Podcast appearances and mentions of matt doocey

I hope Environment Canterbury isn't bothering listening to Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey. He's not impressed that the regional council is going to spend money doing a business case for a rail passenger service between Rangiora, Christchurch, and Rolleston. Matt Doocey says it's nothing more than a pie-in-the-sky idea and, given we're in a cost-of-living crisis, he says ECAN should stick to its knitting and focus on getting costs down and reducing rates. But what Matt Doocey should be doing —instead of criticising ECAN— is praising it for showing some initiative. He should be praising it for showing that it's prepared to do the kind of big sky, big picture thinking that local government hasn't been doing, and which we've been saying it should be doing. I think Doocey isn't reading the room, and I suspect that there will be a lot of excitement about ECAN pushing this rail idea. What's more, ECAN has put some money aside for a possible rail project. Plus, it's talking about not just limiting this rail passenger idea to Rangiora, Christchurch, and Rolleston. It's saying that, once up and running, the service could be extended to places like Amberley, Ashburton, Timaru, and even further south into Otago and Southland. I'm loving the idea. I'm also loving the fact that ECAN is prepared to put some skin in the game. To spend some money and find out once-and-for-all how much of a goer this could be. ECAN is onto something because if there's a common complaint about how the earthquake rebuild played out, it would be the fact that, despite all the talk that Christchurch was going to be the most modern city in the country, it's not. Because we've just stuck to the same old, same old when it comes to things like transport. And local government has to carry some of the blame for that. But now, ECAN wants to make good on that. What this comes down to for me is this: what do expect of local government? Do we just expect it to stick to its knitting and do the basic boring stuff? Or do we expect our councils to be the big picture thinkers? If you're like me and you want to see councils doing the big picture stuff, then you'll agree that we've lost the ability to think big. Mark my words, there'll be no shortage of people running in the local body elections later this year banging-on about sticking to the basics. Whereas ECAN is showing that it's thinking about the future, which is exactly the kind of thing I want to see not just from ECAN, but all our councils. Tell that to Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey, though. He's saying today: ‘Rather than coming up with pie in the sky motions, ECAN should focus on reducing rates which have rapidly increased - putting more pressure on ratepayers in a cost-of-living crisis.'' Compare that to the likes of ECAN councillor Joe Davies who is saying we can't wait 20 or 30 years, and we need a solution in the next five to ten years. He says: ‘There's a corridor already in place so there would be significantly lower set-up costs and this is an opportunity to link Rangiora and Rolleston to the city.'' So he sees opportunity. Matt Doocey sees obstacles. ECAN sees opportunity and is doing something about it, which is the approach I want to see a lot more of from our local councils. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Megan Woods and Matt Doocey joined John MacDonald following the release of the budget. They discussed the key aspects of it including changes to KiwiSaver, will there be an announcement on the retirement as it sound like Matt is hinting towards? Should parents really support 18 and 19 year olds if they aren't working? And what is in the budget for Canterbury? LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I've seen some bad times in this house, but this is one of the lowest I've ever seen. When you go to that sort of standard of language, nothing's beneath you after that, is it?" That was Winston Peters yesterday after his coalition colleague, Brooke van Velden, used the c-word in parliament. And I'm with him 100%. He said he was disgusted that the word was said in Parliament, and he was disgusted that the word was used in a newspaper article at the weekend – which is why it came up for discussion yesterday. And the timing of it was interesting, because just hours after the c-bomb went off, it was announced that the co-leaders of Te Pati Māori have been suspended for three weeks, and one of their MPs suspended for a week. This is in relation to them getting out of their seats in Parliament and doing the haka as a protest against David Seymour's Treaty Principles Bill. The part of it that actually got them in strife wasn't the haka, it was the two-finger gun salute given to David Seymour while they were out of their seats. If you were to ask me: “What's worse? The two-finger gun salute in Parliament or an MP using the c-word in Parliament?” I would say that the bad language is way worse. Hands down. And if you were to ask me: “What's worse? MPs doing a haka in Parliament or an MP using the c-word in Parliament?” Same. The bad language is way worse than that too. I'm not defending the Māori Party MPs, because what they did is not the kind of thing I expect in Parliament. At the time, I thought it was a great piece of theatrics, but it's not appropriate. Just like I'm not going to defend Green MP Julie Anne Genter crossing the floor that time to go nuts at Matt Doocey. That didn't meet my expectations of parliamentary behaviour either. Which is why I think that ACT party deputy leader Brooke van Velden has to be hauled over the coals. Even though she, reportedly, had permission from the Clerk of the House. And why I agree with Winston Peters and with Judith Collins who have both been saying since yesterday afternoon that we have reached a new low. That behaviour in Parliament has reached a new low. It's believed that van Velden is the first MP to intentionally use the c-word in the House. This was when she was replying to a question from Labour about the Government's pay equity changes. Or, more to the point, a question referring to the opinion article at the weekend about the pay equity row, where the writer used the c-word. I don't know why Labour even brought it up, when it seems to have been silent about the derogatory nature of the article. I thought the article itself was appalling, but the writer seems to have gotten away with it because her employer is backing her to the hilt. But that doesn't mean that Parliament should turn a blind eye. I wasn't impressed with Speaker Gerry Brownlee's handling of things yesterday. Not once did he interrupt van Velden, only saying afterwards that it might have been better to refrain from using the word. Saying “more discretion” could have been used. The wet bus ticket treatment from the Speaker doesn't give me much hope that standards in Parliament are going to improve. I know people have been saying forever that parliamentarians behave badly but I think Parliament needs to up its game big time. That is where laws are made. Parliament is where we look-to for leadership. And this is probably a bit old school, but Parliament sets the standard for society. Some people say it should reflect society, but I say it should set the benchmark, and our politicians should show us what a civil society looks like. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disclaimer: Satire On the news last night, it was nothing but scandal. Scandal. Scandal. I don't think I've seen political misconduct of this magnitude since Watergate. The Woodward and Bernsteins of our time were busy digging through documents, uncovering truth. Protecting democracy. From corruption. From evil. Erica Stanford, Minister of Education and obvious crook, first in the firing line. Her crime? Printing off work emails at home. Disgraceful. A two-part report from 1News leading the bulletin over consecutive nights details how this menace, flagrant in her disregard for best practice, printed papers from her home computer after emailing them to her own private email address. Why? I hear you ask. Why such an egregious act? Well it turns out, and this where the story really gets interesting, Parliamentary IT hadn't hooked up a printer in her office or home. So instead of ignoring her immense workload, switching off her computer and going to the pub like any decent politician, she emailed them to herself, printed them off. And worked late into the night. Outrageous. Other documents, other emails exclusively uncovered - the existence of which made possible because the Minister flagged them with officials for inclusion in future OIA requests. Like the one we're now looking at. So, brazen in flouting the rules she thought she'd never get caught. Shameless. One reporter noted Stanford was quote “safe for now”. It's at least on par with the Hegseth and his signal chat. Kiri Allen drunk driving then crashing a ministerial car before resisting arrest pales into comparison. But how much worse can this scandal get for Stanford? We must wait for part two this evening. Then the next minister in the firing line? Matt Doocey. Mental Health. And this story is crazy - he should be locked up like crooked Hilary. His crime? Worse than lying… the newsreader told us the accusation was, wait for it... massaging the message. It's a new charge but thought to be very, very, very serious. Some pages detailing workforce shortages were removed from a glossy Ministerial booklet that went out to the public. There was one small problem with this future Pulitzer Prize winner. The problem, as cameras bared down, as his crimes were read aloud, was Doocey had no idea what the reporter was talking about - it was old mate Lester Levy. It was Levy's fingerprints over this one, not Doocey's. But he's already on the way out, so what's the fun in getting him on camera? Shackling him to the pillory for a flogging? So, it was Doocey in the dock. The best part about this expose? It came with its very own deep throat. Yes, an insider whose secret cache of draft documents blew the sorry wide open… That person was Ingrid Leary from the Labour Party. Case closed. It's a knockout. It's a slam dunk. Both ministers must be sacked immediately. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is assuring police will still respond to mental health callouts when needed. The Mental Health Foundation has launched a petition asking police to stop scaling back on attending mental health callouts. A four-phase reduction plan was announced in November. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says the programme addresses the handover - not the response. "People with mental health issues - they don't want to sit in emergency departments with police officers sitting there with tasers. They want a mental health response, and that's what we're working on." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Slow and steady improvements in mental health and addiction service access. Minister Matt Doocey's latest quarterly target updates have been released and show a small increase in the proportion of people being seen by specialist and primary services in under a month. However shorter ED department stays are still far below the 95% target, rising slightly to 65%. Doocey told Kerre Woodham it's a work in progress. He says he believes there is no silver bullet, but improvements happen through the sum of every action, which is why they now have very clear targets. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Full Show Podcast Thursday 3rd April 2025, Minister for mental health Matt Doocey joins Andrew Dickens to talk on major report into mental health. A slew of new government changes will hold cowboy builders more responsible for poor quality work, AUT Professor in construction John Tookey, tells Andrew Dickens how it will make a difference. All eyes are on America as Donald Trump announces the latest number of tarrifs, University of Iowa Economics Professor Anne Villamil, shares the reaction out of America. Plus, US Correspondent Mitch Mccann Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's highlighted an Achilles' heel with a $664 million mental health programme that's missing targets. Labour's 2019 'Wellbeing' Budget saw the Access and Choice Programme receive its funding over five years. It's aiming to support 325 thousand people per year, but during 2023-24 saw just over 207 thousand. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey told Andrew Dickens utilization is a weak point. He says a warm handover to GPs is good for those who need to be seen urgently, but it means there's a workforce being under used. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Matt Doocey and Labour's Megan Woods joined John MacDonald in studio to discuss some of the biggest political stories of the week. Green MP Tamatha Paul has been under fire for her comments about beat police – does their presence really make people feel less safe? And how do her comments bode for Labour, given they're potentially coalition partners? Is it fair the new Christchurch stadium could have a levy for ‘out-of-towners', since ratepayers funded the build? And will the proposed changes to the RMA really deliver what's promised? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by National's Matt Doocey and Labour's Reuben Davidson. Christchurch City Council is considering allowing unleashed dogs to run free in two central city parks – neither were fond of the idea. With the Investment Summit underway in Auckland, is Davidson disagreeing with his own party on the future of public-private partnerships? And Doocey believes there's no reason to change the voting system for local body elections – do we just have too many councils? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by Labour's Megan Woods and National's Matt Doocey to delve into some of the biggest topics of the week. Four-year parliamentary terms could be on the table – what are the benefits of an extra year? What would be the potential downfalls for councils? Would either of them make a citizen's arrest? And is it true Labour cut the budget for the defence force? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by Matt Doocey and Duncan Webb to delve into some of the topics listeners are most interested in. They mark the anniversary of the Christchurch Earthquake, which occurred 14 years ago tomorrow. Rangiora's after-hours clinic is still not underway, but some certainty has been gained after the Waimakariri District Council has offered to bankroll the project. Child poverty statistics have not shifted – is this a problem governments can't solve? And what do they make about the Chinese Navy sightings in the Pacific? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Friday John MacDonald was joined in studio by National's Matt Doocey and Labour's Tracey McLellan. They discussed yesterday's supermarket announcement: does the Government really believe another player will enter the scene, or is it all just talk? Why has some mental health funding been redistributed when New Zealand continues to suffer through a mental health crisis? A bit closer to home, the price for our police to hire helicopters is blowing out each year, will Christchurch ever get its chopper? And is a pie really a healthy option for a school lunch? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first Politics Friday of 2025, John MacDonald was joined by Matt Doocey and Megan Woods to dig into some of the biggest political stories of the week. New data reveals that ACC paid out almost $15 million for e-scooter injuries last year, a nearly 50% increase on the year before – is it time for the businesses operating them to pay levies? What does Megan make of Shane Jones honing in on the banks and their dealings —or lack thereof— with fossil fuel companies? Is it wise to sell off the country's state-owned assets? And the new school lunch programme has seen some criticism – would Matt eat the meals? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like many of us over the summer, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon used his downtime to reflect on the year that had been, and like many of us put together his in and out list for 2025. This is the way young people do New Year's Resolutions these days. But what's in and out took on a new rather crude spin yesterday afternoon when he announced a reshuffle of Ministerial roles for National MPs. Melissa Lee lost all her portfolios. Matt Doocey is handing over ACC, Tourism and Hospitality, and Youth to various other MP's to focus on his Mental Health and Associate Health roles. And Dr Shane Reti passes on the Health portfolio to Simeon Brown, instead picking up a new Universities roles, plus Science, Innovation and Technology. The emphasis on health and economic growth is not a surprise, and while the Prime Minister continues to express confidence in Reti, and spoke of his achievements last year, it's clear he's decided his Minister's skills are better used elsewhere. However, the health goals remain. What the government wants to see is faster cancer treatment, shorter stays in ED's, shorter wait times to see a GP, get a specialist appointment or get an elective treatment. But Health is a beast of a portfolio, and obviously it become clear to the Prime Minister that the New Zealand public is not impressed with the speed of progress towards these targets. I appreciate Luxon's loyalty – others questioned Reti's performance last year - but loyalty doesn't get the job done, and Luxon needs a political operator who can, in his words, deliver and execute. Step on up the Delivery Man, Simeon Brown. Prime Minister Luxon described Dr Reti as a top-quality human being and a team player when asked how he took the news. I couldn't agree more. He's a good guy – I've always found him to be thoughtful, dignified, his intentions genuine, and knowledgeable on the health system. But he wasn't quite so good at communicating how things were moving forward – in simple, decisive, reassuring soundbites. Yes, there were wins – such as the announcement of cancer drugs, another 17 billion being thrown at health over 3 years, and a suggestion of change in culture at Health NZ. But these can't compete with headline grabbing issues the system is facing. Things like staff shortages, governance issues, funding deficits, and the proposal to scale back Dunedin Hospital's rebuild. On top of that, too many front line and senior clinicians said Dr Reti was out of his depth. I wonder if Dr Reti is quietly sighing with relief at being moved on from a portfolio often seen as a poisonous chalice. He might not have had the mongrel to get Health under control quickly enough for the National leader, but that's not to say he won't be effective in his new roles. While the Prime Minister has previously said he sees no need for a reshuffle, this is a positive start to 2025 for Luxon. Sure, if it aint broke don't fix it, but if you think you can do better – then hell yeah, let's go. Hopefully we get a more efficient health system out of it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACC levies will soon go up for earners, businesses and motor vehicle owners. ACC minister Matt Doocey spoke to Corin Dann.

The ACC Minister has announced a independent review into ACC because of concerns about its performance. Matt Doocey says rehabilitation rates are down and weekly compensation costs and average costs per claim were up. “This review will have a particular focus on claims management. It will look at whether ACC has the right interventions and settings in place to support accident claimants to return to independence as quickly as possible". It comes as ACC announces levies will be on the rise from next year with those on the median wage of $70,000 set to pay $140 extra in 3 years time. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Friday, National's Matt Doocey and Labour's Megan Woods joined John MacDonald to dig into this week's political news. Electricity prices are still rising – would ensuring businesses get a lower rate keep them from going out of business? Will National actually miss their police force target, or is it achievable in the 12 months remaining? And how about Ayesha Verrall's ‘cooking the books' comment against Health Commissioner Lester Levy? