Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

There’s only been one pope’s death that has really shocked me – and I don’t think it was because I was only 10 years old at the time.   It was September 1978 and I remember the shock vividly. John Paul I died just 33 days after becoming the Pope.   We were a Catholic family so it was all everyone seemed to be talking about. Not just because he had died, but because he died so soon after his inauguration.   So last night when the news that Pope Francis had died came through, I wasn’t shocked or surprised. And I think most people will be like that.   Especially when he’s been so unwell. Pretty much for most of this year.   Nevertheless, his passing is significant. And, of course, first thing I did was get on the phone to mum. Because even though I haven’t been what they call a practising Catholic for quite some time, it stays with you. It’s a sense of belonging that never really leaves you.   It won’t be the same for everyone who grows up a Catholic, but that’s me.   So he was the first Pope from South America. He was 76 when he was elected.   As all Popes do, he chose a name. And he chose Francis in honour of St Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century Italian friar who got rid of all his  wealth to become a man of peace and poverty.    Which brings me to what I’ve been surprised by the most. It's not the fact that the Pope has passed away, it’s what’s being said about his achievements during his time as Pope.   I’ve seen headlines quoting all manner of people and they've been saying things about how he was a pope for the poor. That he’d had a lifelong commitment to the poor.   He was anti-capitalism. He was big on the environment. He promoted tolerance. In fact, one of the last things he did was wash the feet of young people locked up in prison.   This was just before Easter.   But I didn’t know that. Which is why, when I consider whether the pope (whoever it is), is a leader for all of us —Catholics, non-Catholics, everyone— I would have to say that the role of the pope doesn’t have the same global leadership or impact that it once did.   That’s how I see it.   Which, in a way is surprising. Because it is so much easier to get the message out to the world these days.   And I think that the church is going to have to do more to promote the values and work of the next pope. Because if it doesn’t, there will be no shortage of people making noise about what they’re up to and the pope’s global influence will diminish.     Maybe my ignorance of the work and achievements of Pope Francis reflects the fact that I’m not engaged with the church.   Maybe practising Catholics will be right up with the play. And maybe practising Catholics are quite happy not to see the pope popping up on Instagram and TikTok all the time.   Two years after becoming pope, Pope Francis issued what’s called an encyclical letter —this was in 2015— and he said then that poverty and ecological destruction were two things the world needed to confront.   Linking the two together, of course, because coming from South America, he was acutely aware of the link between ecological destruction and poverty.   And, according to a German Catholic relief organisation, one the Pope's major achievements was the attention he helped to focus on the environment.   Which is news to me, and it raises the question: is the Pope's global influence what it used to be? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m starting to wonder who isn’t running for mayor in Wellington.   Former Labour leader Andrew Little is the latest one joining the race to oust current mayor Tory Whanau.   And, just in case you think so, I’m not endorsing Andrew Little in any way, shape, or form. But I do think having former MPs on local councils is a very good thing.    Because whether we like it or not, local councils cannot operate in isolation and knowing how things in Wellington work is invaluable.    Andrew Little isn’t the first ex-MP wanting to get into local government. Former National MP Nick Smith is the mayor of Nelson. Phil Goff was mayor of Auckland. In Christchurch, former Labour politician Lianne Dalziel was elected mayor three times. Maurice Williamson —who was a National MP and minister— is on Auckland Council these days. John Banks. The list goes on.   And they don’t admit it at the time, but when these ex-MPs stand for their local councils, it’s not just their political experience they're banking on. They also know full well that they’re making the most of apathetic voters who look for a name they know and end up voting for them.    When it comes to name recognition, I reckon an ex-MP has way more chance of being successful in the job than some of the other people you see milking their name recognition to get elected to their local council.   People in my game do it. In fact, it seems to me that if media people don’t go on to be marriage and funeral celebrants, they go on to be a local councillor.   Not that you will ever catch me doing that. Last thing I’d want to do.      Sportspeople milk their name recognition too.   I’m not in Tauranga and don’t know all the ins-and-outs, but I think it's pretty safe to say that the reason Mahe Drysdale is the mayor of Tauranga is because of his brilliant rowing career.   He’s got none of this so-called “business experience” that some people think is essential for someone to be good at running a town or a city.  