/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/rss 九一星空无限 Sun, 24 Aug 2025 21:25:53 Z en /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-peace-cant-be-taken-for-granted/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-peace-cant-be-taken-for-granted/ I’ve been doing talk radio for a while now and so I took a look back at what I’ve said on past Anzac Days. And I noticed that each year has a slightly different flavour — shaped, I suppose, by the news of the day, our shifting sense of global security, and our place in the world.  But one thing never changes: I always feel quietly grateful for the way this day draws New Zealanders together. Regardless of what side of politics you’re on, your background, or where you come from, Anzac Day seems to cut through the noise — reminding us of the sacrifices made by those who served, and how much we owe them.  It wasn’t always like this. There was a time when Anzac Day didn’t feature so prominently in our national consciousness. But more and more, younger generations seem to be reaching for something meaningful — something bigger than themselves. A shared story. And Anzac Day has become something that increasingly unites us: a moment that transcends political boundaries.  And maybe this year, the tone feels different again. There’s a growing sense that peace can’t be taken for granted — a sense we can’t be quite as complacent as we once were. Global tensions are rising, conflicts are escalating, and we’re reminded that our freedom isn’t just a lucky accident of geography. It’s something we have to choose to value, protect, and defend. Our Prime Minister recently visited New Zealand troops helping to train Ukrainian soldiers to defend their country. And as I watched that, it reminded me how we can never be complacent about our security and the need to stand up to aggressors. So this Anzac Day, I’m reflecting not just on the sacrifice of past generations, but on the freedoms we enjoy today. Including the fact that we live in a society where we can express our differences — where we don’t all have to sing from the same song sheet. Because in some parts of the world, that is the only choice people have. And that’s something we should never take for granted.   It’s worth remembering that.  Lest we forget. Thu, 24 Apr 2025 19:13:16 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-justice-system-comes-at-a-price/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-justice-system-comes-at-a-price/ On Saturday, the front cover of the New Zealand Herald led with understandable outrage at the amount of money convicted sex offender Luca Fairgray spent trying to keep his name suppressed. That sum? $120,000. And it’s not hard to see why people are furious — watching someone pour that kind of taxpayer money into preserving their anonymity, only to be convicted anyway. And now we all know his name: Luca Fairgray — a man convicted of multiple serious sexual offences, including against a 13-year-old girl, all while he was still under interim name suppression for earlier crimes. There were also understandable arguments about the lack of funding for victims — and fair enough. But with the greatest respect, that’s a separate issue for a separate discussion. Now that we know the verdict, and we know the culprit’s name, it’s easy to look back and be appalled at how much money was spent — not just on his defence, but on his repeated attempts to remain anonymous. But here’s the thing: like it or not, I can’t imagine a fair justice system operating any other way. Because the most important thing is that we have a system we can have faith in. And faith in that system relies on knowing that people can defend themselves — whether or not they have the resources to do it. Otherwise, what are we looking at? A system where justice depends on your bank balance. Where your defence is only as strong as the cash you can throw at it. And for my part, I just don’t think we want to start deciding who gets access to justice based on an accused’s resources — or how much we loathe what they’ve been accused of. Because the alternative? Only the wealthy get to fight for their rights. Everyone else? Too bad. Guilty or not — you’re on your own. And look, in other aspects of life, sure — some people will always be able to afford to fly first class. But when it comes to justice, we’re not talking about airline tickets. We’re talking about outcomes that can redeem or destroy lives. There’s another aspect to this — and maybe it’s a bit churlish of me — but honestly, how on earth do you rack up $120,000 in legal fees just fighting for name suppression? I can’t help but wonder whether, in terms of the sheer quantum of money being spent here, we — or at least the system — is just taking the Mickey. Because $120,000? Just to argue about name suppression? That feels like the real scandal. But the rest of it? Luca Fairgray was convicted. Sentenced. And now, everyone knows who he is. We paid a price for it. But like it or not, it looks like that’s the price of a justice system we can believe in. Sun, 20 Apr 2025 19:38:35 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-legacy-of-joe-biden-and-his-final-address/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-legacy-of-joe-biden-and-his-final-address/ Well, it’s all over bar the shouting for President Joe Biden, having given his final address where he outlined his record while also sounding a warning of a wealthy oligarchy that is taking shape in America with extreme wealth, power and influence threatening democracy and basic rights and freedoms.  It was a speech that, given the state of American politics, wasn’t going to win anyone new over. Still, it was his chance to present his record and final thoughts as president.  He will, of course, have been pleased to finish his presidency on a positive note with the deal for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas (regardless of how it goes).  But, of course, from the sidelines is Donald Trump, who claims it was his overarching threat that "all hell would break loose" that influenced the outcome. Who knows? Though I would have thought all hell had already broken loose over a year ago.  But back to Biden.  To be honest, from my point of view, my preference for who occupies the position of President of the United States isn’t about domestic records or political promises. Those issues are clearly more significant to the American voter. For me and countless others, questions about the way we conduct ourselves in politics and respect for democracy matters most, given the USA’s position and power in the world.    Yes, I can understand why people voted for Trump when it comes to the economy and promises made. But when it comes to respect for democratic values, I’d give Trump a 0 out of 10 and Biden more like an 8 or 9.  For many – one of Biden’s negatives is that he will be remembered for saying he would never pardon his son Hunter Biden, only to perform a comprehensive 180. You can understand why he did it, given how he was pressured into withdrawing his candidacy. But he also would have seen an incoming president escaping all consequences for his actions on January 6, not to mention being a convicted felon and thought - am I really gonna hang my son out to dry on my principles? I would have done the same thing.  But what we have now heading to the White House is a guy who still doesn’t accept the result of the election four years ago. In a way it’s a shame Trump hadn’t won back then because now we’d be saying goodbye to him and hopefully welcoming fresher faces from both parties. Perhaps then they might compete on policy rather than appealing to people’s basic instincts or bigotries.    And that’s the problem we have seen with American politics over the past eight years - partisan politics getting more and more extreme.    In fact, it’s so bad that I reckon if the religious right finally witnessed the second coming of Jesus and he told them he was a Democrat, they’d probably all convert to atheism, such is their loathing for the other side (“that Jesus is such a snowflake!” they’d say).  So for now, fingers crossed that Trump’s unpredictable ways might somehow become a weapon for resolving global conflicts. Because, well, here we are.  And for a final thought on Biden’s legacy – unfortunately, we’re left with the sense that if he had let go of his vanity a couple of years ago and realised it was time to pass the baton, we might be in a very different place.    Much like Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler – “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run” – Biden missed his moment. Instead, we got a last-minute Hail Mary that, well, didn’t work out the way many had hoped.  Thu, 16 Jan 2025 19:57:40 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-today-we-farewell-lyn-fleming/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-today-we-farewell-lyn-fleming/ Today is the day of the funeral for Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, the police officer who as we all know was tragically killed in the course of duty just two hours into the new year.   Back then, after we heard that awful news, I commented that we would likely see a massive outpouring of grief and community solidarity – not just in the Nelson community, but throughout New Zealand.  Many will feel that the actions leading to her death are just one example —or, should I say, symptomatic— of the problems we’ve got in society. Too many people behave without regard for the consequences: for themselves, their victims, or anyone else their actions might affect. It’s a pretty obvious point, because let’s face it, how much would crime be reduced if perpetrators stopped to think about the impact of their actions?  But before I continue, I think it’s worth pausing to acknowledge again what a huge loss this has been to the Nelson community. From Lyn’s immediate family and friends to her wider family within the police, netball, and indeed the entire Nelson community that she served, her absence is deeply felt.  However, I believe there is one thing to come out of this tragedy that, ironically, gives cause for hope or some optimism. And that is what we will likely witness today: a huge number of people coming together to share their love, to support Lyn’s family, and to grieve the loss of someone who was such an integral part of their community.  Often, from what we hear or read in the media and in the political realm, it seems like we’re always at loggerheads with one another. But on a simple human level, we are also connected and have so much in common with each other as New Zealanders and human beings, regardless of race, politics, and religion.  And I think that today is going to be a demonstration of that.    So, what I hope is that when we see the news coverage of this farewell, and when we reflect on this tragedy, we are also reminded of the fact that, as the cliché goes, there is so much more that connects us than divides us.    Maybe as human beings we’re not all that bad. Maybe we just need to give ourselves more chances to connect with each other rather than finding excuses to bicker, insult, and alienate.    