Podcast appearances and mentions of Chris Bishop

Former New Zealand Prime Ministers John Key and Helen Clark will attend a large Chinese military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Chinese victory against Japan in World War Two. The ceremony in Tiananmen Square on Wednesday will also feature leaders like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. National Minister Chris Bishop says he thinks the invitation reflects the historical circumstances of their Governments. "Helen Clark and John Key - their Governments had good relations, we did the free trade deal under the Clark Government, which continued on." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Bishop has openly called for house prices to fall, saying we need to be channeling more money into the economy rather than having it locked up in housing. The Prime Minister says we need modest and consistent increases in property prices, to ensure the economy is growing. So what is actually best for New Zealand and the economy? CEO of The Property Lifestyle, Nichole Lewis, joins for the OneRoof Radio Show. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 25 August 2025, did the PM overstep when he said he thinks the Reserve Bank should have cut the OCR more than they did? Finance Minister Nicola Willis says no but banking expert Dr Claire Matthews says yes! The Police Association's Chris Cahill says senior police officers are being too harsh on their new young colleagues - after a survey found the oldies don't think the young ones are not up to scratch. A concert promoter and a hospitality boss weigh in on what we should do to attract more big events to NZ. Pic Picot tells Heather why he decided to sell a 51% stake of his brainchild Pic's Peanut Butter to an Australian company. Plus, the Huddle debates whether house prices need to fall, and whether Chris Bishop is just a brave politician saying it out loud. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! New data shows older police officers are concerned about the skills demonstrated by the younger graduates - is this a case of older cops projecting on young people or are their concerns valid? Housing Minister Chris Bishop recently said it was a good thing that house prices were dropping - what do we make of this? Prime Minister Chris Luxon recently claimed he would have liked the Reserve Bank to cut the OCR more. Was this out of line? Do we go on holidays with our friends? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'll tell you what I found interesting over the last few days it's the enormous surprise at the start, and now the debate about Chris Bishop saying it's a good thing that house prices are falling. He was asked about this on Friday and he said, yes, it's a good thing and that we've got to decouple the idea that the New Zealand economy is driven by house prices - labelling it 'artificial wealth'. The immediate response to that was shock that anyone could say it, but especially a National Party minister. And now, 3 days later, there are still newspaper pieces expressing surprise that he's got away with it - in contrast to for example, Metiria Turei, who got smacked down for it, and Jacinda Ardern, who wouldn't go there. And what's more, the surprise is that the Prime Minister has now apparently contradicted him and said, no, he does want some modest and consistent house price rises. Look, Chris Bishop has got away with it because he's right. It is actually a good thing that house prices have come back. It sucks. It sucks right now quite badly, doesn't it? Cause none of us feel wealthy as our house prices drop. And it is definitely prolonging the recession because we're not spending like we normally would when our house price values increase, which makes us feel wealthy. But it is the short-term medicine that this economy needs for improvement, because we cannot keep plowing our money into property - we should be putting it into productive investments, for example, buying shares in Pic's or whatever. Now, I know people who are actually changing their behaviour because of what is going on with house prices. I know a woman who earlier thought about buying an investment property, but didn't - and will put her money into shares instead because it's much of a muchness now. To answer the question of why Chris Bishop can get away with it, when Metiria Turei got punished for it and when Jacinda Ardern wouldn't even go there for fear of public backlash - is because it is already happening. He's not threatening to do it to us like those two birds might have. It is already happening to us. He's actually said it before, by the way, so he is consistent. And maybe, just maybe, enough of us have already realized that this is the pain we have to go through - as much as we hate it right now - for the sake of future generations. And also, by the way, I like the fact that he said something that he truly believes in, rather than saying something that he might have thought we all want to hear. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'll tell you what I found interesting over the last few days it's the enormous surprise at the start, and now the debate about Chris Bishop saying it's a good thing that house prices are falling. He was asked about this on Friday and he said, yes, it's a good thing and that we've got to decouple the idea that the New Zealand economy is driven by house prices - labelling it 'artificial wealth'. The immediate response to that was shock that anyone could say it, but especially a National Party minister. And now, 3 days later, there are still newspaper pieces expressing surprise that he's got away with it - in contrast to for example, Metiria Turei, who got smacked down for it, and Jacinda Ardern, who wouldn't go there. And what's more, the surprise is that the Prime Minister has now apparently contradicted him and said, no, he does want some modest and consistent house price rises. Look, Chris Bishop has got away with it because he's right. It is actually a good thing that house prices have come back. It sucks. It sucks right now quite badly, doesn't it? Cause none of us feel wealthy as our house prices drop. And it is definitely prolonging the recession because we're not spending like we normally would when our house price values increase, which makes us feel wealthy. But it is the short-term medicine that this economy needs for improvement, because we cannot keep plowing our money into property - we should be putting it into productive investments, for example, buying shares in Pic's or whatever. Now, I know people who are actually changing their behaviour because of what is going on with house prices. I know a woman who earlier thought about buying an investment property, but didn't - and will put her money into shares instead because it's much of a muchness now. To answer the question of why Chris Bishop can get away with it, when Metiria Turei got punished for it and when Jacinda Ardern wouldn't even go there for fear of public backlash - is because it is already happening. He's not threatening to do it to us like those two birds might have. It is already happening to us. He's actually said it before, by the way, so he is consistent. And maybe, just maybe, enough of us have already realized that this is the pain we have to go through - as much as we hate it right now - for the sake of future generations. And also, by the way, I like the fact that he said something that he truly believes in, rather than saying something that he might have thought we all want to hear. