(RELAXED MUSIC) Tonight ` parental fury. I wouldn't in a million years not have soap. How would you react if your kid's school pulled the soap from the toilets? I'd be pretty upset. I'd be really worried, yeah. Cos it's not hygienic. Is this a case of cost-cutting gone mad? It's basic human rights to be able to wash your hands before you eat. Also ` the inconvenience of no public convenience. Not good when somebody's gotta drive past somebody else's crap that's on the side of the curb. Mooloo land is flushed with problems because there's no public loo. They walk around here behind my fence, and that's where they decide to cock their leg on my fence. Plus ` snoring. (SNORES) (SNORES) (SNORES) It's tortuous for partners. Welcome to my world, folks. But is there a simple cure? I must really care for you, honey, if I have to stick this up my nose. Kia ora, welcome to the show. First up tonight ` handwashing. Now, everyone knows ` or should know ` that washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to stop the spread of germs, bacteria-related illnesses and infectious diseases. So, what's the sense in removing soap from school toilets? It's a hygiene issue that's got some South Auckland parents really upset. Here's Garth. (CALVIN HARRIS' 'SLIDE') Did you... wash... your hands? How often do we get that message drummed into us? Do you wash your hands? Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yes. Yes, I do ` a lot. But I'm not a compulsive hand washer. Why do you wash your hands? Cos it's nasty if you don't. Germs. Hygiene. How do you wash your hands? With soap. And, you know, I count. Sing Happy Birthday to myself. Do you wash your hands? All the time. So imagine a parent's horror discovering her school had removed soap from all the kids toilets. I wouldn't in a million years not have soap. Nothing in the school toilets but warm water. It's basic human rights to be able to wash your hands before you eat. No soap or hand towels, and it wasn't because they'd run out. They took the dispensers away completely ` the soap and the paper towels. Some of the toilets do still have dispensers, but they're completely empty and haven't been used in two terms, at least. It's been going on for a while. So, what, the school just doesn't provide soap for your kids? No. They've flat-out told us that they will not be providing soap in the toilets. They're providing sanitiser in the classrooms instead, as a replacement. And how many door handles between that toilet and the classroom? Three, if you include the classroom door. That sounds a bit feral. (CHUCKLES) Tasty (!) This is no laughing matter. And they aren't alone. Another parent told us she had complained to the principal and to a member of the school's Board of Trustees. This was the reply to that parent via Facebook message ` That parent felt discouraged and turned to Fair Go. She has since met with the principal to resolve this. She's also experienced threats and intimidation, she says, from other parents at the school unhappy that she has even raised this complaint. She's asked her to leave her out of the story. We've reluctantly agreed to do that. But we are telling it, because we feel it's important to parents everywhere. Because who would think a school would deliberately abandon soap and give kids no way to dry their hands after using the toilet? Yeah, right (!) I'd be pretty upset. I'd be really worried, yeah. Cos it's not hygienic. I wouldn't be happy. That sounds pretty ridiculous to me. They need something to wash their hands with. I always give people a chance to explain something, but I can't imagine there'd be an explanation for something like that. I think it's appalling if all of our schools are not providing high-quality facilities for basic handwashing ` basic hygiene. Professor Michael Baker studies infectious diseases at Otago School of Medicine. New Zealand's got an appalling record of having very high rates of a lot of major childhood diseases ` respiratory infections, skin infections and gut infections ` and these are exactly the things that handwashing can protect our children against. Because it's such common-sense advice with plenty of research to back it up. So, in this case, we've got liquid soap here. The main thing is lathering up your hands really well ` right up to the wrists. This does not require high-level epidemiology or science. I mean, the evidence is overwhelming that you need to be able to wash your hands effectively to reduce the transmission of disease. And we've got good evidence published in big trials showing that having handwashing can actually reduce risk of gut infections by about 30% and respiratory infections by about 20%. So I think all of our schools need to be part of this. Instead, parents have found themselves battling the mixed messages to their kids. It's going a step back, and it's not cool. They struggle with washing their hands as it is. So to take soap away, he comes home, 'Mum, I don't have to. The school said I don't have to.' The irony is around the time the mums became aware of the situation the school was worried about increasing sickness. The school sent a warning in its newsletter this winter, but it wasn't about handwashing. Strep throat can lead to rheumatic fever and is a major