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Labour spokesperson for the workplace Jan Tinetti joins us live at 9pm to talk PM Christopher Luxon signalling changes to sick leave twice this morning on duelling breakfast radio shows, although Brooke van Velden, the Minister charged with any changes says it was not something she was looking into.Former Finance Minister, Taxpayers' Union chair and keeper of the crypt Ruth Richardson was on Q&A saying the Coalition Government's increased borrowing is "not defensible", and there isn't a credible track back to surplus in an interview that sent cold shivers down the back of anyone who can remember stories of cash registers at Emergency Departments in the 19902.Jacinda Ardern on Trump's America and the value that governments have to put on life and, while knowingly unrealistic, her government decided to aim for no cost is too much when it comes to saving lives.=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of #BHN www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social
First, a small update on what I said yesterday on pay equity. My gut says it won't damage the Government. Don't get me wrong – if I was the opposition I would be prosecuting this as hard as I could, the way they are, because they have a genuine issue and ongoing issue, at least until the Budget, that they quite rightly believe is there for the taking in terms of points, headlines, and moral high ground. I don't think that ultimately is true. But I fully get they think it is. The tide turned yesterday though in Question Time. Not because Brooke van Velden dropped the c-word. Watching it live, it was quite the moment. Question Time has become dour, there is limited talent on display, and the Speaker is cantankerous and ruins the fun. But yesterday was alive with frisson. Brooke van Veldon's mic drop moment was pointing out that Jan Tinetti, the questioner, a former Woman's minister, a woman who railed against misogyny, was using misogyny by quoting a misogynistic article, authored by a woman to make her point. That led to applause and rightly so. It further exposed the Labour Party, and in fact most of the opposition benches, as frauds who are arguing the pay equity issue using bogus material and fake facts. The more this is debated the more hope you have that a wider grouping of us will tune in and get into the detail, because it is in the detail the truth lies. The equity laws, or rules, were a shambles and being milked by unions. But the tide turned because there seems genuine anger within the Government over what Andrea Vance was allowed to do. When I say allowed, I assume she is edited and therefore cleared. The odd thing for me is I struggle to get upset at being attacked. Being a public figure, you are open for this sort of stuff, and I have received more than most. It's water off a duck's back, especially from an angsty journalist. But van Veldon, Collins and, as Vance calls them, the "hype squad" seem genuinely outraged and it is that outrage that turned, or at least will turn, the dial. If they argue on fact, and the other side argue on emotion using lies, bogus material, and foul language, they will eventually lose. Hence the dent so many thought was coming for the Government will never arrive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It was the last day of school in Parliament yesterday. It happens after MPs sit through urgency, they get restless, excitable, a bit crazy. They were shouting, interrupting, it was a bit chaotic - even Gerry Brownlee finished question time saying this has not been our finest hour. Opposition MPs, particularly women, were up in arms and incensed over the Pay Equity bill for the second day in a row. The question for National is whether this outrage in Parliament will translate to outrage at the ballot box. 33 claims cancelled and must start again. Sure, there's a new legal framework set up with high thresholds for pay equity claims. But Labour is doing it's darndest to create the impression there's not. That this is the end of the road for low-paid workers of the fairer sex. Dutton was emasculated at the polls last Saturday in part because he wasn't well liked by women. The red landslide swept his heartland, handed Albo the win, and cost him his unfortunately named seat of Dickson. In Brisbane's Northern suburbs and across Queensland new residents, young voters, and women broke for Albo. It was a big part in Dutton's down trou. So, the question for National is whether it's just created a problem for 2026? Will women voters give Luxon a swift kick in the gonads next year? The bill creates a risk of them doing so. To counter that you've got the sell the changes. Right now, in the fog of war, they're not getting cut through. The critics, the Jan Tinetti's, are winning the PR war at present. When the dust settles, they need to explain, with specific examples, which of those 33 deals in the pipeline or deals done thus far were bad or rotten and why. Why is it important we save billions? What's it good for? This is not to say all women vote the same or even together in a bloc. Life's not one big sisterhood of the travelling pants. Every woman is different and doesn't necessarily vote on their gender. After