Now, I’m not saying it’s all Kumbaya or the Age of Aquarius. Because, we're always going to have differing opinions, philosophies and political views etc. But I just think that in the midst of all that, it doesn’t hurt to stop for a moment and appreciate the humanity we share.    We are part of a community that’s wider and more generous than we often think, and today is a chance to remind ourselves of that.  Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:14:08 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-could-this-finally-be-a-ceasefire/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-could-this-finally-be-a-ceasefire/ It looks like we’re getting closer to an Israel/Hamas ceasefire agreement involving the release of hundreds of Palestinians and some but not all hostages, which, honestly, is a little surprising  Goodness knows it’s overdue, given the tragic fallout from Hamas’ murderous attack on October 7, 2023.  But I’m sceptical about the potential for any lasting peace with the word being that this particular ceasefire will be for 6 weeks. It’s a far cry from a “truce” or “peace deal”.  And that’s because Hamas will never give up its fight, given its intense hatred of Jews and the Jewish state. That hatred is on full display in its rhetoric, with ongoing promises to rid the world of Israel and the Jewish people.  We’ve heard that sentiment echoed time and time again, at protests around the world with chants of the either mindless or deliberately genocidal slogan: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.  So, I just don’t trust that Hamas won’t want to have another crack at it — no matter how long they have to bide their time.  While I could be tempted to say, given the tragedy, that it’s unhelpful to pick sides, I can definitively say I am NOT on the side of Hamas.  Regardless of any assurances they might pretend to offer, we must recognize that their ultimate goal is the destruction of Israel. And they will not stop.  Recently, there was a debate at the Oxford Union, proposing the shameless motion: “This House Believes Israel is an apartheid state responsible for genocide.”  Just the fact that the debate was framed in such a ridiculous way shows how far Oxford has slipped with its standards. The audience was packed with Hamas sympathisers, while only a handful of Jewish students were brave enough to turn up.    Amid the jeering, Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a senior Hamas founder and leader who defected to Israel’s side, asked the audience to indicate, by a show of hands, how many of them would have reported prior knowledge of the October 7 atrocities to Israel.  Not even a quarter of the crowd raised their hands. In the so-called civilised halls of Oxford. No matter the atrocities of that day and the death toll in Gaza, they still wouldn’t have acted to stop it. If that is the attitude within Oxford– albeit with audience stacked with Hamas sympathisers, what chance is there that Hamas leadership has changed its mind? None, I’d say.  We can leave any further discussion of Oxford for another time, while still seeing the problems that Britain is struggling with. But it also demonstrates that, even in the context of a so-called peaceful debate, there is so much entrenched hatred against Israel that you end up with a sickening response, exposing people’s true colours.  I’d even go so far as to say that Hamas hates Israel more than it loves its own people, preferring to use them as human shields.  So no, I don’t believe the prospects of a successful ceasefire that won’t eventually lead to Hamas launching another attack, in the way they did on October the 7th    When protesters chant “Free Palestine,” I’d say they’re close—but they’re missing a couple of crucial words. What they should be chanting is: “Free Palestine—from Hamas”.  Because until that happens, there will be no hope of peace in the Middle East.  Tue, 14 Jan 2025 19:08:36 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-thoughts-on-the-need-for-rugby-reform/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-thoughts-on-the-need-for-rugby-reform/ I’m sometimes a bit hesitant to weigh in on issues around sport because I am more of a fair-weather friend these days. Paul Lewis’s report in the New Zealand Herald about rugby sevens’ troubles was a shock. Financial issues are at the heart of it, and World Rugby seems unable to make sevens profitable. Stories of extravagance at the top don’t help, especially with rugby competing against other sports for attention and money. While players are obviously selected on performance, you have to wonder if the same standard applies to management. I’m no expert on the international game but as someone who was once a passionate rugby fan, it did make me reflect on whether there needs to be a shift in attitude here in New Zealand. Now I’m not about to have a go at coaches or the players and I’m persisting with my hope to see the Scott Robertson era excite us in 2025. But I just get a sense that the game here is managed, in this professional era, with a lingering old-fashioned attitude to accessibility. This makes our teams and players seem more remote than ever. Just look at some of the offerings that are available to sports fans from other sports that are now competing for our attention – and money. I’m a recent convert to following F1. That’s mainly because of the access that Netflix has had in filming its ‘Drive to Survive’ series. It’s let us into the dramas and the lives of people who are participating in an incredibly high-stakes game – and yet we still see them letting it all hang out with what they think, the rivalries, the bitchiness, and all while seeing that these are incredibly talented folk try to squeeze every last degree of performance out of their teams and vehicles. Whereas by contrast sometimes it feels like New Zealand rugby is so carefully stage-managed that it is becoming more and more remote from rugby fans and supporters. Possibly why the NZRU’s nickname behind the scenes with sports journalists is “the Kremlin”. Surely the reason that rugby became our national religion for decades was because we all felt like we owned the game. We felt connected to our local clubs, school teams, provincial teams, and, of course, the All Blacks. Not now. Somewhere that’s got a little lost. I have to remind you that I’m just saying this as more of a fair-weather fan of rugby – but I didn’t use to be. There was a time when the outcome of an All Black match would dictate whether it was a good or bad day. One of my brags as a singer was having sung the anthem for the All Blacks seven times (they won them all by the way...). I just get the feeling that something has to change. Because, as I said, there is a lot competing for our attention. Mon, 13 Jan 2025 18:52:20 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-devastation-in-los-angeles/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-devastation-in-los-angeles/ The ongoing story about the wildfires in California takes your breath away, doesn't it? As one official remarked, in the fire's early stages, it spread from an area of around 10 square kilometres to 200 square kilometres in just 10 minutes.  When you see how quickly Mother Nature can turn vicious under the right conditions, it's pretty sobering.  Of course, tragedies and dramatic events happen all the time around the world, but we're not always drawn to them in the same way as we are to the California wildfires. Probably because it's a part of the world that feels so familiar. American culture is such a prominent feature in our own lives.  We recognise some of the places and names of those affected. I mentioned somewhat frivolously yesterday that one way to keep up with the fires' progress might be to check out the Kardashians' Instagram feed.  How true that turned out to be with them posting some startling images of the devastation.  One thing I'd almost forgotten is that this is North America, and it's the middle of winter.  You could be forgiven for thinking these events were happening in Australia, where bushfires wreak havoc almost annually. But here we are in California, in winter, alongside news of record snowfall and incredible ski seasons in other part of North America - what a contrast.  Inevitably, there will be talk of climate change and how to mitigate humanity's impact, but the warnings were there beforehand.  California officials and experts have long cautioned about wildfire risks, citing overgrown vegetation, drought, and delayed forest management.  Billions had been allocated for wildfire prevention, including vegetation clearly, but clearly implementation hasn't been fast enough.  But it's one thing to announce the money, and another thing to spend it well.  Politicians are already facing scorching criticism for the lack of preparedness. Whether it's the failure to manage the growth of vegetation that provided fuel for the fires, ensuring reservoirs had enough water to fight them, or taking other preventative steps - those warnings don't seem to have been heeded.  And it's here that possibly the lesson lies. If there's one human quality that has enabled us to survive and keep evolving, it's our ability to adapt.  If earlier steps had been taken to prepare - removing fuel sources, improving water sources, and heeding expert warnings - then maybe the disaster we're witnessing wouldn't have been on such a horrendous scale.  Sure, debate climate change all you like, but the immediate challenge is our ability to prepare and adapt.  Right now, though, all we can really do is thank our lucky stars it's not us, and extend a bit of empathy to those who have seen their lives go up in smoke.  LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 09 Jan 2025 22:06:31 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-they-love-to-hate-the-treaty-principles-bill/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-they-love-to-hate-the-treaty-principles-bill/ It was barely a few days ago that I commented on the Treaty Principles Bill and whether we were mature enough to have the debate - whether it was going to be an informed conversation or just a lot of shouting.  I thought that would be the last I'd have to say about it for a while, but it's a bit like the commentator's curse. Because now, as we've seen, on the very last day of submissions, there were problems with the website - the cause of which is yet to be determined. But there is the suggestion perhaps it was running a little slowly because a whole lot of people decided to turn their homework in at the very last minute.  That's led to calls to reopen submissions and extend the deadline by two weeks.  But it is kind of ironic, isn't it - that the very people who can't stand the bill, who want to see the end of it... those are the ones who want to prolong the process a bit more, when frankly, if they'd had their act together they would have been well ahead of the game.  Incidentally on the website itself, I understand there was the option to send an email.  And likely what's happening now is that various interest groups or political parties are churning out lots of copy and paste template submissions for their followers to send in and swamp the process with submissions.  