Andrew Dickens Afternoons

So congratulations New Zealand. Our jobless rate is at a 10 year low.The Household Labour Force survey is out and our unemployment rate for the last 3 months is at 4.4%.  It’s now fallen for the fifth quarter in a row.Our economy continues to add 1000 jobs a week. That means there were 15,000 people newly employed in the first three months of this year.  Now 2.6 million of us have jobs.This is all great news. 4.4 per cent is something to be proud of. I certainly remember much higher figures.It's also coming at a time when business confidence was falling during the first six months of the new government.But with every silver lining there has to be a cloud and then there are a couple in the figures.The rise in employment means that if you’re an employer looking for a new worker the job is getting harder and harder as the available pool gets smaller and smaller.  Officially the labour market is described as tight. You’ll know that if you’re trying to find a tradie to fix the deck.If businesses are already compla

Massey High School's board chairman, John Garelja, says the school is in no way condoning the use of drugs."Massey High School has a strict anti-drug policy. These two pages out of the program have been taken out of context, if you look at all the brochures it's actually about not using P."Garelja says P is not a problem at the school - but this is something the kids happen to be studying.LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW DICKENS ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What an extraordinary and disappointing day.Today the Police Commissioner Mike Bush took the unprecedented step of squashing a rumour that's been going round for 7 months now. I'm sure you've heard it unless you've been under a rock.The rumour concerned the Prime Minister's partner Clarke Gayford and insinuates the police has something on him.So the Commissioner said Gayford is not, and has not been, the subject of any police inquiry, nor has he been charged in relation to any matter. And the reason he took this remarkable step is because of the sheer size and scale of the claims and their despicable nature.I'm so glad this has happened. For months now I have been inundated with friends and acquaintances asking me if the "rumours" are true. Many listeners have texted the "rumour" to me while on air under the guise of anonymity. Many accompanied by detailed scenarios.The scale of the spread of the "story" astounded me. And the morality of those who created the "rumour" in the first place. I had no truck with i

I first came across the concept of No Meat May (NMM) in a NewstalkZB interview with Andrew Dickens. Naturally, I rolled my eyes and dismissed the concept as 'ridiculous.' From memory, my exact phrase was: "If people want to try it, good luck to them. But I find the concept ridiculous."So why am I now one day in to NMM? I fail Junk Free June on day one consistently. I've never attempted Dry July, because it falls during footy season. And calving. To date, I've never made it through a calving without my old mate Gin and I don't intend to start now.'Think of the content opportunities,' I pitched to my boss. 'It's a social experiment,' I told my co-workers. 'My chance to walk in someone else's shoes and attempt to understand their ideals and values,' I explained to our urban listening audience. 'Don't worry – I'll fail,' I reassured farmers.That third reason's probably closest to the truth. A great portion of New Zealand's economy hinges upon meat consumption. So, for me it came down to an inability to fathom why

Wellington has voted to allow pets on public transport and Auckland looks as if it may as well.Tony called Andrew Dickens to say he regularly took his pets on the bus with him.LISTEN ABOVE AS TONY SPEAKS WITH ANDREW DICKENSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Am I the  only one who hasn’t swallowed the kool aid on Korea?The world was agog on Friday when the leaders of North and South Korea met on the 38th parallel and went for a walk.  No-one would deny the images and the symbolism was powerful but was it really the dawning of a new age?After all the leaders of the 2 Koreas have met twice before, in Pyongyang, in 2000 and 2007, and the meetings then were heaped with the same hopeful praise and rhetoric and yet nothing happened.  Perhaps in our dumbed down age we’ve developed long-term memory loss.My question to you is what on earth has the last 70 years of the Korean War been about.  A war that saw 1.2 million people die including 33 New Zealanders. To my eyes, the West waged war to stop the spread of communism from the North driven by Russia with the tacit support of China.  It was a war that sought to reunite the 2 Koreas under a prosperous democracy. It was a war that was necessary to maintain the West’s influence in Asia.So the weekend’s developments is a sign

How do you get around the issue of school holidays?Most people get only eight weeks of annual leave a year, but school children get 12 weeks a year minimum, some even longer, creating a holidaying shortfall when it comes to parents looking after their kids.Andrew Dickens wants to find a solution, and caller Colin had his own ideas for how businesses could get around this. LISTEN TO ANDREW DICKENS TALK ABOUT THIS ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The forthcoming budget is looming as the most defining day in New Zealand’s politics in a very long time.On May 17 the government will present a plan to deal with a labyrinth of problems that can no longer be ignored. Their response will be revealing as will be the response of their rivals.The present government campaigned on a platform that was big on feeling.  At its most basic level, its theme was purely that we can do better.It’s a platform that has raised the hopes of many who have done it tough for the past decade due to a remarkable confluence of problems.  From global financial crises, earthquakes, natural disasters and much delayed infrastructural investment.So now the proverbial is about to hit the fan. Public service employees are restless.  Nurses and teachers feel left behind.  Meanwhile, infrastructure is creaking, from storm water systems to hospital buildings to public transport.This weekend another thorn was revealed in rosy New Zealand.Dr Megan Woods is the minister in charge of the Earthqua

