Podcasts about prime minister chris hipkins

Law and order was a major concern of voters going into the 2023 Election – to be fair, it's usually on the minds of voters going into any election campaign, but particularly the last one. Voters had had a guts full of doing things a different way. Of policing by consent, of giving authority to the gangs and then seeing them take over towns. We had guts full of seeing young kids ram raiding, of seeing neighbourhood crime increase. You saw numerous community Facebook pages showing kids as young as 10 being driven around by older people, breaking into homes, stealing what they could find. People were sick and tired of it, and they were sick and tired too of judges letting young punks walk away from their crimes and their responsibilities. They wanted the authorities to ensure consequences were in place when offenders broke the law. The coalition partners may have their differences, when it comes to law and order though, National, Act, and New Zealand First were, and still are, singing from the same song sheet. They all wanted to go hard in direct contrast to Labour who wanted to and did empty the prisons. Under Labour, incarceration rates plummeted from 213 people per 100,000 in 2018, which is near the highest in the OECD to 149 per 100,000. Although victims of crime increased by 12%. So unfortunately, treating people kindly, nicely with compassion didn't seem to be working terribly well. Labour's reforms were part of an overall goal to reduce the prison population by 30% by 2033. In one area where it achieved success, it achieved that 10 years early. In the 23 campaign, then Prime Minister Chris Hipkins saw that the writing was on the wall and in a stark illustration of pragmatism over ideology, showing that power to him was more important than Labour's principles, he scrapped the target as part of the policy bonfire. But it was too little too late. Labour was voted out, the Coalition voted in, and now tougher sentencing laws have been passed by Parliament. The changes kept the discounts that judges can apply during sentencing to 40% – which still sounds an awful lot. It also scraps repeat discounts for youth and remorse and absolutely – that makes sense. How many times can you be bloody sorry? How many times can you say, oh, look, I'm sorry, I was only 16, I was only 17, I was only 18, I was only 19. I have absolutely no doubt that the dreadful upbringings that many of these offenders have contributes to the reasons why they offend, but how many times do you get to play that card? It is awful. It's unspeakable. It shouldn't happen. But you can't keep saying sorry and getting away with it and having it apply. There are three new aggravating factors: penalizing offenders who target sole charge workers, good, those who aid and abet young people, good, and those who live stream their crimes, double good. The changes also encourage longer sentences for people who offend on bail, in custody, or on parole, and implement a sliding scale for early guilty pleas, so an offender can only get a 5% discount if they change their plea to guilty during the trial. This is common sense that absolutely discourages bad behaviour. But as Julie-Anne Kincaid, the Law Association Vice President told Mike Hosking this morning, the changes are all very well and good, but we're running out of places to put the lawbreakers. “Our prisons are full. We have these new things coming into play, which are designed to make prison sentences longer and people to be imprisoned longer, as well as 3 strikes coming into play on the 17th of June this year. And these will lead to an increase in our prison population, which is already at breaking point. “It costs $150,000 about to keep a person in prison for a year in New Zealand. So that's 10 more people in jail for one year each is $1.5 million, and that would pay, I'm sure for a palliative paediatric doctor to come to New Zealand.” It absolutely would. There are so many ways we as taxpayers could spend $150,000. If I had $150,000 per person, I would love to use that money to rehabilitate them. To rehabilitate especially the young punks, so they didn't cause any further harm and pain. Prison, I think we can all agree, isn't where rehabilitation happens – that has to happen within the person themselves. They decide, all of a sudden they grow up. Age seems to happen, and that's when offending stops. They fall in love, they have children, they decide they don't want the kids being brought to see dad or mum in the prison. So they decide to grow up and change their ways. They decide that they are worth more and deserve more than being some dumbass fall guy for the gangs. But, where is that rehabilitation going to happen? Where are the rehabilitation programs that work? Can we all sit around waiting for the muse to strike some young punk? Because it seems to be an epiphany that they have – this is not working, this is stupid. Doing the same thing over and over again is dumb. I'm worth more, I'm going to go out and have more. We can't. And we cannot let people get away with their crimes because that really starts to rip the fabric of society, not just strain it, but tear it. The people who are doing good get increasingly furious, increasingly brassed off, increasingly intolerant – and you can't blame them. How many times do you see people walking out of the supermarket with the trolleys loaded high when you have been agonizing over how much you have to spend, and trying to feed the family with that? So they have to be punished. Ideally, they don't commit the crime in the first place, you nip it in the bud. And that's where I guess the social investment policies come in, but they take time. I think we're just gonna have to put up with overcrowded prisons for a while, because I don't know about you, but after six years of attempts to do things differently —I don't know how they thought that reducing the prison population was suddenly going to make society safer, it didn't— I want to see good old-fashioned justice and retribution. Little bit of hellfire and brimstone for a couple of years, no matter the cost, I'm okay with it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exclusive chat with former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, The crew chat about life in opposition and his views on the devestating events happening in Palestine at the momentSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says Labour leader Chris Hipkins' call for a ceasefire in Gaza was a surprise. Hipkins yesterday said he believes Israel's Defence Force's response has been disproportionate and indiscriminate. National's Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Gerry Brownlee, says calling for a ceasefire has no point if both sides aren't willing to cooperate. Brownlee says National backs negotiating efforts from parties closer to the conflict- and that Qatari negotiators are doing a good job. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party is accusing caretaker Prime Minister Chris Hipkins of playing politics over Gaza after the Labour Party leader called for a ceasefire. Chris Hipkins says he sought an agreement from the National Party over the call but was unsuccessful. National says it supports the goal, but says Mr Hipkins' actions go against a long standing bipartisan approach to foreign policy. Neither Chris Hipkins nor National Party leader Christopher Luxon were available for comment. But National's foreign affairs spokesperson Gerry Brownlee spoke to Corin Dann.

