Could the worst of the brain drain be over?

Though migration remains low year-on-year, provisional figures show that net migration for October was up 7% on 2024.

Massey University Sociologist Paul Spoonley told Andrew Dickens he’s optimistic we’re starting to see it plateauing, if not turning around.

He says the pull of Australia is still very strong, but in terms on non-New Zealand migrant departures, that’s looking a bit healthier.

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There are areas for improvement in how we prevent cancer, with the number of new cases expected to jump in the next two decades.

The Cancer Control Agency's latest State of Cancer report shows cancer's on the rise.

Diagnoses are expected to rise from 30 thousand this year to more than 45 thousand in 2044.

Cancer Society National Chief Executive Nicola Coom told Andrew Dickens people with cancer are living longer, but we could have less cancer to begin with if we introduced more screening.

She says other OECD countries we compare ourselves to are preventing more cancer because they do far more in the cancer prevention space than we do.

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On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Thursday the 11th of December 2025, Parliament's education and workforce committee has dropped its interim report on youth online harm, Dr Parmjeet Parmar who represents Act of the committee shares her thoughts.

Emeritus Professor & Massey University Sociologist, Paul Spoonley tells Andrew whether or not the worst of the brain drain is over.

The Cancer Control Agency has released it's 2025 report, Chief Executive for the Southern Cancer Society Nicola Coom shares her thoughts.

Plus, US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Trump's rally in Pennsylvania and plans in the US to scrutinize foreign visitors social media.

Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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ACT says New Zealand isn’t ready to follow Australia with a youth social media ban.

An interim report from Parliament's education committee suggests we consider taking a similar approach to our neighbours, who introduced a ban yesterday.

It's found social media is exposing young people to a wide range of harm.

Act representative Parmjeet Parmar told Andrew Dickens we should watch how the policy unfolds in Australia before moving ahead with our own.

She says this is a natural experiment happening in real time, and it would be irresponsible to rush forward with a ban.

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The story that keeps getting my goat this week has been the accusation that New Zealanders take too many holidays over the Christmas January period.

It’s burbled along since the weekend. Business Owners, Economists, Simon Bridges and talkback callers all alleging that the country closes down for a month and that’s killing our productivity.

But there’s no proof of that and the allegations seem little better than reckons.

Let’s remember that the rest of the Christian world are also off for Christmas New Year so we’re not losing competitiveness over that week.

And the northern hemisphere closes down for August while we’re working our butts off.

Maybe some of the people moaning about the summer break have lost track of reality for most New Zealand workers.

The Minimum statuary leave for most New Zealanders is 4 weeks after a year of employment. 20 precious days that week out over 12 months.

There are 4 big school holiday periods that parents need to think about.

For most New Zealanders a big summer holiday might last until the second week of January.

And the longer you take over summer the longer you have to work over the rest of the year.

Only a few people casually skive off for January.

The successful business owners who have managers in place. The semi retired. And the superstars whose success during the year grants them privilege. I’m looking at you Mike Hosking.

And the other group are the lawyers. Partly because courts close down. But while judges have nice summer holidays they’re only allowed a week in Spring during the rest of the year.

So the lawyers bugger off to their beautiful baches.

And that’s why lawyers were the most concerned at the dropping of the new Resource management system this week with a 6 week submission period.

It means they’re going to have to work all summer.

Like the rest of us. And that’s why they’re grumpy.

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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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