all, women didn't show up for Kamala last November, even though MSNBC was basically saying Trump removed your womb. Women ditched Labour after Jacinda left the building and the Nats picked them up. The pay equity bill is a risk to that support, a bit of a gamble - not one that can't be overcome, but you've got to sell your story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Government is fast-tracking amendments to the Equal Pay Act, the law which prohibits employers from paying men and women different rates for the same work, in a move which will scrap all current pay equity claims and make it harder for employees to make a claim. Craig Renney joins us to talk over the economics of the change and Labour's Workplace Relations Spokesperson, Jan Tinetti joins us to talk the impact to those who the Equal Pay Act is currently helping
The Government is fast-tracking amendments to the Equal Pay Act, the law which prohibits employers from paying men and women different rates for the same work, in a move which will scrap all current pay equity claims and make it harder for employees to make a claim. - Craig Renney joins us LIVE at 9pm to talk over the economics of the change- Labour's Workplace Relations Spokesperson, Jan Tinetti, joins us LIVE at 9.20 to talk the impact to those who the Equal Pay Act is currently helpingChris Hipkins was on Breakfast this morning talking about Erica Stanford using her gmail account making the case that Parliament Cyber Security have been telling MPs not to use systems outside the security of Parliament, which means if Mr Luxon is so chilled about it either security is wrong, or he doesn't care about Stanford being a security issue.Christopher Luxon has announced that National wants to ban under 16s from social media accounts which raises a couple of questions, the first is...is this really the most pressing issue you have right now PM to be on top of...and...id under 16s are banned from social media...who will David Seymour have to snapchat with?================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of #BHN www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social
David Seymour is calling for culling of the government. He's floated a policy that would reduce the number of ministers and government departments, calling into question the necessity of some. Racing, Hunting and Fishing, Hospitality, Space, and Child Poverty Reduction were a few he named. Jan Tinetti is the former Minister for Women and Child Poverty Reduction, and she told Heather du Plessis-Allan the reason these ministries exist is to take a specialised look at issues. She says that while they are often covered under other portfolios, they would simplify the issues far too much, and we wouldn't get anywhere in solving them. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The war on road cones has ratcheted up, with the coalition government setting up a hotline for people to report the overzealous use of road cones and no, it's not an April Fool's joke. The hotline is part of a first tranche of measures introduced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden, designed to reform the country's health and safety laws so businesses can focus on the necessary and the essential - not on the “senseless and superfluous” as Brooke van Velden told Mike Hosking this morning. “One of the things I heard from travelling from Whangarei to Bluff, talking to small business and workers, was that most of them don't know what to do to comply. We're going to make it a lot clearer, so you only need to focus on your critical risks. Things that will actually cause people harm, rather than posters saying warning hot water or warning here is a staircase. We've got to bring some common sense back to New Zealand and to business. “A lot of it is companies finding they're spending a lot of money on over compliance because they are fearful of prosecution. You know, and we've heard it even in the case of traffic management that sometimes some companies are spending nearly half of their project cost on temporary traffic management. So, we're bringing some common sense back and saying look, in some cases you're doing too much and in some cases, we need to focus less on the paperwork and making sure that WorkSafe has a paper trail and more on how you actually reduce harm in your workplace. Let's go back to what you can recognise as things that could cause death or serious illness and injury and not sweat the small stuff.” So businesses will now only notify WorkSafe when significant events occur, such as death, serious injury, and illness, which is a good thing. I remember coming out of the studio door a couple of years ago and a bit of loose metal cut the top of my foot. Not seriously, I required a Band-Aid, not stitches, but I had to fill out a workplace health and safety form. It was an incident. However, the Opposition spokesperson Jan Tinetti says the Government is weakening workplace health and safety reforms and is being reckless. She says health and safety is not a political game, and everyone must get home safely. And whenever I think of the words “getting home safely”, I think of Jahden Nelson. The 28-year-old scaffolder had to have both of his arms amputated after a metal pole