Larry Williams Drive

A new brain drain may be upon us, but that doesn't necessarily mean the brain gain is over.Tony Austin is a Kiwi who has held senior roles at eBay and Amazon, and he's coming home to take a position with tech start-up Partly.Austin was an early investor in the online auto parts firm and he's now been hired as Chief Strategy Officer.Tony Austin joined Andrew Dickens.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourists are returning to New Zealand very soon.Some may be wanting to do campervan tours and looking at firms like Tourism Holdings.When the borders were closed, a lot of their campervans were sold to private customers with little international demand, but they charged at domestic prices for those they kept.Tourism Holdings CEO Grant Webster joined Andrew Dickens.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A measure of support for lowering the superannuation age for Maori.Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi has suggested lowering it eight years to 57 given on average, Maori die younger than Pakeha.Ngai Te Rangi CEO Paora Stanley told Andrew Dickens it's a good start in addressing the issue of Maori health.“This gives us an ability to sit down as decent people and have a discussion about why this is happening and why Maori health is at such a terrible state.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashley Bloomfield is resigning as Director-General of the Ministry of Health.Bloomfield will step down from the role at the end of July with more than a year left on his current contract.Meanwhile Jacinda Ardern has had to defend the Government’s efforts in helping Ukraine.It comes after Defence Minister Peeni Henare had requested to send javelin missiles to Ukraine, but was turned down.Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper joined Andrew Dickens.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kowbucha has had a successful early trial.Kowbucha is a probiotic that's being fed to a sample group of calves to stop them from burping.The name is a play on the current kombucha craze.Fonterra Programme Manager of Scientific Affairs Shalome Bassett joined Andrew Dickens.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research has identified a major gender gap in KiwiSaver.The data shows that women have, on average, 20 percent less saved in the scheme than men.The research was done on behalf of the Retirement Commission.Retirement Commission Director of Policy Dr Suzy Morrissey joined Andrew Dickens.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister has labelled Ashley Bloomfield an absolute hero.The Director-General of Health resigned earlier today, and will finish up in the role in late July - a year before his contract ends.Bloomfield says dealing with a pandemic is a 24/7 job and it's time for a break.Minister Andrew Little told Andrew Dickens Bloomfield has kept politicians and the Health Ministry focused on the fight.“I could not think of a person who has had to juggle as many issues and various other things that Ashley has done and done it with his low-key, very measured approach as well.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a forthcoming book, a pair of New York Times reporters and CNN political analysts report that President Joe Biden "assessed" Fox News "as one of the most destructive forces in the United States."The reporters, Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns, say that Biden was even more critical of Fox Corp patriarch Rupert Murdoch.According to the book, Biden told an unnamed associate in mid-2021 that Murdoch was "the most dangerous man in the world."The description comes many chapters into "This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America's Future," which comes out in May.The book describes Fox as a "torrent of anti-Biden programming, stoking skepticism about vaccines and disseminating wild conspiracy theories about the January 6 attack."Many Biden allies have denounced Fox for those reasons and have blamed Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, the company's CEO, for enabling hosts like Tucker Carlson.But Biden has never spoken about either Murdoch in public, according to the Factba.se database of the pres

And so Ashley Bloomfield will leave the building in 4 months.A decision he made late last year. Even though he has another year and a bit on his contract.As he said he wanted to leave when the country was in a good place with the Covid pandemic.So there's some certainty for you. In 4 months we should be sweet.I've never envied Ashley's job. It's been 24/7. The decisions have been necessary but never palatable.But he's always been there. Dr Ashley Bloomfield is a smart but simple man. He reads the science and applies it.He's been honest and calm and unrattled. He shied away from overly emotive language.He has communicated the need for some drastic actions well and always with charm. It's that charm that has been his greatest ally.Sir Geoffrey Palmer noted that it's been a long time since any public servant became so well known.For that you must blame the Prime Minister who co-opted his charm and shared the podium.  It was unnecessary. But perhaps the joining of a politician with a technocrat was the reason our

