The Drug Foundation wants urgent action, with meth and cocaine consumption reaching record levels. 

Police wastewater testing between June and September reveals levels of both drugs were at the highest volumes recorded since the programme began six years ago. 

Chief Executive Sarah Helm says harm reduction, addiction and acute healthcare services all need to be prepared for an increase in need. 

She told Heather du Plessis-Allan they’ve been hearing anecdotally that there hasn’t been a growth in the number of people consuming the drugs – meaning there’s potentially a small number of people consuming a lot more of it.  

Helm says they’re really concerned we’ll be seeing a very acute harm, with hospitalisations, psychosis, heart health issues, and a growth in addiction. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The Drug Foundation wants urgent action, with meth and cocaine consumption reaching record levels.&nbsp;
Police wastewater testing between June and September reveals levels of both drugs were at the highest volumes recorded since the programme began six years ago.&nbsp;
Chief Executive Sarah Helm says harm reduction, addiction and acute healthcare services all need to be prepared for an increase in need.&nbsp;
She told Heather du Plessis-Allan they’ve been hearing anecdotally that there hasn’t been a growth in the number of people consuming the drugs – meaning there’s potentially a small number of people consuming a lot more of it. &nbsp;
Helm says they’re really concerned we’ll be seeing a very acute harm, with hospitalisations, psychosis, heart health issues, and a growth in addiction.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

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The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Sarah Helm: Drug Foundation CEO on the record levels of meth and cocaine consumption revealed by wastewater testing

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/c9ad88b3-6f97-41e3-ae45-b2430146d353/transcript

Tomorrow will see this year’s ‘Come Together’ tour come to an end. 

The group behind the tour has spanned four years, playing 11 different albums and songs from Kiwis’ favourite artists – leaving behind tens of thousands of happy fans. 

It’s been a roaring success yet again, with the likes of Jon Toogood, Diane Swann, and Fur Patrol’s Julia Deans taking to the stage to perform. 

Deans told Heather du Plessis-Allan the tour has been “pure joy”. 

“Hanging out with a good bunch of people and singing – amazing.” 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Tomorrow will see this year’s ‘Come Together’ tour come to an end.&nbsp;
The group behind the tour has spanned four years, playing 11 different albums and songs from Kiwis’ favourite artists – leaving behind tens of thousands of happy fans.&nbsp;
It’s been a roaring success yet again, with the likes of Jon Toogood, Diane Swann, and Fur Patrol’s Julia Deans taking to the stage to perform.&nbsp;
Deans told Heather du Plessis-Allan the tour has been “pure joy”.&nbsp;
“Hanging out with a good bunch of people and singing – amazing.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Julia Deans: Fur Patrol lead singer on this year's 'Come Together' Tour

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/1d1b0381-1565-4bbb-8889-b2430159d54b/transcript

I think we can all have a guess at why the Government announced the ferry decision two weeks before Christmas. 

Because this is embarrassing, isn’t it? 

What have they been doing for the last year? 

How do you go a year after cancelling the mega ferries and still have nothing to show for it? 

No deal. No ferries. No price tag. 

Not even any detail on how much it's costing to break the deal on the mega ferries. 

All we’ve got is rumours and if those rumours are right, then we are going to spend more than twice what those two mega ferries were going to cost to buy two smaller ferries. 

Those mega ferries were $550m. The medium sized ferries will apparently cost $900m, plus a $300m break fee for the mega ferries. 

That’s $1.2b. 

We’d have been better off keeping the big boys, onselling them and using the money to buy the little ones. 

And don’t expect anything anytime soon. It won't be until the second half of next year before we actually know what’s happening. 

Time is of the essence because our existing ferries are running on hopes and prayers and masking tape. 

We’ve had one floating without power in the Cook Strait, another run aground on a sandy beach and various other mishaps. 

Now, I don’t think the mega ferries were the solution. 

But I’m starting to feel like this deal, whatever it is, could be even worse. I’m starting to think this might make the mega ferries look like value for money. 

And that's not a great outcome from National and Nicola Willis, who’ve told us they’re great at striking deals and managing money. 

Because this does not look like that at all. 

I think we can all have a guess at why the Government announced the ferry decision two weeks before Christmas.&nbsp;
Because this is embarrassing, isn’t it?&nbsp;
What have they been doing for the last year?&nbsp;
How do you go a year after cancelling the mega ferries and still have nothing to show for it?&nbsp;
No deal. No ferries. No price tag.&nbsp;
Not even any detail on how much it's costing to break the deal on the mega ferries.&nbsp;
All we’ve got is rumours and if those rumours are right, then we are going to spend more than twice what those two mega ferries were going to cost to buy two smaller ferries.&nbsp;
Those mega ferries were $550m. The medium sized ferries will apparently cost $900m, plus a $300m break fee for the mega ferries.&nbsp;
That’s $1.2b.&nbsp;
We’d have been better off keeping the big boys, onselling them and using the money to buy the little ones.&nbsp;
And don’t expect anything anytime soon. It won't be until the second half of next year before we actually know what’s happening.&nbsp;
Time is of the essence because our existing ferries are running on hopes and prayers and masking tape.&nbsp;
We’ve had one floating without power in the Cook Strait, another run aground on a sandy beach and various other mishaps.&nbsp;
Now, I don’t think the mega ferries were the solution.&nbsp;
But I’m starting to feel like this deal, whatever it is, could be even worse. I’m starting to think this might make the mega ferries look like value for money.&nbsp;
And that's not a great outcome from National and Nicola Willis, who’ve told us they’re great at striking deals and managing money.&nbsp;
Because this does not look like that at all.&nbsp;

Heather du Plessis-Allan: The ferry "announcement" is embarrassing

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ba2e10f6-15bb-40ac-83f5-b2430156f2a1/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 12th of December, what do industries think of the Government's lacklustre ferry announcement of an announcement? 

You don't want to miss Heather's interview with newly minted Minister of Rail Winston Peters as they spar over the ferry costs and timelines. 

Julia Deans of Fur Patrol fame talks ahead of her final show with the Come Together tour. 

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 12th of December, what do industries think of the Government's <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/don-braid-mainfreight-managing-director-on-the-governments-cook-strait-ferry-announcement/">lacklustre ferry announcement of an announcement?&nbsp;</a>
You don't want to miss Heather's interview with newly minted <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/winston-peters-minister-for-rail-on-the-cook-strait-ferry-announcement/">Minister of Rail Winston Peters</a> as they spar over the ferry costs and timelines.&nbsp;
Julia Deans of Fur Patrol fame talks ahead of her final show with the Come Together tour.&nbsp;
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 12 December 2024 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/d1c0b179-3f9b-4358-a7dc-b243014c3ae6/transcript

Sarah Helm: Drug Foundation CEO on the record levels of meth and cocaine consumption revealed by wastewater testing

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