He’s got no prior political experience. He’s just a name. Voters obviously thought he was a good Kiwi bloke, he’s done well in his sport, so they voted for him.   Not that, from what I’ve seen, it’s been all plain sailing for him so far. I’ve seen a few stories with him getting heat for stuff – and that is where people’s lack of political experience shows.   And why I think it’s a very good thing to have people former MPs on our local councils.    They’re not perfect —Lianne Dalziel was far from perfect— but they know what they’re getting themselves into.    They generally don’t set the world on fire, but I don’t care about that. Because, whether we like it or not, local and central government are intertwined. Local government is way more dependent on central government than it would like to admit.   Especially, when they’re in the schtuck. When they need to get Wellington on their side.   Which is why having people as mayors and councillors who know exactly how to get the government on side —because they've been there and done that— that’s why it is so beneficial.   And that’s why I’ll take an ex-politician over an ex-media personality or an ex-sporting hero any day, when it comes to who I want to see on my local council.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation is officially on the rise again.  The latest Stats NZ figures show the Consumers Price Index rose 2.5% in the year to March – up from a 2.2% rise in the year to December.  The numbers cover the 12 months to March 31, and don't reflect the impact of Donald Trump's new tariffs and other new trade barriers.  NZ Herald Business Editor Liam Dann told John MacDonald that despite the increase, economists are reasonably confident the Reserve Bank will be able to continue cutting interest rates.  He says the economy is very slow, so they’re expecting non-tradable inflation to continue going down.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are you feeling about the world, now that we know the Government’s goal of having 20,000 less violent crimes by 2029 has already been achieved? Four years early.   Anyone who tries to pick holes in this result would be a bit of a misery guts, because who could find anything possibly wrong with there being 20,000 less victims?    Try Ginny Andersen. Labour’s police spokesperson is saying today that the numbers raise more questions than they provide answers.   Which is a bit like a school kid getting excellence in their NCEA and their parents asking how they managed it when they seemed to be on their phone all the time.   That doesn’t matter, does it? The kid’s got NCEA with flying colours. Just like it doesn’t matter why there’s been this decrease in violent crime, there just has.     Although, I kind of hear what Ginny Andersen is saying. In Canterbury, there’s been a 43% decrease – 15,000 fewer victims of violent crimes. And no one seems to know why that is. But I’ll take it, thanks.    And Ginny Andersen doesn’t seem to be excited by the fact that the Government has released these numbers in a different way. Normally, they're released once a year, but the Government is now releasing them every three months.   But however this decrease has happened, why it’s happened, and whoever can take the credit for it happening, is irrelevant.    Because the data tells us that something is working.     We could go down a rabbit hole of trying to work out what particular bit of government policy might have actually done the trick, but I don’t even think the Government can put its finger on that one.   Which is pretty much what Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith was saying on Newstalk ZB today.   But, for now, the target has been reached, which I’m going to the vibe that’s been coming from the Government regarding crime, because I think that’s as important as any specific policies themselves.   I’ve always been very doubtful about the gang patch ban, for example. I’m not convinced yet on that one, and I don’t actually think that will have much of an impact on violent crime stats.    Just like the boot camps for bad kids – I’m not a fan.    But, despite my misgivings on those things, I won't be giving the Government a hard time today about these crime numbers.   I reckon a big part of it is the increased visibility of the police.   I don’t know how they’ve done it —because the numbers haven’t shot up or anything— but certainly in Christchurch, the police are way more visible.   I spend a lot of time in the central city, and I would say that I haven’t seen as many police on patrol in that part of town for years.   It wasn’t all that long ago when I’d have business owners in the central city telling me about assaults and things and the cops being nowhere and not even turning up when they called them. Even though the central police station was a hundred metres away.   Fast-forward to today, and it’s a very different story.   So that’s one thing I reckon has definitely made a difference and is part of the reason why violent crime is down.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government’s cracking down on dog owners tying up pets for too long.  MPI and SPCA Animal Welfare Inspectors will now be able to issue fines topping $1,000.  The regulation targets dogs tethered in poor conditions with signs of mistreatment like excessive barking.  SPCA Scientific Officer Dr Alison Vaughan told John MacDonald that the regulations won’t be targeting people who tether their togs temporarily, such as when they pop out to the shops.  