Submissions which I have doubt will add little if anything to the argument.  It's simply a political move to stack the numbers as if the process itself is a referendum and the same submission will be sent again and again and again.  I understand the committee will be meeting at 9am today to determine whether they re-open submissions and for how long.  Look, if there were folk who, on the last day, were prevented from submitting, then in all fairness there probably should be an extension for them. If it turns out there were lots of people affected, in order to get the word out, the extension will have to be for more than a day. But it could also turn out that very few people were affected.  But I reckon that - for all those parties that say they can't stand the bill - secretly, they LOVE it.  It's Christmas all over again for them to rile up their followers to make political capital and sow a few more seeds of division.  And again, it'll have bugger all to do with the substance of what the bill is about. As I have said before, I would wager that a significant majority of those submitting couldn't tell you the gist of any of the three clauses in the bill.  But there we go - the political game continues. Round and round it goes, where it stops, nobody knows.  LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 08 Jan 2025 23:59:08 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-tragic-downfall-of-rudy-giuliani/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-tragic-downfall-of-rudy-giuliani/ I saw yesterday that Rudy Giuliani is in the news again, having just been held in contempt of court in a staggering $148 million defamation case after he falsely accused two Georgia election workers of tampering with votes.  It's quite something to have witnessed the public downfall of someone who was once described by Oprah Winfrey as "America's mayor" with the word Shakespearean coming to mind when you consider such a tragic change in his fortunes.  Prior to 9/11, Giuliani had become mayor of New York City on the back of his successful career as a prosecutor, cracking down on the mafia through an innovative use of he RICO Act.  Then came the events of 9/11 and "cometh the hour, cometh the man". The memory I have of Giuliani in his prime - if we can call it that - was as the face of stoicism and resistance following the 2001 terror attack on the Twin Towers.  His calm, measured, and compassionate response was in stark contrast - something you might recall - to the initial image of President Bush sitting stunned in front of a room of schoolkids as he digested the news.  Former Democratic governor and senator Bob Kerrey summed up Giuliani's response on 9/11 when he said, "trust me, the range of possibilities for leaders is quite extreme: Some panic, some get paralyzed," - "Giuliani was brave and reassuring, and you can't subtract that from his résumé.”   Fast forward, and it's quite hard to get your head around what a stunning downfall we've witnessed over the last few years, with Giuliani playing the role of Trump's attack dog in leading the attempt to overturn the election results four years ago.  Then there was a string of embarrassing public appearances, which made it hard to imagine that this was the very man who, for his leadership of New York in its greatest crisis, was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year for 2001.  But how the mighty have fallen. People who know him or knew him say that Giuliani today bears little resemblance to the man they knew.  Others have suggested that the real Giuliani was always hiding in plain sight and it was just fate that dished up the circumstances that enabled him to demonstrate the best of himself.  Perhaps it was fate also that dished up circumstances which caused him to demonstrate the worst of himself.  Maybe it was in tying his fortunes to Donald Trump, where he wouldn't be the only acolyte to have fallen under that bus. Michael Cohen and Steve Bannon are a couple of names that come to mind.  But ultimately, it's a tragedy to watch him make the choices he has made and betray his legacy as the man who led New York City through its darkest days, becoming instead the architect of his own downfall by letting his later actions overshadow it all.  And hopefully, history will be kinder to him than the most recent headlines. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 07 Jan 2025 21:44:29 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-elon-musk-vs-keir-starmer/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-elon-musk-vs-keir-starmer/ I'm not sure if it's entertaining or a little frightening to watch the weight being thrown around by Elon Musk in the political arena. Not just in the United States, but also right now in the United Kingdom where, in addition to slagging off Keir Starmer, he was looking likely to throw a large amount of money at Nigel Farage's political party Reform UK.  In fact, the news around the budding bromance between Musk and Farage has been hard to keep up with. Farage recently described Musk as a hero for buying Twitter back - saying that whether we like everything he says or not, "he's a hero." He also said Musk made him look cool to younger voters.  Not so cool now - with Musk posting on X that Farage "doesn't have what it takes" to lead Reform UK. He hasn't explained his reasons, but maybe we can assume that it's because Farage doesn't want anything to do with far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who is currently serving a prison sentence for contempt of court.  It's worth noting with some of Musk's focus falls on fertile ground in his criticism of governments for failing to address the issue of grooming gangs - an issue also honed in on by far-right groups in the UK, including Robinson - who he has ridiculously described as a political prisoner. But it seems his support for Tommy Robinson was a step too far for Nigel Farage. So, it is looking like with Musk it's a case of - you are either all in or you're out - the change in the potential financial fortunes of Reform UK happening within hours of Farage, in an interview with the BBC, describing Musk as a friend.  They say a week is a long time in politics, but perhaps when it comes to relationships with Elon Musk, maybe a single day can feel even longer.  All this has got to raise your curiosity as to how long the friendship with Donald Trump will last with Trump publicly promising Musk a role in his administration. Plenty of people are surprised the relationship has even made it this far.  The bigger question is how comfortable any of us are with someone like Musk, with his immense wealth, wielding - or attempting to wield - power through money. Not that this is a new concept - money talks and always has.  As we've seen, Musk has also been wading into German politics, endorsing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, sections of which have been described as right-win extremist. Oh great... just what we need - a far-right German government! Musk has recently had a crack at the German Chancellor on X, tweeting "Chancellor Oaf Schitz or whatever his name will lose". Scholz's response was to simply say "don't feed the troll". Problem is, Musk the troll has plenty of his own fuel to add to the fire, whether he is fed or not.  You might remember a while ago; Elon Musk was telling us how we should be trying to make Mars habitable. He once claimed that in 30 years, there could be a million people living on the red planet. These days, I wouldn't mind betting there is an ever-increasing number of people hoping he'll be one of the first to make the trip, and I'd probably be one of them.  LISTEN ABOVE  Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:58:30 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-thoughts-on-changing-alcohol-labels/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-thoughts-on-changing-alcohol-labels/ The momentum seems to be building on the need for more in the way of health warnings on alcoholic drinks. This follows mounting evidence that alcohol consumption increases the risk of about seven types of cancer including breast and liver cancer.  A recent study released in 2024 showed that in one year (2018) alcohol contributed to more than 900 deaths, 1,250 cancer cases, nearly 30,000 hospitalisations, and around 130,000 ACC claims.  And in the USA, the Surgeon General has called for a reassessment of alcohol consumption and wants alcoholic drinks to carry a warning about cancer risks on their labels.  This instantly conjured up dramatic images for me... those sorts of warnings such as those we have seen on packets of cigarettes with graphic images and messages - so my initial response was: No blimmen way.  But I doubt there would ever be the political will or momentum to apply those sorts of extreme warnings here.  But the question remains on whether there is a need for more health advice or warnings about the adverse effects of alcohol on drinks sold in New Zealand.  Currently there are warnings around the dangers of drinking when pregnant - which is hard to argue with, given our horrific statistics around foetal alcohol syndrome. Beer producers also have nutritional information panels on their products.  But it seems many New Zealanders are either blasé or ignorant about the long-term health effects of consuming alcohol.  Regardless, I don't think anyone wants to see the same kind of fear-mongering warnings on our favourite bottle of red wine that we see on packets of cigarettes.  I'm also not a fan of some of the other ideas which have been mooted, such as increasing tax or banning the marketing of alcohol. Because while we might want to restrict the marketing of products that encourage binge drinking and the easy consumption of alcohol such as RTD's, we probably wouldn't want the same rules applied to the advertising of a particularly fine Marlborough Chardonnay or Central Otago Pinot Noir. So many of the things we consume, whether food or beverages, have risks. Would you want to see a warning on your packet of sausages because of the saturated fat? On the menu next to your Wagyu steak? Or outside every fish and chip or burger joint - a health warning about the risks of deep frying? Should KFC have a health warning on the risk of obesity and heart disease? I'd suggest that the answer is no, despite us wanting people to make better decisions around what they eat and drink.  At the heart of this is that old chestnut - education.  The same sort of education that has me applying sunscreen more regularly and avoiding the sun during the hottest part of the day.  The same education that reminds us why we shouldn't smoke and to swim between the flags.  