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
We don't have long term We don't know, we don't
have long term right, would be just.
Speaker 14 (33:33):
As bad, if not worths you're smoking, but it's bringing
all these weird chemicals in.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
But if you do it, you know it, do you
know what I mean? And feel as yeah, no, it doesn't.
Speaker 14 (33:41):
That's what I'm saying, right, So SIGI is like your
nuclear option of yuckness. Then the Q cost or whatever
it's called like whatever, you know, that thing that's less
and then the vaping feels less as well. Anyway, we're
going to talk to the Chief Executive Health New Zealand
after seven o'clock because a five hundred million dollar surplus
in May turned into a billion dollar deficit for the
(34:01):
jude How does that happen?
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Quite messie?
Speaker 3 (34:04):
All right, Well, look forward to that, Heather with you next.
Have a great weekend. I'll see you on Monday.
Speaker 8 (34:16):
Serve for more from News Talk st B, listen live
on air or online, and keep our shows with you
wherever you go with our podcasts on IR Radio.