She says the issue is prolonged tethering, sometimes known as life chaining, in which dogs are living out their whole lives on a chain.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Justice and Police Minister says the Government's surpassed its own violent crime reduction target.  It set a goal in March last year of having 20 thousand fewer victims of serious violent crime, with an initial 2029 deadline.  It claims it’s already beat the deadline, but admits the data is volatile and subject to change.  Chief Victims Advisor Ruth Money told John MacDonald that although she’s delighted by the figures, she’s cautious in her celebrations since it’s only quarterly data.  But she says we do also need to acknowledge that there are a lot of crimes that aren’t disclosed willingly, so these numbers, although encouraging, are volatile.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m liking the sound of Education Minister Erica Stanford’s approach to sex education. But it won’t be plain sailing, and she knows that.   But there’s a glaring gap in this new framework she’s put out for consultation, with ideas of what kids might be taught and when from year 1 to year 13.    I’ll come back to the glaring gap. But Erica Stanford is going into this with her eyes wide open, knowing how fraught this can be – with some parents thinking that it’s not a school’s job to teacher their kids about sex and relationships.   I’m the complete opposite. I think there is a role for parents in sex education, but it’s in the area of values. Because a curriculum can't teach values – that’s the sort of stuff kids learn from parents and caregivers.    So let the kids get a consistent sex education at school and let the parents discuss how what they’re being taught fits with their personal and family values.   I’ve had a read-through of the draft guidelines which are all about making sure kids up and down the country —from the time they start school at age 5 to whenever they finish school— are taught the same stuff at the same time about sex and relationships.   The Education Minister has been at pains to say that NZ First hasn’t had its hands on the drafting of the framework, but it may as well have.   Because I've read through the document and, from what I can see, the word “gender” is mentioned only once. And it’s not used in a way that means kids being confused about their gender identity.   There’s pretty much nothing in there about gender identity, but there should be. Because, whether we like it or not, there are kids crying out for this.    But that is something NZ First has been big on. With its demand —as part of its coalition deal with National— that the Government remove and replace the previous gender, sexuality, and relationship-based education guidelines. And as a result of that, we have these new guidelines which are out for consultation.   But nothing in there about gender identity, which I think is a major shortcoming. Because, surely, our sex and relationship education needs to reflect the real-world, not one particular view of the world.   And, surely, kids who are struggling with this can only benefit from what they’re experiencing being acknowledged in the education they and their mates get.   I’m not expecting you to get that if you haven’t necessarily been through the experience of having a child with gender issues. I haven’t, but I know people who have. And I reckon that, unless we’ve been through that experience, we have no real idea about the need for this to be included in the curriculum.   I'm talking about the need for our sex education programme to be honest and realistic and to include some of the things that some of us would rather ignore.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The driver licensing system may be in for a government overhaul. Under proposals released yesterday, the practical driving test for a full licence will go, and fewer eyesight tests will be needed. A clean record would be needed for restricted drivers to gain to their full licence, the demerit threshold for learner and restricted drivers would fall to 50, and there'd be zero alcohol limits for learner and restricted drivers of any age. Road Safety Campaigner Greg Murphy joins the show to discuss the changes.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand’s new uniform has been unvieled.   It was designed by world-renowned Kiwi designer Emilia Wickstead and comes 14 years after the airline’s last uniform update.  An onboard wearer trial is beginning in May, and the new uniform will be rolled out in full from 2026.  Henry, a pilot for Air New Zealand, told Kerre Woodham it’s definitely a change, but airlines all around the world are bringing back double-breasted jackets as part of their uniforms.  Flight attendant Lani says it’s exciting to have such a meaningful uniform – with beautiful hand drawn designs from Te Rangitu Netana and iconic New Zealand symbolism.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Industry celebrations over a directive to use Kiwi wool in Government buildings.   New builds worth more than $9 million and refurbishments costing over $100 thousand must use wool where possible from July, meeting a Coalition deal.  The directive orders state agencies to follow the directive where practical.  Campaign for Wool Chairperson Ryan Cosgrove told Kerre Woodham they’re stoked to see this formalised into policy.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.