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two stories in the Herald today - one about the announcement from Christopher Luxon and Chris Penk yesterday, changing the building liability settings so ratepayers aren't burdened with picking up the tab that shonky developers, builders, or architects are responsible for. In the Herald story, they cite a case in Queenstown: the Oaks Shores body corporate filed a $160 million claim for weather type defects. The developer had been placed into voluntary liquidation and was not sued, so that meant every ratepayer in the Queenstown District was liable for the bill. If the case hadn't been settled privately, ratepayers could have faced rates increases of $300 a year for 30 years. I hate to think of what it's cost the Auckland Council when it comes to remediation of weather type defects, and it's still going on. Under the new rules, described as the biggest change to the building consent regime since it came into force in 2004, there'll be partial liability amongst the various parties involved in the development. At the moment, not only is it the cost, but councils have become increasingly risk averse because they don't want to sign off building consents and inspections if it means that they are liable if anything goes wrong and then ratepayers will have to pay. There's a real blockage in the system, Chris Penk says, and by having everybody share in the liability then that will help (they hope) clear blockages in the current system. Currently building owners can claim full compensation from any responsible party if there's something wrong with the home. If one of the parties can't pay because they've gone into voluntary liquidation, you can go to the other two, and usually that's the Council – deepest pockets, no option to walk away. The government's going to scrap the current framework and replace it with proportionate liability. Under this new model each party will only be responsible for the share of the work they carried out, which is great for ratepayers, great for councils, great for builders. Is it great for the homeowner? I wouldn't have thought so – you can only get the money back if the company is still there to sue. And if they've gone bust and if the Council's only liable for its bit, then you're not going to ever get anywhere near what you paid for a shonky building. This comes into the spotlight because we're looking at intensification and higher density of houses, which means throwing up more houses quickly. Chris Bishop, the RMA Reform Minister, has already told councils in our larger cities that they can opt out of the medium density residential standards that were introduced by the last government, that allowed for three storey developments on almost every residential property. But you can only abandon that if you adopt new planning rules to allow for an equivalent number of homes. In Auckland, that will mean the Council has to come up with two million homes over the coming decades. And how are they going to do that? Well, they've decided that they will build them along the transport lines, which makes sense. The suburb of Kingsland, for example, will see the removal of around 70 to 80% of the special character designation that preserves the cottages and villas, and 15 story apartment buildings will be thrown up in their instead because the suburb is close to the station on the Western line. Ten storey and 15 storey developments will be allowed within a 10 minute walk of some train stations, rapid bus stations, the edge of town centres. In Auckland, there's 44 walkable catchments. Height limits will be raised to six stories along more major transport corridors. And 12,000 properties will be down zoned, meaning it'll be harder to put new developments on them, or they won't be permitted at all because of natural hazards like flooding. If adopted, the plan will be open for public submission —this is specifically for Auckland— before the Council makes a final decision later this year. Auckland councillor Christine Fletcher is one who is vocal in her opposition to the density requirements, concerned that if it's not done well, it will give intensification a bad name. And when you look at some of the horrors that have been constructed around Auckland, you can understand why there would be concern. Bad enough to have a 15 story apartment building next to your bungalow bathed in all day sun, but if it's just in a constant state of remediation and fixing and disrepair and people having to abandon their apartments because it hasn't been done right and can't be fixed, it'll be even worse. It does have to be done right. There are areas of extreme ugliness, hideous apartments, townhouses jammed together with very little in the way of green spaces, no public transport nearby, few amenities. But then you have developments like Stonefields and Hobsonville Point in Auckland, which I would argue have been done very well. You might be able to point to parts of Hamilton and Napier where there has been intensification of housing. Outside of Christchurch, farmland has become residential in its nature, with developments there. Those that are done well are done very well. Those that are done poorly are just a blight on the landscape and a burden around the neck of anyone who buys them. How on earth are you going to have any confidence in buying a new build when partial liability is being introduced? When you can't get back what you spend because each party is only responsible for their little bit and so many of them will be able to do a flit? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 13 August 2025, Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins and other former Labour Ministers have declined to give evidence at a public Covid inquiry. National's Chris Bishop says it's "disgraceful". Drama in Parliament, with Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick kicked out of the House for the second day in a row. Former Speaker Sir David Carter says Gerry Brownlee is right to crack down on MPs misbehaving. Bad news if you have kids at secondary school. Teachers are going on strike next Wednesday and PPTA president Chris Abercrombie tells Heather just how big a payrise they're after. Kiwi woman Sarah Shaw is still in a US detention centre with her 6-year old. Her lawyer speaks to Heather. Plus, the Huddle debates whether Chloe Swarbrick deserved her suspensions - and whether the ex-ministers should front up to the Covid inquiry. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Current and former Labour leaders and ministers deciding not to appear at the Royal Commission's Covid inquiry is being described as 'disgraceful'. Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins, Grant Robertson and Ayesha Verrall, who were all involved in Covid decisions - have declined invitations to appear. They say it would have been performative - not informative - and there's a risk livestream recordings could be manipulated and misused. National MP Chris Bishop says they should front up because New Zealanders deserve answers over the scale of Covid spending, which is still having impacts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So as you will have heard, Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has been barred from Parliament's debating chamber for the rest of the week, unless she apologises for a comment made during a debate over Palestine and the granting of statehood to it. During her speech, Swarbrick called on government MPs to back a Green Party bill that would allow New Zealand to sanction Israel for its war crimes. CS: If we find 6 of 68 government MPs with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history. GB: No, that is completely unacceptable to make that statement, withdraw it and apologise. CS: No. GB: Then leave the house for the rest of the week. CS: Happily. Gerry Brownlee, the Speaker of the House, said the spine comment was completely unacceptable, ordered her to withdraw it, and told her to leave the House when she refused. Parliamentary debates can be heated, but there are rules about what members can and cannot say. Unbecoming language, insults and accusations of dishonesty are banned. Now obviously unparliamentary language is constantly evolving and changing over time. Going into Parliaments records, you'll find that in 1933 an MP calling another member a shrewd old bird was considered unparliamentary language. In 1936, fungus farmer and pipsqueak were considered unacceptable. In 1946 things got a bit heated ... “I would cut the honourable gentleman's throat if I had the chance”, understandably, the Speaker ruled on that one unparliamentary language. But skite was also considered unparliamentary in 1946. I mean, nobody likes a skite, but unbecoming language and having to apologise to the House? In 1966 the insults flew and the Speaker was kept very busy. Shut up yourself, you great ape – withdraw and apologise. Snotty nosed little boy, cheap little twerp, and ridiculous mouse were all considered unacceptable. In 1977 John Boy was considered unacceptable. Silly old moo, racist, and sober up, which could have applied to any one of a number of MPs in 1977 I imagine, and so on and so forth. We probably don't think many of those insults were unparliamentary or unacceptable. I would say spineless fits in alongside twerp or stupid as Chris Bishop is supposed to have called members of the Opposition. I think stupid is worse than spineless. There are many things I have criticised and would criticise Chlöe Swarbrick for – calling her colleagues across the House spineless is not one of them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm happy to report to you that it looks like some of us want to play the old 'should Luxon be rolled' game. In the wake of the not-so-great polls that came out yesterday, there is a column by Andrea Vance - who I am name-checking because she's good and credible, and not just some junior reporter with an opinion. In her column, she predicts that Luxon is in trouble, that his caucus is getting impatient, that speculation about his leadership has reached fever pitch - and that if it doesn't improve, she is not sure that he's going to be the one leading the National Party at election time this time next year. Now, if this is really what National MPs are considering, they should ditch that idea immediately because Luxon's not their problem. I mean, he is a problem. There's no debate that with personal popularity sitting at about 20 percent, he is a drag on the National Party - but he is not their actual problem. Their actual problem is that the economy is stuffed and that they haven't yet figured out what to do to fix it, even though they've had 18 months. And it really doesn't matter who the leader is, whether it's Nicola or Chris Bishop, or Erica, or Mark Mitchell or Golden Balls, it doesn't matter. They still will not have a plan for the economy. Now, if they're worried about their polling right now, they should try playing the game of musical leadership chairs and see what happens to their polling then, because they're still not going to have a plan for the economy - but then they'll also have voters feeling like it's a shambles up the top in the Beehive and not sure what's going on there. Yes, they have a problem and yes, you can see it in the polls. So fix it. Come up with a solution. Come up with a credible plan for fixing the economy now and into the future. That is where the Nats should be directing their energy, not into undermining Chris Luxon. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the face of it, the announcement from Transport Minister Chris Bishop yesterday makes good sense. It's been signalled; it was National Party election policy to move away from a fuel excise duty to road user charges (RUC). Simeon Brown, who was the transport spokesman at the time, said it would be a fairer way to charge for the distance people drive rather than the amount of fuel they use, given the different nature of the way we drive these days and the vehicles we drive. So the current fuel excise duty is expected to be abolished in the coming years, all vehicles moving to road user charges. These are currently paid by owners of diesel, electric, and heavy vehicles. Last year the Government said the transition away from the so-called petrol tax could happen as soon as 2027. Yesterday, Chris Bishop said no date had been set, in order to make sure the changes aren't rushed. Which put this rather in the category of an announcement of an announcement. What was announced yesterday is: Removing the requirement to carry or display RUC licences, allowing for digital records instead. Enable the use of a broader range of electronic RUC devices, including those already built into many modern vehicles. Supporting flexible payment models, such as post-pay and monthly billing. Separating NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi's (NZTA) roles as both RUC regulator and retailer to foster fairer competition. Allowing bundling of other road charges such as tolls and time-of-use-based pricing into a single, easy payment. Currently, the system is mostly paper-based and drivers have to monitor their odometers to check what distance they have driven. It also requires owners to buy RUCs in 1000km chunks. The Automobile Association is broadly supportive of the changes. AA Transport policy director Martin Glynn spoke to the Mike Hosking Breakfast and believes moving to an electronic system is a good idea. MG: “I think absolutely long term, as vehicles become more fuel efficient and people start, you know, there's different ways of powering vehicles, as we all know it's just not sustainable. So yeah we actually do need to make the shift. MH: "The electronics behind it, is the transfer easy? If you get an app or you get a sensor in your car or whatever that turns out to be, is that easy? MG: "The announcements been a little bit vague. Certainly for new cars the Minister's been clear that a lot of that data and the systems are already available in the car itself, so that should be fairly straightforward. But I think that what he seems to be signalling is that we're moving to electronic devices to measure distance, and base, and weight. So that would be actually something in vehicles like we have the heavy vehicles now. And the National Road Carrier Association CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers spoke to Early Edition this morning, and they also think it's a good move. “It's a once in 50 year change. Every country around the world is actually facing this problem where you've got EVs and far more efficient petrol engines just reducing