But perhaps, given the stats we have on the dangers of alcohol, adding something to the pregnancy warning to address long term health risks might be okay - but as for ramming it down our throats with graphic, fear inducing labels on every bottle of beer and wine... no thanks! LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 05 Jan 2025 21:45:10 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-thoughts-on-liam-paynes-death/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-thoughts-on-liam-paynes-death/ This is a troubling story about the events that have followed the death of One Direction star Liam Payne. You’ll recall Liam lost his life after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires in October. Understandably, his friends, family, and his multitude of fans were devastated by his death.   But now the news is that his manager, as well as the manager of the Casa Sur hotel and its head of reception, have been charged with negligent homicide and could face up to five years in prison. So apparently, this is their fault? A couple of other individuals have also been charged with supplying drugs and could be jailed for up to 15 years. That may be a different matter, but charging the hotel manager is madness. According to the judge, the manager was reckless in facilitating Liam’s transfer to his room by taking him there. This was after he was allegedly off his face and had apparently fainted in the lobby.   Also, ask yourself: if it weren’t for Liam’s fame and the global coverage of his tragic death, would any of this be happening?   And what does it mean for any other person who encounters someone who's off their face on drugs and barely conscious? How often would that scenario be encountered by people in hospitality every day? Hindsight is great, but it’s not hard to understand how the hotel manager would think, “Look, let’s just take this guy up to his room to sleep it off.” Yet now that same hotel manager is facing charges for not having a crystal ball.   What stands out here is the absurdity of charging those who were in closest proximity to Liam at the time of his death. Why should they pay the price when others who played much larger roles in either ignoring his problems or directly contributing to them seem to escape accountability?   Yes, I can imagine circumstances where people might BE responsible for such a tragedy, but I don’t think this is it. If they’re responsible, then why not go a little further back and blame those who introduced him to alcohol – or the band management who put One Direction on such a gruelling performance schedule for which there is well-documented evidence for of how demanding and exhausting their tours were. Why not blame those who introduced him to drugs or didn’t look after him in his early days? Or those who didn’t give him the right sort of care when he was stuck in hotel rooms on tour, lonely, and turning to the minibar or other substances for comfort?   What about the culpability of those closest to him, who surely knew the problems he was facing? Should we be charging them? Well, of course not – that would be obscene. Because the bit that is also missing in this story is the question of personal responsibility, which seems entirely absent while people search for answers. Everyone but Liam is being blamed for his demise. You can imagine if someone was actively encouraging him to do dangerous things while he was out of it, then maybe they would be culpable. But putting someone in their hotel room to sleep it off is hardly a case for charging them with manslaughter.   Yes, you can imagine the pressure that authorities must feel under to assign some sort of blame. But to look to those who just happened to be there at the end – while ignoring those who contributed to the long and difficult path that led to his struggles – is wide of the mark. Thu, 02 Jan 2025 20:19:55 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-an-all-too-familiar-story/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-an-all-too-familiar-story/ What a tragedy unfolded in Nelson yesterday, with the news that Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming has died from her injuries after being rammed by a car in Nelson just hours after the new year began. She was a daughter, a mother, and a wife—someone who had given 38 years of service to her community. Described by Police Commissioner Richard Chambers as a “beautiful soul” and an “outstanding police officer,” this is a devastating piece of news at the start of the new year.  It’s also a story that feels all too familiar, doesn’t it? Not just because of international stories where a car is used as a weapon, but because here in New Zealand, alcohol-fuelled rage and recklessness behind the wheel seem to have become increasingly common.  Before I continue, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to all those affected by this tragedy—from Lyn’s family and friends to her wider family in the police force and the Nelson community, who must be reeling at this news.   It's obviously too early to know all the facts but so far, this has been described as senseless and unprovoked. And frankly, it’s not much of a reach to assume alcohol is involved, because I can barely imagine such a callous act happening if anyone involved were of sober mind.  But it’s moments like these that make me think we really need to be a lot harder on such callous, reckless violent acts. Maybe that’s a visceral, gut reaction to this tragedy but I’m going to repeat something I’ve been saying for quite a while: the time has come for us to go extra hard on people who commit such acts under the influence of alcohol.  Obviously, it’s not just the law that is going to be the way to address our attitude to alcohol.  Right now, and yes I'm speaking out of anger – and why not?   But I don't think the person responsible for this crime deserves one shred of mercy from the justice system when hopefully they are brought to justice. It's moments like these when I've had a gutsful of the focus switching to whether the accused was remorseful or had a bad upbringing – whatever sob story gets served up as a pathetic excuse for what they have done. The person driving that vehicle appears to have shown zero mercy or compassion for Lyn Fleming or her colleague Adam Ramsay.   In return, they deserve no compassion or mercy from the justice system. The bar should be set extremely high for any mitigating circumstances in such a callous act.  And if alcohol was involved—and let’s be honest, it’s a brave person who would bet otherwise—then that should absolutely be treated as an aggravating factor in dealing with the perpetrator of this tragedy.  None of this will undo this tragedy. We can't turn back time. But it is time for the message to go out from the justice system that the law, and the enforcement of it for cases like this, will be fearsome. Not at the expense of fairness in the due process that must play out – but once accountability is established, I hope a sentence is dished out that takes people's breath away. A sentence that resonates throughout NZ and sends the message that callous acts like this, have no excuse.  Wed, 01 Jan 2025 20:41:25 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-great-dimming/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-great-dimming/ I imagine there’s not many of us who haven’t felt a good dose of gratitude for the fact that we grow up in an age of enlightenment where science and medicine make a massive difference — not only to our lives, but our wellbeing and our life expectancy.   And alongside that feeling of gratitude, I suspect is a certain smugness that “aren't we all so clever” when, in fact, maybe the truth is that some people are really clever and aren’t we lucky that they lived in an age where they could invent and develop technology and science in ways that improve our lives immeasurably    This is not an opinion that luddites will embrace...  But just look at the innovations we have seen over the past century or two – advances in medicine, information technology, energy, transport, science and our understanding of the universe we live in    Of course, alongside with the advances which benefit us is technology that can threaten our existence such as nuclear arms and modern weaponry  But all in all, for those of us lucky enough to live in a vaguely civilised democracy, I think we’ve got it pretty good. Ever since the scientific revolution and the Age of Enlightenment, we have seen massive advancements in science and technology.    But, if there’s something I’m probably worried about it’s this – despite all that is at our fingertips - we are now in an age — not of enlightenment — but a perhaps a great Dimming - where so much information is available courtesy of the internet that you can find any pseudoscience or argument to support your own reckons. Often, people start off with an idea that their intuition tells them must be right. Then, instead of testing that idea, they think, “Let’s go and find the evidence that fits or confirms what I want to believe.”    Yesterday there was a story in the Guardian about a doctor saying that constantly battling, seeing patients who have chosen not to take medication on the advice of online wellness influencers on TikTok. We saw it in the news here just days ago where TikTok influencers are telling people to go and get tanned when the UV level is at its highest – advice that is not only utterly wrong, but dangerous, reckless and ignorant. It is advice that panders to and exploits the ignorance of large parts of society who get their news and information from social media and clearly don't know any better.    So, it’s ironic — and perhaps a little depressing — that despite all the knowledge and advancements available to us, there is an increasing distrust of that science. Science that previous generations were grateful for, as they battled what are now easily treatable or preventable diseases and afflictions.    Because of increasing ignorance and distrust, I wonder if the era that we are heading into – instead of being one of enlightenment – is going to be an era known as The Great Dimming. An era with increasingly larger enclaves of people preferring to resort to quackery and superstition and the influencers of TikTok rather than seizing upon the incredible advancements and scientific knowledge our ancestors could only dream of. If only we would stop viewing science with such contempt.    So, if there’s one thing, I’m worried about it’s this era of wilful ignorance. We see it with the re-emergence of diseases which should never see the light of day in modern times. Diseases which can so easily be prevented through vaccination or following sensible advice on diet, alcohol consumption, sun exposure, smoking, and early detection.  So please, if you hear someone spouting nonsense or dishing or medical advice from something they have seen on TikTok or elsewhere - at the very least a gentle encouragement in another direction might do them and all — and us — a favour.  