Recently, the government has announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs.
As well as this, Health Minister, Simeon Brown, has called for the decentralisation of Health New Zealand, with the expectation that the entity focuses on deliveries closer to the front-line, additionally expecting a plan to do so by the end of the year.
For our weekly catch up with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about these topics, starting with the regional council.
Featuring guest selections from the lovely Martin Sagadin for What's Cooking ahead of the release of their debut album, Martin Iz Zgornje Bele, this Friday.
Today on your bFM Breakfast: Mikey's pulled a sickie so Jogai's in charge; Rob's counting penguins while callers kick boulders; Maria's still fizzing from the Breaker Upperers premiere; Wellington muso Estere's in the studio chatting My Design, On Others' Lives; and comedian Chris Parker joins us ahead of his run of Camp Binch at The Basement this Comedy Fest season. It really is the most wonderful time of year.
Term 1 done and dusted! Onwards, to chocolate and slippers! Thanks so much to the Hollywood Cinema for giving us family passes to two GREAT family movies!
Roald Dahl - Charlie & the Great Glass Elevator(ch. 7 - 12)
Eddie Spaghetti - Wake Up, Wake Up
Alan Gregg - Grandma Says Oo-hoo!
The Little City Critters - It's Not a Monster, It's Me!
Fleabite - The Skellingtons of Wellington
Levity Beet - Piranha
Dr Seuss - Yertle the Turtle
Captain Festus McBoyle - Cheeky Little Monkey
Belle & Sebastian - The Monkeys Are Breaking Out The Zoo
Mike Phirman - Cat Cat Frog Frog
Stan Freberg - St. George & The Dragonet