Andrew Dickens Afternoons

What an extraordinary and disappointing day.
Today the Police Commissioner Mike Bush took the unprecedented step of squashing a rumour that's been going round for 7 months now. I'm sure you've heard it unless you've been under a rock.
The rumour concerned the Prime Minister's partner Clarke Gayford and insinuates the police has something on him.
So the Commissioner said Gayford is not, and has not been, the subject of any police inquiry, nor has he been charged in relation to any matter. And the reason he took this remarkable step is because of the sheer size and scale of the claims and their despicable nature.
I'm so glad this has happened. For months now I have been inundated with friends and acquaintances asking me if the "rumours" are true. Many listeners have texted the "rumour" to me while on air under the guise of anonymity. Many accompanied by detailed scenarios.
The scale of the spread of the "story" astounded me. And the morality of those who created the "rumour" in the first place. I had no truck with it and dressed down anyone who mentioned it. A senior manager asked me if an arrest was imminent. I replied get a grip he's currently meeting the Queen!
I presume the architects of this whispering slur campaign were disaffected National Party voters still astounded that their party is not in power. If so, they have just cut their nose off to spite their face.
If National supporters are involved they have just confirmed that Nicky Hager's allegation that 'Dirty Politics' is alive and well in our system is true.
And in doing so they resemble the sore loser Democrats in the United States who are doing anything they can to impeach a lawfully elected President.
They have become all that they hate.This has been a shameful blot on our social landscape.
I'm very pleased that the police have taken action. If you helped spread the lie, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
* Editor's note: National Party leader Simon Bridges has said today that he expects his MPs to be "above reproach" in their dealings with media and says: "As leader I've repeatedly made my expectations very clear — National MPs will not be involved in peddling rumours or innuendo.".

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I first came across the concept of No Meat May (NMM) in a NewstalkZB interview with Andrew Dickens. Naturally, I rolled my eyes and dismissed the concept as 'ridiculous.' From memory, my exact phrase was: "If people want to try it, good luck to them. But I find the concept ridiculous."
So why am I now one day in to NMM? I fail Junk Free June on day one consistently. I've never attempted Dry July, because it falls during footy season. And calving. To date, I've never made it through a calving without my old mate Gin and I don't intend to start now.
'Think of the content opportunities,' I pitched to my boss. 'It's a social experiment,' I told my co-workers. 'My chance to walk in someone else's shoes and attempt to understand their ideals and values,' I explained to our urban listening audience. 'Don't worry – I'll fail,' I reassured farmers.
That third reason's probably closest to the truth. A great portion of New Zealand's economy hinges upon meat consumption. So, for me it came down to an inability to fathom why anyone would create a gimmicky 'flavour of the month' fad that's so unpatriotic. I wanted to see if cutting meat from my diet could, or would, lead to a higher perspective…or just anemia.
Now, I love May. Not only is it my middle name (albeit spelt slightly differently – Mae), but it's synonymous with two of my favourite things in the whole world. New Zealand music and duck shooting. When I uprooted my life and moved to Dunedin in January, the first thing I did was book flights home for duck shooting.
Our maimai has a name 'The Hilton,' a working fireplace (not to be used on cloudless days), and the boys constructed it from scratch from an old bus shelter. We sleep in it every year, and despite the regular stench of decaying mice that snuck across the boardwalk over the summer months, it's one of my top five places in the world to be.
So, understandably, I'm a little nervous to rock up this weekend, clutching my shotgun, tofu and some vegetarian sausages. A lot of maimais don't allow female shooters, let alone temporarily vegetarian ones.
But that's not going to be the only challenge this month. The following weekend, I'm back home again. This time to MC the Southern North Island Wood Council Awards and I'll let you in on a little secret.
The best part of being an MC is the incredible food you are served up at functions. Succulent lamb, tender beef, mouth-watering chicken. Every time. Asking for the vegetarian option is going to hurt. Food envy could be the undoing of me.
Another factor that could come into play this month, is my utter lack of vegetarian cooking skills. I've long maintained I could never survive as a vegetarian for this very reason. This will be interesting. I don't think Pita Pit with falafel every meal's gonna cut it.
Above all else, the biggest fear I have is the embarrassment of failing by simply forgetting. So often we pop food in our mouths without any conscious decision regarding it. I'm dreading the office morning tea, now that Boss 1 (The old Pipesy) initiated a revolt and succeeded in getting sausage rolls and cheerios put back on the menu. I can already picture walking past on my way to the studio and oh so casually, popping a savoury in my mouth.
I'll be taking bets on how long I'll last at this folly. I'm not gonna lie, the odds for me going the distance are not flash - this may be a safe 'TAB Sports Bet of the Week' for my junior offsider Lashes on Friday.
P.S. I've just given this to Boss 2 (The old Macca) for proofreading. Not only did he laugh me out of his office, but gleefully pointed out May also boasts National Lamb Day. The odds for me failing by Thursday May 24th just shortened dramatically.
P.P.S. Wairarapa farmers Lynley and Matt Wyeth are spearheading the 'invite a townie to dinner on National Lamb Day' initiative. What a great concept! That's something I could really get behind. Surely being inclusive as...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Am I the  only one who hasn’t swallowed the kool aid on Korea?
The world was agog on Friday when the leaders of North and South Korea met on the 38th parallel and went for a walk.  No-one would deny the images and the symbolism was powerful but was it really the dawning of a new age?
After all the leaders of the 2 Koreas have met twice before, in Pyongyang, in 2000 and 2007, and the meetings then were heaped with the same hopeful praise and rhetoric and yet nothing happened.  Perhaps in our dumbed down age we’ve developed long-term memory loss.
My question to you is what on earth has the last 70 years of the Korean War been about.  A war that saw 1.2 million people die including 33 New Zealanders. To my eyes, the West waged war to stop the spread of communism from the North driven by Russia with the tacit support of China.  It was a war that sought to reunite the 2 Koreas under a prosperous democracy. It was a war that was necessary to maintain the West’s influence in Asia.
So the weekend’s developments is a sign we have given up.  In all the statements there is nothing about reunification, there is nothing about the deposition of Kim and his family and holding them to account for the abuses of their people. There is nothing about a return of democracy to all of Korea.
But what about Kim’s claim to want denuclearisation?  Over the past 17 years, North Korea has said they would denuclearise on 4 occasions and then done nothing until the point in this past year where they have a  reliable bomb.  So far they’ve pledged a freeze on testing.  Of course they have, they don’t need to test anymore because they’ve got a functioning weapon.
Kim has played a brilliant hand aided by a useful idiot in the White House who can only see a favourable headline. Now, this goes down badly with Trump fans many of whom couldn’t point to Korea on a map. But realise this.
The North has always sued for peace and has approached every single US President but were turned down every single time until now.  In agreeing to meet with Kim, Donald Trump has legitimised Kim’s claim to influence and control of his part of the peninsula. Kim is now here to stay and it makes a mockery of the past 70 years and all the sacrifices made to get rid of the little rat and his evil family.
Meanwhile, if Kim is successful in reducing the US activity in the South it further reduces the West’s influence in Asia.  Something Chin, in particular,r would love as they continue to annex the South China seas for themselves.
So bully for Trump.  In his mind he thinks he’s won the peace but the reality is he’s lost the war. A Nobel prize?  Give me a break. He’s pardoning a mass killing dictator.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Child Action Poverty Group is describing a new report on child deaths in New Zealand as chilling.
The study from the Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee's found children and young people living in the most deprived areas are three times more likely to die in childhood or adolescence than those in the least deprived areas.
Spokeswoman Innes Asher says it's a reminder we have a huge problem with the health of our children and young people.
"It's shocking cause we have such high rates of death amongst people in the poorest areas, showing that poverty can be lethal. As well as causing death, we do know that poverty causes a lot of preventable diseases and harm."
One caller into Andrew Dickens show, Aria, says she managed to get out of poverty so can see the issue from both sides - and had her own suggestions for what can be done about this persistent problem. 
LISTEN TO ARIA TALK WITH ANDREW DICKENS ABOVE