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by National's Matt Doocey and Labour's Tracey McLellan to wrap this week's political stories. They discussed Phase 1 of the Covid Inquiry and Kiwis' shaken trust in the government, whether Labour will commit to a capital gains tax as they head into their party conference this weekend, and Matt Doocey touched on the recently revealed texts he received from Mike King. The Mental Health Minister says he didn't reply to the texts after King's controversial comments around alcohol because he didn't want to. The I Am Hope founder told Newstalk ZB last month that alcohol is the solution for mental health issues, until a better solution is found. Minister Matt Doocey was among those to publicly reject the claim. King, who receives $24 million in government funding for his mental health charity, sent Doocey a 500 word text attempting to justify his claim. Doocey told John MacDonald he scanned the message, but doesn't reply to every text he gets, and had already stated his position. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I can't accuse NZ First MP Shane Jones of being pale, male, and stale. But he is male, and he is stale with these comments of his about the way some MPs are dressing in Parliament. I do agree with him, though, that some of the rules in Parliament need toughening up. This has all been stirred-up after the MPs did their haka in Parliament last week. Shane Jones and ACT leader David Seymour are saying that the rules governing how things are supposed to run in the House aren't up to scratch. I was reading that the toughest personal penalty that an MP can face for playing up in the debating chamber is $1,000. Which is chicken feed when you consider the salaries MPs are on. So MPs on Parliament's Standing Orders Committee are going to look into it and see if they can come up with some stiffer penalties for MPs who break the rules. Officially, these rules are known as Standing Orders and it is the Standing Orders Committee which is responsible for reviewing and considering the rules that govern how the House operates. So Shane Jones is happy about that. He's also happy to let the Standing Orders Committee decide what changes might be needed. But he also reckons they need to get tough on dress standards, as well, in Parliament. He thinks the way some MPs dress, they look like "scarecrows". But I'm not upset about cowboy hats and feathers in Parliament. That's because Parliament is, after all, the House of Representatives. Meaning the politicians in that House are supposed to be representative of us. And, if you're somewhere right now where there are other people, take a look around. Is everyone dressed the same? Of course they're not. Are all the guys in suits and ties? I bet they aren't. And are all the women wearing smart business suits? I bet they're not, either. Whether we like it or not, dress standards generally have changed. You might say they've gone backwards. I wouldn't describe it that way. The point I'm making is that Parliament needs to reflect the real world. And the real world includes people dressing in cowboy hats. And feathers too, at times. But where I am with Shane Jones and Christopher Luxon, though, is the need to ensure that the rules that determine how Parliament is run and what is expected of MPs and the consequences for breaking those rules need toughening up. Reason being that there would not be any other workplace in the country where aggressive behaviour would be tolerated. And I'm not being anti-haka here, but what happened in Parliament last week was aggressive. The All Blacks' haka is aggressive, and the haka in Parliament on Thursday was aggressive. Just like Julie-Anne Genter was aggressive when she went nuts at Matt Doocey in the House earlier this year. And that's where the rules —or, at least, the punishments for breaking the rules— need a good look at. Because, just like people wearing cowboy hats and feathers is part of the real world, we should also be seeing our Parliament run in a way that gives MPs the same protections that all workers in this country expect when it comes to not being treated aggressively and being respected. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I Am Hope charity founder Mike King has attracted criticism for comments around alcohol, saying that in some cases alcohol has prevented young people from taking their lives. Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Mental Health Minister says he disagrees with Mike King's comments about alcohol but supports his wider work. The Gumboot Friday co-founder told Newstalk ZB alcohol is a solution for mental health problems, as it can help stop negative thoughts. Labour wants the Government to stop providing funding for Gumboot Friday, an initiative that supports young people with their mental health. Minister Matt Doocey told Mike Hosking the Government investment gives an extra 15,000 young people timely access to mental health support. He says at the end of the day, it's about young people getting the support they need. Doocey says King is allowed, as an advocate, to have his own views. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A blow to South Canterbury as Timaru's Smithfield meat-works is confirmed to be closing. The entire nearly 140-year-old site will close by December's end. Alliance Group's told staff they'll be offered re-deployment at its other processing plants, where possible. Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey told John MacDonald that he's gutted. He says it'll impact many families and be felt by the wider community. Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb says it will have a knock-on effect for the city. He says the loss of 500 jobs means 500-less incomes being spent, which local businesses will feel. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister in charge says ACC needs to lift its game. The government agency has reported a $7.2 billion deficit, just a year after posting an almost $1 billion surplus. It says the cost of services and compensation rose 16% over the year. It's proposing to hike levies for vehicle owners, workers, and business owners. Minister Matt Doocey told Ryan Bridge he doesn't expect levies to be used as default. He says they have to focus on their rehabilitation rates, which have been lower than expected. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 17th of October, ACC has recorded a $7.2 billion dollar deficit just a year after a $911 million surplus. How has it become this bad, and what does it mean for the levies we all pay? ACC Minister Matt Doocey discusses. Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau is set to meet with the local government Minister today following the threat of government intervention. Councillor Ray Chung speaks to Ryan about the situation. Inflation is back within the target range of 1-3%, what does it mean for the November OCR decision? ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley joins the show. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I could not have put it better than ACC Minister Matt Doocey did yesterday. He wants ACC to lift its own game before it starts raising levies.   The Accident Compensation Corporation has just begun a one-month consultation on suggested rises of more than 7% on levies for motorists, and more than 4% for employers and earners. I mean everybody else is raising their rates, aren't they? So here goes ACC. They have motorcyclists, professional sports people and ballerinas, specifically in their sights. Ballerinas?! Dainty, little, tiny, wee things like them, I imagine it's a strenuous job, and if something goes wrong, if you're a ballerina, it would go wrong badly, but I wouldn't have thought there would be that many to make a drain on the Accident Compensation Corporation's finances. But none the less, be warned ballerinas – you are in the ACC's sights.   To be fair, ACC has said it is just a consultation at this stage, and the proposal is part of a legislative requirement every three years, with cabinet making the final decision on whether levies are raised before December. Can you imagine any minister going ‘hmm, probably a bit unfair, let's see ACC improve its game before we lift the levies'. I cannot see any government organisation or minister going, ‘you know what? let's keep things the way they are'. Doocey says ACC has to make its own efforts to lift its poor financial performance, it has to increase its rehab rates, and it has to do a lot more around injury prevention before they can make a case for raising levies. And that is a fair call given ACC has just done a U-turn and reintroduced one-on-one case managers. They took them away as part of a $74 million restructure, despite the fact the agency had been warned that the new restructure was a dud. A complete dud that wouldn't work.   And in fact, we had a caller a couple of weeks ago who said that they had been trying to talk to ACC about their particular rehabilitation, they said they were passed from pillar to post, from one person to the next. They had to explain everything from beginning to end every single time they phoned, and it was just a waste of everybody's time and incredibly frustrating. So one-on-one case managers have been reinstated.   It's just another colossal waste of time and money. The rollout began in 2020 with some zingy person leading the restructure going ‘hey, we're going to increase productivity. Yes, we are. We're going to save costs and you case managers, you're going to see a direct lift in your performance. We're going to improve your workloads'.  By 2022, running costs had doubled, there were no discernible benefits to clients, and there was little improvement to case backlogs with exhausted and overworked case managers dropping at their desks. So the agency's gone back after $74 million down the gurgler to one-on-one case management.   Back to the proposed living increases, they are up for discussion, so let's discuss. Motorcyclists - the levy covers only around 28% of your costs to the ACC scheme. When things go wrong if you're a motorcyclist, things go wrong badly, so you're going to need a lot of rehab. So Matt Doocey asked do we lower the levy for lower powered bikes while increasing the cost for more powerful bikes? And I would really love to know what ballerinas are doing to stuff themselves up so much.   Professional sportspeople - I thought you would have been well and truly covered with the medical system that surrounds you as part of your job and the fact that you would go private.  I mean when have you ever heard of any All Black going on the waiting list for a knee operation? They don't. They're in surgery the next day, so I would have that would have been part of your contract that your medical costs are covered. Interesting though, at the Kerre Woodham Morning Show, two out of two of us have been on ACC in the past year. Helen with her never ending shoulder fracture and then me with the smashed arm. But again, the ACC ended after I think it was about 6 physio visits. I've been paying for them ever since. I paid for my own acupuncture, I didn't need any taxis. But we have used it.   It is a good system when it works. You know you take responsibility for your own recovery as well. You don't just lie there, lumpingly, and expect the taxpayer and the government to fix you. You do your own rehab and try and get yourself better. Everybody says, oh, it's the envy of the world, your ACC, it's just wonderful. Is it still? There's a $1 billion shortfall and you know a lot of that is the damaged babies that actually survive the brutal beatings, but they are left needing lifelong care, so a fund has been set aside for their lifelong needs, which sickens me.   You cannot get blood out of a stone. I don't know how much more they expect us to pay for everything, for all of the everything. For the rates, for the insurance, for the ACC, for the food, for the doctor's visits, for the everything. You know, there comes a point where you just cannot pay any more. But is ACC serving you well? I can put up my hand and I can do that now and say it has, it has worked well, provided you do your bit too. It's got to be a 50/50 partnership, I think. But can they really justify asking for more in levies when they have just wasted $74 million on a failed restructure? I'm with Matt Doocey: lift your own game before you take money out of our pockets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Matt Doocey and Labour's Reuben Davidson joined John MacDonald this week for Politics Friday.  They discussed Hagley College's idea to trial a flexible model, with students working from home two days a week – how does this fit in with the Government's plans for attendance?  Will increasing the visitor levy be the answer to funding issues, or will it be a silver bullet to the tourism industry?   Does the Government support the Mayor's letter, asking them to crack down on pokie machine jackpots and add limits to machines in Christchurch?  Plus, what really happened with Matt Doocey's interview mixup on the Mike Hosking Breakfast?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘I have uncovered a scandal' teases Newstalk ZB Mike Hosking, as he reveals a tale of sabotage allegedly involving his RNZ rivals. But RNZ says there has been a genuine misunderstanding. --  Minister of Tourism Matt Doocey tapped the numbers into his phone to speak to Newstalk ZB host Mike Hosking.  A voice on the other end of the line answered.  Doocey introduced himself, explaining he was calling for the pre-arranged interview with Hosking – the pair were scheduled to speak on Thursday morning about the proposed new levy on overseas visitors and tourism's contribution to GDP.  According to Hosking, the person on the other end of the line allegedly responded along the lines of that there was no longer an interview.  The minister's office confirmed this morning he was told by the person on the other end of the line that the interview was not happening.  