LISTEN ABOVE  Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:33:14 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-this-years-new-years-honours/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-this-years-new-years-honours/ So, it’s New Year’s Eve, and the honours for 2025 have been announced. There’s a kind of quirk with the whole hierarchy of the honours, which I’m not sure I’d necessarily change, but it’s worth noting. It starts with the Knights and Dames, then moves on to the Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit, then the Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit, followed by the King’s Service Order, and finally, at the bottom of the hierarchy, is the King’s Service Medal. And it’s here, I think, that you often find a remarkable collection of people who have given their time for years and years—almost always on a voluntary basis—and are finally being rewarded for their service. Often for the awards higher up the hierarchy, the recipients are being recognised for things they’ve already been well-rewarded for, and the honours are simply the icing on the cake. But with the King’s Service Medals, it’s usually for years of service without any extrinsic reward. When I say extrinsic reward, I really mean to highlight that these people have likely been rewarded through the satisfaction, joy, or meaning they derive from the service they have given. Whether it’s in the performing arts, emergency services, the SPCA, conservation, sport, youth services, or specific communities within New Zealand, the recipients of the King’s Service Medal are usually people who have simply given of themselves. It’s an impressive and inspiring list of people who have given of themselves to make a tangible difference. If you ever have the chance to go to an award ceremony, it’s really something I would highly recommend, because it really is quite something to see New Zealanders from a wide range of backgrounds rewarded for years of service. When the achievements, lists, or citations are read out, it’s just such a heartening moment to see, and it gives you a lovely insight into what it means to be a New Zealander giving something back to your community. But regardless of whichever award you have received—whether you be a famous king or queen of the world in a sport you have dominated, or someone who has given 40 years of service as a volunteer to the SPCA—congratulations and thank you. NZ wouldn’t be what it is without you. Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:45:54 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-grant-dalton-deserves-man-of-the-year/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-grant-dalton-deserves-man-of-the-year/ Last week I decided I would offer a couple of suggestions as to who might qualify to be either Man or Woman of the year. I wanted to get in before the New Year’s Honours list was released tomorrow morning – New Year’s Eve—so I wouldn’t be in danger of undermining the choices that have been made of those New Zealanders to receive New Years Honours. On Friday, I announced my choice for Woman of the Year. Now it’s the man’s turn. And to be honest I will be surprised and perhaps not a little disappointed if his name isn’t already on the list to be announced tomorrow. But for me, that person is Grant Dalton, who earlier this year in Barcelona led Emirates Team New Zealand to successfully defend, for an unprecedented third time in a row in the modern era, the America’s Cup. Some say Grant Dalton is perhaps a polarising character because he did the deal to successfully defend the Cup which involved taking the cup competition offshore. I wrote my thoughts about that in a piece in the New Zealand Herald a couple of years ago so I’m not about to repeat myself on that score. But back, then I described Dalton as a tenacious, determined man who knows how to get things done. And so it proved. In a challenging post Covid era he managed to raise the money to build a magnificent boat and to retain, maintain and develop a competitive team to successfully defend the America’s Cup in an environment where Team NZ was always competing against the bottomless pockets of other teams. And, in what I would describe as typical Kiwi fashion, Grant Dalton seems to be the last one who wants any credit, attention, or plaudits, preferring instead to highlight that the achievement belongs to his team. Just a few days ago for our 九一星空无限talk ZB summer feature he was at pains to point out the brilliant efforts of the sailors themselves as well as the design team and other individuals within Team New Zealand. And you don’t succeed in the way Emirates Team NZ has without an incredibly strong team culture and ethos —something sailing commentator Mark Orams described as being hard to emulate. But surely that’s the sort of thing that can only evolve through strong leadership. The other thing I like about Grant Dalton is that he hasn't watered down his public persona to appease his critics and media in ways we might see with other sportspeople or managers where frankly, with some, you wouldn’t have a clue what makes some of them tick. Grant Dalton just does Grant Dalton. One day the future of the Americas cup will be decided without him. But it's hard not to imagine that we might not have been quite as successful if it hadn't been for his leadership at Team NZ regardless of where the baton gets passed next. In fact, I’m going to say it: it would be a travesty if he’s not knighted in this year’s New Year’s Honours list. But Grant will be the last to complain. As I wrote last time about him. He will be concentrating on getting the next job done. Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:48:46 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-take-on-boxing-day-sales/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-take-on-boxing-day-sales/ It has been nice to celebrate Christmas and all the positive things that can be said about this this season BUT now we’re on to the next day and ...  the dreaded boxing day sales   Disclaimer: I might be a bit of a hypocrite from time to time on this one But it is one of those days where perhaps we’ve all had at one time a sense of outrage about Boxing Day sales because well, it feels like a slight kick in the teeth when you’ve done all your Christmas shopping only to find that the goods that you were happy to fork out for before Christmas somehow suddenly got a lot cheaper and that our goodwill and need to comply with the traditions of Christmas are somehow exploited by retailers.   It might feel a little harsh saying that though because we know what a tough time retail has had with the economic downturn and so I’m hardly about to begrudge them whatever it takes for them to make a living and a struggle through some challenging times And Boxing Day sales have been around forever and it's not like we don't know they’re coming so - the choice is ours so yes, I have cooled called my jets about that a little bit and yes, I did check a couple of retailers websites for what they were offering but I guess the point is this There was a time when Boxing Day was one of the few genuinely big sales of the year - but I just can’t understand how, if you’ve had a great Christmas Day - your answer next day -  your next step towards happiness is to go and suffer with the hordes of folks who be there alongside you looking for a bargain Because times have changed - the opportunities for bargains throughout the year are nonstop - we have so many times we can get a bargain - any public holiday or celebration you’ll see wall to wall ads advertising a sale  We’ve imported got Black Friday Waitangi Day sales, Labour Day sales, Anzac Day sales, Easter sales - in fact any sort of public commemoration these days gets turned into a sale so it’s not like you didn’t have your chance through the course of the year   so, when it comes to the Boxing Day sales I would just say – so you really need to? Really? look maybe the gift giving has reminded you suddenly that there really was something you wanted but if you are just shopping for shopping sake – give yourself a break You know what you won't have to look wait long before you'll get the same chance for the same item at a great price But - if your motivation is to get out there and support those struggling retailers then good on you and have a great Boxing Day! I might see you there... LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:28:42 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-whats-the-real-meaning-of-christmas/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-whats-the-real-meaning-of-christmas/ Well, it’s just one sleep until the big day. If ever I were to deliver a sermon, this might be it! There’s a story in the British newspaper the Telegraph which has concluded that when it comes to wearing the pants in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s household (Harry and Meghan, for short) - their Christmas greeting might reveal who’s really wearing the pants. Apparently, their choice of wording— “Happy Holidays” or “Happy Holiday Season” instead of the dreaded “C” word—Christmas—has driven the conclusion that Meghan, not Harry, is calling the shots.   Maybe so but frankly who cares about Meghan and Harry! But what this does remind me though, is the long running debate and sensitivity about using the word Christmas because as some argue, it doesn’t include other religions or might offend those who don’t celebrate it.   As a result, we end up with these bland, soulless – can I say WOKE? phrases like “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays.” It’s as if uttering the word Christmas is somehow a cultural crime Heaven forbid anyone mentions Jesus…!. But I reckon maybe we’ve moved past all that we can accept that Christmas, although rooted in Christianity – has grown into something much bigger – something for everyone to celebrate.   Remember that in the northern hemisphere Xmas coincides with the winter solstice and wouldn’t be the first tradition to have broken free or extended beyond its origins And while for many Christians, Christmas obviously has a deep spiritual significance that goes beyond family get togethers, turkey, gifts and mistletoe etc - I don’t know many – or any – Christians who begrudge folk of other religions or no religion at all for taking the opportunity to celebrate Christmas. In fact, I believe most Christians love seeing it celebrated widely as a day for everyone.   It’s a bit like two Christian holidays - Easter and Good Friday which are considered to be important enough in our calendar that we still protect them with retail trading bans, despite commercial pressure.      I’ve heard plenty of non-believers support those trading bans too, not just for sake of tradition but because it doesn’t hurt to have a couple of days where we don’t have to be charging to the shops and instead, we can maybe step back from the chaos for a day or two I should confess that I’m not religious although raised Anglican. But I do believe that Christmas is a special day no matter what you believe. It’s an excuse for us to put our differences aside and extend a bit of hospitality and generosity, and spend time with friends and loved ones So, here’s to Christmas - as the song goes - the most wonderful time of the year. So…  merry Christmas!   Here endeth the lesson… LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 23 Dec 2024 22:55:36 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-im-still-not-convinced-that-golriz-takes-responsibility-for-offending/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-im-still-not-convinced-that-golriz-takes-responsibility-for-offending/ It’s interesting what a night's sleep can do for your perspective.   