Lately for Tuesday 23 March 2021

Photo: RNZ

10:20 What does New Zealand's new housing package deliver?

Parliament is sitting in urgency tonight so that the Government can push through changes to the bright line test in the housing package it unveiled this morning. Legislation for other changes, including removing the ability of property investors to offset mortgage interest against rental income, will be passed at a later date. Karyn speaks with CoreLogic's senior property economist, Kelvin Davidson, about the new housing package.

CoreLogic's senior property economist Kelvin Davidson. Photo: supplied

10:30 A year of lockdown levels in New Zealand

A year ago today New Zealanders started lock down levels to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Tonight Karyn Hay speaks with epidemiologist Michael Baker about New Zealand's approach including the latest positive Covid-19 case - an MIQ worker at Auckland's Grand Millenium Hotel who has recently been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The Grand Millennium Hotel, which is being used as a managed isolation facility, in Auckland CBD. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook

10:45 West Coast Regional Council accused of ignoring erosion warnings

In our trip to the regions tonight we're on the West Coast where the West Coast Regional Council has been accused of causing coastal erosion by allowing big companies to take too much gravel from riverbeds. Retired Grey District Council harbour supervisor Cedric Trounson has some questions for the council and so do NIWA who have noted the same problem of coastal erosion on the West Coast  due to the extraction of too much gravel. Cedric is concerned that gravel extraction from Grey River was starving Cobden beach of the gravel it needed to protect the foreshore, and was making it even more vulnerable to storms.

Cobden Ceach Photo: Cedric Trounson