Tourism Minister Matt Doocey. Photo / Mark Mitchell  According to Hosking – who was relaying the tale of events to his listeners this morning – Doocey thought that was unusual, hung up and carried on with his day. Meanwhile, Hosking's producer at Newstalk ZB was wondering where the minister had got to and why he hadn't called in, as had been arranged. It turns out, Doocey had been given the wrong number by his office – a staff member had mistakenly written down a studio number for RNZ instead of Newstalk ZB. You can see where this might be heading. “I have uncovered a scandal that involves the state broadcaster, Radio New Zealand ...! Something nefarious, underhand and possibly dastardly has been uncovered,” Hosking teased his listeners this morning. But RNZ has said it appears there has been “a genuine misunderstanding”. Hosking explained that after Doocey's no-show over the phone, his producer chased the minister down. “Here's a bit of insight into how the radio industry works. Matt Doocey was due to ring in, Matt Doocey is nowhere to be seen at about five minutes past seven,” said Hosking. “What's happened to Matt Doocey? We start chasing him down. “It turns out the person in his office had written down the wrong number for him. “So obviously, [that's] immediate incompetence that needs to be dealt with forthwith. Do the basics brilliantly, I thought was the National Party. It's not.” Mike Hosking also interviewed Lisa Carringtion this week. Photo / Jason Oxenham  Hosking's team eventually tracked down the minister and conducted the interview.  Off air, they were digging deeper – who did that phone number belong to? Yes, as it turned out, RNZ.  “So Matt Doocey, minister of the crown rang up the state broadcaster as funded by you and I through our tax money and said ‘Matt Doocey reporting for the Mike Hosking Breakfast',” said Hosking.  “To which point they said, ‘You no longer have an interview with the Mike Hosking Breakfast.”  But RNZ denies that specific response was used.  An RNZ spokeswoman said: “Having spoken to the staff member who received the call, this appears to have been a genuine misunderstanding.  “On receiving the call, they explained that we had interviewed the Minister the day before and there was no interview scheduled that morning. The staff member did not mention Newstalk or Mike Hosking.”  Hosking had several questions on his show earlier.  “One, do I secretly admire them for being so quickwitted that the first thing they do is instead of going, ‘Oh, you've probably got the wrong number', or ‘Whoops, you've rung Radio New Zealand, sorry', they say, ‘You no longer have an interview with Mike Hosking Breakfast'?  “That's quite sharp to be honest, [it's] probably worth looking into employing that person, whoever they were, because there are some people here who aren't remotely that sharp.  “Second, is it underhand?  “Third, is that just competition and that's life? And would we have done the same thing if we were alert enough to do the same thing?  “Fourth, is it just pure, straight up and down sabotage?”  Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand's most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tourism Minister's upbeat as international travellers continue to spend more here.  The latest International Visitor Survey shows overseas visitors added $2.6 billion to the economy in the June quarter, an annual increase of 17%.  It comes a day after the Government's announcement that the International Visitor Levy will rise by almost 200% to $100 from next month.   Matt Doocey told Mike Hosking there was no connection between the two announcements.  He says tourism operators believe they have better product and experiences, which need to be celebrated.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From next month the international visitors levy will more than triple; from 35 dollars to a hundred dollars. International visitors spent over $11 billion in the year ending March 2024, but being popular comes with a cost, increased pressure on regional infrastructure and maintenance costs across the conservation estate and the government says the increased levy will help cover the bills. But some in the tourism sector said the changes will make New Zealand more expensive and less attractive as a destination and that's going to hurt the industry which hasn't yet bounced back from the pandemic, Tourism Minister, Matt Doocey spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Tourism Minister says the extra money from increased overseas visitor fees will be funnelled back into the industry. The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy rises next month from $35 to $100 next month. Matt Doocey says $100 is less than three percent of a visitor's total spend. "Ultimately, this levy will be reinvested into both tourism pressures - but also, the conservation estates, which a large part of people travel to New Zealand for. So we'll be delivering a better product." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mental Health Minister is confident about moving emergency responses to people in acute mental distress to health experts, rather than Police. Police say they'll be phasing rollout - of stepping back from mental-health callouts, over a year, starting in November. They'll lift the risk threshold for turning up - and start reducing how long officers stay with a patient they've transported to hospital. Matt Doocey told Heather du Plessis Allan mechanisms are being worked through for managing the transition. He says it's clear someone having a mental health crisis should get a health response, not a criminal one. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Politics Friday, Labour's Megan Woods and National's Matt Doocey joined John to dig into some of the biggest political stories of the week.  On the agenda was the proposed road user charges system – will it work? Is it fair? Can National and Labour agree on an infrastructure plan to ensure things get finished? And is importing LNG a longterm solution? What does the former Energy Minister make of National's plans?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 10th of July, what will the Reserve Bank do with the Official Cash Rate, and who will lowering the clean car importer standard help?  SailGP is coming to Auckland but is Auckland ready for SailGP? And where will we be able to watch it?  Mark Mitchell and Carmel Sepuloni cover everything from Darleen Tana to Matt Doocey and his inability to read reports he's in charge of on Politics Wednesday.  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.

Applications for money from the government's new 10 million dollar mental health fund will open this month. It'll be accessible to all NGOs, community health and addiction providers as well as iwi based and other kaupapa Maori providers. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey told Susana Lei'ataua he has a plan to grow the workforce but didn't detail if roles will be funded specifically.