concern right now for our public health officials. Professor Baker says he'd be cautious about drawing any link between reports of illness at the school and its 'no soap, no drying' approach. And then give your hands a good dry. But we all need to beware another hazard ` superbugs. So, just trying to get the water off, because wet hands do transmit bugs more easily than dry hands. We need to use simple measures like good handwashing and hygiene to stop the transmission of these diseases. I think it's very well accepted, and if we don't do that, then we are increasing the need for antibiotics, and that's driving antimicrobial resistance. So I really think, as a society, schools, our education system, our health system need to be working together to help solve these problems. By now you must be asking, 'Where's the school?' It's in South Auckland, and that's all we're saying for now, because they say they're cleaning up their act. There are questions we wanted the principal to answer ` how long has this been going on? What advice did she take before she decided soap wasn't a legal requirement in schools? And what convinced her to do this in the first place? The Ministry of Education told us that the principal did seek its advice on whether soap is needed in toilets, but only last week, not before, and that advice was clear ` yes, you do need to provide soap and water for good handwashing. The principal has since confirmed to Fair Go that she has agreed to put soap and towels in the toilets, and she's met with mums to discuss ways they can raise any complaints in future. We don't want it to affect our kids, and we don't want to look like picky parents, but when it comes to our children's health and safety, you know, the mama lion comes out, and we want to defend our children. There are certain aspects that need to be there, and that's bare essentials. It's quite a struggle to get your kids to wash their hands, isn't it? At the best of times. It is. Yeah. At the best of times. And these have not been the best of times for these mums with a simple message ` wash your hands and dry them properly. This is a tricky one, eh? Because I've seen the little Jones kids with foam soap, and they put it everywhere. But kids are traditionally dirty. They stick their fingers in noses, ears, all sorts of places. Oh yeah. You do need soap on hand. Kids and soap ` pretty important combo. All right. Coming up after the break ` the inconvenience of no public convenience. There's a need for a public loo in Mooloo land. It's bloody rude. How would you feel if someone used your property as a public toilet? Well, I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but they piss me off. And ` snoring. (SNORES) Desperate times call for desperate measures. So, if there's any companies out there that make earplugs, hook a girl up, all right? Welcome back. Continuing with our hygiene theme, we turn our attention now to public toilets. Yes, and I just happen to have some public toilet fun facts. Do you know, like, in New Zealand, there are 7950 public toilets all around the country. I've been on a lot of them, I gotta say. (CHUCKLES) I did not know that. So, Auckland's your best, of course. A lot of public toilets ` just around 1500. Canterbury's good; Waikato's good; Otago and Wellington ` pretty flush. See what I did there? (CHUCKLES) But the Chatham Islands has just one public dunny. Wow. And it is well used. I bet it is. At least they have one, cos a complete lack of public toilets on a stretch of State Highway 1 is causing big problems for some. Here's Matt. (PITBULL'S 'TIMBER') Welcome to the Bull Ring. Open 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Oh yeah, put the meat on there. She's a popular pit stop on a very busy State Highway 1 between Tokoroa and Taupo. Our burgers go really well. We use the real beef, not something that looks like beef. (CHUCKLES) Former farmer and man of few words, Lance Kennett's been trying to make a buck here for the past 15 months. The locals are starting to come back. We're getting more trucks coming in. We're starting to get a few more people off the road. But while the burgers are banging and business is on the up, there's a little fly in the ointment. So often taboo, we're talking going toilet. It's not good when somebody's got to drive past somebody else's crap that's on the side of the curb. Here, in broad daylight, punters are often caught with their pants down, going number ones and ` look away if you're eating ` even number twos. We get people stopping over here on the curb and then crapping in there, and then they walk around here behind my fence, and that's where they decide to cock their leg on my fence. Lance, that's disgusting. It's your business. What do you make of it? It's bloody rude, to be honest, (CLEARS THROAT) cos I certainly wouldn't do it on anybody else's fence, so why do it on mine? It's a fair question. We put it to people on the street in neighbouring towns Taupo and Tokoroa. If you're busting, nature calls, man. You've gotta do your thing, eh, you know? But not in broad daylight outside a business? Oh, no, no. Shit, no. That's pretty disgusting. You would never do anything like that would ya? Oh, no, no. There's no need for that. You wouldn't do that, would