Top stories for 20 November 2023 National is accusing caretaker Prime Minister Chris Hipkins of playing politics over Gaza An announcement on a deal to form the next government is inching ever-closer, but it's not there just yet Doctors in Auckland are warning people could get seriously hurt or killed if security isn't improved at the city's hospitals

With incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon saying it's "highly unlikely" he will attend the APEC summit in San Francisco this week, questions have arisen as to who will replace him. The two likely candidates are the caretaker Prime Minister Chris Hipkins or Damien O'Connor, who is already in San Francisco for trade talks. It looks increasingly likely that Chinese leader Xi Jinping will attend, alongside President Biden and other world leaders from the summit's 21 member nations, the first time President Xi will have been in the US since 2015. Geo-political analyst Geoffrey Miller spoke to Corin Dann.

Labour leader and outgoing Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was re-elected as leader. Was he really only the valid option?Where do coalition negotiations currently sit?Should Electoral Commissioner Karl Le Quesne lose his job over the election mistakes?ZB's Political Editor Jason Walls wraps the week that was.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UN's secretary general Antonio Guterres says he is shocked by what he says are "misinterpretations" of his comments about Israel's bombardment and blockade of the Gaza strip. On Wednesday, Guterres said the Hamas attacks in southern Israel had not "happened in a vacuum and there was no justification for the Hamas attacks". Israel has threatened to deny visas to UN officials, and Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan has called for Antonio Guterres to resign, accusing him of "expressing an understanding for terrorism and murder". Air strikes are continuing to hit Gaza where the Health Ministry in the Hamas controlled territory says 6,500 people have been killed 2,700 of them children. Israel says more than 1,400 people were killed in the Hamas attacks on October 7. A third of hospitals have shut down and the remainder are now down to the barest of emergency services with the territories fuel supplies exhausted after Israel's fortnight long siege of the territory. On Wednesday night, eight trucks carrying food water and medicine crossed the border with Egypt but Israel has banned fuel from entering the territory saying Hamas would use it for military purposes. Palestinian foreign affairs minister, Riad Al-Maliki, yesterday told the United Nations' Security Council that more killing and deaths would not make Israel safer. At the same meeting, Israel's foreign affairs minister Eli Cohen rejected calls for a ceasefire. Israel is now refusing to issue visas for UN officials, including the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths. On Wednesday, New Zealand urged the Security Council to implement a humanitarian pause, corridors for water, food, fuel, medicines and other basics of life, and designated safe areas that are strictly off-limits as targets or military bases. Our interview requests to caretaker Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and permanent representative to the UN Carolyn Schwalger were unsuccessful. 