Australia is far outstripping New Zealand on the tourism front.  Data from Stats NZ shows that New Zealand had just over 340,000 visitors in March this year, up 74,200 compared to last year.  In comparison, Australia had more than 760,000, a 24.1% increase from March last year.  Tourism Minister Matt Doocey told Mike Hosking that we're actually tracking pretty well when you look at the figures for the year ending March 2024.  He said that we're sitting at about 82% of pre-Covid numbers, which is roughly the same as Australia, and in line with the global rate of 85%.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That was some outstanding rage from Julie Anne Genter, wasn't it? It probably won't surprise you to hear she's not at work today, she's working from home - I would be too, if that was me caught on that camera. The Greens have launched a disciplinary process, but I'm not expecting much from that, given how relaxed they seem to have been in the past about dealing with allegations against their MPs. Also, multiple parties in Parliament have now complained to the Speaker, and Gerry Brownlee will make a decision next week on whether he refers this to the Privileges Committee. Frankly, I think he's going to have to, don't you?  Because that was pretty outrageous behaviour. I mean in most professional workplaces, if you went up to a colleague, got your face about 30cm from them, yelled at them while waving a document in their face and then waved your hands repeatedly, I reckon you'd get a written warning - or a verbal warning at the very least. But it would be on your record, wouldn't it?  If you flipped the roles, if that was National's Matt Doocey marching over to Julie Anne Genter and yelling in her face instead of the other way around, there would be calls for all hell to rain down on him. Now obviously, let's deal with reality, let's not pretend women are held to the same standard as men when it comes to threatening behaviour. They aren't - and that's generally because women are not as much of a physical threat to men as the other way around. Rightly or wrongly, that's just how the world works. And I reckon that will colour the judgement of this particular case. But even for a woman, that was pretty wild, wasn't it? That was pretty cooked. Anyway, interestingly, Greens co-leader Marama Davidson was repeatedly asked today if she knows of other instances where Julie Anne Genter has lost her temper - and she didn't really answer the question, so draw your own conclusions from it. But she was probably asked because Julie Anne does have a bit of a short fuse. She's very passionate about her portfolio, she can get cross pretty easily about it. She walked out of a 1News interview three years ago - when you're with her one-on-one discussing transport, she gets quite shouty, even in public. To her credit, I like the fact that she's passionate about transport. It's good to have people who actually care about the things that they're in charge of. But unfortunately for her Parliament, like most workplaces now, has standards. And if we don't want blokes to be doing this to ladies in the House, we shouldn't have the ladies doing this to blokes in the House, should we? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters says Julie Anne Genter should face consequences for confronting a minister in the House.  The Green MP has apologised in Parliament and could face further disciplinary action after a complaint was made of intimidatory behaviour toward Minister Matthew Doocey on Wednesday night.  Genter walked across the debating chamber to Doocey, waved a booklet and spoke angrily to him while getting close to his face.  The incident happened at about 8pm, while Labour's Nelson MP Rachel Boyack was speaking and followed some interjections between Doocey and Genter. It was visible in the background of the footage on Parliament TV.  “Miss Genter. Miss Genter, please resume your seat,” demanded the chair at the time, Barbara Kuriger.  “It's not appropriate to get out of one's seat to go and have an argument with somebody on the other side.”  Speaker Gerry Brownlee had to be recalled to the debating chamber to deal with the issue after National's whip Scott Simpson asked Kuriger to do so.  Simpson said in Parliament that he had never seen anything like it, describing it as a “serious, intimidatory physical attack upon another member”.  The Deputy Prime Minister told Mike Hosking that Genter appeared to, quote, "lose the plot".  He says there are processes to discipline someone like that, and just apologising to Doocey for making him feel unsafe doesn't cut it.  Also last night, Peters gave a speech regarding AUKUS Pillar 2, and has said the details are still fairly new to him.  The Foreign Minister has outlined New Zealand's position to the Institute of International Affairs at Parliament.  He says we should be open to exploring the technology leg of the nuclear-powered submarine pact and what that could look like for us.  Peters told Hosking that he's still trying to find out exactly what Pillar 2 would entail.   He says in the middle of public discussions, all sorts of people are rushing to judgement without having been remotely briefed on the matter.  LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey appeared blindsided by news that the Suicide Prevention Office was closing. Doocey insisted the office would remain open despite Deputy-Director General of Health announcing the office would merge into a wider directorate.  Labour health spokesperson Ayesa Verall weighed in that the closure was at the behest of the Government.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mental health experts and addition specialists will begin working in emergency departments as part of a trial, as confirmed by the Government. They'll start out in four large hospitals in July and the scheme will be rolled out across the country, if proven successful. The Minister for Mental Health, Matt Doocey, says it's clear that the Peer Support workforce needs to be scaled up. "What we want to do is roll out this new service. It is untested, we want to build the evidence in it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People who've suffered acute mental breakdowns fear the health system won't be ready to fill the gap when police withdraw from crisis callouts. The Minister for Mental Health, Matt Doocey, has floated the idea of having a specific mental health option when people call 111. Health New Zealand says it's working with police on plans to move to a multi-agency response to mental distress. Ruth Hill reports.

With Matt Doocey, Peeni Henare and Peter Bale

There's more work to do to draw more international visitors to our shores.  Stats NZ data for the year to the end of March 2023 shows total tourism spend of $37.7 billion, up $10.7 billion from the year before.  That's about $4 billion shy of pre-covid levels.  Tourism Minister Matt Doocey told Mike Hosking that Australia, USA, and the UK all have similar market share compared with 2019.  He says the real difference is China —pre-covid it was about 10% market share, but in 2023 it's about 5%— so there's a lot to do in that market.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mental Health Minister plans to tackle the nation's fragmented youth mental health system.  A new report by the Auditor-General, has highlighted dire inadequacies in accessing services and information among 12-to-24-year-olds. Minister Matt Doocey says he plans to reach across all Government departments to develop a mental health strategy.  "I'll be getting advice from officials for how I set up that cross-department group, because what we need to do is ensure we're driving Ministry of Education, Health, Social Development, Oranga Tamariki, to ensure we can progress." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's top cop says dealing with thousands of mental distress call-outs each year is getting in the way of fighting crime and it's time for health services to step up. In their briefing to the new police minister, the top brass has outlined plans to "transition" from a police-led response for people in mental distress to a multi-agency approach within five years. The Minister for Mental Health, Matt Doocey has now floated the idea of having a specific mental health option when people call 111. Ruth Hill reports.

How is the country's first ever Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey going to tackle the myriad of challenges before him?