how roading's paid for. New Zealand's actually in, we're in quite a good position because we're world pioneers in road user charges. We were the first to bring it out in the late 70s and we're still a world leader on it with electronic RUCs for how trucks pay for it, so we're actually in quite a strong position compared to other countries.” Who knew? I did not realise that we were world leaders in road user charges. At first glance, it makes sense. The Minister said that as our vehicle fleet has changed, so too must the way we fund our roads. It isn't fair, Chris Bishop said, to have Kiwis who drive less and can't afford the fuel-efficient cars paying more than people who can afford one and drive more often. He said the intent is to make paying RUC user friendly and similar to paying a power bill online or a Netflix subscription. The thing is though, if you don't pay your power bill or your Netflix subscription, the service is cut. You don't get it anymore. You don't pay, you don't get it. You can't do that with roads. It's not as though all of a sudden a barrier is going to appear at your driveway, and you're not allowed to go onto the road because you haven't paid your RUC. And according to number of mechanics, the number of vehicles that turn up where the RUC have not been paid is extraordinary. So the system will only be as good as the technology that can isolate the people who are not paying. I'm sure you'll be able to fiddle the electronics if you can fiddle odometers, and people have been doing that ever since there's been the buying and trading of vehicles. The technology has to be as tamper proof as we can make it. It's the right move, but we just have to ensure we have the technology to ensure that users do indeed pay. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When I heard Transport Minister Chris Bishop talking about the Government's changes to the road user charges system, I had a bit of a Max Bradford moment. Max was the National Party minister who told us back in 1988 that his reforms of the electricity sector were going to mean cheaper power prices. Which is what Chris Bishop was saying yesterday about the plan to ditch petrol taxes and move all vehicle owners to road user charges which, at the moment, are only paid by people with diesel, electric, and heavy vehicles. He said: “From a cash flow point of view, it'll help people. At the moment, when you go and fill your car up you pay petrol tax at the pump, right there at 70 cents per litre, roughly.” The part of yesterday's announcement that really caught my eye was NZTA not being responsible for collecting and processing the road user charge payments. Instead, that's going to be farmed out to private operators which the government says will encourage “fairer competition”. And, in saying that, the Government is trying to sell some sort of idea that by not having NZTA involved, these charges are somehow going to be cheaper. Which is why I had Max Bradford ringing in my ears. Because he was talking nonsense when he said his reforms back in 1988 were going to mean cheaper power prices. And Chris Bishop is talking nonsense if he expects us to believe that contracting private outfits to take over is going to mean cheaper costs for vehicle owners. The minister says it's possible we'll pay our road user charges through an app, which is why the government wants to get private operators involved. Because it doesn't want to spend the time and money developing the technology and the systems. But will this “fairer competition” it's talking about really mean things being cheaper at our end? Of course not. And this is not me having a dig at any of the companies who might have heard that announcement yesterday and saw an opportunity. Because that's what business is all about: seeing opportunities. And, again, this isn't me having a dig at businesses, but they don't do these kinds of things for free. Being in business is all about clipping the ticket as much as possible. And no business is going to want to get involved in the new road user charging system if it can't clip the ticket. That's just how it is. Which is why I don't like the Government's plan to take NZTA out of the picture. Yes, I support the shift to everyone paying road user charges, because that makes sense. Because when you use a road, it makes no difference whether you drive an old dunger or something more modern – you're still using it. With road user charges, you pay depending on how many kilometres you drive instead of how much fuel you buy. And if you've got the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the market, why should you effectively pay less to use the same road as someone who can only afford an old gas guzzler? You shouldn't. So the move to us all paying road user charges will get no argument from me. What I am pushing back on, though, is the plan to get private companies running the new system. To let private companies clip the ticket which, as far as I can see, will only lead to us paying more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Transport Minister says the petrol tax needs replacing - to keep up revenue for maintaining roads. Chris Bishop's announced universal road user charges will be implemented for all vehicles, to be paid like a bill. The Government wants payments to reflect road-use, not a vehicle's fuel-efficiency. Bishop says with 350,000 hybrids on the road, fewer people are paying fuel taxes. He explained the national land transport fund's revenue is slowly diminishing - which is needed to maintain existing roads and build new ones. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Building Nations conference kicked off today, with the nation's major political parties seemingly aligned on future infrastructure. National's Chris Bishop and Labour's Kieran McAnulty spoke this afternoon, and they appeared to be united about future partnerships. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced a proposal to replace New Zealand's secondary school qualification system, NCEA, 23 years after it was first introduced.Chris Bishop was on Q&A in the weekend discussed whether Christopher Luxon's low preferred Prime Minister ratings are a cause for concern, and defends the government's decision to limit election enrolment to the day before advance voting begins.Dr Emmy Rākete, co-founder of People Against Prisons Aotearoa, and lawyer Tania Waikato join Miriama Kamo on Marae to unpack thousands allegedly being removed from the electoral roll, prisoner voting scrapped, and strict new rules that could shut even more out.=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠⁠#BHN⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social

Full interview: Senior minister Chris Bishop discusses the job losses currently being seen in the construction sector, and answers questions on whether his government's policies on infrastructure are a contributing cause. . Q+A also asks him about recent data on homelessness and rough sleeping, with Bishop indicating an openness to possible “tweaks” in policies that homelessness advocates argue have led to an increase in people sleeping on the street. . And as the newly appointed campaign chair, Bishop discusses whether Christopher Luxon's low preferred Prime Minister ratings are a cause for concern, and defends the government's decision to limit election enrolment to the day before advance voting begins.

