Air New Zealand's direct flight between Wellington and Invercargill will soon be no more. 

It's being scrapped, with its last service in mid-January.  

Great South chief executive Chami Abeysinghe says customers are still able to fly to Wellington via Christchurch, and the airline's adding more flights between Christchurch and Invercargill. 

She told Ryan Bridge there's multiple factors for the decision including softening domestic demand and engine issues. 

Abeysinghe says one of the key factors is ensuring accessible flights between the main centres. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Air New Zealand's direct flight between Wellington and Invercargill will soon be no more.&nbsp;
It's being scrapped, with its last service in mid-January. &nbsp;
Great South chief executive Chami Abeysinghe says customers are still able to fly to Wellington via Christchurch, and the airline's adding more flights between Christchurch and Invercargill.&nbsp;
She told Ryan Bridge there's multiple factors for the decision including softening domestic demand and engine issues.&nbsp;
Abeysinghe says one of the key factors is ensuring accessible flights between the main centres.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Chami Abeysinghe: Great South CEO on the removal of the direct flight between Wellington and Invercargill

 On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday 1st of October, The Government has released its action plan for the fourth quarter of the year. ACT MP and Under Secretary to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform Simon Court is on the show to discuss the new targets. 

The Insurance Council wants people to stop building in “dumb places” where there is a higher risk of a natural disaster. So how do you know you're building in a safe place? Urban planner Bruce Weir speaks to Ryan. 

Air New Zealand's regional route between Wellington and Invercargill will stop operating from mid-January 2025, how could it impact tourism in the region? Great South's Chief Executive Chami Abeysinghe joins the show. 

Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

&nbsp;On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday 1st of October, The Government has released its action plan for the fourth quarter of the year. ACT MP and Under Secretary to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform Simon Court is on the show to discuss the new targets.&nbsp;
The Insurance Council wants people to stop building in “dumb places” where there is a higher risk of a natural disaster. So how do you know you're building in a safe place? Urban planner Bruce Weir speaks to Ryan.&nbsp;
Air New Zealand's regional route between Wellington and Invercargill will stop operating from mid-January 2025, how could it impact tourism in the region? Great South's Chief Executive Chami Abeysinghe joins the show.&nbsp;
Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 01 October 2024 

The Government's moving into its next quarterly plan - with infrastructure the focus. It achieved 39 of its 40 goals in the third quarter - largely targeting law and order. 

This quarter's 43 actions include passing the first Resource Management Amendment Bill and introducing the second RMA reform Bill as well as a National Infrastructure Agency.

Under Secretary to the Minister for RMA reform, Simon Court told Ryan Bridge that he doesn't know how much the agency will cost - but it's needed. 

Court says it's vital that there's an agency that can coordinate funding from the private sector needed for the public private partnership projects.

He shares that there's a number of parties lining up to make submissions when the agency is open.

LISTEN ABOVE

<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">The Government's moving into its next quarterly plan - with infrastructure the focus. It achieved 39 of its 40 goals in the third quarter - largely targeting law and order. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">This quarter's 43 actions include passing the first Resource Management Amendment Bill and introducing the second RMA reform Bill as well as a National Infrastructure Agency.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">Under Secretary to the Minister for RMA reform, Simon Court told Ryan Bridge that he doesn't know how much the agency will cost - but it's needed. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent;">Court says it's vital that there's an agency that can coordinate funding from the private sector needed for the public private partnership projects.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">He shares that there's a number of parties lining up to make submissions when the agency is open.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">LISTEN ABOVE

Simon Court: Secretary to the Minister for RMA shares that infrastructure will be the new focus in the next quarterly plan

The Government's refusing to say if it will designate Hezbollah's political wing as a terrorist entity. 

In a statement to Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, our Terrorism Designations Working Group says the Iran-backed group's military wing was declared a terrorist entity in 2010. 

"Designations are considered based on recommendations from the National Security Board, on the basis of advice from the Terrorist Designations Working Group. The Working Group considers a variety of entities regularly, through a long-standing and well-established inter-departmental process." 

It basically says they won't talk publicly about whether they're considering going further with Hezbollah. 

"To maintain the integrity of the process it is not standard practice to confirm publicly which entities are under consideration." 

This all comes of course after Israel killed Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah. The United States called his death "justice". 

The group itself actually makes no distinction between its military and political wings. 

What's interesting here is two things: 

1. Christopher Luxon and Winston Peters designated Hamas a terror group in its entirety back in February, after years of making a distinction for the political wing. Will they do the same with Hezbollah? 

2. In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is cracking down on protesters in New South Wales and Victoria who were seen waving Hezbollah flags and allegedly chanting violent verses. 

If such a thing were to happen here would the lack of a designation stop our authorities from taking action? 

Leon Goldsmith told me yesterday Australia and Canada don't make any distinction like we do. 

Ultimately what we do is not going to stop war in the Middle East, but it could affect how we deal with the fallout here at home. 

The Government's refusing to say if it will designate Hezbollah's political wing as a terrorist entity.&nbsp;
In a statement to Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, our Terrorism Designations Working Group says the Iran-backed group's military wing was declared a terrorist entity in 2010.&nbsp;
"Designations are considered based on recommendations from the National Security Board, on the basis of advice from the Terrorist Designations Working Group. The Working Group considers a variety of entities regularly, through a long-standing and well-established inter-departmental process."&nbsp;
It basically says they won't talk publicly about whether they're considering going further with Hezbollah.&nbsp;
"To maintain the integrity of the process it is not standard practice to confirm publicly which entities are under consideration."&nbsp;
This all comes of course after Israel killed Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah. The United States called his death "justice".&nbsp;
The group itself actually makes no distinction between its military and political wings.&nbsp;
What's interesting here is two things:&nbsp;
1. Christopher Luxon and Winston Peters designated Hamas a terror group in its entirety back in February, after years of making a distinction for the political wing. Will they do the same with Hezbollah?&nbsp;
2. In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is cracking down on protesters in New South Wales and Victoria who were seen waving Hezbollah flags and allegedly chanting violent verses.&nbsp;
If such a thing were to happen here would the lack of a designation stop our authorities from taking action?&nbsp;
Leon Goldsmith told me yesterday Australia and Canada don't make any distinction like we do.&nbsp;
Ultimately what we do is not going to stop war in the Middle East, but it could affect how we deal with the fallout here at home.&nbsp;

Chami Abeysinghe: Great South CEO on the removal of the direct flight between Wellington and Invercargill

In 1 playlist(s)

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips