Holiday Breakfast

The number of family harm incidents is continuing to rise, with authorities concerned about a potential summer spike. 

The numbers over the past decade have almost doubled, with about 200,000 reports over 2023.   

Women's Refuge Chief Executive Ang Jury told Tim Dower that violence tends to increase around Christmas and New Years, as more people are home and spending lots money to try make the period special.  

She says people also party a lot, and while none of these things cause family violence, they provide a perfect environment for it. 

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Better news for mortgage holders, with Kiwibank the latest bank to cut home loan rates. 

It's also reducing term deposit rates following a decrease in wholesale rates for banks. 

Infometrics Economist Brad Olsen says these lower rates for banks are still not being fully passed on to customers. 

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Concerning data on the numbers of Kiwis who exercise as obesity rates soar. 

Figures released by the Ministry of Health reveal only 46% of adults are meeting global exercise guidelines, down 5% from the year prior. 

Exercise New Zealand's Richard Beddie told Tim Dower that it's a growing health crisis which needs immediate action. 

He says we're the worst western country in the world in this area. 

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Economic development in Germany has come to a halt. 

High inflation, rising interest rates, and weak global demand has come home to roost, the final quarter of 2023 seeing a 0.3% decrease. 

Europe Correspondent Catherine Field told Tim Dower that a recession is possibly on the cards for 2024, which itself is not off to a good start. 

She said that Germany has started the year with a hole in the budget the shape of approximately $30 billion NZD. 

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Auckland ferry commuters are left frustrated as cruise ships are leading to regular services being delayed and cancelled. 

Close to 100 ferry sailings were affected by cruise ships arriving or departing at Princes Wharf last month alone. 

North Shore Ward Councillor Chris Darby told Tom Dower that there's a big contest for this water space, but commuters are the priority. 

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Concerns are being raised about the price of school uniforms, with some parents saying they go without food so they can afford them.  

Secondary school uniforms can cost hundreds of dollars.  

Secondary Principals' Council chair Kate Gainsford told Tim Dower that as the cost of producing a uniform rises, this will likely become more of an issue.  

She says while the fact they're used every day can make it financially better, there's the up-front cost, particularly if there's multiple children. 

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Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins is due to begin the year in opposition hot on the heels of attending his predecessor’s lavish wedding over the weekend.

Hipkins was among the many famous faces at Dame Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford’s Hawke’s Bay wedding over the weekend.

The former Prime Minister spoke to Newstalk ZB this morning, saying the wedding was “lovely”.

Chris Hipkins and Toni Grace seen leaving their motel the day after Jacinda Ardern's wedding. Photo / George Heard

“Aside from a few hiccups along the way, they got the opportunity to enjoy their wedding in relative peace and privacy and I think that’s a lovely thing,” Hipkins said.

A car doing a burnout across the river from the wedding venue was photographed by a Hawke’s Bay Today photographer at the time the vows were being exchanged, and a small group of anti-vax protesters were spoken to by police earlier in the day.

A burnout pulled over the other side of the Tukituki River from Craggy Range, just as Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayword wed. Photo / Connull Lang

Ardern and her TV host partner of almost 10 years began married life at the exclusive Craggy Range winery on the outskirts of Havelock North, where they exchanged vows before a reception full of laughter, cheering and dancing.

Hipkins looked relaxed and tanned, dressed in shorts, a T-shirt and sunglasses, as he was leaving the Village Motel in Havelock North with partner Toni Grace.

He earlier told the Herald that the event was “lovely” and that he had also taken advantage of the opportunity to indulge in more than a few of his beloved paua and snapper sausage rolls while at the wedding.

Paua and snapper sausage roll on the menu at Ardern and Gayford's wedding. Photo / Instagram, Tane Tomoana

Ardern gave a five-minute wedding speech, including nods to friends, close colleagues and family, some of whom had twice travelled great distances to be there for the occassion.

She gave a special shout-out to Craggy Range and head chef Casey McDonald, who was just about to serve up the main course, before spending roughly a minute talking about her “best friend” and now husband.

The wedding was officiated by the couple’s friend and former Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson.

The couple are now heading away on a family holiday.

The wedding was originally set to take place in 2022 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dame Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford pictured at their wedding. Photo / Felicity Jean Photography

Fashion designer Juliette Hogan, who made Ardern’s dress, and her husband were guests. Official images released by the couple yesterday evening showed a smiling Ardern in the ivory sleeveless, cowl-neck halter gown featuring a high neckline, cinched waist and low back.

The former PM also wore a long tulle veil, which was clipped into a chignon up-do, created by hairdresser Tane Tomoana who has previously worked on looks for Ardern.

Two buses - including one featuring Hipkins and Grace, former speaker of the House and ex-veteran MP Sir Trevor Mallard and former minister Megan Woods - took some guests to the wedding.

Musicians Marlon Williams, Hollie Smith (Gayford’s ex-partner) and MC Tali were also spotted among guests.

Other political guests included former minister Kelvin Davis, former MP Dame Annette King and fellow former MP Darren Hughes. Ardern’s former press secretary Andrew Campbell also attended.

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Union members at One NZ are working remotely for the next fortnight -- in protest at the telco's work from home policy.

Formerly Vodafone, the company's asked all contact centre employees to come into the office for at least three days per week.

Unite Union National Secretary, John Crocker told Tim Dower it's about multiple things including transport costs, emissions, and time on the roads.

He says the company's confirmed having staff work remotely during Covid wasn't a productivity-loss, so there's no reason it shouldn't continue.

One NZ says it doesn't expect the industrial action to have any impact on customers.

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An Auckland city-centre business leader says public transport is vital.

The Government's officially scrapped the $15-billion-dollar Auckland Light Rail.

There were projections the cost could blow out to $30-billion.

In six years, not a metre of track has been laid.

Heart of the City Chief Executive Viv Beck told Tim Dower there needs to be quick action on the city's transport -- and we need to make sure we've learnt lessons from the ongoing City Rail Link project.

She says it's devastating to see a large-scale, long-term project cancelled - but it is pragmatic.

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The Transport Minister says the Government has other transport plans for Auckland.

It's formally scrapped the $15-billion Auckland Light Rail project after estimates that the cost of the project could blow out to almost $30-billion.

Nearly 230-million-dollars has been spent on it in six years and not a single metre of track's been laid.

Minister Simeon Brown told Tim Dower they need to invest in better rapid bus transit in the city.

He says there's more to deliver - the eastern busway and the north-western rapid transit, which is Auckland's next major priority after the CRL.

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