The air quality in New Zealand has increased across the country, but some areas are still dealing with high levels of pollution. 

The Our Air 2024 report shows the level of key pollutants —largely produced by transport and home heating— has reduced across most monitoring sites.  

However, it also says air quality isn't good everywhere, and in some urban areas the pollution is above national standards and international guidelines.  

Director of the Air Quality Collective, Dr Guy Coulson told Ryan Bridge that we’re headed in the right direction, improvement is just happening rather slowly.  

He said that an estimated 3000 adults die each year from air pollution.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

The air quality in New Zealand has increased across the country, but some areas are still dealing with high levels of pollution.&nbsp;
The Our Air 2024 report shows the level of key pollutants —largely produced by transport and home heating— has reduced across most monitoring sites. &nbsp;
However, it also says air quality isn't good everywhere, and in some urban areas the pollution is above national standards and international guidelines. &nbsp;
Director of the Air Quality Collective, Dr Guy Coulson told Ryan Bridge that we’re headed in the right direction, improvement is just happening rather slowly. &nbsp;
He said that an estimated 3000 adults die each year from air pollution. &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

Dr Guy Coulson: Air Quality Collective Director on the amount of pollution in New Zealand

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/877bd00e-4b90-49b9-a07e-b2040168e55f/transcript

Northland's power network is being zapped into action in the wake of the pylon collapse outage. 

In June, a contractor unfastened three legs of a pylon at once, putting around 88,000 homes and businesses out of power. 

Northland MP Grant McCallum revealed a regional energy package, with Transpower and contractor Omexom putting one million dollars towards it. 

McCallum told Ryan Bridge that it's not enough to make up for the financial damages, but it is something. 

He said that it’s a goodwill payment and an acknowledgement that they did actually cause some harm to the people of Northland. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Northland's power network is being zapped into action in the wake of the pylon collapse outage.&nbsp;
In June, a contractor unfastened three legs of a pylon at once, putting around 88,000 homes and businesses out of power.&nbsp;
Northland MP Grant McCallum revealed a regional energy package, with Transpower and contractor Omexom putting one million dollars towards it.&nbsp;
McCallum told Ryan Bridge that it's not enough to make up for the financial damages, but it is something.&nbsp;
He said that it’s a goodwill payment and an acknowledgement that they did actually cause some harm to the people of Northland.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Grant McCallum: Northland MP on the $1 million energy package from Transpower. Omexom in the aftermath of the blackout

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/3b703786-6def-4660-92f6-b20401558ca3/transcript

I know, I know we're celebrating this morning, the OCR, the money back in your pockets that's coming, inflation coming down. 

But MBIE has warned the government that electricity prices are likely to rise significantly over the next two years – this is a story from BusinessDesk. 

See, we have all seen the spot prices market increase, skyrocket even, but we haven't felt that at home because our gentailors, the guys that we get it off, insulate us by hedging. 

However, getting power to us is expensive and we've just been talking to Grant McCullum from Northland about this exact point. 

40% of our bill is distribution and transmission. 

Forget your weather, whether the wind blows, you know, the sun shines the rainfalls, whatever. Just getting it to us costs almost half of our total. 

And that job is done by essentially monopolies: the distributors, the lines, companies, Transpower. 

So the Commerce Commission regulates their profits, we would expect them to do. 

The contracts last five years, the next contract up for renewal in March. 

Your household bill for electricity could go up $15 per month or $180 per year, for some households that will be $20 per month, $240 per year. 

MBIE say there is a serious risk that some homes won't be able to afford heating. 

And we know what happens when people can't heat their homes, the hospitals fill up, industry and business feel the squeeze, and our thin growth forecasts could also be squeezed by something like this. 

So what's the moral of the story? Well, basically, go and buy yourself a nice warm jumper, get a hot water bottle. And if you are single and living alone, you have until April to find someone to cuddle at night. 

I know, I know we're celebrating this morning, the OCR, the money back in your pockets that's coming, inflation coming down.&nbsp;
But MBIE has warned the government that electricity prices are likely to rise significantly over the next two years – this is a story from BusinessDesk.&nbsp;
See, we have all seen the spot prices market increase, skyrocket even, but we haven't felt that at home because our gentailors, the guys that we get it off, insulate us by hedging.&nbsp;
However, getting power to us is expensive and we've just been talking to Grant McCullum from Northland about this exact point.&nbsp;
40% of our bill is distribution and transmission.&nbsp;
Forget your weather, whether the wind blows, you know, the sun shines the rainfalls, whatever. Just getting it to us costs almost half of our total.&nbsp;
And that job is done by essentially monopolies: the distributors, the lines, companies, Transpower.&nbsp;
So the Commerce Commission regulates their profits, we would expect them to do.&nbsp;
The contracts last five years, the next contract up for renewal in March.&nbsp;
Your household bill for electricity could go up $15 per month or $180 per year, for some households that will be $20 per month, $240 per year.&nbsp;
MBIE say there is a serious risk that some homes won't be able to afford heating.&nbsp;
And we know what happens when people can't heat their homes, the hospitals fill up, industry and business feel the squeeze, and our thin growth forecasts could also be squeezed by something like this.&nbsp;
So what's the moral of the story? Well, basically, go and buy yourself a nice warm jumper, get a hot water bottle. And if you are single and living alone, you have until April to find someone to cuddle at night.&nbsp;

Ryan Bridge: Look out Kiwis, your power bill is about to go up

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/76a9fe21-12c3-4de5-bad5-b20401552ec7/transcript

An OCR cut could be behind an incoming boost in property market activity. 

The Reserve Bank's cut the Official Cash Rate by 50-basis points to 4.75%.  

Banks have lowered home rates in response to the cut. 

Finance Minister Nicola Willis is celebrating the move as fantastic news and sees it as a sign inflation is under control. 

LJ Hooker's Campbell Dunoon told Ryan Bridge this year's market has been cautionary 

He says the stock has been there, and this will give buyers a nudge to participate. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

An OCR cut could be behind an incoming boost in property market activity.&nbsp;
The Reserve Bank's cut the Official Cash Rate by 50-basis points to 4.75%. &nbsp;
Banks have lowered home rates in response to the cut.&nbsp;
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is celebrating the move as fantastic news and sees it as a sign inflation is under control.&nbsp;
LJ Hooker's Campbell Dunoon told Ryan Bridge this year's market has been cautionary&nbsp;
He says the stock has been there, and this will give buyers a nudge to participate.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Campbell Dunoon: LJ Hooker Group Head of Network NZ on the impact of the OCR cut on the property market

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6c409491-24cc-4a77-bc37-b204014a39b9/transcript

Dr Guy Coulson: Air Quality Collective Director on the amount of pollution in New Zealand

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