Canterbury Mornings

Police say the actions of two teens who spat on a Rangiora police officer are totally unacceptable.Canterbury Police are hunting the pair after one told a police officer he was infected with Covid-19 and spat in his face. The officer now can't perform his duties and is self-isolating for the next 14 days.Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price told Chris Lynch his team works to look after the community and should never be treated like that.The boys, aged about 14, were riding BMX bikes in Rangiora’s Dudley Park about half past two.

Recommendations on failings by EQC should be implemented by next year.The report on the Inquiry into the Earthquake Commission details homeowners' struggles after the Canterbury Earthquakes.Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods told Chris Lynch 15 hundred people still have unsettled claims.She says the report highlights the grief and trauma from interactions between EQC and private insurers.Some recommendations require legislative change which will happen under a full review of the EQC Act next year.

Chris Lynch spoke to National leader Simon Bridges about what he is dealing with in his role as Chair of the Epidemic Response Committee.Listen above.

Christchurch City Councillor Sam MacDonald has taken the question of a pay cut into his own hands.He told Chris Lynch they as councillors are in an awkward position as they legally have no say in how much they get paid, it's up to the Remuneration Authority. So he has decided to donate 10 percent of his pay to the Christchurch City Mission.Sam says he want to stress that this is a personal decision and hopefully people will view it with the goodwill gesture that is intended. 

Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce CEO Leeann Watson is calling on the council to offer more support to businesses.She told Chris Lynch local government needs to make use of all their options available to them to support businesses given these unprecedented times. 

A zero rates rise is on the cards for Christchurch.So far, the council has offered affected ratepayers six months to pay their rates bill but has stayed quiet on halting the 4.65 percent rise.Lianne Dalziel told Chris Lynch the council will meet tomorrow and the whole framing of their discussion will be how to get to zero.She says councillors will have to look long and hard at service levels and prioritising projects.

A Christchurch City councillor says a zero rates rise can work.The Council's offered people struggling during the Covid 19 lockdown six-months to pay rates.But they're still set to go up 4.65 percent.Councillor Sam McDonald told Chris Lynch people are tightening their belts at this time and the Council should too.He says there are projects that should not be on the books at this time.McDonald says the public can make a submission on the annual plan - by Thursday.

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

A Canterbury Doctor is calling on the government to do better when it delivers its daily health messages to the public.Clinical Director at Durham Health in Rangiora, Stephen Brown posted an open letter to the community and leaders after dealing with irate patients.He told Chris Lynch after the public message went out about wider testing for COVID-19, they had patients lining up but no swabs to do the tests.He says they were also out of the flu vaccine which patients also expected them to have.

Christchurch Star Editor Barry Clarke spoke to Chris Lynch about the apparent inconsistencies around the rules regarding weekly publications.Listen above.

Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration Megan Woods and MP for Ilam Gerry Brownlee join Chris Lynch to discuss the week in politics.Listen above.

Christchurch City Council giving struggling businesses and property owners an extra six months to pay their rates is being called kicking the can down the road by the Taxpayers Union.Taxpayers Union Executive Director Jordan Williams told Chris Lynch it's simply disrespectful that at a time when tens of thousands of Cantabrians are sitting at home worried they may not have a job, the council is not re-prioritising and making sure every dollar is being well spent.    

Sad news for many freelance workers today with the closure of Bauer Media Group in New Zealand.The company publishes some of our most loved magazines, including the Listener, North and South, Next and the Woman's Weekly.Freelance photographer Tessa Burrows has worked at Bauer for more than 10 years.She told Chris Lynch there were a lot of very upset people and a lot of tears.LISTEN ABOVE

Bauer Media NZ is closing its doors permanently, staff have been told.The New Zealand wing of the company publishes a range of New Zealand magazines including the NZ Woman's Day, New Zealand Woman's Weekly, The Australian Women's Weekly, the Listener, North & South, Next, Metro, Kia Ora, Home NZ and Your Home & Garden.Listener columnist and media commentator Bill Ralston was shocked by the news.He told Newstalk ZB's Chris Lynch it stems from the Government's decision not to count magazines as essential services during the lockdown."It's a bloody tragedy really. It's magazines, your Home and Garden, Australian Women's Weekly."I've argued against the idea of shutting down the magazines [during the lockdown]. The magazines were being run basically by home."The printers were already printing the daily newspapers. so they were already there. You weren't putting them at risk.Ralston said German-owned Bauer has decided to take a "bunker mentality"."They've decided to take their money, whatever they had left,

There's no playbook for how to get New Zealand's economy through COVID-19.The Finance Minister says his first goal was making sure people have money to put food on the table.But Grant Robertson told Chris Lynch now the Government's looking to the medium term.Robertson says work's being done now to deal with what happens after the lockdown is over.

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is emphasising how important it is for employers to follow the new wage subsidies.They allow a full-time worker to be subsidised $585 a week, a part-time worker $350 a week, for 12 weeks.CTU President Richard Wagstaff told Chris Lynch employers should also pass on government money and doing all they can to top it up to 80 percent of wages.

The first weekend of lock down is over in Christchurch and police say they're pleased with the majority of peopleBut although some crime is down, Canterbury Area District Commander Superintendent John Price told Chris Lynch police are looking very closely at harm within homes.

Day 2 of the nationwide lockdown and many people have been confused about what they can and can't do.Chris Lynch was joined by Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration Megan Woods and MP for Ilam Gerry Brownlee to discuss this.Listen above. 

A Canterbury wellness centre has come up with a way for people to still be able to participate in its classes during the lockdown.Tim Bateman, the owner of O-Studio in Christchurch spoke to Chris Lynch about their new online set up, O-Connect, where people can pay what they want in order to access yoga, meditation and other online workshops to keep themselves mentally and physically fit while the country is in lockdown. Listen above.

Opposition leader Simon Bridges is to lead a cross party select committee to make sure the functions of democracy in New Zealand are still maintained. He spoke to Chris Lynch about what that means.