ya? Oh, nah. (LAUGHS) Never. Unfortunately for Lance and his crew at the Bull Ring, the mess doesn't stop in the car park. The recently renovated toilets are also getting a hammering ` up to 20 punters a day. Some... They say, 'Where's your toilet?' And they come and use the toilet and go out without saying thank you. Lance reckons about half of those using the loo are seriously taking the piss. They aren't buying anything. They're simply stopping and using his facilities for nothing. Well, I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but they piss me off. I think you're allowed to say that. They obviously don't realise there's a cost to their actions. There's a cost to us. Why don't you simply tell them to hightail it? Well, the first thing they do is they get on social media these days and give you bad feedback. How do you tell an elderly person to bugger off? How do you tell a mother with little kids to go? Another fair question. Lance reckons his problems stem from the fact there aren't any public toilets on the nearly 70km stretch between Taupo and Toke. Trying to ensure he's not the one cleaning up the mess and picking up the tab forever,... Gidday, is that the council? ...searching for a solution. Last year he jumped on the blower to the South Waikato District Council twice. There needs to be toilets along State Highway 1. And, achieving nothing, in July he drove to town and fronted councillors at one of their meetings. I want them to come up with some sort of solution that's gonna stop the problem, because the problem's only going to get worse. Was your trip to council that day worthwhile? At the moment, no. Why's that? Because I've had no response. The council disputes that, but it got us thinking, and we reckon it's us ` the general public ` who aren't giving Lance and business owners just like him a fair go. So what is the etiquette here? Again, we hit the streets to find out. You call in to a cafe and use their toilet. Do you buy something or not? Absolutely. You have to buy a coffee, at least. I do. I probably would, eh, man, you know? Just get a snack on the way through. Why's that? In appreciation, I spose. Do you buy anything? Uh, no. Not always, no. Why not? Well, because I only had one need in particular at the time. It's not right to go in and not buy. You think it's OK that the businesses just suck up the cost? No, nah. No, I don't actually. That's why I sneak. (CHUCKLES) As for Lance and his team at the Bull Ring, they're gearing up for another silly season on the road. People say we should charge, but I don't want to have to do that. I think that the council needs to come up with a solution, because at the moment, they're expecting us to take care of their problem. A problem that'll hopefully be addressed with a plea from the proprietor. Please don't go to the toilet outside my business, because I wouldn't go to the toilet outside your home. If you do come in and use my toilets, it would be great if you could buy something, even if it's small, to cover the cost. So, are you going to change your behaviour after this very public conversation? Definitely. (LAUGHS) You've been outed, haven't you? I have. Outed myself, even. (BOTH LAUGH) Look, I've done this, and I felt guilty, but also quite relieved, to be honest. It's good that you felt guilty, at least. According to our research, there are 675 public toilets in the Waikato ` so that's quite a few ` but only 33 in the South Waikato district. Not so many. Now, the South Waikato District Council told us they install public toilets on rural walking trails and also in town centres where you can gain the economic spinoff in those CBDs. They also told us they acknowledge the issue, but ` And that is some quite brilliant council talk. (CHUCKLES) Coming up after the break ` are you sick of losing sleep because your partner snores? (SNORING) It's arguably one of the most annoying sounds in the world. And all you can hear is... (IMITATES SNORING) That can be really stressful. But should you really be losing sleep because your partner snores? I must really care for you, honey, if I have to stick this up my nose. And we pay tribute to all those kids who entered our Ad Awards. They really did rock ` in more ways than one. ALL: It's a celeb rock! Welcome back. Now, if you've ever tried to sleep in a room with a snorer, you'll know it can be a real nightmare. Halitosis ` or bad breath ` might be the vaccine for love, but snoring is a form of torture that can test the strongest relationships. The decent thing to do is find a solution, but can money buy a miracle cure? Here's Anna. (CRUNCH!) You know, there are just some noises... (CHEWS LOUDLY) ...that really drive ya nuts. Chewing, car alarms and noisy pets are all in the top 10, but there's one noise that's much worse than the others. Not the dog! (SNORES) (SNORES) (SNORES) Yup, snoring. Snoring is a noise that you make at night-time that you don't make when you're awake. A peaceful night can become a nightmare ` not just for the snorer, but for their sleeping partner. Welcome to my world, folks. At 3 o'clock in the morning when you come awake, and you can't go to sleep, and you really want to go to sleep, and all you can hear is ` (IMITATES SNORING) ` beside you, even if it's