Newstalk ZB Political Editor joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. On the agenda was the cost of living payment, today's unemployment figure and Nanaia Mahuta copping criticism over claims councils will continue to own infrastructure in the Three Waters reform.

LISTEN ABOVE 

Newstalk ZB Political Editor joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. On the agenda was the cost of living payment, today's unemployment figure and Nanaia Mahuta copping criticism over claims councils will continue to own infrastructure in the Three Waters reform.
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Barry Soper: ZB Political Editor on cost of living payment, unemployment and Three Waters

Police hope to go to arbitration over pay next month.

More than 75 percent of members have voted NO to the latest pay offer, which included a new overtime rate, a pay increase and a cash payment.

They say it doesn't remedy the decline in salaries.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell says it's disappointing - and will draw out an already lengthy process.

Police Association President Chris Cahill told Heather du Plessis-Allan they want pay increases to match the rate of teachers.

"They received 6 percent last July, which is when ours (agreement) ran out," he said. 

"They received another 4 percent at the start of April and they'll receive another 4 percent at the start of December this year."

Cahill says those are the figures his members want to talk about. 

LISTEN ABOVE

Police hope to go to arbitration over pay next month.
More than 75 percent of members have voted NO to the latest pay offer, which included a new overtime rate, a pay increase and a cash payment.
They say it doesn't remedy the decline in salaries.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell says it's disappointing - and will draw out an already lengthy process.
Police Association President Chris Cahill told Heather du Plessis-Allan they want pay increases to match the rate of teachers.
"They received 6 percent last July, which is when ours (agreement) ran out," he said. 
"They received another 4 percent at the start of April and they'll receive another 4 percent at the start of December this year."
Cahill says those are the figures his members want to talk about. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Chris Cahill: Police Association President on members rejecting latest pay offer

Inflation is proving to be a hard dragon to slay.

Annual inflation has dropped to 4%, sitting above the Reserve Bank forecast of 3.8%.

Non-tradable inflation —on final goods and services that don't face foreign competition— remains very high at 5.8%, well above the Bank's forecast of 5.3%.

Kiwibank Chief Economist, Jarrod Kerr, told Heather du-Plessis Allan that inflation is now being driven by domestic factors.

He says migration is pushing up rents, climate change is pushing up insurance, and infrastructure problems are pushing up council rates.

LISTEN ABOVE

Inflation is proving to be a hard dragon to slay. 
Annual inflation has dropped to 4%, sitting above the Reserve Bank forecast of 3.8%. 
Non-tradable inflation —on final goods and services that don't face foreign competition— remains very high at 5.8%, well above the Bank's forecast of 5.3%. 
Kiwibank Chief Economist, Jarrod Kerr, told Heather du-Plessis Allan that inflation is now being driven by domestic factors. 
He says migration is pushing up rents, climate change is pushing up insurance, and infrastructure problems are pushing up council rates. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Jarrod Kerr: Kiwibank Chief Economist on inflation dropping to 4%, says it's driven by domestic factors

Guess what: the smaller ruby ball for women is already controversial.

I was telling you about this last week because World Rugby is spitballing the idea of giving the female rugby players a ball that's about 3% smaller and lighter than the standard ball.

Because their hands are smaller than male hands, and it would make kicking and passing easier for them.

Because let's be honest, kicking a rugby ball is ever slightly more difficult for a female rugby player than a male rugby player because she's smaller. So it would simply be balancing that out.

Well... This is not gone done well with Bonnie in the Herald sports department, who reckons this is a classic case of men sitting around thinking up ideas for women that women don’t actually want.

And all that this is going to do is give detractors of the women’s game another thing to undermine the game with by basically writing off any record that they might set by saying it doesn’t count because the ball is smaller. Who cares!

I love it, because it’s true.

Women are smaller and weaker than men on average, and that is a fact.

So, if we’re playing with the same size ball, we are having to work harder.

Cricket accepts this fact, the boundaries are smaller for women. Same with basketball, the ball is smaller.

Let's be logically consistent about this.

Sporting bodies around the world have just banned transgender women from competing at the international level against biological women because they accept that the male body is bigger, stronger, and faster.

So, give women a smaller rugby ball.

If it makes the women’s game faster and better, and that then brings in more viewers... that cannot be a bad thing for women’s rugby, can it?

Guess what: the smaller ruby ball for women is already controversial. 
I was telling you about this last week because World Rugby is spitballing the idea of giving the female rugby players a ball that's about 3% smaller and lighter than the standard ball. 
Because their hands are smaller than male hands, and it would make kicking and passing easier for them. 
Because let's be honest, kicking a rugby ball is ever slightly more difficult for a female rugby player than a male rugby player because she's smaller. So it would simply be balancing that out. 
Well... This is not gone done well with Bonnie in the Herald sports department, who reckons this is a classic case of men sitting around thinking up ideas for women that women don’t actually want. 
And all that this is going to do is give detractors of the women’s game another thing to undermine the game with by basically writing off any record that they might set by saying it doesn’t count because the ball is smaller. Who cares! 
I love it, because it’s true. 
Women are smaller and weaker than men on average, and that is a fact. 
So, if we’re playing with the same size ball, we are having to work harder. 
Cricket accepts this fact, the boundaries are smaller for women. Same with basketball, the ball is smaller. 
Let's be logically consistent about this.
Sporting bodies around the world have just banned transgender women from competing at the international level against biological women because they accept that the male body is bigger, stronger, and faster. 
So, give women a smaller rugby ball. 
If it makes the women’s game faster and better, and that then brings in more viewers... that cannot be a bad thing for women’s rugby, can it?

Barry Soper: ZB Political Editor on cost of living payment, unemployment and Three Waters

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