Today we were joined in studio by the Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins ahead of the General Election on Saturday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says he knows there is a lot riding on his performance in tonight's first leaders debate as Labour needs to make up ground in the polls. The PM told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking his party can be trusted to deliver on its election promises, will tackle crime and that the economy will bounce back. When asked by Hosking if the leaders' debate was his to lose, Hipkins replied he "wouldn't go that far". "They are often more difficult for incumbent Prime Ministers than leaders of the opposition," he said. "But I'm looking forward to the debate because we actually don't get much time in these election campaigns to talk about issues." "And the leaders' debates are one of the times when you actually get to explore issues in a bit more depth."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National is taking aim at the Government in what it claims is not putting victims at the heart of the criminal justice system.   Cabinet rejected a proposal in July by then Justice Minister Kiri Allan banning anyone gang-affiliated from receiving public funding.  National's Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking the country has a soft-on-crime Government that doesn't see crime for what it is.  He says much of it is being pushed into the community by gangs and they need to put an end to it. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says many of the funded programmes in question are making a difference.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a big start to the week for Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins. New Zealand's Covid restrictions era has formally ended, with the lifting of mandates for the seven-day isolation period as well as masks in healthcare settings. Labour also released its new Parental Leave policy which would provide four weeks paid parental leave for partners, if Labour wins the election. And Sunday saw the announcement of Labour's tax policy, including removing GST from fruit and vegetables. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The government's heavy-hitters hit full campaign mode today when they visited Taranaki. Both the Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and his deputy Carmel Sepuloni played on their family histories as they hit the streets of Waitara and visited the local high school. Our Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin tagged along.

The government has announced a "first of its kind" $2 billion climate infrastructure fund. It's partnered with investment giant BlackRock with the goal of New Zealand being one of the first countries to transition to a 100 percent renewable electricity grid by 2030. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is calling it a game changer for the clean tech sector, but questions remain about how the fund will operate, and about the wisdom of teaming up with a sometimes controversial multinational. Emma Stanford was at the announcement. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6332599822112

Greenpeace is calling for caution, when it comes to the mega private green investment fund unveiled by the prime minister today. The government's partnered with a controversial investment giant Black Rock to launch a $2 billion fund to help transition Aotearoa to a 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says it's a game changer, but there was limited detail about how the fund will work and what terms and conditions they've put on the controversial multinational. Blackrock is a big investor in fossil fuels and is currently being under investigation in the US for allegedly investing in blacklisted chinese companies that are on a no go list for human rights and security reasons. Greenpeace is concerned about the heavy reliance on private investment and a lack of policy details with the announcement. John Berry from Pathfinder Asset Management told us earlier in the programme whilst we shouldn't necessarily be wary about Blackrock, we do need to ensure their investments in renewable energy make sense in New Zealand. Energy Minister, Megan Woods says it creates huge opportunities for New Zealand. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6332599599112

Nurses left out of the pay deal with Te Whatu Ora are being told they'll have to wait to catch with their hospital counterparts. Hospital nurses have voted to accept the new improved pay offer brokered by arbitration. The Government says it's committed to bridging the pay gap between hospital nurses and primary care but it will take time. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins spoke to Corin Dann.

Three Ministers gone - and three percentage points gone from their support base. That's the tale of the Labour Party's past two months, in which Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has dealt with scandal after scandal. According to the latest Newshub - Reid Research poll, released last night, National and ACT could comfortably govern with a projected 63 combined seats. Labour were down 3.6 points to 32.3 percent, and National were up 1.3 points to 36.6. The minor parties were in good shape, with ACT up 1.3 points to 12.1 percent, the Greens up 1.5 to 9.6 percent, and New Zealand First up 1.1 points to 4.1 percent. RNZ's political editor Jane Patterson spoke to Corin Dann.

The government has unveiled new measures to target youth and gang crime, but they won't come into force before the election. It intends to create a new offence, so that those who use young people to commit a crime could face up to 10 years in prison. People would also face a tougher sentence if they post their offending behaviour on social media. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins hit out at those who involve young people in crime. The government will also enable the Family Court to require, not request, young offenders participate in activities like cleaning graffiti and picking up rubbish. But Mr Hipkins says legislation which would enable those changes won't pass before October's election. Despite that, he says the Labour government is focused on preventing crime. The government is also pumping $26 million into the police's prosecution service. The money will fund almost 80 full time equivalent staff to prepare the police's work in court. Police Minister Ginny Andersen spoke to Susana Leiátaua. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6331325092112

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has ruled out introducing a wealth tax or a capital gains tax while he is leader - echoing the promise Jacinda Ardern made in 2019. Budget documents released yesterday also reveal the government investigated a "tax switch" - which would have implemented a tax-free threshold for income up to ten-thousand dollars, with a 1.5 percent tax on net wealth above $5m to fund it. But the idea wasn't taken up. Finance Minister Grant Robertson spoke to Corin Dann.