If you're in Christchurch, you'll now need a resource consent to rent out accommodation through Airbnb or any other online booking platforms.The consent won't expire once you've got it, but to get it will cost at least $1000.Airbnb don't like it and are calling the move the most restrictive and outdated home sharing laws in Australasia.Christchurch City Councillor Mike Davidson joined Andrew Dickens.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rotorua locals want the government to commit to stop sending out-of-town homeless to stay in emergency housing. Is that a fair request? The Defence Minister wanted to send lethal aid to Ukraine – but Cabinet has said no. Should it reconsider? The bank of mum and dad – is the extent to which we're subsidising our kids a problem?  Wimbledon is looking to ban the world's Tennis No 2 Daniil Medvedev because he hasn't given tournament organisers a written declaration that he's not getting money from Putin, Russia or Belarus, nor will he be making supportive comments of them. Can we expect high profile Russians to speak out against Russia – and possibly put themselves at risk? Phil O’Reilly, Iron Duke Partners and former Chief Executive and Business NZ, and Ali Jones, Christchurch Community Board Member and PR Consultant at Red PR, joined Andrew Dickens for The Huddle. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Easter travel chaos looms as Covid surges. Two stolen Charles Darwin notebooks have been returned to the library. Hollywood A-lister walks into a pub and supermarket in rural England! UK correspondent Enda Brady joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Southland drought continues to break records.  A crucial GDT Auction tonight: Is the dairy market at a tipping point?  Meatworks in North Otago continue to battle staffing issues and one has started to give monetary incentives to keep people at work. Host of the Country, Jamie Mackay, joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The building industry says construction could come to a halt unless the energy efficiency building code deadline is pushed back.  MBIE says the new insulation requirements aim to reduce the energy needed to heat new homes by up to 40%. The deadline's the end of this year, but the sector says it's got far too much on its plate already to meet those requirements.  Director of Easy Build, Mike Fox, joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Air New Zealand capital raise... It's turned into a bit of a debacle. What's happened? Are retail investors really the ones being shafted here? Do they understand what's going on at all?  Clarifications had to be made for NZX investors. Is this stuff going to have an impact on the confidence in this raise? Pattrick Smellie from Businessdesk joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former Defence Minister is working to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine. Ron Mark says he's talking almost every three hours with a network of Christian-based organisations operating in Ukraine, to try and assist them from here. He told Andrew Dickens families there need everything. Mark says he's hoping to meet with the Romanian ambassador when he arrives here this week. “From women’s sanitary items to tourniquets that used to cost, you know, cents and now are up to at some places $30 I’m told, to buy them, tactical first aid kits, blankets, sleeping bags.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rotorua residents want Kainga Ora to ensure new emergency housing developments go to locals.   The Ministry of Social Development denies it's actively moving homeless people to the region, although its policy allows for people from outside the area to be re-homed in Rotorua, when needed.  Restore Rotorua Chair, Trevor Newbrook, told Andrew Dickens it's not sustainable to house out-of-towners. “There are lots of people coming here from all over the place, you know, comments made by the mayor and local MP.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Prime Minister has been called out by members of his own party ... with a federal election imminent. New South Wales senior Liberal MP, Catherine Cusack, says Scott Morrison has ‘trashed’ the party’s values over two decades as state director. Australian Correspondent Murray Olds told Andrew Dickens Cusack accused him of being a “self-serving ruthless bully” ... who knows nothing about women. “She says women in politics network, they talk across the aisle, and Cusack says what men do, men swagger around in their suits and all they can think about is how is my career going?” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trade Me Jobs had record vacancies in the first quarter and record-high salaries in four regions. But if you don't want to go all the way and change jobs you might still think it's time to ask for a pay rise.  So, how do you do it tactfully and most importantly, successfully? HR expert at EY Una Diver joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw says it's time the agriculture sector pays for the emissions it produces, just like everyone else.  This is in response to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change.  The government will make a decision this year as to whether agriculture will be bought into its own emission trading scheme.  Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard joined Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.