Kindergartens and Playcentres want to have more authority over their own organisations.

They are planning on forming a national group to combat falling enrolments.

Clare Wells is the New Zealand Kindergartens Chief Executive and told Mike Hosking the falling enrolments are going down for a range of reasons, but they are making changes.

" We have addressed some of the quality factors, like increasing the teachers to children ratio."

LISTEN ABOVE AS CLARE WELLS SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING

First home grants brought in to ease stress from the housing crisis - could be creating problems.

Ministers have been told their $10,000 Homestart grant scheme for first home buyers could be pushing up house prices, because sellers see more money going around.

But CEO of Generation Homes Kevin Atkinson told Mike Hosking in his experience of building homes, they've reduced house prices.

"If you have got someone who has that $10,000 and it's important to them, generally they are sitting around the table with the builder and they are trying to make it work."

Atkinson says the money is such a minuscule amount it doesn't make a difference.

"To suggest that a seller is sitting there saying, 'because someone might have a $10,000 home grant, I am going to put the price up at the auction,' it just doesn't exist."

LISTEN ABOVE AS KEVIN ATKINSON SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

One sporting expert is emphasising the importance of the All Blacks as part of our country's identity.

This comes after All Blacks coach Steve Hansen raised the issue of funding with the Prime Minister following Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup victory - claiming New Zealand Rugby is financially stretched compared to some sporting organisations.

Esportif International director and player agent Bruce Sharrock told Mike Hosking there could be several unintended consequences if funding is not increased.

"The All Blacks have become part of our social fabric, but if it was eroded through its talent pool and our team wasn't the best in the world, is that still going to be aspirational, keep our people exercising, have a pretty big burden on our health system."

Sharrock says player retention in New Zealand is an ongoing challenge.

"There's a market that exists outside of New Zealand that has deeper pockets and is attracted to certain types of players."

LISTEN TO BRUCE SHARROCK TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

A mental health advocate isn't surprised about shocking results from a DHB mental health survey.

Bay of Plenty DHB admits it needs to change its workplace culture after a survey of mental health staff found negative ratings.

Out of 70 nurses and 31 social workers interviewed, no one gave a positive rating for their workplace and the majority gave very negative or negative ratings.

Nurses and social workers cite immense workloads, an unsafe working environment and a lack of trust and interest from the people at the top.

Mental Heath Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson told Mike Hosking the results would be the same in DHBs across the country.

"This is a work force and a system that's under pretty extreme pressure. It's been clearly identified. The volume of work has gone up by 75 per cent, the funding has gone up by less than 40."

Robinson says improving workplace culture will help but funding's also needed.

"There's no doubt about it, the whole mental health system, the response to mental health, it needs significant investment. We're not going to see substantial change unless that happens."

LISTEN TO SHAUN ROBINSON TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING

It appears Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern won't be tackling the issue of more funding for the All Blacks.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen raised the issue with her following Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup victory claiming New Zealand Rugby is financially stretched compared to some sporting organisations.

Jacinda Ardern told Mike Hosking rugby already receives a lot of support and she doesn't see a need for increased finding at the top level.

"We already have a relationship in the sense that government supports grassroots rugby. Of course, you know, when we have major sporting fixtures those are things that we support as well."

"It's a very separate question that Steve Hansen raised the other day and I think our support is better placed at that grassroots level."

LISTEN ABOVE AS JACINDA ARDERN SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

International research led by the University of Auckland found many New Zealand companies were cherry-picking the indicators they reported on.

All the indicators reported had a positive or neutral result - while indicators like reduction of greenhouse gas emissions or volume of spills were shunned.

Lead research Ramona Zharfpeykan told Mike Hosking it seemed companies were picking indicators that were easy to collect or imply positive messages, while some sensitive indicators were barely covered.

"They might have the necessary reports but they might not follow the global reporting that the majority of the worlds do."

However, she says the Global Reporting Initiative Standard many international companies follow is complex, with 91 indicators to follow.

"I understand that maybe firms wouldn't follow up on those because simply they are too many, or some of them are very difficult to measure."

LISTEN TO RAMONA ZHARFPEYKAN TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

Emmanuel Macron says Europe can no longer rely on the United States to keep it secure.

The French President is calling on continental countries to forge a new plan to protect their security and sovereignty.

He says Britain has chosen to forge its own path through Brexit.

Paris correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking Macron's also conceded the US is not the ally it once was.

"He said, the partner who helped Europe build this new post-world order appears to be turning its back on its shared history."

 

LISTEN TO CATHERINE FIELD TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

Business leaders say they disagreed with the Government on some things, but agree with them on plenty of others.

Jacinda Ardern is about to deliver a 'major speech' on the country's economy and relationship with business, at an event in Auckland.

Businesses are expected to raise concerns about some Government policies.

But Employers and Manufacturers Association chief executive Kim Campbell told Mike Hosking they're welcoming others.

"I look at what the Minister of Housing's trying to do in infrastructure, they are transformational. These are really committing initiatives, and given half a chance will make a big difference."

 

LISTEN TO KIM CAMPBELL TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

We all know the question don’t we? Why, oh why, aren't they that way every week?

If the Warriors were that way every week, we would win the championship every year.  

But in that I guess is the magic of the journey. It's why so many of us hang around year after year, on their day there is no side better or more exciting. And if one day someone figures out how to make it that way on a more consistent basis, we will have reached the Promised Land.  

But for now let us celebrate the success that is the season of 2018. For the first time in years we are playing in September,  we are in the finals, we have made the playoffs.  

And with a game to spare, and dare I suggest a game we should win easily. The Panthers were the game to worry about, but then the Bulldogs were the ones we should have waltzed past.  

And that is the Warriors isn't it? You never know.  

The summation of the season thus far, is that we are pretty much where we deserve to be. This has been a good year, with a vastly improved side.  

We have bought well and they have come to the party. Green and Blair in particular have been brilliant.  

Isaac Luke has come to life, Tuivasa Sheck is as good as anyone in the NRL.

And as all those people have shone, Johnson has mostly come to life with them.  

In fact that’s the irony, Johnson doesn’t look as good as he once did, not because he isn't, but because he has so many around him who are his equal.  

We are a professional, disciplined, cohesive and exciting side.  

The losses mainly have been explainable to a degree, every side has lost this way. That's why there is so little difference between one and eight, it’s a quality competition with most sides being genuinely competitive week in, and week out.  

One of the biggest joys for me has been the bounce backs, a loss is met with a resurgence and a win.  

There have been the two wins over the Dragons, and of course, the dream start that gave us all the sense that, fingers crossed, at last we were on our way.  

Mainly, from my feedback, the complainers have vanished, at last they get the fact the side is onto something.  

So here we go, finals time, and the real prospect that what happens next is in our hands.  

We are good enough to go all the way if we want it bad enough.  

What has been a great season, could very realistically be our greatest season.

Democrats are proposing one of the Senate office buildings in Washington be renamed in John McCain's honour.

The Republican Senator and Vietnam War fighter pilot has died at the age of 81.

His family released a statement the day before saying McCain was no longer accepting treatment for brain cancer.

US Correspondent Richard Arnold says told Mike Hosking the 2008 presidential candidate was widely respected.

"McCain's principle-based style of politics really does tower above the self-styled stupidity of many in today's political scene."

LISTEN ABOVE AS RICHARD ARNOLD SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING