Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

An interim report into Pharmac has found issues with transparency, fairness and equity. The independent review is the first since the drug buying agency was established more than 25 years ago, looked at how well it performs against its targets. Pharmac Chief Executive Sarah Fitt boss accepts the drug buying agency needs to do better and they're working to be more transparent. The ACT party have labelled the review a whitewash and are calling on Minister of Health Andrew Little to reset the report and start again. ACT's Deputy Leader and Health Spokesperson Brooke Van Velden joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An interim report of a major Pharmac review has slated Pharmac over its fortress mentality as regards sharing information and its poor progress in addressing equity issues.  The review panel itself said it had been blocked from accessing information it needed, consequently making it unable to make meaningful comment about the performance of the agency.  The Act Party says the whole process needs to start again, which is absolutely outrageous.  You've been charged with doing a review. You need to know how Pharmac makes the decisions it makes, why it buys the drugs that does, why it approves funding for some drugs and not for others. But the agency won't work with you.  How very dare it! I mean, it is supposed to be working for all New Zealanders. It's not doing a good enough job according to Labour. Labour had campaigned before last year's election to conduct a review into Pharmac. They love a review, but you know, in many cases it looks like they're needed.  Pharmac’s role is to decide which medicines to buy with government funding. The review was to look at timeliness, transparency, and equity of its decisions.  So, the interim report was delayed for months. The Government says that was because of COVID-19. But what the actual panel says is that it found it very, very difficult to get the information that needed. It couldn't make any meaningful comment on Pharmac’s performance. So, it's been running for months - And can't comment.  Pharmac zealously guards information about a host of operational and financial matters, making it difficult to measure the extent to which it is meeting its objectives. Sack the lot of them! And put new people in. That fortress mentality, which seems to pervade the public health system, and indeed a lot of government departments, needs to go.  They're supposed to be working for New Zealanders. Their decisions should be transparent. Sarah Fitt, the chief executive of Pharmac, was on the Mike Hosking breakfast this morning and said they're trying to be more transparent.  Well, that's a bit piss poor, isn't it? Really? That's the best she can come up with. We're working on being more transparent. No, you're not actually, when you won't release information to a panel that's looking at your performance.  ACT say Pharmac and the review needs to start again. Pharmac has obfuscated an independent government commissioned report. This is insulting to people who have lost loved ones due to their medicines not being funded. The report’s a whitewash and the whole review process needs to start again, according to Brooke van Velden. And Andrew Little should be required to make Pharmac co-operate.  I don't know if you are one of those who has a family member or if you yourself are desperately waiting to get a medicine funded through Pharmac. If you've had to sell your house will go into a given little page or fundraise desperately to try and raise the money needed to get a life preserving medication that isn't funded by Pharmac, but this really isn't good enough.  This bunker mentality, this fortress mentality around the Ministry of Health, it’s Pharmac, a number of other government departments. I mean at least, bless, the Kianga Ora chief executive came on and answered questions. The minister fronted up. There needs to be more of that. Even if they just parrot the party line it gives you an example to hear their caliber or lack thereof.  And you have to front. It's a government agency that is supposed to be working for us. It's funded by us. The CEOs have made themselves unaccountable. And when they’re criticised, they just parrot out the party line and seem to be impervious to any kind of criticism. They just keep on going.  You're working on transparency. It's not that hard to be transparent. Just answer the questions. Give the people the information. Really not that difficult. How do you work on being transparent? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When did it become a crime to own property in this country? Or indeed, when did it become a crime to be successful in this country? The attempt to destabilize the leader of the National Party has begun.   For a start, it was the religion and then that segued into his ownership of property. Remember the furor over Todd Muller's MAGA cap? He collected American political memorabilia and as a politician he displayed it.  The cap was alongside Hillary Clinton badges, Obama banners and the like, but all any critics focused on was the MAGA cap and thus began the pile-on for Muller and he was gone before anyone had learned how to pronounce his last name.   And thus it has begun again. I hope for Christopher Luxon’s sake, he is made of sterner stuff.   In the numerous interviews he did yesterday, he was quizzed time and time and time again on his properties, first on Radio New Zealand then this is One News Political Editor Jessica Mutch McKay followed by Newshub Political Reporter Jenna Lynch.   