Canterbury Mornings

Lock up as we leave lockdown is the message from Canterbury police today.As New Zealand leaves Alert Level 4 and enters level 3, more people will leave their homes to go to work or recreational activities leaving an opening for burglaries.Canterbury Police District Commander Superintendent John Price told Chris Lynch 60 percent of burglaries occur when premises are unlocked.He says there are people who'll take advantage of others so homes, vehicles and garages need to be locked so no one becomes a victim.

The Christchurch City mission has spent almost $20,000 on food support because of lock down.That's up from a couple of hundred dollars a week, because donations have dried up.Christchurch City Missioner Matthew Mark told Chris Lynch it's tricky to ask in a time like this because so many people are struggling but they need donations.

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

Gerry Brownlee has taken a serve at the media after the Government's 50 million dollar payout to news organisations.The Ilam MP told Chris Lynch he's unsure whether NZ has a functioning and questioning media able to hold the Government or other politicians to account.He says a media payout should be handled by an agency rather than the Government and the media seems more concerned about opinion news than political content.Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods says the media package is about having a functioning democracy.

National leader Simon Bridges joined Chris Lynch for their regular catch up on Canterbury Mornings.Bridges says he has no regrets over his facebook post that was critical of the government extending the level 4 lockdown.He says small to medium sized businesses need more support now.Listen above. 

Covid 19 has ended New Zealand’s housing crisis, for the short term. It’s one silver lining put forward by an economist to the pandemic that’s decimated tourism and accommodation sectors.Cameron Bagrie told Chris Lynch a lack of overseas visitors and foreign students means there's no longer a housing shortage, with Air BnBs, apartments and even hotel rooms available.Bagrie is predicting house prices could drop up to 10 percent but at the same time unemployment will grow to more than six percent.He says we will need a ruthless obsession with improving New Zealand's economic performance.

A new food delivery service in Christchurch to counter costly Uber Eats fees.The plan is for food to be delivered initially from Riverside Market and Little High Eatery when lockdown eases then expand across the central city.Co-owner Mike Percasky told Chris Lynch a delivery app is being combined with discount vouchers.He says the new app will be much cheaper for  Riverside tenants.

Lonely gorillas are pining for human company.Three gorillas are missing human contact the most since the lockdown forced Christchurch's Orana Wildlife Park to close its gates to the public.Park chief executive Lynn Anderson told Chris Lynch staff are doing their best to keep the animals entertained.The risk of the park's 400 animals going hungry has diminished with a Givealittle appeal closing nearing $300000. 

Physical distancing and hygiene are crucial for children returning to school and early childhood centres.Kids whose parents can't work from home can go back to school on Wednesday.Professor David Murdoch from Otago University told Chris Lynch children don't seem to get severe cases of Covid-19.He says we still don't know how often kids pass the coronavirus on to others.Murdoch says applying social distancing and personal hygiene rules is going to be critical.

The country is set to move from COVID-19 alert level 4 to alert level 3 at 11.59pm on Monday.This means that many restaurants will be able to offer contactless services.This includes fast food outlets, leaving many wondering when exactly they can get their fast food fix.To find out, Chris Lynch, spoke to Murray Traill, owner of 6 Christchurch McDonald's restaurants. Listen above.   

Park rangers and other council staff will be out and about again in Christchurch from next week.New Zealand will lower from Alert Level Four to level 3 at 11:59pm next Monday.Christchurch City Council's Mary Richardson told Chris Lynch rangers and maintenance staff will be cleaning up and making sure people aren't using playgrounds and the likes.

Concerns many businesses won't bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.Christchurch businesses have so far been getting no joy on their requests for a rates cut.Businessman Antony Gough told Chris Lynch we have to make sure we don't head into a depression. He says it won't be the unemployed who bring us back, it will be the actual businesses that get out and trade.