There were warm Scandanavian words of friendship, and of course the obligatory meat pies, for Prime Minister Chris Hipkins during a 24 hour visit to Sweden. But while he was thanking the Swedes for helping to get New Zealand's free trade deal with the EU over the line, the wheels were in motion in the same city for a major breakthrough on the eve of the NATO Leaders' Summit in Lithuania. Within the hour of Chris Hipkins touching down in Vilnius, the NATO Secretary General announced the way was clear for Sweden to join the military alliance after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Our political editor, Jane Patterson, has the story from Stockholm.

Faced with poor polling, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says his party needs to return its laser like focus onto issues that matter to New Zealanders. A Talbot Mills corporate poll shows Labour has dropped to 31 percent, it's lowest result in four years. That represented a fall of five percent, while National climbed one point to 36 percent. The poll, which has a margin of error of 3 percent, is produced for Talbot Mills' corporate clients. The company also conducts Labour's internal poll.

The Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is in Sweden for a quick fire visit overnight before travelling to Lithuania for a critical meeting of NATO leaders. The NATO Summit, which New Zealand is attending as a partner country, comes as Ukraine marks 500 days since Russian troops invaded. Our political editor Jane Patterson is in Stockholm and spoke to Lisa Owen. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6330911024112

Top stories for 11 July 2023 Dawn raids are back on the political agenda with the release of an independent review urging the government to ban or restrict them. We'll speak to deputy prime minister Carmel Sepuloni and a Pacific lawyer. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is among world leaders arriving in Lithuania for a key NATO summit.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins arrived in Lithuania this morning for the NATO Leader's Summit. Leaders from other Indo-Pacific partner countries, including Australia, Japan and South Korea, are also in attendance. The invites come amid increasing interest in the region. According to Robert Patman, a professor of international relations at the University of Otago, this interest can be attributed to economic opportunities and security concerns, amid China's growing assertiveness. Robert Patman joins us now spoke to Corin Dann.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has touched down in Sweden this morning after his visit to Belgium. The deal is projected to increase New Zealand exports by $1.8 billion dollars annually. In Sweden he will meet Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson before heading to Lithuania for the NATO Leader's Summit. His week-long trip also coincides with the 500th day since Russia invaded Ukraine. Despite invitations from President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Hipkins has ruled out visiting Ukraine because of time constraints. RNZ political editor Jane Patterson is in Sweden and spoke to Corin Dann.

After more than a decade, pen has finally been put to paper with the signing of the free trade deal with the European Union. It was the first order of business for Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in Brussels overnight. Our political editor, Jane Patterson, was there.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is overseas again. He was in Brussels last night, where he witnessed the signing of a long-sought New Zealand-EU Free Trade Agreement. The deal is projected to increase exports by $1.8 billion annually. The EU's Ambassador to New Zealand Nina Obermaier spoke to Corin Dann.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Trade Minister Damien O'Connor were in Brussels last night to sign the New Zealand-EU Free Trade Agreement. It's a substantial deal. The EU is one of New Zealand's largest trading partners, comprising about 10.5 percent of trade. Big winners in the agreement include kiwifruit, wine, manuka honey and fish. But not everyone is happy. Representatives from the agricultural sector say it maintains small quotas on meat and dairy products that will continue to constrain their ability to export. Meat Industry Association chairperson Nathan Guy spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

A year after the breakthrough agreement on a free trade deal with the European Union, pen has finally been put to paper with its signing overnight. The deal is projected to increase New Zealand exports by $1.8 billion dollars annually. Big winners in the agreement include kiwifruit, wine, manuka honey and fish. But the deal's about more than just trade, with Europe and the US looking to cement relationships as the war in Ukraine grinds on. Our political editor Jane Patterson was in Brussels, and spoke with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins about the deal and his expectations heading into this year's NATO conference later this week.