Stuff are leading with the capital gains Luxon has made on his properties as well. Really?! Can you not care about affordable housing for all New Zealanders if you own property? No wonder people think the media is biased in this country and pro the government when that’s the focus of the questioning.   If you're at all interested in whether MP's own properties and how many they own, the information is all there for you with a quick Google. They have to declare what they own. So many of Labour's Maori MPs have interests in multiple properties, mainly because of their shares in Maori land blocks. Does that matter? Do you care?   If Luxon didn't own his apartment in Wellington, he'd be using taxpayer money to rent one, just as the other MPs do and have the right to do. If you don't own your apartment, you take money from the taxpayer to rent one.   I really am interested to know whether you think being successful in this day and age or being an owner of multiple properties rules you out of public office.  Does it make Luxon difficult to relate to? And I ask this because I really am interested.   I own properties. Well, the bank owns more of them than I do.   I'm like Christopher Luxon and I'm, you know, he's probably had the great for good sense and financial nails to have the mortgage free and focused on that, so I none of them is mortgage free.   I didn't even dream of owning a home until I was in my early 30s. I understand the importance of home ownership and the benefits it brings for individuals in society. I support the building of more houses, even if it brings down the value of mine. I know I have a good job and that I've been able to capitalize on owning one home to be able to get another, and I feel very fortunate. But I want everybody to have that possibility and potential. And I'm sure that's what Christopher Luxon wants as well.   And what is wrong with being a highly paid successful businessman or woman?  I wouldn't want to be running in New Zealand. I have no desire to do it. Even if I had the skill, do we really all want to aim for mediocrity? Is that basically where we're going?   I remember a caller telling me before a general election that he was a blue-collar worker, but he wouldn't be voting for Labour as it didn't intend to be a blue-collar worker for the rest of his life.   That sense of aspiration seems to be a thing of the past. We all seem to have adopted the Cullenism of sneering at rich prick's or prickettes. Is it because the gap between the wealthy and the poor has never been wider? That for those who are struggling, it seems an impossible dream just to be able to pay the rent far less own one property. Shouldn't we all be focusing on raising everybody up, not tearing down the ones who are successful?   You know, I really scratched my head on this one. Is it a bad thing to own property?   That was something I always...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speaking of new faces, new leader of the National Party!  The first email arrived just after the announcement, that as expected, Christopher Luxon would be the leader of the National Party.The email arrived from JG.‘National have just lost my vote’ was the headline, and in the body of the email ‘a mere novice and another wrong leadership choice. A favourite of John Keys. How very unintelligent.’However, I do wonder whether JG heard Luxon on with Mike this morning and if so, I wonder whether JG has changed his or her mind about Christopher Luxon. Who knows whether Luxon will be the answer to the National Party and all its woes? Whether he’s the man the faithful are looking for, whether cometh the hour the man has indeed cometh? After the horror run National has had with Bridges. then Muller, then Collins, who could blame National Party voters for being just a little bit cautious in their approval?But having listened to Christopher Luxon this morning, you'd have to say it is bloody refreshing hearing somebody answer questions -  like answer them. Listen to the question and answer it. Who knew that would be such a rare and sought after value? No faffing around, no repeating party lines. Not being scared to pin their colours to the mast and not being afraid to answer hard questions.Agree with his positioning or not agree, but you have to admit, surely even JG has to admit he does answer the questions and draws a line in the sand. This is where National is, this is where National stands. Come at us.Nicola Willis is Luxon’s deputy, and while she's a good choice, I hope she has not lost to the debating chamber. She's an excellent housing spokesperson and has done a great job asking the hard questions of the Government. So Christopher Luxon, Nicola Willis - they are the two who are charged with, as Christopher Luxon put it, re-setting National. But really it's more of a rebuild of National.The party was absolutely decimated at the last election, for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which the numerous own goals that National made. They have only themselves to blame for being exactly where they are right now. That's in the past, and Christopher Luxon has been very, very clear about that. Let me be very clear, as our Prime Minister would say, that is in the past. They want to look forward to the future. They want to rebuild the party. They want to focus on providing an alternative to the direction the Government is going in.The Government has made it very clear the sort of New Zealand they want to see. And National has begun to make it very clear, the sort of New Zealand they believe is best for all New Zealanders.So if you are one of the 413,000 voters who deserted National at the last election, is this the beginning of an answer? What do you need to see from Christopher Luxon and more importantly, the National Party to bring you back to the party? Does the future that Christopher Luxon began to outline and the interview with Mike this morning, does the future of New Zealand that he sees align with the future that you see?