Business restrictions are set to ease but Canterbury companies don't want government support to dry up yet.Canterbury Chamber of Commerce Chief executive Leeann Watson says most of their members welcome the news of Tuesday's lowering of the level.But she says while it allows more business activity it doesn't allow more social activity.Watson says the region's hospitality and retail sectors are still in big trouble and the Government needs to consider ongoing financial support during this period.  

A Christchurch City Councillor says their dollars can only stretch so far as they grapple with the effects of Covid-19.Mayor Lianne Dalziel says lowering rates won’t make a difference to businesses that will go under due to the pandemic.Councillor Phil Mauger told Chris Lynch council should commit to doing what it can.But he says its own assets have taken a financial knock.

Christchurch mayor has no immediate plans to cut her pay saying it's out of her control.Lianne Dalziel told Chris Lynch the council needs to have its expenses under control and the only way that cutting her pay will make a difference to council is if it's cut at source. She says she thinks she should have her pay cut by 20 percent the same as the prime minister and cabinet ministers, she is going to wait until the Remuneration Authority is given the authority to do just that.  Listen above.

Critically ill COVID-19 patients in New Zealand will be given anti-malaria drug hydroxychlorquine as part of a trial to find a potential cure.The trial led by Auckland City Hospital intensive care specialist Dr Colin McArthur is one of 13 given more than 3.8 million dollars of government funding for COVID-19 research.McArthur told Chris Lynch there's no evidence at the moment for its routine use and it does have some side effects.He says they'll be looking at the balance between the side effects and the benefits it provides patients.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealanders should expect big restrictions on their interactions with other people when the country moves to alert level 3.She told Chris Lynch on Newstalk ZB that it still wasn't known exactly when New Zealand would move down from its current level 4 to the lower level.Other countries which were now extending their lockdown because they introduced the restrictions later, she said.The Government would provide details on how it would impact schools, business, workplaces and other sectors this afternoon, she said.Asked about small to medium businesses struggling during lockdown, she said Government knew they were vulnerable.She cited the support the Government had provided, in particular, with the wage subsidy but also changes around rent arrears and tax changes."They really have been a big focus for us."Ardern said all New Zealanders had the "sad benefit" of experiencing lockdown later than others.New Zealand's approach worked for both the health of the country and the eco

University of Canterbury professor Anne-Marie Brady is a specialist in Chinese politics.She joins Chris Lynch to discuss her decision to co-sign an open letter to The Communist Party of China.Listen to the interview above.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------An open letter to Chinese citizens and friends of China at home and abroad from parliamentarians, academics, advocates and policy leaders.The current global crisis has been caused by the regime so many of you have been tolerating or supporting for decades.On 2 April 2020, a group of one hundred Chinese establishment scholars wrote an open letter decrying the “many critical voices politicising the COVID-19 pandemic”. They stated that “(at) this stage of the pandemic, the exact source and origin of COVID-19 remain undetermined, but these questions are unimportant and finger pointing is demeaning and hurtful to everyone”. They also argued against what they alleged is the politicising of the ep

New projections from Treasury show that the unemployment rate can be kept under 10 per cent if the Government comes to the table with extra financial support to help the country weather the fall out of Covid-19.Without new support measures, however, the Treasury is predicting the unemployment rate in New Zealand could reach as high as 13.5 per cent if the lockdown remains at four weeks.If the lockdown were to be extended, that figure could reach between 17.5 and 26 per cent.Finance Minister Grant Robertson said that under the scenario where New Zealand stays at level 4 for the planned four weeks, and the Government provides extra support to businesses, the unemployment rate can return to 5 per cent by 2021."These should not be taken as any guide as to the Government's thinking or decision on changing alert levels," Robertson said in a statement this morning."That decision will be taken on April 20 as the Prime Minister has foreshadowed."But he said the economic scenarios released by Treasury today show the Go

Chris Lynch and Mike Yardley wrap the week that as with the Yardstick.Listen above.