Ex National MP and former mayor of Auckland Christine Fletcher is condemning Housing Minister Chris Bishop's proposed Auckland housing fix. Fletcher spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Chris Bishop says we're sick of over-the-top cone use and expensive traffic management plans. And he'd be right. They are so annoying and often, to the untrained eye at least, completely pointless. They take a $100 job and make it a $1000 job. So why is this till happening? Why are there still cones everywhere, when the government says NZTA's code of practice for traffic management rick assessment - is no longer being used? Obsolete? Well, the problem is many councils are apparently still using this code of practice as their north star. As a response, the government's now threatening local council funding. They have to threaten funding to get these council to change their ways. What this shows us is just how far and deep the overly cautious, safety-at-any-cost mentality has set in. And also, it shows you how scared they are of worksafe coming in a going them if somebody gets hurt or injured. You have to make sure people are safe, especially when working with dangers. But you can't keep everybody safe from harm in all places, at all times and for any reason. Fencing every waterway is impractical. So is covering every street in road cones. We need to find a sensible middle ground and make sure the officials told to carry out the changes, actually do so.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Housing Minister believes homelessness data can be hard to analyse as there's no one-size-fits-all description. The Government's June Homelessness Insights suggests communities countrywide are facing more pressure, with people living on the streets. Councils and support services say rough sleeping's increased everywhere, doubling by some measures over 24 months. Minister Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking homelessness has been a lasting issue, and deals with complex issues. He says sometimes it encompasses challenges that include mental health, addiction, and family violence. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the show...  - 'Pull your heads in and pull your socks up!' Chris Bishop tells local government to start cutting back or be cut.  - And Shane Jones winds up the left saying more mining is coming and the opposition can barely put up any argument against it. Do they need notes? Are they really opposed to the extraction of anything? Or was it just Jacinda's mad moment? Website: https://www.rova.nz/home/podcasts/duncan-garner---editor-in-chief Instagram: @DuncanGarnerpodcast  TikTok: @DuncanGarnerpodcast 

Senior Cabinet Minister Chris Bishop has launched a broadside at local government at a conference in Otautahi-Christchurch.The RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister has said councils are crying out for more from central government, but have stood in the way of growth and been unwilling to cut their own cloth, and New Zealanders are noticing. At the Local Government New Zealand opening day, Chris Bishop also announced the government is halting what it says is pointless council planning work ahead of its major shake-up of resource management laws. Otautahi reporter Timothy Brown was at the conference spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Put your hand up if you've ever had a bus suddenly pull out in front of your car while you're driving along, minding your own beeswax. I know. It's happened to everyone. They're long things aren't they, buses? So you can be halfway past one when they pull out, and all of a sudden you're slamming on the brakes or you're pushed into the wrong lane. I don't mind admitting that until this very morning, I had assumed that buses must have had the right of way. They seem to take no prisoners. They have no mercy. They're as ruthless on the road as the All Blacks at the Cake Tin on Saturday night. But I was reading an article this morning from the Spinoff about a bunch of changes to road rules that Chris Bishop wants to enact. One of them is giving buses right of way when they're exiting bus stops. So if you're driving a car, you must yield. Give way. Slow down, or more likely, stop completely to let them out. The theory is that buses carry more passengers than cars. If we prioritise the buses, more people will get where they need to go. Productivity increases. And we're all better off. And you know what? I can get onboard with that. It makes sense, and I sort of thought that was the law anyway. But if we motorists are going to do something nice for the buses, then I want something in return. I want those stupid green bus lanes that sit empty most of the day as traffic piles up around them back. I want us to reclaim the road for the people who are actually using it. I understand the need for rush-hour/peak bus lanes. But I don't understand why they must be bus lanes 24/7 when they're 1 - not being used by buses and 2 - causing massive delays, inconvenience and lost productivity to the rest of us. The default position is that bus lanes are 24/7 unless sign posted otherwise. The one in particular that rips my nightie is in central Auckland - where most bus lanes are 24/7. Does anybody else have this problem - or am I just another selfish motorist fuming in midday traffic? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A clear message from the Government: New Zealand can't succeed if Auckland doesn't succeed. The Government's agreed to negotiate with Auckland Council on a 10-year deal to boost housing, infrastructure, and economic growth in our largest city. It's also agreed to negotiate similar deals with Western Bay of Plenty and Central Otago. Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking the deal will align local and central government on up-zoning, rapid transit, and innovation precincts. He says Auckland is New Zealand's main international city and is a big driver of economic growth around the country. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's slamming the requirement for builders of a new Ikea in Auckland - to consult with seven mana whenua groups. Consent for the Sylvia Park store requires iwi consultation around erosion, stormwater treatment, and planting. ACT's Simon Court flagged the issue, and the Prime Minister's called it insane. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says it's ridiculous - and why we can't have nice things in New Zealand. "And it's exactly the reason why we are ultimately repealing and replacing the RMA with new legislation. This is the red tape that gets in the way and drives up the costs." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's instructed Auckland Council to allow apartments at least 15 storeys high near key City Rail Link train stations. Density requirements around the Mt Albert and Baldwin Ave stations require at least 10 storey apartments, and requirements around the Maungawhau, Kingsland, and Morningside rail terminals have been increased from six storeys to 15. Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop say it will ensure Auckland takes economic advantage of the transformational investment in the city. AUT Future Environments Professor John Tookey told Mike Hosking that even the proposition of consenting a 15 storey building in the middle of a city isn't a five minute undertaking. His suspicion is it will take at least a decade to see any kind of measurable mass urban densification around the stations. He also told Hosking that the Government's interference in running Auckland is likely to cause significant political issues. Tookey says NIMBY-type arguments will likely crop up: why here, who's going to fund it, and how will it impact everyone else in the area? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Infrastructure Minister agrees we're getting bad value for money and need trans-government systems to improve. The Infrastructure Commission's released a 30-year draft plan revealing its first look at how New Zealand needs to invest in our future. Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking half of all capital-intensive government agencies don't have asset registers, so don't know what they own or how to maintain it. He says what all parties need to agree on is focusing on asset maintenance, because we don't look after what we've already built. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has given itself new powers to override councils, if they their decisions will negatively impact economic growth, development or employment. Housing and RMA reform minister Chris Bishop has said the new regulation would stop councils stalling on housing developments. But the opposition said Bishop is annointing himself the chief council despot and it's a massive over-reach. While councils said they shouldn't be blamed for a lack of housing growth. Political reporter Giles Dexter reports.

