Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

There’s a chance you'll think I sound like I’m contradicting myself with my views on NZ First jumping on the gender identity bandwagon.    

Politicians love a good bandwagon and that’s what NZ First is riding with its members’ bill to legally clarify the definitions of man and woman.  

I say they’re riding a bandwagon because it comes on the heels of the Supreme Court in Britain doing pretty much the exact same thing...

There’s only been one pope’s death that has really shocked me – and I don’t think it was because I was only 10 years old at the time.  

It was September 1978 and I remember the shock vividly. John Paul I died just 33 days after becoming the Pope.  

We were a Catholic family so it was all everyone seemed to be talking about. Not just because he had died, but because he died so soon after his inauguration.  

So last ni...

I’m starting to wonder who isn’t running for mayor in Wellington.  

Former Labour leader Andrew Little is the latest one joining the race to oust current mayor Tory Whanau.  

And, just in case you think so, I’m not endorsing Andrew Little in any way, shape, or form. But I do think having former MPs on local councils is a very good thing.   

Because whether we like it or not, local councils cannot operate in isol...

Inflation is officially on the rise again. 

The latest Stats NZ figures show the Consumers Price Index rose 2.5% in the year to March – up from a 2.2% rise in the year to December. 

The numbers cover the 12 months to March 31, and don't reflect the impact of Donald Trump's new tariffs and other new trade barriers. 

NZ Herald Business Editor Liam Dann told John MacDonald that despite the increase, economists are reaso...

How are you feeling about the world, now that we know the Government’s goal of having 20,000 less violent crimes by 2029 has already been achieved? Four years early.  

Anyone who tries to pick holes in this result would be a bit of a misery guts, because who could find anything possibly wrong with there being 20,000 less victims?   

Try Ginny Andersen. Labour’s police spokesperson is saying today that the numbers rai...

The Government’s cracking down on dog owners tying up pets for too long. 

MPI and SPCA Animal Welfare Inspectors will now be able to issue fines topping $1,000. 

The regulation targets dogs tethered in poor conditions with signs of mistreatment like excessive barking. 

SPCA Scientific Officer Dr Alison Vaughan told John MacDonald that the regulations won’t be targeting people who tether their togs temporarily, such a...

The Justice and Police Minister says the Government's surpassed its own violent crime reduction target. 

It set a goal in March last year of having 20 thousand fewer victims of serious violent crime, with an initial 2029 deadline. 

It claims it’s already beat the deadline, but admits the data is volatile and subject to change. 

Chief Victims Advisor Ruth Money told John MacDonald that although she’s delighted by the ...

I’m liking the sound of Education Minister Erica Stanford’s approach to sex education. But it won’t be plain sailing, and she knows that.  

But there’s a glaring gap in this new framework she’s put out for consultation, with ideas of what kids might be taught and when from year 1 to year 13.   

I’ll come back to the glaring gap. But Erica Stanford is going into this with her eyes wide open, knowing how fraught this c...

The driver licensing system may be in for a government overhaul.

Under proposals released yesterday, the practical driving test for a full licence will go, and fewer eyesight tests will be needed.

A clean record would be needed for restricted drivers to gain to their full licence, the demerit threshold for learner and restricted drivers would fall to 50, and there'd be zero alcohol limits for learner and restricted drivers of any a...

Air New Zealand’s new uniform has been unvieled.  

It was designed by world-renowned Kiwi designer Emilia Wickstead and comes 14 years after the airline’s last uniform update. 

An onboard wearer trial is beginning in May, and the new uniform will be rolled out in full from 2026. 

Henry, a pilot for Air New Zealand, told Kerre Woodham it’s definitely a change, but airlines all around the world are bringing back double...

Industry celebrations over a directive to use Kiwi wool in Government buildings.  

New builds worth more than $9 million and refurbishments costing over $100 thousand must use wool where possible from July, meeting a Coalition deal. 

The directive orders state agencies to follow the directive where practical. 

Campaign for Wool Chairperson Ryan Cosgrove told Kerre Woodham they’re stoked to see this formalised into po...

The phrase “may you live in interesting times” is bestowed not as a blessing, but as a curse. And living in these most interesting of times, you can see why that might be. That's not even taking into account the previous five years – if we just take 2025 as our year of living in interesting times, you can see why it might be a curse.   

Donald Trump raised tariffs on goods from China to 125%. Tariffs against seventy-five ...

Now the police have been in the spotlight in the past few weeks. It should have been criticism, with Wellington Central MP Tamatha Paul's comments and the criticism of police pulling back from attending mental health call outs, but in fact, the attention has highlighted just how much our men and women in blue are valued.  

I'm pretty sure that wasn't the original intention of Tamatha Paul when she made her much publicised comm...

Pak’nSave shoppers seem to be getting the best deal. 

Kiwis are being urged to stay calm and stay the course as stock markets tumble. 

Well, we were a little in advance of the day yesterday, weren't we? If you were with me yesterday, I was looking at the armed forces lowering their standards to try to attract more people into the services. They're leaving in droves, finding it very hard to recruit new people, men and women, to join the services. And instead of lowering standards, I said, why not make the Defence Force more attractive as a career? Address the poor ...

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