An urban planner's giving the proposed Resource Management Act a big thumbs up, calling the reforms awesome and fantastic.

The Government's confirmed the current RMA will be replaced by two pieces of legislation, one for the environment and one for planning.

They'll be phased in by 2029.

Independent urban planner and strategic development expert Bruce Weir told Andrew Dickens there will always be hiccups, but the changes are great.

He says the compensation element of the changes could be a headache, however previous planning rules were frustrating and full of nonsense.

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Australia's pioneering social media ban is casting ripples around the world.

The new law sets a mandatory age limit of 16 or older for accounts on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.

Now countries like Malaysia and Denmark are following the Australian lead with similar approaches.

AUT communications studies professor Patrick Usmar told Andrew Dickens enforcement will be difficult, but it should limit exposure to the thousands of ads kids had been seeing every week.

He says parents now won't need to persuade their kids to get off it, and teachers won't need to monitor it as much, because they can just say it's the law now.

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A Supreme Court decision has finally settled the long-running battle over whether family carers should be paid.

The ruling —brought by parents Christine Fleming and Peter Humphreys, who care for their severely disabled adult children— confirms family carers are entitled to pay.

Employment lawyer Joe Williams told Andrew Dickens it’s a monumental shift in how these workers are recognised and how the Government will need to respond.

He says it brings them a minimum wage entitlement, holiday pay, and protections against unfair treatment.

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On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 10th of December 2025, the government's announced it's replacement of the RMA, independent urban planner and strategic development expert, Bruce Weir shares his thoughts.

The Supreme Court's ruled parents caring for their severely disabled adult children will now be recognised as home-workers, employment lawyer Joe Williams, tells Andrew how big of a difference this will make to people's lives.

Hundreds of thousands of under 16s in Australia will be kicked off their social media accounts from today, AUT communication studies academic Patrick Usmar tells Andrew whether or not New Zealand should follow suit.

Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on a new report into the activities of a top British spy inside the IRA during The Troubles and a man who received four parking tickets when a disabled bay was painted around his car while he was away on holiday.

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So today is the day the Australians lead the world with a social media ban for people under 16.

Good luck with that. Because the kids who still want to be online will get around it. Because, you know, kids and computers.

They can’t speak the Queen’s English, but they sure can speak computer.

They’ll VPN and forge and weasel their way through the same way we all got our hands on booze when we were underage.

And the kids who’ll actively skirt the law are either the ones who believe social media benefits their life in society, or they’re hoping one day that they’ll get some positive self-affirmation even though more often than not they’re bullied and of course, the bullies themselves, because bullying is fun for them.

They’re not going to pay attention to some words in black, and white written by some old parliamentarians in a grand hall wearing their fancy clothes.

And the kids aren’t going to be thankful.

You’ve taken away their town hall, their community centre, their pub.

They’re going to be resentful. And I reckon there’s a lot of parents who think social media has rotted their kids' brains. Why? Well, they’ve gone socialist haven’t they.

So, it’s virtue signalling and we all know how we feel about virtue signalling, even if the virtue is a good one.

And speaking of which I found the whole argy bargy between the B416 crew and the Prime Minister to be generally distasteful.

It seemed like the parties were more concerned about who got the credit for the posturing rather than helping the kids themselves.

But the message is out there and it’s a good one. Keep your kid's social media usage as low as possible. You’re the parent. Parent.

So, my boys are in their 20s and they grew up with all of this.

I remember asking them if they’d been cyber bullied on social media.

Their reply was not really. If you’re being hassled, you block the idiots. And turn the phone off.

I was so proud.

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The Hurricanes have revealed a $2 million loss is projected for the current financial year, after announcing a new leadership structure.

Local developer Malcolm Gillies has stepped in to buy the Wellington Rugby Union's 50% stake in the Super Rugby franchise.

NZ Rugby will also take a minority shareholding and bolster the 'Canes with loans.

Interim CEO Tony Philp told Andrew Dickens rugby’s had a difficult few years, but there’s certainly opportunities at the club to settle the finances moving forward.

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The Rural Communities Minister believes a new wool deal will take the sector to a whole new level.

It's a significant milestone for the country's wool sector, as Wool Source confirms its first commercial export order.

The Wool Research Organisation company's signed a deal with a Japanese company, for eight tonnes of Kiwi products.

Minister Mark Patterson told Andrew Dickens its currently constrained by capacity, but it's a big step forward.

He says there's a very small laboratory and there's plans to scale it up as demand increases.

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Today's the day for a major shakeup to the wide-reaching Resource Management Act.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon's confirmed the big announcement is expected to eliminate the need for 46 percent of consents - and comes alongside major regional council reform.

Legislation's expected to be introduced this year, pass next year, and will be implemented by 2027.

Luxon says the RMA's held us back, for 30 years.

Mark Hooper, Federated Farmers RMA Reform Spokesperson tells Andrew Dickens what he's looking for.

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