So we had the Golriz Ghahraman sentencing yesterday and the anticipation of a sentence which had been building up ahead of steam - with most people fearing (or hoping, depending on your perspective) that she might get a discharge without conviction.   I had a sense of relief when Judge June Jelas convicted her and fined her.   I think the judge got it about right. It's always bugged me that those with the most to lose will argue that they should avoid conviction, because they have more at stake than some other poor wretch.   My view has always been that if you've got a lot to lose - maybe that should be your motivation before you go and do something stupid.   Now, I don't think I’ll shift anyone's opinions on Golriz Ghahraman. And obviously the whole experience for her must have been horrendous. A very painful fall from grace.   But ultimately, to be honest with you, I'm still not convinced that Golriz really takes responsibility for offending. In fact, I'm not convinced at all, because her excuses seem to say “Well, yes, I did take the items, but here are a bunch of reasons why I did it.”   Perhaps the most outrageous moment to me was a question from John Campbell: “If you were a young brown woman from your background, would you go into Parliament now?”   And she doesn't hesitate. She goes, “No, I wouldn't do it. I think there are better things to do for our communities.” She says, “That's a terrible thing to say. You know, I didn't break the glass ceiling. It's like the shards are still in my face. I just went up against it really hard.”  I'm sorry, but the only thing you banged up against was the wall that you ran into when you shoplifted and took things that weren't yours.   And, by the way, look at all the number of people from diverse backgrounds and women who are doing quite well, thank you very much, regardless of the colour of their skin, ethnicity or culture.   Who knows what motivations she had? In the end, we make up our own minds. And as I say, a good night’s sleep can take a bit of the heat out of it.   But from the judge's point of view: there's been consequences to this offending, they've been entered on the record - and for that I'm grateful.   But if you're looking for accountability - then I'm afraid you'll need to look elsewhere.  LISTEN ABOVE.    Thu, 27 Jun 2024 22:41:36 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-we-might-see-a-solution-for-cancer-drug-funding-in-the-coming-weeks/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-we-might-see-a-solution-for-cancer-drug-funding-in-the-coming-weeks/ There's been a plethora of coverage around the budget. And I'll admit to you, it sort of has my head spinning. If you want to hate the budget, you can find plenty of opinions that will back up your view. And if you want to love it, you'll find the same as well. But I think there is one thing where most of us are probably on the same page - and that is the failure of the budget to announce the funding of those 13 cancer drugs which the National Party campaigned on.   Look, if you want to split hairs, you might say, “Well, that was a National Party promise and this is a coalition government. So who knows what got in the way there.” So maybe it's not actually that straightforward. But when it comes to delivering everything you've promised, I think it's a bit of a black mark. There were a lot of New Zealanders who were hanging out for the announcement that cancer treatments that they were desperate for, were going to receive that much anticipated funding.   However, I think it's fair to say in the last 24 hours or so, there's been a glimmer of light. Because one of the things in politics is: things seem to move very slowly. But Nicola Willis's appearance yesterday on Q&A, and some of the comments that have emerged, seem to give hope that the government is actually going to move at pace to address the issue.  She said that they would be working urgently and there be announcement this year. I wouldn't mind gambling that the announcement is only a matter of weeks away. And look, we can get distracted by the mechanics of it all, because it isn't that straightforward. One: they've got to fund it, but technically they're not supposed to tell Pharmac what they're supposed to spend their money on. So, they might have to take an extra step and say, “look, we're going to give you this money, but it's for these drugs.”  Bu it's not going to be plain sailing, given that Pharmac is independent. It would be a big move by the government to also dictate the particular treatments that should be funded.   So, if there's a brick bat, the government has earned on this one, then maybe it's going to be followed up with the tiniest of bouquets. Hopefully what Nicola Willis has said is that they are going to be pretty close to announcing those cancer drugs. So we give them a small bouquet on that one. Don't hold your breath - but I would say that it’s only a matter of weeks away, so fingers crossed on that one.   And you know what? It's good to admit you're wrong, isn't it? Instead of just trying to avoid accountability. She's admitted it. And they're gonna do something about it. So, fingers crossed it'll all get addressed.  LISTEN ABOVE.          Sun, 02 Jun 2024 23:30:10 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/roman-travers-a-time-to-remember-those-who-went-to-defend-our-freedom/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/roman-travers-a-time-to-remember-those-who-went-to-defend-our-freedom/ A few days ago, I was working here on 九一星空无限talk ZB, and we got onto discussing today, ANZAC Day and whether or not we should or shouldn’t have a full day of remembrance as there has been in the past.  The very first ANZAC Day was in 1946. It was brought about to remember the landing at Gallipoli on that days first anniversary. Since then, we’ve had full days of remembrance and once again, we’re back to pretty much a half day.  What’s wrong with us that we need to have the option of getting to the shops on our country’s major day of collective remembrance?  How tough would it be to know that for just one full day in the year, you and I need to be organised enough with bread and milk and whatever else you need for one day – in order to reflect and remember those that gave their lives; so that we can be free to choose what we want in life?  Now, I know there are those that say that there are other days of the year that prevent them from fulfilling their shopping dreams. But there are just three-and-a-half days a year which The Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 prevents most shopping - Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and the first half of Anzac Day.  Apart from today, the other days are religious festivals - right?  ANZAC Day is the only public holiday day in the year that doesn’t require you to believe in something that may or may not be true or that may or may not have taken place.  ANZAC Day is the one day of an entire year that asks – not demands – that you and I take some time to reflect upon the thousands of predominantly young men, who went to one of the major theatres of war and didn’t come home. ANZAC Day asks us to remember and to honour those who also returned - having given so much.  I believe that the solemnity of ANZAC Day would have far greater meaning and gravitas, if we were to shut everything, apart from the essential services.  Do you think we could cope with that? Do you think that there’d be an outpouring of support for this concept – far outweighing those in support of some misguided belief that shopping on every day of the year (bar the three and a half we currently have as public holidays) - is a basic human right?  For me and many others, this national day of remembrance, is a time to remember how we got to be this little country at the bottom of the world.  It’s a time to remember that the only reason you and I get to complain (or to celebrate) about government policy, the state of the nation and our place in the world… is because of those who went to defend our freedom.  Lest we forget right?  They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;  Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.  At the going down of the sun and in the morning  We will remember them.  Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:22:17 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/roman-travers-what-does-it-say-about-us-if-we-cant-handle-the-shops-being-closed/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/roman-travers-what-does-it-say-about-us-if-we-cant-handle-the-shops-being-closed/ Every year, Easter pops up with the ubiquitous confusion around which shops are open and when over the Easter period. There are two reasons for this- one being so many regard shopping as a fun way to spend time and secondly, because every region has a variety of bylaws. Most have a fantastic understanding of their local shops trading hours. But for those away on holiday around the country, the Easter trading hours can be varied, complicated and often completely flouted. Take Wānaka for example- Wānaka New World stores decided to stay open across Easter weekend in breach of the holiday's trading laws, even though all shops across the country are required to close on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday, unless they were deemed essential or had an exemption. New World Wānaka and New World Three Parks were trading as usual, without an exemption or essential store status. They both did the same in 2021 and 2022. MBIE have been quite vocal over the years, voicing their concerns that big players like Foodstuffs continually flout the Easter Trading Laws, but evidently, nothing changes. Supermarkets aren’t deemed to be ‘essential’. Essential retailers are dairies, petrol stations, pharmacies, restaurants, cafes, hairdressers and barbers. How on earth did barbers and hairdressers make that list? I guess that depends on how hirsute you are by Easter time. You might be thinking - that’s great news for the locals. But is it? Is it really any good for anyone other than those who own those supermarkets? What about the locals, employed there who simply want to have a long weekend like anyone else over Easter? What’s wrong with us if we can’t get ourselves organised enough for the shops to all be closed for at least one of the four Easter holiday days? On one hand, we often want everything on tap as and when it suits us to go get it- on the other hand, we hear all too often, that parents don’t have the time they need to have to be with their families due to the financial pressures that most of us are faced with. Is their primary concern, making more money or the welfare of their staff? I’d guess the former would be their focus. Did the staff that worked over the long weekend have a choice, or was that something inflicted upon the majority, under the guise of that tried-and-true diatribe of – “we’re a seven day a week business, and if you read your contract…” The point there is this: no. You’re not supposed to be open. Yes. There will be staff who ‘chose to work’ that would have preferred not to. Nothing ever sells for anything more than what people are prepared to pay for, and I’m picking that margins were adjusted accordingly to cover the cost of the daily $1000.00 fine. Ask yourself this when you become indignant at the prospect of not being able to shop for at least a few days of the long weekend: How sad is your life if shopping is your number one, top of the list for a good time? And this too- would it be so hideously horrific if the shops closed and allowed everyone to have a lovely long weekend? Do you think you could cope? LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 31 Mar 2024 20:40:33 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-a-couple-of-thoughts-about-anzac-day/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-a-couple-of-thoughts-about-anzac-day/ A couple of thoughts about Anzac Day – which as we know is the day of remembrance specifically for the soldiers who fought and died in the Gallipoli campaign during World War I.   