Holiday Breakfast

Air New Zealand will see more than 50,000 people today on its busiest day of the holiday season. 

The airline is expecting over three million customers between the December and holiday period. 

What can those flying today expect? 

Chief Operating Officer Alex Marren joins the show to discuss how Air NZ is tracking during this time. 

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In a few days' time, on New Year’s Eve, we’re going to learn who the recipients of the New Year’s Honours will be.

So, I thought I’d get in early, so it doesn’t look like I’m undermining any of the fine New Zealanders who have been chosen for those honours.

Before then, I want to highlight a couple of New Zealanders who, for different reasons, are worthy of recognition as outstanding contributors to our country.

My first choice is someone who might not be widely known to many of you—although she popped up in the media spotlight a week or two ago when the New Zealand Herald wrote about her retirement from a prominent New Zealand school after a 40+ year career in education.

That person is the retiring principal of Baradene College, Sandy Pasley.

Now, I’m not entirely sure Sandy would want to be singled out, so in making these comments, I’m also begging her forgiveness while at the same time acknowledging the years of dedication and hard work she has put into her role as an educator. From my own personal experience, Sandy at once impressed me when we first met as someone with a great deal of empathy and compassion for her students.

In acknowledging Sandy, this is also an opportunity to highlight the contribution of all those involved in educating our children. Sadly, respect and support for teachers—and the value we place on education—have greatly diminished over the years.

So, in recognising Sandy’s incredible contribution, I want to remind us of the tireless efforts of all the dedicated, hardworking teachers who show up each and every day for our children.  

And why do they do it?  

Well, it's obviously not for the money. Why then? - my best guess is because making a difference to the future of those children’s futures, gives meaning to their own lives.  

Over the years I’ve done thousands of hours as a talkback host on NewstalkZB, and it might not surprise you to learn that sometimes the airwaves can serve as a bit of a punching bag for teachers and education in general. But you won’t hear a rebuttal from teachers, because frankly they’re too busy doing what? Teaching.

So, I’m here to put a vote in not just for Sandy Pasley – but for those like her and for an unappreciated profession – one that as a society which we need to place far more value and trust in.

Education should be the forefront of every New Zealanders mind if we care about the future of this country.

Sure, we’ll continue have passionate discussions and disagreements about the nature of the curriculum and the challenges of educating our young people. It's only natural.

But regardless of those debates, dedicated teachers like Sandy will turn up every day at the coalface to do their bit for the future of our young people.

As Sandy has said herself “education is everything. It gives people a future.” And who can argue with that

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It's a wet start to most of the Island today. 

The weekend will bring another front off the Tasman sea, spreading across much of the North Island. 

Parts of central New Zealand is looking fine as we head into the weekend. 

Met Service's Heath Gulery talks weather on the show today. 

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With 25 days until he is sworn in as President, Donald Trump has made claims extraordinary claims on social media about the taking over of other nations. 

On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump suggested he may take ownership of the Panama Canal, that the states could buy Greenland, and that if Canada doesn't want to pay US tariffs it can become the 51st state of America. 

US Correspondent Mitch Mccann joins the show. 

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After a difficult few years following major storms, the Far North is back open and ready for summer. 

The Mangamuka gorge opened in time for Santa and once again connects the district and its two largest centres. 

The gorge had been closed for over two years. 

Far North Mayor Moko Tepania joins the show to discuss all the region has to offer. 

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A double tragedy has rocked the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race after two sailors died in separate incidents.

Authorities reported that a crew member aboard one entry into the race was struck by a boom just before midnight - fellow members attempted CPR but were unable to revive them.

Around two hours later disaster struck again as another sailor was also struck by a boom and died.

New South Wales police are yet to release the names of the race entrants.

A total of seven boats have now withdrawn from the race, including favourite Master Lock Comanche due to sail damage.

The vessel, which has claimed line honours four times and is the race record holder, was leading the race when her withdrawal was announced.

Australia correspondent Murray Olds told Tim Beveridge the two sailors were killed by booms about an hour apart in nearly identical circumstances. 

He says the booms came over in the wild conditions and hit the sailors - and both died.

LawConnect currently leads the race.

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There aren’t many people who are known around the world by just one name... but Cheryl Sarkisian is one them, known as Cher. 

The goddess of pop has sold over 100 million records across seven decades, is in the rock and roll hall of fame, has Grammy’s, Emmy’s and even an Academy Award. 

Cher is also the only artist to have a number one single on the Billboard chart in seven consecutive decades. 

With such an incredible career, and many stories to tell, Cher has released a memoir. 

Cher: The Memoir Part One is based on her life from 1946-1976 and follows her childhood, early success and meeting Bono. 

Cher joins Tim Beveridge on Newstalk ZB’s Summer Breakfast and says “I’m a good singer, but I’m not a great singer, but I have something in my voice that people connect with.” 

The memoir was split into parts because “my life is so long and there was no way we could put it all in one volume.” 

The legend says she’s not much of a planner and prefers to take things as they come at her. Despite continuous rumours of reinvention, she clarifies that really she’s just quietly waiting on the next job to appear. 

“People think that you’ve been away, busy, reinventing yourself. But then you come back as who you were.” 

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Today marks 20 years since the massive Boxing day tsunami which caused widespread destruction, displacement and death in countries on the Indian Ocean rim. 

A 9.0 earthquake struck off the West Coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Boxing Day 2004. It triggers a series of tsunamis that charged across the Indian Ocean and killed around 230,000 people. 

Former World Vision Staffer Alex Snary was working at the time the tsunami hit and tells Tim Beveridge he has vivid memories of his arrival to the island and the “smell of decaying bodies.” 

“It wasn’t until you really got boots on the ground that I really began to understand the extent of the devastation. When in whole villages... there’s just nothing above knee-high or waist height left.” 

In the 20 years since, World Vision have stepped up their ability to respond to disasters of the scale of the 2004 tsunami.  

“When I first joined World Vision, there was kind of the ability to respond to one place in the world. When I left, we could respond to four or five if needed.” 

On how  the events of that day and all that followed changed the way he feels about the work he does, Snary says seeing the difference of an area when he left compared to its state upon his arrival reinforced just how important the work is. 

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Former New Zealand Rugby Chairman Brent Impey is taking part in rugby initiative Kiwi K.A.R.E to help support rugby players in Ukraine who have been affected by war. 

Impey has been working alongside Sir Graham Henry and other volunteers to help Ukrainian rugby teams continue to train and upskill their players. 

Trustee of Kiwi Aid and Refugee Evacuation, Impey tells Tim Beveridge he visited players in Ukraine and found they are still playing rugby throughout the Russian invasion. 

The Ukrainian team is hoping to qualify for the Olympics, and Impey is working with groups of 20 men and 20 women to build the national team amongst the region’s turmoil. 

“It is absolutely inspirational.” 

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Christmas is a time of year when wallets feel the crunch – and it seems many have been scaling back their Christmas spending this year. 

A Westpac survey conducted just before Christmas revealed that 45% of kiwis were planning to spend less over the holidays than last year. 

72% of respondents were extremely or moderately concerned with the cost of living. 

Westpac Financial Wellbeing Programme Manager Warren Ngan Woo tells Tim Beveridge a good tip for spending at this time of year is to have a list. 

“Have a list because you could easily be swept up by all the lovely marketing that’s in the shop, to buy other things.” 

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