Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins says the findings of the Marokopa inquiry are concerning, with the report concluding that missed opportunities may have delayed efforts to protect the children and bring them home sooner.

Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, Hipkins admitted he had not yet read the report in full, but acknowledged there is clearly room for improvement across all government agencies involved.

"There were clearly some things there that got missed, and that's really concerning".

Hipkins served as Minister of Police from June 2022 until becoming Prime Minister in January 2023.

He also discussed ACT's proposal to lower the training wage, the latest poll results showing both Labour and National sitting in the 20 percent range, and Labours latest policy to make price gouging illegal.

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Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins says the findings of the Marokopa inquiry are concerning, with the report concluding that missed opportunities may have delayed efforts to protect the children and bring them home sooner.
Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, Hipkins admitted he had not yet read the report in full, but acknowledged there is clearly room for improvement across all government agencies involved.
"There were clearly some things there that got missed, and that's really concerning".
Hipkins served as Minister of Police from June 2022 until becoming Prime Minister in January 2023.
He also discussed ACT's proposal to lower the training wage, the latest poll results showing both Labour and National sitting in the 20 percent range, and Labours latest policy to make price gouging illegal.
LISTEN ABOVE

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Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings 9am-12pm with John MacDonald on 100.1FM and iHeartRadio.

Every weekday join the new voice of local issues on Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, 9am-12pm weekdays. It’s all about the conversation with John, as he gets right into the things that get our community talking. If it’s news you’re after, backing John is the combined power of the Newstalk ZB and New Zealand Herald news teams. Meaning when it comes to covering breaking news – you will not beat local radio. With two decades experience in communications based in Christchurch, John also has a deep understanding of and connections to the Christchurch and Canterbury commercial sector. Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings 9am-12pm with John MacDonald on 100.1FM and iHeartRadio.

Every weekday join the new voice of local issues on Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, 9am-12pm weekdays.It’s all about the conversation with John, as he gets right into the things that get our community talking.

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

Chris Hipkins: Labour leader on Marokopa inquiry, Price gouging laws, ACTs minimum wage policy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a7029b66-6f11-4902-b992-b4c700065049/transcript

What on earth has happened to National being the party for business?

The party that encourages people to take risks, start businesses, work hard and enjoy the rewards?

I never would have imagined National, of all parties, coming up with this idea of forcing Foodstuffs to split its supermarket operations.

Business NZ feels the same. Saying today that it’s just like Labour banning oil and gas exploration.

It says the National Party’s plan to use legislation to separate Pak'nSave from New World and Four Square is alarming and sends a chilling signal.

And I couldn’t agree more.

Because, unlike the oil and gas ban, which makes it very clear to oil and gas exploration companies that they’re not welcome here, National’s supermarket idea tells the world that they can still come here, but the rules might change once they set up shop.

Which is why Catherine Beard from Business NZ says it’s not just the local supermarket operators who are going to be worried. She says all businesses, here in New Zealand and elsewhere, will be too.

National’s finance spokesperson Nicola Willis, though, isn’t having a bar of that.

She says no current supermarket owners would be forced to sell. They’d just be part of the Pak’nSave chain, or they’d be part of the New World/Four Square chain.

She says we’re being ripped off by the supermarkets and something has to change.

But using legislation to fundamentally change the structure of a business, that is not a centre-right policy. It’s an anti-business policy.

Another weird part of this is that National wants to force change on Foodstuffs, which is a New Zealand outfit. But isn’t touching Woolworths, which is an Australian outfit.

Nicola Willis told Newstalk ZB this morning that that’s got nothing to do with Woolworths being publicly listed on the stock exchange over in Australia.

But she did say that Woolworths shouldn’t be complacent and will be expected to offer lower prices as well.

But I’m with Business NZ. This is an anti-business policy from the dark ages.

LISTEN ABOVE

What on earth has happened to National being the party for business?
The party that encourages people to take risks, start businesses, work hard and enjoy the rewards?
I never would have imagined National, of all parties, coming up with this idea of forcing Foodstuffs to split its supermarket operations.
Business NZ feels the same. Saying today that it’s just like Labour banning oil and gas exploration.
It says the National Party’s plan to use legislation to separate Pak'nSave from New World and Four Square is alarming and sends a chilling signal.
And I couldn’t agree more.
Because, unlike the oil and gas ban, which makes it very clear to oil and gas exploration companies that they’re not welcome here, National’s supermarket idea tells the world that they can still come here, but the rules might change once they set up shop.
Which is why Catherine Beard from Business NZ says it’s not just the local supermarket operators who are going to be worried. She says all businesses, here in New Zealand and elsewhere, will be too.
National’s finance spokesperson Nicola Willis, though, isn’t having a bar of that.
She says no current supermarket owners would be forced to sell. They’d just be part of the Pak’nSave chain, or they’d be part of the New World/Four Square chain.
She says we’re being ripped off by the supermarkets and something has to change.
But using legislation to fundamentally change the structure of a business, that is not a centre-right policy. It’s an anti-business policy.
Another weird part of this is that National wants to force change on Foodstuffs, which is a New Zealand outfit. But isn’t touching Woolworths, which is an Australian outfit.
Nicola Willis told Newstalk ZB this morning that that’s got nothing to do with Woolworths being publicly listed on the stock exchange over in Australia.
But she did say that Woolworths shouldn’t be complacent and will be expected to offer lower prices as well.
But I’m with Business NZ. This is an anti-business policy from the dark ages.
LISTEN ABOVE

John MacDonald: What's with National going anti-business?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/72d3024b-96de-4070-9599-b4c8000caef6/transcript

Yesterday's policy announcement from the National Party has sparked outrage from business leaders and supermarket owners.