Labour MP Kiri Allan is on parliamentary leave again for a couple of weeks while her boss looks to tidy up the mess around her alleged treatment of staff and officials. The Allan saga is the latest in a line of ministerial problems and missteps that have seen a number of ministers quit their roles over issues of conduct. It's also overshadowed a popular announcement such as this week's news that thousands more patients will become eligible for cataract surgeries. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says he expects all his ministers to treat public servants with respect and dignity. He was again answering questions about his Justice Minister, Kiri Allan, on his last day of his trade mission to China. A senior public servant has told Stuff, Kiri Allan "screamed and yelled" at them so loudly, others in their office could hear the telephone call. The official told Stuff they saw Kiri Allan "absolutely berate" another official for 20 minutes. Kiri Allan rejects the allegations. Chris Hipkins says no formal complaints have been made about Kiri Allan. The Prime Minister was asked if it's appropriate for a minister to yell so loud down the phone to an official that the official's staff could hear it. He was also asked whether any ministers had raised concerns about Kiri Allan's behaviour with him. The Prime Minister is travelling back to New Zealand now, where he says he will have further discussion with Kiri Allan. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6330349084112

The Prime Minister's mission to China has again been plagued by questions about one of his senior ministers back home. Kiri Allan has denied ever treating staff poorly after it was revealed some public service agencies have flagged concerns about the environment in her office. The Department of Conservation has confirmed a staff member ended their secondment in the minister's office early, due to problems with workplace relationships. And the National Emergency Management Agency's chief executive has confirmed he was aware of concerns regarding relationships in the office. Kiri Allan was back in Parliament today after taking mental health leave. Speaking to media in Shanghai today, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins denied the issue has overshadowed his trip to China. The Prime Minister was then quizzed about whether he'd need to call an early election should he lose any more ministers. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6330272604112

The Prime Minister has been forced to answer questions about the conduct of a senior minister, while he's in China on a diplomatic and trade mission. A Department of Conservation boss flagged concerns about the work environment in Kiri Allan's office more than a year ago. DOC has confirmed one staffer ended a secondment early due to problems with work relationships in the office. Ms Allan has been on leave from Parliament this week. She posted on social media that she has been struggling with mental health and wellness and needed some time to get help and back on track. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says work has been done to improve working relations in Ms Allan's office and no further problems have arisen. He says ministers and Beehive staff work in a high pressure environment. In a statement, Kiri Allan says she has had great working relationships with her staff. She says she's always made clear her high expectations of senior public servants and herself. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6330214937112

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang yesterday as his trip to the country continues. Chinese politicians are touting a strong and long-lasting friendship between the two nations. Mr Hipkins has been discussing economic challenges and opportunities with Chinese leaders. Mark Tanner is the managing director of China Skinny, a marketing, research and digital agency based in Shanghai. Mark Tanner spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Travel between New Zealand and China is set to get a little easier thanks to new direct airline routes. Three additional routes between Guangzhou and Auckland will be introduced and the Guangzhou - Christchurch route reinstated. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says China remains an important tourist market for New Zealand and the increased capacity could bring an additional seven thousand 7000 people a month. Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Rebecca Ingram says it's a boon for the tourism industry and exporters. Rebecca Ingram spoke to Corin Dann.

New Zealand is in Beijing's good books, attracting state media praise as setting 'a good example' for other countries in its ties, as Prime Minister Chris Hipkins jets into China.  He's said his message is crystal clear: New Zealand is open for business.  But critics say the country's policy is muddled and ambiguous, despite Chinese encroachment.  Two ethnic Chinese MPs have been expelled over their links to Beijing, and a prominent New Zealand China academic was targeted with office break-ins. To unpack what the future holds for China-New Zealand relations, Louisa is joined in Auckland by writer and sociologist Tze Ming Mok and journalist Sam Sachdeva, author of The China Tightrope: Navigating New Zealand's relationship with a world superpower. Image: c/- Michal Klajban. Solidarity Grid by Mischa Kuball (Wuhan, China), Christchurch, New Zealand. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 InternationalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Top stories for 28 June 2023 Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has met with China's leader Xi Jinping overnight Job cuts will still go ahead at Wellington's Victoria University, despite the government bail out. Heavy rain has caused a red-stickered West Auckland home to slip towards Scenic Drive, we're at the scene.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is describing his meeting with China's President Xi Jinping as warm and constructive. The two leaders met last night in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It's the first visit from a New Zealand Prime minister since 2019. President Xi described New Zealand as a friend and a partner. Nicholas Khoo, an Associate Professor of International Politics at the University of Otago, spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

President Xi met with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins last night in Beijing. Speaking to reporters in Beijing after the high-stakes meeting, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said it was at no point adversarial.  Mr Hipkins says the meeting was warm and constructive.  Political editor Jane Patterson spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss from Beijing.