The Child Action Poverty Group is describing a new report on child deaths in New Zealand as chilling.
The study from the Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee's found children and young people living in the most deprived areas are three times more likely to die in childhood or adolescence than those in the least deprived areas.
Spokeswoman Innes Asher says it's a reminder we have a huge problem with the health of our children and young people.
"It's shocking cause we have such high rates of death amongst people in the poorest areas, showing that poverty can be lethal. As well as causing death, we do know that poverty causes a lot of preventable diseases and harm."
One caller into Andrew Dickens show, Aria, says she managed to get out of poverty so can see the issue from both sides - and had her own suggestions for what can be done about this persistent problem. 
LISTEN TO ARIA TALK WITH ANDREW DICKENS ABOVE

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The forthcoming budget is looming as the most defining day in New Zealand’s politics in a very long time.
On May 17 the government will present a plan to deal with a labyrinth of problems that can no longer be ignored. Their response will be revealing as will be the response of their rivals.
The present government campaigned on a platform that was big on feeling.  At its most basic level, its theme was purely that we can do better.
It’s a platform that has raised the hopes of many who have done it tough for the past decade due to a remarkable confluence of problems.  From global financial crises, earthquakes, natural disasters and much delayed infrastructural investment.
So now the proverbial is about to hit the fan. Public service employees are restless.  Nurses and teachers feel left behind.  Meanwhile, infrastructure is creaking, from storm water systems to hospital buildings to public transport.
This weekend another thorn was revealed in rosy New Zealand.
Dr Megan Woods is the minister in charge of the Earthquake Commission. Yesterday she revealed that the EQC is a parlous financial situation.  The commission used to have $6 billion at its disposal.  After three big quakes, the kitty is down to $370 million.  If the reserves hit $200 million then the Crown Guarantee automatically kicks in.  A liability that will sit uncomfortably on the books.
Megan Woods confirmed that the government is looking to topping up the fund at the forthcoming budget. Yet another demand on what is a demanding budget.
Labour and its finance spokesperson have committed themselves to financial prudence and a desire to keep away from borrowing.  And that is laudable.  And because of that promise they have been trying to dampen down expectations of those claiming more of the government’s money.
On May 17, all the answers will be revealed.  It will be a difficult balancing act.  Oiling the squeaky wheels and fixing the broken bits while balancing the books. Frankly, it seems like a lose-lose situation with no-one coming away satisfied.
In their defence, the same situation would have faced a National government who added to the mix by promising tax cuts leaving even fewer resources for the state. So what would National have done? We’ll never know.
People often say that many New Zealanders are only one paycheck away from bankruptcy.  Frankly, you could say we’re only one earthquake away from a pretty dire situation as well.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Entertainment Reporter Karl Puschmann joined Andrew Dickens to tell him about the release of Prince’s original, previously unheard, version of Nothing Compares 2 U.
LISTEN ABOVE AS KARL PUSCHMANN SPEAKS WITH ANDREW DICKENS

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.