Andrew Dickens Afternoons

So I could start these thoughts with the call for property managers to become licensed and accredited.26 organisations, including the Real Estate Institute and large real estate firms, say the issue is so important that they united and have presented an open letter to the Housing Minister.Now, Phil Twyford understands the problems but wants to finish laws to protect tenants first.  This seems a strange thing to say to me since it sort of says that the government’s only capable of one thing at a time.This sort of thing is worth fast tracking because in the business of renting a home both tenants and landlords have skin in the game. Both need the income and shelter but property managers are just providing a service.  Churn is in their interest which is why they are strong advocates for shorter tenancies.And let’s not minimise the job.  Providing shelter for yourself and your family is a basic necessity of human life and when a third party can become involved you should be able to implicitly trust that they will

A new report on climate change has got people thinking about what they are willing to do. The IPCC released a new report that says the planet has 10 years to try and curb rising temperatures or there won't be a lot we can do. The BBC asked people five questions about what they are willing to do to help:- Would you give up beef?- Would you stop driving short distances?- Would you move into a smaller house?- Would you use less heating?- Would you share your car?Callers shared their answers, with some willing to do whatever they can, and others completely unwilling.LISTEN TO THE TALKBACK ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So here I am back at work after a long weekend. At home things are great in the garden. My wisteria has burst into life, my sage has a beautiful display of purple flowers and my grapevine is sprouting leaves daily.Meanwhile yesterday I was off on bereavement leave as I farewelled a friend who was a very strong influence on me early in my broadcasting career. A man who fertilised a love or words and humour. The man who introduced me to the technical nuance of Monty Python and a man who had no enemies in the whole world.So the mixture of Spring and sadness has kept me away from the hurly burly of the news. But that said almost every moment I looked at the news there was always one word in the headlines and that word is petrol.It shows you just how pivotal this hydrocarbon derivative has become to the functioning of human civilisation. Petrol, water, food and shelter. The four pillars of life.For days our country has been buzzing about the price of petrol. It’s all been said and I have little to add. But I will

LISTEN TO GEORGE FENWICK TALK ABOUT THIS WITH TIM BEVERIDGE ABOVEWe hope you're ready to relive your bubblegum pop years because a new summer concert series is coming to New Zealand and it is So Pop.So Pop is being billed as the "ultimate throwback pop experience", bringing the biggest names of '90s and noughties pop to the stage in Auckland for one night only.Spark Arena will be transformed into "the school disco that you'll wish never ends" for the event.The lineup is headed by pop favourites Aqua, Vengaboys, Blue and B*Witched.They'll be joined by Blue hitmakers Eiffel 65 and Mambo Number 5 hitmaker Lou Bega, as well as The Outhere Brothers, 2 Unlimited and Mr President.And just when you thought it couldn't get any more 90s, the event will be hosted by the queen of Natural Glow herself Suzanne Paul.So Pop takes place at Auckland's Spark Arena on February 5.A Frontier Members pre-sale begins October 11 at 1pm, and general sales begin midday, October 16. See Frontier or Ticketmaster for details.See omnystudi

So the end of the week that was.As I said yesterday Brett Kavanaugh will be a Supreme Court Justice by Monday. A job for life. One of the 9 protectors of the Constitution, the lodestone of the American democracy. The vote will be 54-45.  No-one will back off the party lines. His decisions have never been overturned by the Supreme Court. He’s a conservative but he’s not the devil.But yesterday I said he failed the job application because he cracked under pressure. He cried, he whined, he raged, he got matters of law wrong. I called him a snowflake. I got a number of emails and texts getting stuck into me for that. One called me sanctimonious. All said how would I cope under the accusation of sexual harassment.That’s not the point. Kavanaugh's job is a unique one. At the centre of American law and society. He will face far greater firestorms than this allegation based on vague memories from decades ago. With his vast skill, he should have mounted a better defence of himself that he did. Clarence Thomas went thr

Talkback callers have reacted with rage and disbelief after a Whanganui man who attacked an 80-year-old after becoming enraged by a traffic incident was only given three months' community detention and 100 hours' community work.Richard expressed his outrage on Andrew Dickens Afternoons with harsh words about New Zealand's justice system."This man deserves hard labour in jail, but that doesn't happen in this country because we are living in a mamby pamby liberal jellyfish country."LISTEN TO THE REACTION FROM TALKBACK CALLERS ON ANDREW DICKENS AFTERNOONSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One moment of road rage can change your life forever.That's the experience of Toma-akino Lauaki. In 2005, he admitted to attacking truck driver Barry Fletcher with a hammer after the driver had nearly swiped him.Lauaki plead guilty in court, and was sentenced to five years. He says he was under severe emotional stress at the time due to his wife's illness.When the subject of road rage came up on Andrew Dickens, Lauaki called in to talk about his experiences.He says that his time in jail, which was reduced to three years, was not rehabilitating because he was already aware that what he had done was wrong and it was one moment of blind rage that consumed him.Lauaki told Andrew that road rage of any form is completely unacceptable.LISTEN TO TOMA-AKINO LAUAKI TALK WITH ANDREW DICKENS ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It never fails to amaze me how many New Zealanders are so invested in the American political process. After all, you know the interest is not reciprocated. It’s one of the more entertaining times you can spend explaining to an American how MMP works. But I digress.There are many New Zealanders who seem even more aware of the labyrinthine ins and outs of American politics than many Americans are. And I suppose the interest comes because the global influence of what happens in America is so great that watching the way they come to their positions is important to watch. America also believes itself to be the home of democracy ever since the revolution and their pride in the Constitution as a founding document for modern states is palpable and so American debates become debates about freedom and statehood.But at the end of the day, the plain fact is that it is so terribly entertaining, full of twists and turns and manoeuvers and plots amongst a cast of fascinating and often flawed characters. This system is so fu

Should we be heading our controversial past, or keeping it on display?The question has been raised after Gisborne City Council voted to remove a controversial statue of Captain Cook. While some can see why local iwi are upset over the statue, some talkback callers to Andrew Dickens have seen it as an attempt to disguise our history. One caller said it seems very similar to the removal of Confederate statues in America. However, as one caller noted, the statue is notable for being a rather inaccurate representation of the sailor.LISTEN TO THE TALKBACK FEEDBACK ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gisborne's mayor is defending the removal of a controversial statue of Captain Cook.The statue, which has stood on Tītīrangi Hill since 1969, is being moved to Tairāwhiti Museum until a new home is found.The statue had been vandalised multiple times, and is controversial amongst local iwi.However, Meng Foon told Andrew Dickens that the statue isn't even an accurate portrayal of Captain Cook. "I think at that time they received this gift from Lion Breweries that was generous at the time, and though 'Oh yeah, that's something to put up'. He says there is another, more accurate portrayal of Cook on the other side of the river that will remain.The issue has drawn the ire of British tabloid The Daily Mail, but Foon says that there has been no blow back from the community. "They are saying it's about time we're celebrating the local history as well." Local designs are being considered to fill the void. LISTEN TO MENG FOON TALK WITH ANDREW DICKENS ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hospital parking has been driven back into the headlines. Waitemata DHB in Auckland has agreed it needs to make people more aware of how they could qualify for free parking at its hospitals.The guidelines apply in extreme circumstances, such as being the mother of a child in the Special Care Unit or if an elderly spouse is dying.However, complaints that led to the DHB's discussion today included general parking prices - and the fact older people find it tough to afford to visit patients.The DHB will be introducing a $50 discount for multiple entries across seven days. Callers to Andrew Dickens revealed their own experiences with hospital parking.One caller said that, after having a massive heart attack, he was unable to afford the parking as he was on the benefit.Instead, he had to find a free car park nearby and would walk to the hospital from there. LISTEN TO THE TALKBACK FEEDBACK ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So the mood of the boardroom special issue by the Herald is out and it’s a fascinating read.150 business leader were canvassed and asked about the state of our economy and the state of our governanceIt’s over 30 pages long and far more indicative of where we really are than some of the gloom-laden 20 second sound bites that we hear so often like “we’re going to hell in a handcart and this government is full of muppets.”For instance, business leaders have decided that Grant Robertson has been the best performing Minister this year and that’s reassuring since he is the Minister of finance after all. He’s described as disciplined and easy to work with. He’s also praised for his ability to maintain fiscal balance despite some big pushes from his colleagues to loosen the purse strings.That said he’s still not rating as high as Bill English in the same position. But what one energy chief says about him is instructive. “Huge work rate, big intellectual engine, and personable. The government needs another  5 of him”.