China's President Xi Jinping has praised his country's relationship with New Zealand, saying bilateral ties have contributed to regional peace and stability. President Xi met with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in Beijing last night. Speaking through a translator at the start of the face-to-face, President Xi said China views New Zealand as a friend and a partner.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is describing his meeting with China's President Xi Jinping as a "very significant bilateral milestone". The two leaders met last night in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It's the first visit from a New Zealand prime minister since 2019. Professor Anne-Marie Brady from the University of Canterbury spoke to Corin Dann.

Political Commentators Lamia Imam and Liam Hehir join Kathryn to talk about the National Party's weekend conference and its pledge to introduce harsher sentences as part of its law and order policy. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has begun a week-long tour of China, what does a successful trip look like? Lamia and Liam will also discuss Michael Wood's implosion and what changes may come to how conflicts of interest are declared and the latest poll results.

A "crushed" and "devastated" Michael Wood has resigned to a "frustrated" and "angry" Prime Minister. Michael Wood's fallen on his sword after he failed to declare his stakes in three more companies that he had a ministerial connection to. Mr Wood had already been stood down as transport minister for failing to properly disclose and sell his shares in Auckland Airport. The Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says the latest revelation made Mr Wood's position as a minister untenable. Here's our political reporter, Katie Scotcher.

Returning to our earlier story, Michael Wood has resigned as a minister after it emerged he's got more shareholdings he didn't declare and which relate directly to ministerial posts he's held. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins spoke to Lisa Owen. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6329822424112

The Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, says Michael Wood's shareholding in Chorus, Spark, and the National Australia Bank, does raises questions about conflict of interest. Mr Wood was involved in Cabinet decision making directly relating to companies he had a shareholding in, before he made the Prime Minister aware of those shares. Mr Wood didn't respond to requests for an interview, and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins declined an interview with Morning Report. Electoral law expert Graeme Edgeler says there is a clear conflict of interest in Michael Wood's actions. Graeme Edgeler spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Stuart Nash has been cleared of any other major transgressions, in a report he and his boss hope will draw a line under the saga. The Cabinet Office launched the inquiry in March, after Stuart Nash was fired for discussing confidential Cabinet matters with two of his donors. Mr Nash, and the Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, may hope the report brings the matter to a close, but it's not over just yet. Here's our deputy political editor Craig McCulloch. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6329522541112

Fiji's prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka has thanked New Zealand for ongoing supported but lamented the effect of the RSE system on his country. Mr Rabuka was hosted by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins at Parliament today. Mr Hipkins went to great lengths to reiterate New Zealand's commitment to supporting Fiji and other Pacific island countries as they deal with the negative impacts of climate change. RNZ Pacific's Koroi Hawkins reports.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has faced a grilling by University of Otago students during his trip to Ōtepoti today. Students, staff and community members have been fighting against the university's request for staff to consider redundancies in a bid to save $60 million. But the students didn't keep their questions to cuts alone. Tess Brunton has more.

Meka Whatiri's surprise defection has come while Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is in London for the King's Coronation. He received the news not long after touching down in the UK. Our reporter Katie Scotcher is travelling with the Prime Minister and joins us now.  

Anyone wanting to have their say on the five proposals for a second Auckland harbour crossing needs to get cracking - the opportunity for "feedback" closes on Monday. It's less than a month since Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister for Auckland - and Transport - Michael Wood unveiled five "scenarios" for upgrading travel across the Waitemata - describing it as a "city and national-shaping investment". The five include a mixture of bridges and tunnels offering a combination of new lanes for vehicles, light rail and walking and cycling, with construction set to begin in 2029. But Auckland residents have heard it all before, with projects like 2021's short-lived standalone bike and walking bridge being proposed - or in the case of the SkyPath costed and consented - and then shelved. What chance do these five multi-billion dollar scenarios have of ever making it to fruition? Garth Falconer, director of Reset Urban Design who was also the former design lead for the abandoned SkyPath and Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland join Kathryn to discuss.