Businesses are hopeful an overhaul of the Holidays Act will give them clearer leave guidelines. 

The Workplace Minister will announcing a change to the 2003 Act today. 

Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson told Francesca Rudkin the current legislation is far too complex. 

She says businesses have almost needed an advanced calculus degree to meet their obligations. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Businesses are hopeful an overhaul of the Holidays Act will give them clearer leave guidelines.&nbsp;
The Workplace Minister will announcing a change to the 2003 Act today.&nbsp;
Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson told Francesca Rudkin the current legislation is far too complex.&nbsp;
She says businesses have almost needed an advanced calculus degree to meet their obligations.&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

Leeann Watson: Business Canterbury CEO on the upcoming changes to the Holidays Act

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/0ca6e142-6f2e-469e-8805-b360016bd789/transcript

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 17 April.

Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 17 April. 
Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 17 April 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b73821d5-59ac-4c27-92ed-b42e012b9f14/transcript

A lift in beneficiaries could suggest recent policy decisions are taking us in the wrong direction. 

At the end of March, just over 409-thousand people were on a main benefit, almost three percent more than the year prior.

Jobseeker numbers are up 2.6 percent.

Auckland University Associate Economics Professor Susan St John told Ryan Bridge many of the ways we've tried to bring down spending have impacted the labour market.

She says until we can recognise, we're in a deep recession it's going to get worse, and we need the Government to step up, otherwise we're stuffed. 

A lift in beneficiaries could suggest recent policy decisions are taking us in the wrong direction.&nbsp;
At the end of March, just over 409-thousand people were on a main benefit, almost three percent more than the year prior.
Jobseeker numbers are up 2.6 percent.
Auckland University Associate Economics Professor Susan St John told Ryan Bridge many of the ways we've tried to bring down spending have impacted the labour market.
She says until we can recognise, we're in a deep recession it's going to get worse, and we need the Government to step up, otherwise we're stuffed.&nbsp;

Susan St John: Auckland University Associate Economics Professor on Jobseeker numbers

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/4c11268d-33a0-475f-880e-b42e012b645c/transcript

There's been a bit of hand-wringing this week about the fuel situation and some of it is justified. 

If you're running an airline, it's bad. 

If you're paying $4 bucks to fill a truck with diesel, also bad. 

But we're not yet out of fuel or even close to out of fuel. 

Which is not the same as saying we won't one day be out of fuel, or having to ration before we get there. 

That is still a possibility.

This week we've had some economists and pundits come out and hit the panic button. 

Oil will start to flow from elsewhere, Europe has already replaced half its lost jet fuel stockpile from Nigeria and America. 

But these things take time, and as we've spoken about on this show many times, that ultimately means cost. 

Two things became clear this week. Carney in Canada and Albanese are both onboard with oil, more domestic production, they're looking at proposals in Queensland. Carney's promising to build roads to oil wells in Canada. 

Climate has taken a backseat. Needs must. 

Second thing. People have confidence in the government's fuel response. It's basically a high-trust model they're operating. 

If you want evidence, it's what you don't see, not what you do see. 

No panic-buying, no jerry cans, no queues outside Mobil. 

The same can't be said for other countries.

There's been a bit of hand-wringing this week about the fuel situation and some of it is justified.&nbsp;
If you're running an airline, it's bad.&nbsp;
If you're paying $4 bucks to fill a truck with diesel, also bad.&nbsp;
But we're not yet out of fuel or even close to out of fuel.&nbsp;
Which is not the same as saying we won't one day be out of fuel, or having to ration before we get there.&nbsp;
That is still a possibility.
This week we've had some economists and pundits come out and hit the panic button.&nbsp;
Oil will start to flow from elsewhere, Europe has already replaced half its lost jet fuel stockpile from Nigeria and America.&nbsp;
But these things take time, and as we've spoken about on this show many times, that ultimately means cost.&nbsp;
Two things became clear this week. Carney in Canada and Albanese are both onboard with oil, more domestic production, they're looking at proposals in Queensland. Carney's promising to build roads to oil wells in Canada.&nbsp;
Climate has taken a backseat. Needs must.&nbsp;
Second thing. People have confidence in the government's fuel response. It's basically a high-trust model they're operating.&nbsp;
If you want evidence, it's what you don't see, not what you do see.&nbsp;
No panic-buying, no jerry cans, no queues outside Mobil.&nbsp;
The same can't be said for other countries.

Ryan Bridge: No queues means trust in fuel plan

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7752c71e-429c-449b-b829-b42e012a6202/transcript

Leeann Watson: Business Canterbury CEO on the upcoming changes to the Holidays Act

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