Marc Brokenshire is the Owner/Operator of New World Ilam. He joined John MacDonald to share his perspective as a supermarket owner, and an employer of over 165 staff in his community.

He said the uncertainty has already led him to delay significant investments, including a backup generator capable of powering the entire supermarket during a power outage.

"'I'm not ordering that new generator. Those investment decisions just go on hold, and I hope we don't need that service."

LISTEN ABOVE

Yesterday's policy announcement from the National Party has sparked outrage from business leaders and supermarket owners.
Marc Brokenshire is the Owner/Operator of New World Ilam. He joined John MacDonald to share his perspective as a supermarket owner, and an employer of over 165 staff in his community.
He said the uncertainty has already led him to delay significant investments, including a backup generator capable of powering the entire supermarket during a power outage.
"'I'm not ordering that new generator. Those investment decisions just go on hold, and I hope we don't need that service."
LISTEN ABOVE

New World Ilam's owner speaks out against National's supermarket policy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5348b2e9-30ed-46e1-8190-b4c7017c6b9b/transcript

I’m not the least bit surprised by this Tom Phillips cock up.

Because we are a country that has made turning a blind eye a national pastime.

So, if we do that ourselves so often, why should we be surprised when the Police and Oranga Tamariki do the same thing?

We’re a country where there’s been no shortage of people lining up to portray Tom Phillips as something of a national hero.

I don’t know how many people have said to me over the years that he was “just doing it for his kids”. That he was frustrated with the Family Court process and just wanted to protect them.

So, again, if that’s what some people think, then why should we be surprised when the Police and Oranga Tamariki appear to have thought the same?

As you’ll be aware, it’s been found that the Police missed several key opportunities to catch Phillips, including one time when a local picked him up in their car and tipped off the cops.

They were about to send someone out. But they got diverted to another job.

Which is understandable. It happens all the time. I get that the Police have to prioritise things. But to leave it and only follow it up way down the track when the chance had been lost? That’s indefensible in my book.

Other findings include the Police failing to act on firearms warnings and Oranga Tamariki dismissing family concerns about the wellbeing of the kids.

The Government has apologised. Oranga Tamariki has admitted it made mistakes. But the Police are pushing back, saying it was a complex situation.

When Phillips was shot dead by the Police a year ago and we started to find out more about his set-up and what he’d been up to, I was very quick to admit that I had been wrong and the Police had been right.

That I had been wrong saying over the years that the Police were pussy-footing around. That, instead of waiting for him to come out of hiding with his kids, they should’ve been more gung-ho on it and gone after him.

I admitted that I had been wrong because I believed that, if they hadn’t taken their time, there could have very easily been more than one person dead at the end of it.

What I didn’t know a year ago, though, when I made that admission, is how much of a shambles it had been behind the scenes.That it was known how much alcohol he was drinking. As much as a bottle of vodka and a box of beer a day. That he was such a heavy drinker that he’d started making his own vodka.

That, before he disappeared the first time, he’d gone into town to buy booze wearing an army-style full-face gas mask and had been banging on about the end of the world.

That family members had raised concerns about the safety of the kids. But nothing was done.

Just the stuff we can talk about makes it scandalous enough. Add in the stuff we can’t talk about because of suppression orders, and it’s an outrage.

LISTEN ABOVE

I’m not the least bit surprised by this Tom Phillips cock up.
Because we are a country that has made turning a blind eye a national pastime.
So, if we do that ourselves so often, why should we be surprised when the Police and Oranga Tamariki do the same thing?
We’re a country where there’s been no shortage of people lining up to portray Tom Phillips as something of a national hero.
I don’t know how many people have said to me over the years that he was “just doing it for his kids”. That he was frustrated with the Family Court process and just wanted to protect them.
So, again, if that’s what some people think, then why should we be surprised when the Police and Oranga Tamariki appear to have thought the same?
As you’ll be aware, it’s been found that the Police missed several key opportunities to catch Phillips, including one time when a local picked him up in their car and tipped off the cops.
They were about to send someone out. But they got diverted to another job.
Which is understandable. It happens all the time. I get that the Police have to prioritise things. But to leave it and only follow it up way down the track when the chance had been lost? That’s indefensible in my book.
Other findings include the Police failing to act on firearms warnings and Oranga Tamariki dismissing family concerns about the wellbeing of the kids.
The Government has apologised. Oranga Tamariki has admitted it made mistakes. But the Police are pushing back, saying it was a complex situation.
When Phillips was shot dead by the Police a year ago and we started to find out more about his set-up and what he’d been up to, I was very quick to admit that I had been wrong and the Police had been right.
That I had been wrong saying over the years that the Police were pussy-footing around. That, instead of waiting for him to come out of hiding with his kids, they should’ve been more gung-ho on it and gone after him.
I admitted that I had been wrong because I believed that, if they hadn’t taken their time, there could have very easily been more than one person dead at the end of it.
What I didn’t know a year ago, though, when I made that admission, is how much of a shambles it had been behind the scenes.That it was known how much alcohol he was drinking. As much as a bottle of vodka and a box of beer a day. That he was such a heavy drinker that he’d started making his own vodka.
That, before he disappeared the first time, he’d gone into town to buy booze wearing an army-style full-face gas mask and had been banging on about the end of the world.
That family members had raised concerns about the safety of the kids. But nothing was done.
Just the stuff we can talk about makes it scandalous enough. Add in the stuff we can’t talk about because of suppression orders, and it’s an outrage.
LISTEN ABOVE

John MacDonald: Why the Tom Phillips report doesn't surprise me

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f8cf003f-022c-49bb-bd18-b4c70007b07f/transcript

Chris Hipkins: Labour leader on Marokopa inquiry, Price gouging laws, ACTs minimum wage policy

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