Over time, of course it has come to represent more than just the Gallipoli campaign, and it has become an increasingly important day for both Australia and New Zealand. I would argue —for New Zealand— possibly it has become the country's most important national day.   It is the day that brings the nation together, with services and parades held in cities and towns throughout the country.   It is also a day when New Zealanders from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity, come together to remember and honour those who have served and sacrificed for their country. I can’t think of any other time of the year where it feels, quite as much as it does on Anzac Day, that we are all on the same page.   We’re in a time where often so much of our political discourse and social media is so tribal. Arguments seem to be about finding someone else to blame for your troubles, and what do we get, and what the government owes me. Perhaps Anzac is a refreshing reminder to consider those who gave everything in defence of what they valued and what they thought was worth fighting for.   I recently spent an evening at a fundraiser with a community out at Muriwai, and I was in awe of the time commitment that they had put in to making a difference in their community. So I wonder if today, in addition to celebrating and remembering the sacrifice of our countrymen and women, it’s also a time to take a breath and use the moment to ask a question of each of ourselves: What are we each doing, to make a difference, to actually contribute to society and the well-being of our country, our fellow New Zealanders?   Are we taking a moment to consider improving the lives of others or not?  Maybe that is one of the opportunities or lessons that Anzac Day gives us - to take a moment to stop and think beyond our own worlds and realise how lucky we are for the sacrifices of others.   And as for the lessons of history, you don’t have to look too far in the news to see examples of why we should never be complacent around the freedoms we enjoyed as a result of the sacrifices of others who went before us. As they say:  LEST WE FORGET  Mon, 24 Apr 2023 21:54:53 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-a-building-about-to-slide-into-the-sea-seems-like-an-emergency-to-me/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-a-building-about-to-slide-into-the-sea-seems-like-an-emergency-to-me/ I was watching the news over the past couple days about the challenge facing the Coromandel’s Mercury Bay boating club, which is fighting to save its base after storm surges from Cyclone Hale have continued to wash away the ground beneath it. I had a pang of, I’m not sure if the word is patriotism or nostalgia, but some sort of emotional connection has me thinking this just can’t happen. The club wants to initiate emergency action to allow concrete blocks to be used to minimise the effects of last night’s tide, but it seems that through a combination of bureaucratic resistance from the council, they have said it doesn’t fit within the legal framework of what constitutes an emergency.  I don’t know about you, but a building about to slide into the sea feels like an emergency to me.  And of course, the weather this building is in now places it in immediate danger. When I say now, it has been for some time. It's not like this is a newsflash to anyone. Always when these stories pop up and the word council becomes involved, it doesn't necessarily fill you with confidence that something’s going to be done. And now, the yacht club’s members are faced with the difficult position of abiding by the law or actually just being pragmatic and putting in place whatever we need to do to save the club.   The Commodore of the boating club was talking about the building and its contents being historical treasures. I think you could probably mount an argument that the building itself is a historical and important structure worthy of saving simply because of the status it holds, in being the boating club in the name of which the first America’s Cup challenge was issued by Sir Michael Fay.   So, in addition to its important role in the community and sailing programs for all ages and abilities, the club itself is an important piece of New Zealand sailing history. I think that everyone needs to get a grip. The council needs to put aside its bureaucratic obsession with what they think constitutes an emergency and enable the club to take whatever practical steps it needs to save the building. Maybe if the advancing erosion is a long term problem then other solutions such as relocating the Yacht Club can be looked at, but for goodness sake give them a break and help them now. As for all those people who joined the Yacht Club because of its fame on the back of those America’s Cup challenges, how about dipping into your wallets as well and doing what you can to see that this essential little thread in the fabric of our New Zealand summer is saved.  Tue, 10 Jan 2023 23:17:55 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-a-little-caution-wouldnt-be-the-worst-thing-in-the-world/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-a-little-caution-wouldnt-be-the-worst-thing-in-the-world/ I don't mind confessing I experienced a twinge of anxiety around the decision from China to rip the Covid Band-Aid off and allow its citizens to travel abroad.   Maybe I was slightly triggered from a bit of déjà vu from this time three years ago when we were just seeing the emergence of the virus which led to – well, we all know the journey we've been on over the past three years.   Of course, we live in a different world now - many of us had COVID and we've had broad vaccines and boosters rolled out. And, we are having plenty of our own homegrown cases with the latest figures being about 32,000 over the course of the past week.   However, as we know China has tried to sit on the virus for a very long time and is now experiencing a significant outbreak.  Of further concern is the lack of transparency around the scale of the outbreak in China.   But while nationwide figures in China are incomplete we do have some evidence from which we can get a rough idea of what is happening over there.   Reuters news agency is reporting China's Zhejiang, a big industrial province near Shanghai, is battling around a million new daily COVID-19 infections That is out of a population of 52 million people. It’s a number which is soon expected to double. One million daily cases, not weekly, daily, in other words close to 2% of their population per day are estimated to be getting Covid. Extrapolate that across the rest of the China and that is one hell of a lot of cases.  But it's also important that we maintain some perspective on this as the world is a different place, as is New Zealand since the news of the outbreak in China three years ago.   However, I don't think it hurts to be cautious,   Especially on the back of recent announcement from the US that, based on China’s lack of transparency, the Biden administration will require that travelers from China present negative COVID tests before entering the US. This follows similar moves by other countries including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Malaysia, and India!  In Italy, the health minister said on Wednesday that all travelers from China would be required to take Covid-19 antigen tests upon arrival so the virus could be sequenced if it is detected.  Back here, our Ministry of Health officials have no similar plans, but will “continue to monitor the situation”. They’ve stated that the global situation will continue with the emergence of new variants and waning immunity.   And I guess it's on the back of those perfunctory statements that I stopped to wonder whether I have confidence in the ministry and our government acting in a timely manner to mitigate the effect of new variants.   Obviously, we're not going to be closing our borders off but when you've got a country of a billion people acting as a Petri dish one wonders whether the cautious approach of the United States is worth consideration so we are not unnecessarily importing extra variants and cases.   At the very least it's something that might warrant a little more comment and examination by our ministry officials.   Because at the moment I get the sense that everyone's on holiday – much like I did three years ago.   Yes, let's continue to get on with our lives and enjoy the summer.   But while we have our own little surge going on, a little caution at the border regarding visitors from China – well, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Fri, 30 Dec 2022 00:27:10 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-we-should-be-pragmatic-when-it-comes-to-drug-testing-this-summer/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-we-should-be-pragmatic-when-it-comes-to-drug-testing-this-summer/ Today, there's been an announcement that the Government has pledged nearly $4 million over three years towards the costs of delivering drug checking services, and delivering harm reduction advice to keep young people safe this summer. Health Minister Andrew Little says it’s all about harm reduction. It’s to stop people taking a substance without knowing what’s really in it.  The rationale for drug testing is obvious. It’s all about harm prevention.   The obvious and arguably old school objection is that if these drugs are illegal then people shouldn’t be using them anyway- whatever choice you make, that’s on you.   But I think that when the technology is there, we should at least be pragmatic and take whatever steps we can to make sure that people are safe this summer.   In the end, the issue is really 100 percent harm reduction regardless of the rights or wrongs of taking drugs, which have the potential to do great harm in the event of getting the wrong substance or dose. Obviously, the broader question is- why the hell do people need to take drugs just to get high? At least with alcohol, you have something of a gastronomic and refreshment aspect around consuming it, which in its own right is quite satisfying. Nothing like a cold beer on a hot day, as they say. With alcohol, we also have plenty of information and ability to moderate our intake of alcohol because we know exactly what we’re drinking.   