The Government's announced a funding boost for Māori economic development projects on the eve of Waitangi Day.

Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says $7.1 million will go towards three projects in Northland and Taranaki.

He says a major infrastructure upgrade at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds is going well, and some new facilities will be open in time for this year's celebrations.

Senior Political Reporter Sophie Trigger is on the ground and told Andrew Dickens it's set to be a busy day, with politicians arriving this morning.

She says last year there was a separate powhiri for Government and Opposition, but they'll all be arriving side-by-side today.

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The opposition is criticising Kainga Ora's turnaround plan.

The Government's told the landlord to focus on its core service: social housing.

It's announced savings including ending sustainable housing certification requirements and shedding a quarter of its staff.

Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty told Andrew Dickens he's perplexed that the Housing Minister calls this a success.

He says the need for social housing continues to grow and the governments answer is to not build houses.

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This week it was the perennial should he or shouldn’t he go debate about the Prime Minister.

Personally, I’d always go to Waitangi if I were Prime Minister, even if it was just for one of the days of ceremonies.

The Air Force is weak but they’re perfectly capable of getting him to both Waitangi and Akaroa if he wanted to.

It’s said his non-attendance is a snub of Māori but there’s another way of looking at it.

He could be staying away because he doesn’t want to ruffle Māori feathers.

He has publicly said repeatedly that the Treaty Principles Bill is going nowhere so why go somewhere where he’ll get the heat for something he’s never intended to do?

David Seymour can go and is. It’s David’s baby and he’s more than happy to stand to it. He’ll take the heat, and he’ll give it back

But our PM doesn’t want to go somewhere where he’ll be yelled at for something he won’t do.

So maybe this isn’t a snub of Māori but it is one of his right wing supporters.

They are getting increasingly vocal that they’ve been sold a damp squib. That he’s no different to the other mob. A liberal. A globalist. A Māori apologist. And worst of all, a man without a plan.

His weekly media round is becoming increasingly fractious with all sides demanding he actually do something more than cutting all spending.

Questions about policy is being answered repeatedly with “we’re looking at that down the track”. Which is this year’s version of working groups and announcements of announcements.

Hopefully Christopher Luxon has a pleasant time at Akaroa Harbour because that’s the way he likes it.

A quiet deferential crowd who loves the PM just because he’s the PM.

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An economist says some groups of people will be hit harder by rising unemployment.

The country's labour market data for the final quarter of 2024 will be released this morning.

Most experts predict the unemployment rate will rise from 4.6-percent to about 5-percent.

ASB senior economist Mark Smith told Andrew Dickens the Wellington region's likely to be heavily impacted

He says it picks up in the younger age group, because what typically happens is the last ones into the labour market are the first ones out.

Smith says some ethnic groups will also be effected, like Maori and Pacific Islanders.

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An ageing population is playing into an increase in urban Land Search and Rescue missions.

Over the past six months, the volunteer group's been called on 23% more year-on-year.

It's meant 22% more volunteer responders have been deployed.

Chief development and project officer, Johnny Franklin told Andrew Dickens that alongside alpine and bush rescues, urban rescues have been of particular concern.

He says urban rescues account for about 25% of operations and is expected to increase as the population gets older.

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An environmental law professor says it wouldn't make sense to pull out of the Paris Agreement.

Speaking to The Country, ACT Leader David Seymour's floated the idea of New Zealand leaving the agreement, suggesting it appears half the world is leaving.

It follows US President Donald Trump pulling the United States from the climate deal.

Waikato University's Dr Nathan Cooper told Andrew Dickens that while the US is leaving, other big players are likely to stay.

He says climate change, which is what the Paris Agreement is there to respond to, is a global challenge.

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A mortgage broker is advising people to hedge their bets as uncertainty continues over upcoming Official Cash Rate announcements.

Centrix is hoping the Reserve Bank will make more cuts, as its latest Credit Indicator report shows almost half a million New Zealanders are behind on repayments, with consumer arrears levels up 1.3%.

Key Mortgages' Jeremy Andrews told Andrew Dickens people shouldn't necessarily hope rates will drop.

He suggests fixing loans midterm, adding he's never seen so many people with floating rates.

The next OCR announcement is due in a fortnight on February 19.

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