quiet, you know, that can be really stressful. So when we saw this simple device promising to end snoring and filter the air for a good night's sleep, it looked like the answer to a lot of people's prayers. (WOMAN CHUCKLES) (INHALES) Oh, well, you can breathe through it. (CHUCKLES) That's a good start. We took one to an expert ` sleep physiologist Bryn Sparks. Shall I try it? This'll be a little bit small for me, actually. There we go. You look great. Thank you. (CHUCKLES) It's about the looks. The lights are off. And, you know, that's an important point. If I was putting this on, if this worked ` fabulous. It's small. I can put it in my pocket. The looks don't matter, cos the lights are off, right? But there's only one way to test if it would really work ` an unscientific study using you guys, our viewers. Hey there, I'm Bex, and this is... ...Tiny. Hi, I'm Richard from Napier, and I'm the defendant in this case. I've put that up my nose. Is that gonna help me snoring? Apparently I do snore at night, but I haven't heard a thing. I must really care for you, honey, if I have to stick this up my nose. Cos I snore really, really bad. Wife's had a gutsful. If this thing fixes it, we might be the go. It's not that we should snore, but we should have a part of the airway that closes when we swallow, so that what we're swallowing doesn't go down into our lungs. That's a safety mechanism. So, would this device work? No, (CHUCKLES) it is not going to stop me from snoring. Bryn doesn't think these devices would work, because snoring is caused by the tongue relaxing to the back of the throat. Straightaway, it's working on the wrong part. It's not usually because your nostrils are blocked. I think it would actually have no impact at all. I don't think it would do anything either way. What about purifying the air? If you're breathing particles that would be big enough for that weave to stop, you'd be in a mine or a sandstorm. So, no. (CHUCKLES) Well, there's only one way to find out. I've just come back from Tiny's room, and the snoring that's coming out of there is telling me that the 2-in-1 snoring device is not working. Even now I can hear snoring through the walls, so I guess there's no sleep for me tonight. As you can see, he's like a sleeping baby. Yay! Yay! I love it. Overall, it was a mixed bag. Woke up not even knowing it was there. Fabulous. We found that it doesn't stay in there too well. It does fall out. When it does stay in, the snoring didn't change. Bryn Sparks says there's only one thing that will stop a snorer dead in their tracks. The most effective way to deal with the problem is to work on the negative pressure. Pop that on. It's called a CPAP. And, you know, even with it going... That's really quiet, right? This works. This is 100%. This is positive airway pressure. This has to work no matter how bad the sleep apnoea is, or the snoring, for that matter. Because snoring ain't a problem worth losing sleep over. So, if there's any companies out there that make earplugs,... (SNORES) ...hook a girl up, all right? (SNORES) So, in summary, you either go for the Darth Vadar-style mask or it appears that the cure for snoring is, in fact, earplugs. But never take a lightsabre to bed ` it's dangerous. Now, a few months ago, we set down a challenge for our Kids' Ad Awards. That's right. We asked you to take something from the '70s and make it cool again, and, boy, did you step up! Yeah. We got inundated with groovy ads, so we thought the least we could do is share some with you. (FUNKY '70S MUSIC) PIPPA: Right, so the brief was to take something from the 70s and make it cool again, and you guys had no shortage of ideas. Fortunately, most of them were way better than our dance moves. Hey, guys. Whoa, whoa, whoa! (SCREAMS) (ABBA'S 'DANCING QUEEN') GIRL: Save our planet. It's not too late. You got us reminiscing about the good ol' days ` a time before mobile phones, before Wi-Fi. When social media meant drinks at the pub when the news had finished. Jason. (WAILS) MAN: The game is fun for dad and mother. And sis can trouble her mean old brother. And extra style. The classic Holden Kingswood... But it seems, for you, one product stood out from all the rest... BOTH: Pet rocks! It's a pet rock. He isn't just a rock. He's my pet. Here we can see our trained professionals gathering the pet rocks from the wild. Comes in all shapes and sizes. So be a hero and adopt your pet rock today. ALL: It's a celeb rock! Rock on, wannabe filmmakers. Rock on. Oh, great ads! And pet rocks ` I had a pet rock at school. You had a pet rock? Yeah, when it was school pet day, our cat was too grumpy, and mum said, 'You're not taking that thing. You better take a pet rock.' (CHUCKLES) Go and grab a rock out of the garden and take that. my best friend. Oh, I love it. We will show off more Ad Award talent next week, and the winners of this year's trophies and those epic Canon prize packs will be revealed at the end of this month. So, that's the show, but we're gonna be on Facebook for the next half hour or so to answer all your questions. Mm-hm. Our programme's all about your problems, your thoughts. So, please, do contact us. We're on Facebook, or you can email us ` or write to us ` That's our show. Until next week,... BOTH: ...po marie.