Work stress is back under the spotlight.A new study shows that people are more stressed before they go to work rather than when they are on their way to work.Callers to Andrew Dickens Afternoons were in agreement that getting ready can be stressful.Two female callers spoke of the stress that rests on women's shoulders, with pressures to conform to expectations coupled with home life makes going to work a stressful time. A third caller dismissed suggestions that people need to take time out at work - rather, work culture needs to be fixed to be less demanding. LISTEN TO THE TALKBACK FEEDBACK ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So let’s talk about the rise and rise of the gotcha in political reportage."Gotcha journalism" is a term in the media that describes interviewing methods that are designed to entrap interviewees into saying something or doing something that could be seen as damaging to their cause, their character, their integrity, or their reputation.But the problem with gotcha journalism is if you haven’t got it right then it can gotcha you right back. Then the gotcha moment turns into a moment of fake news and propaganda.The latest gotcha was on Sunday when the Herald on Sunday reported that Jacinda Ardern and her team hired an advertising agency in New York to take pictures of her on her itinerary and used taxpayers money to do so.The heavy implication was that this was another waste of taxpayer funds by the party being painted as a tax and spend one. In the Herald on Sunday piece the second paragraph said this. “In the past, New Zealand Prime Ministers have had a staffer from their offices take photos, but Ardern had a c

Talkback callers have made it clear they are not on board with the latest fuel hikes. Petrol prices have increased by 3.5 cents a litre as a new excise tax was introduced.It is the first of a series of increases that will come over the next few years, as the Government looks for more funding for their transport program.Callers to Andrew Dickens Afternoon slammed the added charges, with some saying it will hurt the poorest New Zealanders the most. One caller, using the name Marcus, says he works at a petrol station and that people are not saving as much as they think they are, even when using discount cards and tricks to maximise their savings. LISTEN TO THE TALKBACK FEEDBACK ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last night we had a leaving party where a bombshell was dropped. We knew we’d gathered to give a fitting farewell for a friend and colleague, but many of us had little idea about a name and concept this man had popularised several decades ago: Spaghetti Junction.Everyone knows Spaghetti Junction, whether you’re an Aucklander or not. And while it’s true that worldwide there are other motorway junctions with this nickname, it wasn't until it popped into the head of Newstalk ZB’s Peter Everatt that it caught on in New Zealand. This was the late 70s and Peter was the country’s first celebrity traffic reporter as he delivered updates on the state of Auckland’s motorways from a tiny airplane, every morning and afternoon.Spaghetti Junction; the name stuck and fast-forward to 2018, we are saying goodbye to Peter. When Newstalk ZB boss Jason Winstanley mentioned last night that Peter was the one that coined “Spaghetti Junction”, there were audible gasps. For radio geeks, it was like finding out he’d secretly written H

A second teachers strike is a possibility after teachers yesterday voted to reject the latest Government pay offer.However, most callers to Newstalk ZB were largely in favour of the teachers getting better conditions due to the importance of their job. Host Tim Roxborogh pointed out that the low pay does little to attract more male teachers to the industry.The comment sparked a number of calls, with many men saying they would not be willing to take up the job due to the workload versus the salary.One said how that many teachers train here before taking their skills overseas to get better pay. The calls were unsettling for one caller, Henry, who has been considering a teaching job. He says that he has friends who have done less study than what is required to be a teacher, but will be starting on much better salaries. LISTEN TO THE CALLERS ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s 2008 and former US Secretary of State Colin Powell – a Republican – had just endorsed Barack Obama for the presidency. I can remember Powell being interviewed where he was challenged on the notion that Obama’s positive rhetoric was all very well and good, but ultimately wouldn’t add up to much. Essentially, the criticism was about style over substance. Powell’s response has always stuck with me and it popped into my head again this with the images of Jacinda Ardern and baby Neve at the UN General Assembly.“Don’t underestimate the power of positive rhetoric”. It’s such an obvious truth, but it’s a reality of the human condition that we sometimes need repeated reminders of simple notions. The power of positive rhetoric. How depressing it would’ve been to have heard some of Obama’s stirring, articulate, graceful 2008 campaign speeches and been failed to be moved. To not comprehend the significance of the man who’d soon become the first African American President. To not appreciate the seeds that would be pl

Many people dread visiting the dentist for a variety of reasons, including the expensive costs and the uncomfortable pain.But may want to think twice about delaying an appointment after listening to talk-back caller Ash, who told Tim Roxborogh that avoiding the dentist for over seven years cost him $8000 in dental fees when he eventually booked himself an appointment.LISTEN ABOVE AS ASH SPEAKS TO TIM ROXBOROGHSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many people dread visiting the dentist for a variety of reasons, including the high cost and the uncomfortable pain.But may want to think twice about delaying an appointment after listening to talk-back caller Ash, who told Tim Roxborogh that avoiding the dentist for over seven years cost him $8000 in dental fees when he eventually booked himself an appointment.LISTEN ABOVE AS ASH SPEAKS TO TIM ROXBOROGHSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.