A new regulation will give the government power to override council plans it considers harmful to the economy. RMA reform minister Chris Bishop says the move is temporary, while the Resource Management Act is overhauled. He spoke to Corin Dann.

I think this was the move of the week. Housing Minister Chris Bishop dropped the bombshell on local body operators that the Government has decided to give him the power to intervene around housing in local body decision making. Mind you, we could argue scrapping the calamitous Census was a good move, and indeed I'm a massive fan of reporting inflation data on a monthly basis, which sort of makes us look like a first world country. These are all good decisions. But as regards councils and housing, in the broader interests of this small country finally getting its fiscal act together, this move cannot come soon enough. The simple truth is we are over councilled. We have ludicrous numbers of local do-gooders in a vast array of fiefdoms making decisions that may, or may not, make any sense locally, far less incorporating themselves into the bigger national picture. Part of the problem is too often councils have not been up to much. Too many councils are littered with acrimony and in-fighting, progress is stalled, or watered down, or major work is ignored in favour of more headline grabbing material that makes the local representatives look good. Not all of course, but too many. From Tauranga, to Wellington, to Christchurch, to Invercargill; the infighting and dysfunction has become legendary. What you can say about central Government that you can't say about local Government is most of us took part in the democratic process and as a result this Government, rightly or wrongly, has a mandate to get on and do stuff. Mainly, stuff that got cocked up by the previous Government. If there has been a constant theme of this current Government, even from its broad-based supporters, it is that they haven't done as much as they might have. They have plans and ideas and announcements and KPIs. What they don't have is a vast array of results. They don't have tangible things that have been changed leading to us quite clearly being better off. With the Bishop announcement it would appear that message and the lack of traction is finally hitting home, and they have sat around the Cabinet table and worked out they have about a year left to put some major runs on the board so that election time is about delivery and not more promises. The country basically is too small for this many councils and committees. A lot of decisions have major national economic implications and as such, central Government has, or should have, a say. They will hate it of course. They will gnash and wail and moan about local democracy. But guess what? Big picture economic success is more important. The big picture, generally, is more important. The national story is more important. Christchurch learned this last week over their intensification scrap, which lasted years and cost them millions, that this Government is serious and on a central vs local head-to-head, only one side is coming out on top. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Plymouth's mayor is backing Government changes to take away power from local authorities. Housing Minister Chris Bishop says new regulation in the Resource Management Act would stop councils stalling housing developments. It would let him override councils on the grounds of their decisions negatively impacting economic growth. Mayor Neil Holdom says as it is, elected officials have little input in the development of district plans. "These things suck in millions of dollars, they're basically written by an elite bureaucracy of planners - and they've tied New Zealand up in knots." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minister for Housing Chris Bishop joins Emile Donovan.

