Holiday Breakfast

New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters says the new Free Trade Agreement with India is rushed.

It reduces or removes 95 percent of export tariffs, offers targeted temporary work visas - and gets preferential treatment for our  apples and manuka honey.

I comes after nine months of negotiations.

Peters says it gives India too many concessions on immigration and investment, and does little for this country's dairy sector.

Winston Peters told Andrew Dickens not enough time was given for engagement, because of the  time frame set by the Prime Minister.

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71,627, that's how many mobile phones have been diverted from landfill this year.

The Telecommunications Forum has been running their re-mobile scheme since 2014, diverted almost a million phones since then.

The nationwide shutdown of 3G is leaving a large number of mobile phones obsolete, so many people are looking to get rid of their phones.

TCF Chief Executive Paul Brislen told Andrew Dickens that, 'if they can be reused, we get them recycled.'

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The Trade Minister claims our new Free Trade Agreement with India, is its best deal struck with any country.

It's followed nine months of negotiations, ending with India agreeing to lower or remove tariffs on 95-percent of our exports, with wins for fruit, meat, wool, coal and forestry sectors.

Little's changed for dairy - with duty free access only for certain protein products and those for re-export.

Todd McClay told Andrew Dickens that all our exporters will benefit.

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US President Donald Trump has appointed the Governor of Louisiana as a Greenland Envoy. 

Governor Jeff Landry has said that he will fight to make Greenland part of America. 

European correspondent Catherine Field told Andrew Dickens that the Danish Prime Minister is 'absolutely furious.'

"She has said national borders are are rooted in international law, you can't just annex another country."

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Wellington's had an interesting year.

Leaky pipes, Golden Mile chaos, and of course, they got themselves a brand new mayor out of national politics.

Tory Whanau quit the mayoralty race, headed to Melbourne, and now Andrew Little is in office. 

He told Andrew Dickens that he's looking forward to next year, saying, "There's some pretty exciting things scheduled for 2026."

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It's been an up-and-down year for National, seeing success in some areas and struggles in more. 

However, the slowly recovering economy is an early Christmas gift ahead of next year's election.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joins Andrew Dickens to discuss the key talking points of the year in politics, and discuss what Kiwis can expect to see from the government as we head in to the new year.

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Police are renewing calls for patience on the roads this holiday period, warning lives are at risk.

Fifteen people were killed in crashes between Christmas Eve and early January last summer.

The toll has topped 11 for five consecutive years.

National Road Policing Manager Superintendent Stephen Greally told Andrew Dickens that too many drivers are focused on getting to the front of the queue.

He says that risk taking causes carnage on too many occasions.

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Pet Refuge is urgently appealing for donations, and bracing for demand to surge over Christmas.

The charity is receiving daily pleas for help from people escaping family violence - and is currently caring for 29 pets.

Founder Dame Julie Chapman told Andrew Dickens that more than half of women delay leaving family violence - because they're scared to leave pets behind.

She says the charity takes pets in for up to four months and covers all costs, while people rebuild their lives in emergency housing or women's refuge.

https://www.petrefuge.org.nz/

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The Associate Police Minister's pushing back on claims her new organised crime plan is purely a holiday headline. 

The newly released Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime Strategy aims to make New Zealand the hardest place for criminals to do business.

Initiatives include options for setting up a new dedicated department, and developing cross-agency data sharing. 

Casey Costello says it's not a rehash of Labour's 2007 plan, which was within Police and petered out without results. 

She says this is a long term sustainable model. 

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Questions are being asked of Australia's federal Government in the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack - as it appears to bow to the New South Wales premier. 

Just over a week ago, 15 people were killed at a Hanukkah celebration - when two gunmen opened fire. 

The New South Wales Parliament's been recalled to debate a suite of measures proposed by state premier Chris Minns. 

Australia correspondent Murray Olds says the federal Government's under pressure - because it seems like Minns is the one in charge. 

Olds says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's said he'd follow New South Wales on the prospect of a Royal Commission of Inquiry - leaving a lot of people asking where's his leadership. 

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