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I received this text yesterday. “I'm a police officer of 12 years. Every day I wake up and say what's the point? We have no support from the top dogs. Every day could be the end. You don't feel like anyone cares.” That was just one of the texts I received yesterday from police officers. Absolutely gutted that yet another call-out had ended in gunfire, death and hospitalisation, on top of the police officer who was targeted by a motorist last night at the night before, as he was laying spikes. I suppose at least we can be thankful that in yesterday's instance, the person who died wasn't one of the police officers, although one is seriously injured in hospital, the other two needed hospital treatment as well. It's only a matter of time though before another police officer is killed and the officers know that. I've spoken to so many and received correspondence from so many more over the past few years, who say that they have no confidence in their bosses and no confidence in the community appreciating the job that they do. And so most people have absolutely no idea what goes on, on a day-to-day basis. They try and keep it from their families as well. And there is very little appreciation shown. This seems to be almost a climate of them and us that's been generated. And you'd have to say that comes from the top when you are engaging with gangs. When you are treating gangs as equals at the table, where does that leave the police officers? We'll lose that police officer with 12 years experience and valuable experience. Just as we've lost so many officers who have hit that 10-year mark, getting all that experience, all those street smarts. And they become either so disillusioned with the job, or they have pressure put on them by family members to leave the police and get a job where there's a better than even chance they'll make it home at night. Being exposed to the news cycle all day, every day. I did wonder whether I thought there were more firearms incidents than ever before, simply because I heard about more of them. I was listening to more of the news, but no - figures released Newstalk ZB show there were 287 federal firearm-related call-outs in the Auckland region between March and June 2019. It's three months. Nearly 100 a month in 2019. This year that is up 10%. It seems like there are more gun battles because there are more. It's not a perception. And what is the Prime Minister's response to the rise in firearms use and violence on the streets and against our cops? She's sticking to the party line that Labour has taken “action quote to try to reduce the access and nature of firearms that are being accessed in the wider community. You'll see that we've moved on licencing. We've removed those weapons that are military style.” Well, whoopty bloody doo! A fat lot of good that's done for police officers and their safety.  And a fat lot of good. It's done for the good people of West Auckland. Ardern said authorities had been working on getting weapons out of the hands of the criminal fraternity and clamping down on firearms designed to cause mass devastation. Really? Again, whoopty doo, how would you rate that performance? Pretending a problem doesn't exist doesn't mean it's just going to go away. Chris Cahill, the Police Association President, says the emphasis on giving young people an alternative to gangs, a pathway away from crime, engaging with gangs is all very well and good, but you have to crack down on the hardened criminals and the Government is dragging the chain on that. “I totally get why we've got a problem with young people joining gangs and we've got to address it, but that doesn't mean you ignore those deportees from Australia, those long-term gang members have got in New Zealand, that have decided to arm up and put other people at risk. We've got a clamp down on them. Look at firearms prevention orders. A law of that...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The closure of Kiwi YHA hostels is a massive blow to tourism.Due to financial difficulties, the eleven hostels will close from December 15.Haka Tourism has used the YHA hostels for its multi-day tours for the last few years.General Manager Eve Lawrence told Kerre McIvor the YHA had an amazing holding in New Zealand, knowing what clients want and need.“In some of the regions, this is gonna be a huge blow to the tourism infrastructure. And some of these new hostels like Tekapo, Mt Cook, Franz Josef — they're actually pretty lovely hostels.”Lawrence says the company could offer a seven-day isolation package to international travellers to help the industry.“But the problem is offshore partners and airlines simply just will not sell New Zealand when the rest of the world is open if people have to isolate for seven days. They just won’t sell us.”She says the industry will be lobbying the Government to get rid of the isolation as it will still prevent many tourists coming to New Zealand.