The Government's work to tackle emergency housing appears to be paying off. Only about 500 families remain in emergency housing after one year of the Government's Priority One policy. It bumps families to the top of the social housing waiting list if they have dependent children and have spent more than 12 weeks in emergency housing. Almost a thousand families with more than two thousand children have been moved from emergency housing motel rooms into homes, since the policy took effect Housing Minister Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking they're well on the way to solving the problem. He says under Labour's government, there were more than four-thousand families living in motels permanently. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 17th of June, we have good news around the number of families moved out of emergency housing and where they've gone. Small hint - it's not to cars or the streets. At 23 years old, Nico Porteous has decided he wants to retire from the Olympics, at the peak of his prime. He joined the show to delve into his decision. Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster has a new book out about leadership and his time in the top job, so he's on to talk all things pressure. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, the great rates upset has begun to unfold. Auckland this week got its long-awaited council valuations. Why people get excited about them, I have no idea. It's a rough guesstimate by a council. It takes into account the broadest of criteria, but people seem to live and die by them. The upset of course has come from the fact that the value of a lot of properties has dropped, while the rates bill is going up. So we get the cost-plus-accounting scandal that is council economic policy exposed. This is happening all over the country and it's a specific and broad-based problem. It's broad-based because it's inflationary and it's specific because depending on where you are depends on how bad the scandal is. Auckland properties are down 9% while rates are up over 7%. In Wellington values are down 24% and rates are up 16%. Nelson values are down 9% and rates are up 6%, so this whole idea that rates are linked to value is of course complete crap and always has been. In short, councils are inept and will spend forever, will waste your money forever, will plead poverty forever and will always find something that is critical and needs doing now. For example, Christchurch got shafted last week by Chris Bishop, when the council rejected the Government's intensification plan. The council didn't like it, spent three years and millions of dollars to go back and forward and to achieve what? Nothing. That's council for you. As Auckland mayor Wayne Brown said, "it is what it is". He's right because he knows a couple of home truths; no one is turning up for local body elections, so very few people will be held to account, and he also knows a lot of people will moan but ultimately do nothing about it. If ever there was a reason to get exercised over the way we are being played, this is it. Your asset has dropped but the bill is up. The bill, in theory, is based on the asset value. Nowhere else in life is this scam played and gotten away with, apart from local body politics. We have too many councils, too much representation, too many boards, too much incompetence, and every year the bill for it rises. Democracy only works if you take part. What better reason can there be this year than to get your voting paper, look at the value of your property, look at your rate rise, put a name to the con and vote them out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science our expert, Professor Allan Blackman, chatted with us about new theories about the big bang, maths anxiety, and the legitimacy of a silver Dutch basin. In our weekly catchup with the National Party's Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about Chris Bishop's comments at the Aotearoa Music Awards, the suspension of Te Pāti Māori MPs from parliament, and the new Parent Boost Visa.  They also spoke to CEO of immigration advisory group Aims Global, Arunima Dhingra, about the Parent Boost Visa and how it addresses the issues migrants are facing in Aotearoa. And they spoke to the owner of Hard to Find Books, Warwick Jordan, about news that the bookshop's lease on Saint Benedicts Street will end at the start of next year.  Producer Faith spoke to Kate Stone from Justice for Palestine NZ, about why she thinks our government should recognise the state of Palestine. She also spoke to PhD student Yuan Gao from the University of Auckland's health psychology department, about her research on how robots can help people with dementia.

Parliament has been debating the proposed punishment for Te Pati Maori MPs who stood in front of ACT MPs and performed a haka in protest of the Treaty Principles Bill during its first reading. The proposed suspension is 21 days for the co-leaders, and 7 days for Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke. Last month's debate was cut short and delayed when Chris Bishop moved to postpone it until after the Budget. Political reporter Lillian Hanly spoke to Lisa Owen.

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. David Seymour: 7/10 In Britain, debating as we speak. But last weekend he ascended to Deputy Prime Minister and gave an excellent speech about what our country can be. It was uplifting, and uplifting is good. Chris Bishop: 7/10 Was at the music awards and expressed an opinion. People of the left didn't appear to like opinions. That's not as uplifting. Mitch Barnett: 3/10 Professionals get injured, but a season ender is a cruel blow, especially given this is our year. The Waiuku raised crossing: 2/10 Because it's bollocks, but at least it's on hold. Polls: 1/10 Joke of the week. Buy a dartboard and pretend it means something. Six million: 7/10 Our population prediction by 2040. I like more people because more people brings growth. I've always thought we are way too small. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament's picking up where it left off last month, debating proposed sanctions on three Te Pāti Māori MPs. The Privileges Committee's suggested Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer be suspended for 21 days, and Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke for seven. The three had performed a haka during a vote on the Treaty Principles Bill last year. Leader of the House Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking he just wants the debate over and done with. He says we need to deal with the issue, but it's a distraction from the need for economic growth, and he hopes it's dealt with swiftly at Parliament this afternoon. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senior government minister Chris Bishop said his comments directed at a performance at the Aotearoa Music Awards were due to his frustration at its politicisation. The minister was heard saying "what a load of crap' during Stan Walker's performance on Thursday, and while he says he should've kept his thoughts to himself, he's not going to apologise the musician. One of his Cabinet colleagues said he disagrees with the comments, while the opposition are pointing to the history of politics in music. Political reporter Giles Dexter has more.

We discuss personality politics in NZ. Chris Bishop had an outburst at the AMAs. Our Deputy Prime Minister has passed the baton. Jacinda Ardern's book is out. Usually we try to avoid focusing on personalities in politics, but this week we ask... what if they matter? with Philip, Stephanie, Simone Stephanie's fundraiser: https://www.sweatwithpride.com/fundraisers/stephanierodgers/swp/This episode's co-hostsPhilip, Simone, StephanieTimestamps0:00 Opening 2:29 Chris Bishop14:12 Competency22:22 Changing Prime Minister34:49 Chris Hipkins37:44 Jacinda Ardern1:02:10 ClosingsIntro/Outro by The Prophet MotiveSupport us here: https://www.patreon.com/1of200

Slashing certain consenting laws, allowing more quarries and mining and reducing farming red tape all feature in the proposed Government reform of the Resource Management Act. The Associate Environment Minister has described current climate regulations as 'out of proportion' to the environmental risk. Consultation's opened until July 27. RMA reform minister Chris Bishop says the country needs more energy, renewables and infrastructure - and the Government hopes to send a clear message. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hints the foreign buyer ban could be lifted, but not yet. OneRoof reports rumours have been swirling with some agents telling them politicians had told them a decision to reverse the 2018 Labour policy was imminent. Act leader David Seymour and New Zealand First MP Andy Foster were mentioned, but both deny any confirmed changes. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told Mike Hosking it will not be in tomorrow's budget, but it won't be too long before there's an announcement. When it comes to the man who interrupted a rail announcement, Peters doesn't care if he loses his job. He and Chris Bishop faced multiple hecklers at Wellington's train station yesterday while unveiling Government funding of rail. The end of the media stand-up was derailed by an employee from the environmental and engineering consultancy Tonkin and Taylor. The man was reportedly wearing a company lanyard at the time. Peters told Mike Hosking it's now an employment matter. He says the behaviour is disgraceful, and he won't put up with it inside or outside of Parliament. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Transport Minister says maintenance to keep the country's railways working is long overdue. Chris Bishop, alongside Rail Minister Winston Peters, announced $461 million for the rail freight network, and an additional $143 million for Auckland and Wellington's metropolitan trains. It's ahead of this week's Budget announcement. Bishop told Mike Hosking more will be needed in the future to keep Auckland and Wellington's trains running. He says successive governments have neglected rail maintenance. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 20th of May, millions are being invested into rail and tax changes for foreign investors – where is the Government getting the funds from? Parliament is voting today on the punishment for the three Te Pati Māori MPs. White Lotus star Murray Bartlett and Schitt's Creek star Annie Murphy are on to talk their roles in the new season of Nicole Kidman's ‘Nine Perfect Strangers'. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ministers Shane Jones and Chris Bishop continued to make decisions about several fast-track projects despite their respective parties receiving donations linked to the applicants. Farah Hancock spoke to Corin Dann.