Barry Soper's purgatory is finally over, and in celebration, Andrew Dickens has decided to give up the teasing. It's given the Barry the chance to reflect on a pregnant republican Prime Minister curtsying to the Queen herself - if only from a distance. Barry Home Alone: Day FourBarry Home Alone: Day ThreeBarry Home Alone: Day TwoBarry Home Alone: Day OneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Entertainment Reporter Karl Puschmann joined Andrew Dickens to tell him about the release of Prince’s original, previously unheard, version of Nothing Compares 2 U.LISTEN ABOVE AS KARL PUSCHMANN SPEAKS WITH ANDREW DICKENSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen talks to Andrew Dickens about the forthcoming poppy day and the importance for all New Zealanders to play their part in remembering the fallen.LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW DICKENS ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

London's Calling, but Barry's not there to answer the phone. Ardern is meeting world leaders left right and centre - Prince Charles, Theresa May, soon to hang with the Queen - meanwhile, poor Bazza has to put up with Andrew's ribbing!PREVIOUS ENTRIES:Barry Home Alone: Day ThreeBarry Home Alone: Day TwoBarry Home Alone: Day OneLISTEN TO TODAY'S SONG CHOICE ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The offending of a woman who sold her daughter for sex 1000 times, has been described by a Crown prosecutor as without precedent.Kasmeer Lata is one of just three people in New Zealand's legal history to be convicted of dealing in slaves. She's been jailed for six years and 11 months, after using her daughter as a prostitute to help feed her family - selling her body for the first time on her 15th birthday.READ MORE: How teen sold as sex slave unmasked her motherCaller Ian, who owns a brothel, spoke to Andrew Dickens about how widespread cases like this are in New Zealand.LISTEN ABOVE AS CALLER IAN AND ANDREW DICKENS SPEAK ABOUT NZ'S PROSTITUTION REFORMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Watching Jacinda Ardern and Angela Merkel meeting from the other side of the world must be tough if you were supposed to be there, but as his week of political reporting purgatory continues, ZB Political Editor Barry Soper seems to be holding up very nicely - even if he needs his 80s music references explained to him. PREVIOUS ENTRIES:Barry Home Alone: Day TwoBarry Home Alone: Day OneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Critically acclaimed NZ author, Jenny Robin Jones has written an absorbing and at times moving account of belonging throughout the ages.Her book, Not For Ourselves Alone: Belonging in an Age of Loneliness is a creative non-fiction work. It traverses the development of individuality through historical and sociological lenses from medieval times to the present day. Jones’ research sits alongside personal reflections of her own life and those of her friends and family who have all experienced belonging, isolation, loneliness in different ways and at different times.LISTEN ABOVE AS JENNY ROBIN JONES SPEAKS WITH ANDREW DICKENSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is the second day of Jacinda Ardern's trip around Europe, which makes today the second day Barry Soper's been stuck at home in Wellington. This means while his colleagues and friends are enjoying some Parisiain delicacies, Barry's enjoying the beginnings of what could be a very uncomfortable winter. Andrew knows exactly which of the two he'd prefer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anyone who read the paper over the weekend would have seen that ZB Political Editor Barry Soper missed out on going overseas.Due to a form not being filled out, Barry was unable to join the media contingent travelling with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as she makes her first visit to Europe. Given the publicity around it, Andrew just had to bring it up during their daily political catch up....See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anyone who read the paper over the weekend would have seen that ZB Political Editor Barry Soper missed out on going overseas.Due to a form not being filled out, Barry was unable to join the media contingent travelling with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as she makes her first visit to Europe. Given the publicity around it, Andrew just had to bring it up during their daily political catch up....See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen above as Andrew Dickens speaks with Brian, the former neighbour of Ivan Mauger - The "Richie McCaw of Speedway"Kiwi speedway champion Ivan Mauger, who has passed away at the age of 78 from dementia.READ MORE: Kiwi world speedway champion Ivan Mauger dies age 78LISTEN ABOVE AS BRIAN SPEAKS WITH ANDREW DICKENSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, it’s about time that more of us put our big girl and boy pants on got over ourselves.The offence taking industry is in full swingIsrael Falau.  Who cares what a boofhead rugby player thinks will happen to gays?Raelene Castle did, and I suppose that’s her right.  But it’s not her right to try and force Israel to change his worldview.Alan Jones has come out today and talked about freedom of speech being under threat and he’s not wrong.  But then again, in the same article he gets all upset because Qantas is threatening to pull its sponsorship.  Grow up Alan, it’s their money that can do what they want.  You can’t protect Folau’s freedom then attack Qantas’sThen there was gold medal winner Sam Gaze who took offence that silver medal-winning mate Anton Cooper didn’t wait for him to pump his tyre up. I thought it was hilarious, not offensive, and I understood that a hyped up man boy at the end of the race was letting his adrenaline get to him. But the world piled in and called him our most ungracious winner ev