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flames are licking around the feet of Kāinga Ora bosses and Associate Housing Minister Poto Williams, as calls mount for the no evictions policy to be scrapped by the state landlord. Litigation Lawyer Adina Thorn says the no evictions policy has to end - she's been inundated with dozens of stories from neighbours of Kāinga Ora tenants who have endured all sorts of abuse. For example, an elderly couple is being terrorised by Black Power neighbours in Whangarei. They have been left terrified and fearing for their lives, since intimidating Kāinga Ora neighbours moved in earlier this year. One of the residents allegedly threatened the 82-year-old husband saying he would slit his throat. Overnight, a statement from Kāinga Ora was released that says: “While Kāinga Ora has a Sustaining Tenancies policy, it is not a No Evictions policy. Kāinga Ora will both move people as a last resort, in very limited circumstances. However, moving people may also bring other issues where children and schools are involved, or family support networks and other support services are involved because moving someone does not remove the underlying problems" Associate Housing Minister Poto Williams joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Gray's piece in Monday's New Zealand Herald detailed what the Reserve Bank will do with the $55 billion in New Zealand Government bonds now Quantitative Easing is over. There seems to be consensus the Reserve Bank will increase the Official Cash Rate today - but the question is, by how much? Governor Adrian Orr will be making the announcement at 2pm, along with the Monetary Policy Statement. Senior Economist at Infometrics Brad Olsen joined Kerre McIvor and told her that we have a very hot economy at the moment. “We’ve got record high inflation and record low un-employment and we had economic activity over the first half of the year that grew at nearly double the pace the Reserve Bank thought.” He said things are a lot hotter than the Reserve Bank expected and they'll want to increase interest rates. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, the winners and losers from yesterday's announcement - hairdressers can open as of Thursday, and spare a thought for the poor men and women behind the scissors. After more than 100 days in lockdown they will have at least 3 to 4 hundred heads to catch up on. I can't even begin to imagine the bargaining, pleading and horse-trading going on trying to get an appointment in Auckland.  I enjoyed hearing the woman from Rodney Wayne on this morning; staff have been given pep talks on how to talk to clients about vaccinations and mask wearing, and a crash course in how to fix the damage from home dye jobs.  Beauticians miss out, as do those in hospitality. Deputy PM Grant Robertson says he doesn't know why, but the Government simply acted on advice from the Health Department.  Hairdressers are being used to trial the vaccine app that shows businesses you are in fact double vaxxed and therefore you have permission to enter the premises.   But not beauticians, restaurants, bars and cafes. They will have to wait until December 3.   So, hairdressers one, beauticians and hospo nil. The even bigger losers are those who had flights booked to Australia over Christmas. People who had managed to play the cruel lottery of MIQ and find a space, or who had made life plans to head to Oz for a new life across the Tasman. They have had their plans scuppered with Air NZ cancelling flights leaving thousands of would-be travellers in the lurch.   The problem is MIQ, and according to Air New Zealand, the continued uncertainty around that. Grant Robertson talking to Mike Hosking this morning was adamant we still need to stem the flow of travellers into this country. It all sounds very reasonable. But you'd have to ask whether it's the vaccinated being held back yet again to protect the unvaccinated. Who doesn't want to be protected?   I’d love to hear some feedback on the traffic light system. Are business prepared and ready to open? How are salons and barbers shops coping with the demand for services?  For those who were booked on Air New Zealand flights, how are you dealing with the news that your flights have been cancelled and do you buy the reasons for continued border controls? And for those regions with poor vaccination rates, and those who have chosen not to be vaccinated, if you're currently enjoying Level 2 freedoms, it's going to be a bit grim going backwards.   No confirmation from Robertson, but certainly low-level vaccination rates make it likely you'll be going into the ‘red light district’. As one who's spent most of the last three and half months in that, you are NOT going to like it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Downtown Auckland is sinking into anarchy and becoming a lot like 1980s New York City, just with fewer murders, a concerned resident has told city leaders. "Auckland is internationally regarded as one of the safest, and most friendly big cities in the world. I think if things don't change before the borders are reopened - this is a reputation we will quickly, and irreparably lose," the resident said in an open letter to Mayor Phil Goff and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick. Chlöe Swarbrick joined Kerre McIvor.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.