Canterbury Mornings

Chris Lynch and Mike Yardley wrap the week that was, covering everything from the border quarantine blunder to the Council and Ngāi Tahu's joint response to the statue debate. Listen above.

A Christchurch home care provider is cutting back its hours for some of its clients due to lack of funding.Newstalk ZB has heard from a number of people about the change at Nurse Maude - including one woman who was getting an hour of help a week, and has had it cut to one hour every two weeks without notification.General Manager of Marketing at Nurse Maude Sue Bramwell told Chris Lynch all they've done is bring services in line with funding available for each person.Listen above.

The State of New Zealand Garden Birds 2019, released today by Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, shows the latest results in New Zealand’s longest-running citizen science project – the New Zealand Garden Bird Survey. Since 2007, people across the country have spent one hour in their gardens, local park, or school grounds, counting the numbers of birds that they can see. The survey helps scientists to understand the health of garden bird populations and the wider environment by showing how bird counts are changing across Aotearoa over two timeframes – the past 5 and past 10 years.  The latest results, collected in 2019, show strong evidence for increases in fantail (pīwakawaka), tūī and kererū over the past 10 years, with some evidence that bellbirds (korimako) are increasing as well. These native species seem to be doing particularly well in some regions in the past 5 years. And although silvereye (tauhou) continue to decline, their decline has slowed nationally from 38% in the past 10 years to 2% in the pas

National's leader says a three test system would've prevented Covid 19 getting into the country.The Government's now clamped down on exemptions after the two new cases.But not before more stories emerged, of groups being allowed out of quarantine - including 18 people who went to a Christchurch burial.Todd Muller told Chris Lynch it's a shambolic mess.Muller says a three test system would involve a test before passengers depart their country,  when they enter New Zealand, and after isolation. Listen above.

Canterbury and West Coast mayors have joined the fight against new road snow rules.More than 20 thousand Kiwis have now signed the petition to stop NZTA switching from snow chains to an open/close system in Arthurs and Porters Passes.Now Greymouth, Westland, and Selwyn District's mayors have written to ask the Transport Minister to intervene.Westland Mayor Bruce Smith says the road closures are disruptive and make no sense.He says just recently they closed Arthur's Pass for 16 hours - and when trucks were finally allowed through there was barely enough snow to fill a cup.Listen above.

A funeral director says he's still waiting for an explanation from health authorities as to how quarantined arrivals from overseas attended a big Christchurch funeral.Lamb and Hayward chief executive Steve Parkyn refused about 10 people from entering the funeral - but they turned up to the burial with a health official on Tuesday.Parkyn told Chris Lynch if it was up to him no quarantined people would be allowed to attend funerals - as the rules are there to protect everyone.He says officials couldn't confirm if the isolated travellers staying at Commodore Airport Hotel had been tested.“It makes no sense at all to allow people still in quarantine, who haven’t even been tested, to allow them to attend a funeral."LISTEN ABOVE

Christchurch company Glopac has launched New Zealand’s first plastic and PLA-free coffee cup and lid.Managing director Chris Thomson, who has been in the packaging industry for more than 20 years, says the cup will be a gamechanger.  He told Chris Lynch this fully compostable cup can be put in your compost bin at home and can break down in just 3 weeks. Listen above. 

It’s a tough thing to walk away from your church – especially when it means putting relationships with your family and friends in jeopardy. But that’s just what a Christchurch woman did when she felt the church was preaching a message not of love and acceptance but of homophobia and racism. Former member of Celebration Church Trina Watkins spoke to Chris Lynch about the negative messages the Pastor is spreading about the LGBT+ community and reinforcing racist stereotypes.   Listen above.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel believes outrage is counter-productive in dealing with historic Maori injustices.The mayor doesn't want the City Council to jump into removing New Zealand statues that may cause offence.Hamilton City Council contractors last week removed the statue of British army Captain John Hamilton from the centre of town, after a formal request from the Waikato-Tainui iwi.It follows waves of similar actions happening overseas, as statues of colonial figures, confederate leaders and slave traders in the US and UK are targetted. Dalziel told Chris Lynch our history isn't the same as overseas - and she wants to carry on building the strong relationship with Ngai Tahu to talk through differences."We're not part of the UK conversation, we're not part of the American conversation, we're not part of their slave trade issues."There are concerns that the types of statues targetted while be broaden to include the likes of Queen Victoria - with one in Dunedin already defaced.Dalziel says we have a