To be honest, I’ve never understood the need to get high to have a good time, and maybe there are also discussions to be had around the self-esteem of young people. Or perhaps it's just that the music at these festivals is so atrocious that you have to be off your face to actually find anything good about it. Another way to look at this is maybe not to look at it from the perspective of criticising young people at a distance. Imagine what protections you would want in place if the young people going to the festival were members of your family, your brothers, sisters, sons and daughters, or grandchildren.   For me, the first port of call would be to tell my daughters that no matter what the substance is, they are illicit and illegal for a reason. Those conversations and the work on that needs to take place a lot earlier in encouraging your children to form healthy relationships with a good circle of friends and good self-esteem, where they don’t have to lean on the crutch of getting high in order to feel that they can relax and have a good time.   Easier said than done, but in the event that they succumb to the temptations of peer pressure or whatever, I think it’s a no-brainer. The first and last question has to be about keeping our young people safe this summer, whether it be in the water, on the roads, or listening to bad music in the heaving hell holes of summer music festivals.  LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 27 Dec 2022 20:52:00 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-this-501-deportee-case-brings-up-bigger-legislative-concerns/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-this-501-deportee-case-brings-up-bigger-legislative-concerns/ There’s been a very interesting decision from The High Court delivered on the 501 deportee issue, perhaps more accurately described as something of a bombshell in the New Zealand Herald.  It concerns a former drug dealer who is a 501 deportee, who has successfully challenged the Government’s authority to impose special conditions upon his return to New Zealand.   As we know, what’s been happening up until now is that anyone deported to New Zealand under a 501 order from Australia has had special conditions imposed upon them when they arrived in New Zealand, such as having to reside at a particular address, supply fingerprints and DNA, and attend rehabilitation. Here’s the thing, in the case of this 501, it’s illegal, according to the judgement of Judge Cheryl Gwen. The consequence of that decision is that in the case of this former drug dealer, an order has been made for the police to remove his fingerprints from the database, remove his photograph and his DNA, and the applicant has been granted name suppression which will likely be permanent. The thing is, and you’re not going to like this, in my view the judge got this 100 percent right. The former prisoners’ claim was that the law was imposing a retrospective punishment, which had taken place after the person had served their time.  I have to confess, I’m a little surprised that it’s taken this long for a legal challenge to be mounted, because it always seemed a bit strange that someone could have. Because it always seemed a bit strange that someone could have served their time and completed their sentence, and have conditions imposed on them once it's all done and dusted. Another was of highlighting what's wrong with the this decision, or the current practice should I say, is that if that prisoner had voluntarily moved to New Zealand, they would possibly have been free to do so without any restrictions.  The problem is that nearly 3000 501’s have been deported and the majority of those have re-offended and some are deeply involved in organised crime. I guess the question now (and it means getting technical) is that this particular offender was convicted before the Returning Offenders Act took effect in 2015, so perhaps there’s a difference when it comes to offenders who have been convicted after that date. But now, I guess we’re going to have to wait and see as to whether the court rules that that the act is also guilty of imposing punishment after people have already served their time.   And I’ll have to be honest with you, I’m not sure I’m entirely comfortable with retrospective legislation, regardless of how comfortable I am with the issue of Australia deporting its’ problems to us.  But parliament is definitely going to need to clarify its intent.  Because as much as we might not like it, retrospective legislation is not something any of us should be comfortable with. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 20 Dec 2022 23:57:59 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-were-lucky-to-have-information-and-choice-in-the-time-of-covid/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-were-lucky-to-have-information-and-choice-in-the-time-of-covid/ I have to say that I’m really looking forward to the summer holiday and the Christmas period. So it was kind of sobering recently to read the figures around the new COVID infections, which tell us that over 42,000 new cases have been found in the community over the past seven days.   That’s about one in every 120 New Zealanders in the course of a week. Now I guess that there are probably more that more cases than that, because not everyone would report their positive cases. And we can all make our own guess as to how many cases there really are, but what it does to serve to tell us is that COVID is still around at the moment and cases “continue to soar”.   But I guess while I wasn’t surprised, I was maybe a little disappointed at the reaction to our breakfast show talking with Dr Brian Betty about the number of cases and maybe some sensible cautions people could take.   One text even accused us of fear mongering. I just wanted to address that.   Get a grip. We are living after almost three very difficult years in a time where we largely and thankfully have a choice as to what we do with information. Can you just imagine if we didn’t get the information and the theories that would abound?  But at the moment, what we have is information which actually is relevant to us all as New Zealanders looking forward to summer, who are being visited by relatives, who want to go on holiday, who might want to make sure that they don’t pass anything on to their elderly and cherished members of their family. I can understand how people have an emotional reaction to this stuff because, frankly, we are all over it. I’m over it.   I had a family member in the last few days who hasn’t been very well and has displayed cold and flu symptoms. My wife and I rolled our eyes and thought “Oh goodness me, hope she hasn’t got Covid.” But you know what? We ended up testing her, because we wanted to know we wanted the information so we could make our own decisions as to how to keep the people around us safe.   Thankfully it was negative, and it’s probably just a bad case of hay fever. But I just wanted to take the moment to just remind everyone that -thankfully- we have a choice as to how we respond to this information.   And isn’t that great? Because we’ve been through two or three years where we had a lot of the time, especially in Auckland, a period where we felt we had very little choice. So embrace that choice, and embrace the fact that we live in a society where we actually do have good access to information that helps us make choices around how we run our lives, and look forward to a safe and enjoyable Christmas. And again, make your own choices about how to keep yourselves and your families safe and happy this Christmas- fingers crossed. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 20 Dec 2022 00:24:21 Z /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-we-as-a-society-need-to-send-a-message-that-violent-crime-will-not-be-tolerated/ /on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-we-as-a-society-need-to-send-a-message-that-violent-crime-will-not-be-tolerated/ I was quite surprised at the strength of my emotional reaction to the news of that armed ram raid which included a machete attack on the Hamilton dairy worker.   Firstly, it was probably a reaction which was a result of frustration that these headlines just keep on recurring, but also, I think it was mainly a reaction of cumulative empathy for the plight of people who are working on the front-line of retail and dairy and their daily vulnerability to these attacks.   One aspect of the video footage of the attack is particularly shocking, in that it is clear that the only thing the dairy worker was trying to do was to get away and to protect himself. And yet the attack still came, resulting in severed fingers, and I hate to think what the result would have been if he hadn't managed to get his hand up to protect his face and head.   So I just want to say that my heart goes out to all the people that have been affected by these acts of violence, and how much we as a community want these people to be supported.   The second ingredient of my emotional reaction was of anger and frustration, in that we just keep seeing these incidents occurring. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a guts full, and frankly, while it is a continuation of my anger and emotion, I want some serious consequences for this stuff. I don’t care about the age of these people.   If you are going into a dairy and attacking someone with a machete, you don’t need a family conference and a cuddle, you need to be locked up, and you need to be locked up for a long time. And this is where we get to the bit that the justice system is so preoccupied with, the rights and the feelings and the plight of the perpetrators, that they have lost sight of the need to protect our communities.   Now I haven’t sat in on any judgements recently, but I do remember for my brief time as a lawyer how easy it was to get caught up in sympathy for the unfortunate tragic lives that some perpetrators have led. But I think the time has come where we as a society need to send a clear message, regularly and consistently, that this sort of violence is unacceptable, and will be punished. And if it means shoving more people in prison, then so be it. At least they won't be out again doing the same thing, because our perception at the moment is that all they're going to get is a group family conference and a stiff talking too from auntie or grandma. I say auntie or grandma because more often than not, mum and dad probably don’t give it toss.   I heard of a case recently where the police arrested some young offenders for a robbery, delivered them home, got abused by the family and mocked by the perpetrators who said they’d be out doing it a few hours later - which they were  - and were caught again. Look, I know, individual cases and examples like this don’t necessarily form a strong basis for forming a sentencing policy. But surely we’ve all had a guts full and it’s time for the Government to demand some stronger consequences. Because frankly – we have had enough. LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 18 Dec 2022 23:07:36 Z