Questions to Ministers TAMATI COFFEY to the Minister for Cyclone Recovery: What progress has been made on agreements with councils in severely affected areas following Cyclone Gabrielle? HON JAMES SHAW to the Minister of Transport: Will the Government commit to building light rail in our three major centres in a cost-effective way that reduces emissions? CHRISTOPHER LUXON to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? TERISA NGOBI to the Minister of Housing: How is the Government's record public housing build programme increasing the supply of homes in regional New Zealand? DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's actions and policies? NICOLA WILLIS to the Minister of Finance: What concerns, if any, does he have about the performance of the New Zealand economy, and what impact is the performance of the New Zealand economy having on New Zealanders? DR ANAE NERU LEAVASA to the Minister of Education: What feedback has she received on the Government's free healthy school lunches programme? DAVID SEYMOUR to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and policies? INGRID LEARY to the Minister of Immigration: What recent announcement has he made regarding a residence pathway for Special Ukraine Visa holders who are settled in New Zealand? MATT DOOCEY to the Minister of Health: Why are there 16 fewer psychiatrist FTEs employed in 2023 than when this Government came into office in 2017, and does she think that this is an acceptable outcome from the $1.9 billion announced for mental health in Budget 2019? VANUSHI WALTERS to the Minister of Justice: What progress has the Government made in cracking down on youth offending? HON MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Police: Does she stand by her statement, "It is my view that New Zealanders feel safer"; if so, why?

Questions to Ministers SORAYA PEKE-MASON to the Minister of Health: What announcements has the Government made about its long-term vision for the health of New Zealanders? CHRIS BISHOP to the Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment: How many applicants on the Housing Register, if any, indicated they were living in a car at the time of application in June 2023, and how does this compare to October 2017? JAMIE STRANGE to the Minister of Justice: What recent announcements has the Government made about increasing accountability for young offenders? Hon MEKA WHAITIRI to the Minister of Climate Change: Does he stand by all the Government's statements and actions regarding engagement with Maori landowners on the review of the emissions trading scheme? ERICA STANFORD to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by her statement that "my bottom line is to ensure our young people are getting the education they need and deserve", and does she believe the 85 percent of year 8 Pacific students who are not achieving at curriculum level 4 or above in maths, according to the 2022 NMSSA data, are getting the education they need and deserve? CAMILLA BELICH to the Minister of Immigration: What recent announcements has he made regarding working holiday visas? MATT DOOCEY to the Minister of Health: Does she stand by all of her statements and actions in relation to the release of health data by Health New Zealand? ANGIE WARREN-CLARK to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector: What recent announcements has she made about modernising the charities sector? TONI SEVERIN to the Minister of Corrections: Does he think it is acceptable that, as at 31 May 2023, 2,191 sentenced prisoners had attended a rehabilitation programme during the 2022/2023 year, 4,140 fewer than attended rehabilitation programmes in the 2017/2018 year, and how many sentenced prisoners attended a rehabilitation programme during June 2023? HELEN WHITE to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What updates can he report about the New Zealand Claims Resolution Service? SIMON WATTS to the Minister of Revenue: Does he stand by his statement on the Government's proposal for a wealth tax that "As is clear from the papers, I supported it", and does he think Inland Revenue was right to say a wealth tax would "generate a range of economic costs and other risks"? Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Minister of Transport: Is reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport still a priority for this Government?

Questions to Ministers TEANAU TUIONO to the Minister of Agriculture: Has he seen the call in the Climate Shift plan, released last week, to "Transition intensive dairying to low emissions farming by phasing out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and imported animal feed, reducing herd size, and banning new large-scale irrigation schemes"; if so, does he support it? SHANAN HALBERT to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy? NICOLA WILLIS to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in all of his Ministers? Dr JAMES McDOWALL to the Minister of Immigration: Can football fans from non - visa waiver countries wishing to take advantage of this month's release of additional tickets for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup come to New Zealand to watch games that start in 28 days, and how many days does it currently take Immigration New Zealand, on average, to process 90 percent of visitor visa applications for non - visa waiver countries? SARAH PALLETT to the Minister for Women: How will Budget 2023 deliver for women? Hon LOUISE UPSTON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How many more people are on the jobseeker benefit today compared to September 2017, and how much higher are jobseeker benefit numbers expected to climb, according to Treasury's forecast from the Budget? TAMATI COFFEY to the Minister of Tourism: What recent announcement has been made regarding the tourism industry's transformation to be more environmentally responsible? MATT DOOCEY to the Minister of Health: Is it correct that reported waiting times for children seeking mental health treatment in the Wellington region increased from 28 days in 2018 to almost 70 days in 2022, and does she agree with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission's statement that "There are persistent workforce shortages, and we are yet to see a clear strategy and roadmap to grow and develop the workforce we so desperately need"? IBRAHIM OMER to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: What recent announcements has she made in response to Iran's ongoing human rights abuses? PENNY SIMMONDS to the Minister of Education: What is the unaudited draft financial surplus or deficit for Te Pukenga for the financial year ended 31 December 2022? TERISA NGOBI to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What progress has the Government made for Kiwi consumers this week? HARETE HIPANGO to the Minister for Children: Does he stand by all of his statements and actions regarding Oranga Tamariki?

The Government is under-fire from the opposition with claims our must vulnerable New Zealanders have been failed. Official figures show just $900,000 of the $100 million put aside in last year's Budget for mental healthcare over four years has been spent. But Te Whatu Ora says considerable development progress has been made, and the data doesn't count funding committed in agreements. National's Mental Health spokesperson, Matt Doocey told Mike Hosking the Government has failed its promise to transform the mental health system. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.