Comedy series Little Britain's been pulled from UK streaming services - in the wake of anti-racism protests worldwide.Hollywood classic Gone with the Wind has also been pulled from a US streaming service and long-running reality TV show Cops has been cancelled after 31 years.Brendan O’Neill is the editor of Spiked and a columnist for The Spectator, The Australian and The Big Issue.He joined Chris Lynch to talk about today’s cancel culture, and why it's setting a dangerous precedent.LISTEN ABOVE

ACT party Leader David Seymour has raised concerns that the continued Government messaging around Covid-19 and the 'Unite for Recovery' campaign is being used as political broadcasts for Labour.He told Chris Lynch the 'we've got this' line sounds very similar to the 'let's do this' slogan from Labour's election campaign.Seymour says when the regulated period for advertising starts under the electoral commission next week they should stop.  The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has also laid a formal complaint with with the Auditor General regarding the full-page advertisements placed by the Government in a number of newspapers calling on New Zealand to 'Unite for Recovery'. LISTEN ABOVE

There are claims the police trial of Armed Response Teams had fundamental flaws.The six-month trial - which ended in April - is now being reviewed.The Green Party's adding its voice to calls for no increase in arms carried by police.Private investigator and former police officer Tim McKinnel told Chris Lynch police have identified that there was no baseline for comparing the results of the trial.LISTEN ABOVE

A new report looking into the state of the retail sector reveals a grim outlook.Approximately 6700 retail businesses are at risk of closure during the rest of the year, but even more shockingly, 17,100 could shut up shop for good as a result of Covid-19.Of the some-27,000 retail businesses in New Zealand, just 10,000 are understood to be in a stable financial position.New Zealand's retail sector continues to face severe pressures due to the pandemic, Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford told the Herald.Throughout March and April, revenue in the sector was down an average of 80 per cent. In May, as the country moved to alert level 2, overall sales were down 12.7 per cent compared to the same time last year, the latest Retail Radar report shows.A survey of Retail NZ members found that 24 per cent of businesses either expected to cease trading or were not confident they could continue, and a further 37 per cent said that their survival hung in the balance.The perception that shops were open and trading again a

There have been protests throughout the United States since the death of American-American man George Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck.That officer has been charged with third degree murder.Jim Hanson is President of Security Studies Group and served in the US Army Special Forces.He told Chris Lynch that Antifa and the radical left are to blame for many of the violent riots and lootings we have seen over the past few days.He also agrees with President Trump who wants to designate the anti-fascism activists as a terrorist organisation .LISTEN ABOVE

Chris Lynch and Mike Yardley discuss the week that was.Listen above.

Chris Lynch was joined by Ilam MP Gerry Brownlee and MP for Christchurch East Poto Williams to discuss the week in politics. 

Waimakariri's mayor is on a DIY mission to save the area's local Bunnings.The Australian owned hardware chain is considering closing seven stores across Canterbury, Waikato and Hawkes Bay.Dan Gordon told Chris Lynch he got in touch with Bunnings the day after the announcement to urge them to keep the Rangiora store.He's hopeful he'll make an impact.The Rangiora store employs 21 people.

Fletcher Building has become the latest major corporate to announce major job losses.It is announced about one thousand jobs will go in New Zealand, equivalent to about 10 percent of its workforce.Fletcher Building is the largest player in New Zealand's construction industry.NZ Herald Property editor Anne Gibson told Chris Lynch it was one of the largest recipients under the Government's wage subsidy scheme. She says they have received by Monday $67.6 million for 9694 paid employees.

A former National Party President admits things don't look good for Simon Bridges.His rating as preferred Prime Minister has plunged to 4.5 percent in the latest Newshub Reid Research poll, and his party's popularity has fallen to 30.6 percent.Michelle Boag says it's no surprise people have responded positively to the Prime Minister - whose ratings shot up to almost 60 percent.She told Chris Lynch Arden's been visible everywhere during the pandemic and Bridges hasn't. She says that will be up to the Caucus to decide the leader's fate. 

Colin Abernethy, Family Law and Relationship Property specialist and Partner at Harmans Lawyers speaks to Chris Lynch about navigating the legal aspects of relationship breakups and custody agreements. Listen above.