Fantastic day today when my son, Austin stopped by the studio as a guest on the Check Your Six podcast. We talked about a few things, both of the podcasts that he generates, Frightmares and All Juice, No Gin as well as the short film that he and Gabby, his wife are in the process of creating. Frightmares is at about 311 episodes at the time of this recording and covers just about all things horror from movies to books to events and everything in between. Gave a shout out to Chris Bishop and his book The Scare Zone and to one of his favorite guest on the show, Eduardo Sanchez, director of The Blair Witch Project!!. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frightmares/id1452661594?i=1000704588564  We also talked about his latest podcast, All Juice No Gin and the journey that Austin and his buddy Cramer are on with sobriety.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-juice-no-gin/id1788489711?i=1000704908771 Talked about the short comedy horror film that is coming out in the summer called Dust Bunnies and the fun and challenges they were involved with putting that together. Also had to give a shout out to The Orlando Law Group after I talked about Austin working there...he doesn't, it is The Mortgage Firm but just because they are awesome I wanted to give them a shout out!! https://www.theorlandolawgroup.com/ All in all, a great morning sitting with my son and listening to what is going on in his life. Of course the best thing is the incredible granddaughter that we have been blessed with and get to see every day during the week, CJ...good day indeedEmail us at tim@grpstudios.com

Last week Transport minister Chris Bishop announced steps towards improvements to public transport from the Northwest of Auckland. The plan involves three stages, each promoting faster and more consistent public transport from the region. While early stages are planned for the next few years, later stages will be coming over the next ten or more years.  The government has also announced $53 million towards subsidising teachers registration fees. This announcement follows extensive campaigning from teachers on this issue, eliminating a barrier for new and long-time teachers in Aotearoa.  In our weekly catchup with National's Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about each of these issues, starting with the transport upgrades in Northwest Auckland.

Chris Bishop is the President of the National Concrete Refinement Institute.   In this episode of Specified Growth Podcast, Chris talks about the background of the NCRI and some of the challenges and opportunities in the concrete industry. He also discusses the importance of self-awareness, refining standards and introducing measurable benchmarks in the concrete industry, and more. Don't miss this episode of Specified Growth Podcast!     Please reach out if you have any feedback or questions. Enjoy!    Twitter: @TatsuyaNakagawa Instagram: @tats_talks LinkedIn: Tatsuya Nakagawa  YouTube: Tats Talks www.tatstalk.com www.castagra.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuna topwater tactics, popper fishing tips, and offshore tuna gear setups—all in this week's report. The Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report is your best resource for the Gulf Shores Surf Fishing Report, Orange Beach Fishing Report, Dauphin Island Fishing Report, Mobile Bay Fishing Report, and Alabama saltwater fishing everywhere in between. For the anglers looking for a Gulf Shores surf Fishing Report, Gulf State Park pier fishing report, Orange Beach Fishing Report and Fort Morgan fishing report, look no further than the Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report. Every week we bring you an "onshore" report for those anglers interested in a gulf shores surf fishing report or a gulf shores pier fishing report. This week we're talking to: Chris Bishop, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Yo Zuri North America. Chris shares how tuna fishing techniques have evolved and dives into the best strategies for targeting yellowfin, blackfin, and bluefin tuna using topwater poppers. We discuss the importance of long casting, reading fish behavior, and maximizing the effectiveness of the Yo Zuri Mag Popper with its magnetic weight transfer system. Chris also breaks down ideal rod and reel setups, heavy leader use, and fight tactics that help land big tuna faster and avoid shark predation. Whether you're new to popper fishing or refining your skills, there are plenty of great takeaways for serious offshore anglers. Don't forget about the AFTCO promotion for Great Days Outdoors Podcast Network listeners—text ALSFR to 779-345-2918 for a free camo sunglasses cleaner cloth with any AFTCO purchase! It's all brought to you whether it's good, bad, or ugly. Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you'd like us to email you the latest show, just head over to greatdaysoutdoors.com/asfr and we'll send it straight to your inbox every week. Keep Whackin' em!   Sponsors: Fishbites Dixie Supply and Baker Metal Killerdock Test Calibration Coastal Connection EXP Realty Great Days Outdoors Hilton's Realtime Navigator Bucks Island Marine Salts Gone Shoreline Plastics Saunders Yachtworks East Pass Broadbill Open Survival at Sea Tohatsu