Midday Report

News from the business sector

There are calls for tougher penalties on young people who commit criminal offending. 

But who are they, and why are they breaking the law?

Police say more than 2000 charges have been filed in the Youth Court this year relating to ram raid and smash and grab style offending in Tāmaki Makaurau and Waikato. 

The outgoing Principal Youth Court Judge John Walker says the Youth Court Act states unequivocally that criminal proceedings are to be a matter of last resort, and should not be instituted where there are alternative means of dealing with the matter.

Judge Walker told Māni Dunlop about the backgrounds of our young offenders.

The internal review into Oranga Tamariki's 'litany of failures' is overdue.

The agency received multiple warnings, reports of concern, and whānau pleas for intervention in the lead up to the murder of 5 year old Malachi Subecz.

The Children's minister Kelvin Davis and Oranga Tamariki chief executive Chappie Te Kani are waiting for the review's findings before acting.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer spoke to Māni Dunlop.

The internal report examining Oranga Tamariki's litany of failures which led to a 5-year-old being murdered is overdue.

The report follows an investigation by the Ombudsman which found Oranga Tamariki failed to do the bare minimum before Malachi Subecz was killed by a caregiver last year, despite whānau pleas for intervention, and multiple reports of concern to the agency. 

Māni Dunlop reports.

Rangatahi Māori are still being excluded and disadvantaged at a much higher rate than Pākehā youth.

The latest Taiohi Insights report from Te Rourou, Vodafone Aotearoa Foundation, shows in 2021, 38% of rangatahi Māori experienced exclusion and disadvantage compared with 14% of Pākehā.

The vodafone foundation's Rangatahi Insights spokesperson Ta'ase Vaoga spoke to Māni Dunlop.

About 80 elective procedures at three private hospitals in Wellington and Hawke's Bay have been rescheduled, as nurses strike until tomorrow morning after a breakdown in talks with their employer, Evolution Healthcare.

The Acting chief executive officer, Matthew Clarke, says median pay rises of 15 percent were offered, and that the offer is in line with others accepted by the union.

But nurses say that does not keep up with the cost of living or offer parity with other private hospital counterparts.

Matthew Clarke spoke to Māni Dunlop

News from the rural farming sector

Midday sports News for 20 October 2022 The Black Ferns will have a different captain - and a star player returning - in Saturday's game against Scotland in Whangarei.

News from the business sector

Jacinda Ardern met with Auckland's mayor-elect Wayne Brown for the first time this morning.

Ms Ardern spoke to media after her meeting with the mayor outlining their main points of discussion, such as transport, and Mr Brown's call to scrap Three Waters reforms - the latter of which was rejected.

Ms Ardern also met with the Auckland business chamber chief executive Simon Bridges.

Mr Bridges spoke to Māni Dunlop.