he was carrying touched a live overhead power line. The workplace he'd been working on had been given a Close Approach Consent – that's required when work is being done near overhead power lines. The consent required the crew that put up the scaffolding to be the same crew that took it down for safety reasons, so they knew where the power lines were, they knew they were live – it makes sense. However, WorkSafe found none of the four man dismantling crew, including Jahden, had been involved at the outset. The initial crew received a safety briefing – not the dismantling crew. So the company was sentenced, and the fine was reduced to nothing because they couldn't pay it. And you know, ultimately it doesn't really matter what sort of fine they got or what sort of punishment they got because Jahden's the one who is living without his arms. A 28-year-old man, fit, strong, healthy, goes to work, spends six months in hospital, his life has changed forever because some numpty didn't bother to assess the critical risk and tell the dismantling crew ‘make sure the overhead power lines are switched off'. Or you don't go near them, or they're insulated. And that, I guess, is what Brooke van Velden is talking about, that if firms are focused on the critical risk factors involved in the business it makes much more sense than saying be careful of the Zip, the water's hot. We have an absolutely shocking record of work-related deaths. An estimated 10,000 people, men, women, and, in some cases, children have died from occupational ill health or workplace fatalities since 2010 – in 15 years, 10,000 people have died. And then you've got people like Jahden: didn't die. Has his life changed? You betcha. 420,000 people were injured at work. So I think some of these dumb rules came as a result of people just desperate to ensure that workers went to work and came home safely. I think they were trying everything, throwing everything at it. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has data from 2022, and it allows comparison between countries that use a risk management framework, which we've done since Pike River since 2010. According to this, almost three times as many people die at work in New Zealand than in the UK. So more rules, the word soup, hasn't made us safer. What will? What is it going to take to prevent the deaths of 10,000 more people over the next 15 years and having 420,000 people's lives changed - some irrevocably? Fewer rules and thinking for yourself? Well, that was a very laissez-faire attitude – that was the she'll be right attitude that some of the old timers still have. Surely there's got to be a balance between the she'll be right and the word soup. There's got to be a happy medium that sees workers go to work and come home safe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chris Hipkins has shuffled his deck of MPs, saying his new-look Labour caucus will be focused on jobs, health, and homes for the 2026 election. The Labour leader delivered his State of the Nation speech today - with a promise Labour won't just throw out policies because National introduced them. The reshuffle has led to a new 'economics team,' and seen Jan Tinetti lose the education portfolio. Political reporter Giles Dexter has more.
Jan Tinetti joins us tonight to talk about School Lunches which have had a lot of coverage today. Erica Stanford has seemingly issued a "please explain" to David Seymour and the PM thinks it can all be solved with a marmite sandwich and an appleThe PM was on ZB this morning talking how good the on nurses pay is. We want to see what a nurse needs to do to be eligible for the $127k salary that the PM, and Mike Hosking, think is a pretty good wicket. The NZ Nurses Organisation President Anne Daniels joins us tonight to talk over what nurses get paid and more.It's been revealed that the break fee for cancelling the iRex ferries is $300m, Winston Peters has the chance, according to the PM, to get NZ a better deal and if he doesn't NZ will be going with the plan revealed at the end of last year=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of #BHN www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social
The quality of school lunches is the talk of the town after lacklustre images have circulated of the meals. In day 4 of the scheme, Labour's Education spokesperson Jan Tinetti made a vital error when criticising the lunches online, without realising she was referring to a school lunch meal from when Labour was in government. Dunedin is getting their new hospital - but how has Simeon Brown been 'crafty' in doing so? Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls joins the show. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Education Minister Erica Stanford has apologised in Parliament after allegedly calling her Labour Party counterpart Jan Tinetti a "stupid bitch" in the debating chamber. It comes at the same time that government parties have complained about standards slipping in Parliament, Deputy Political editor Craig McCulloch reports.
Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and former Health NZ chair Rob Campbell joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Erica Stanford raised a few eyebrows after she allegedly called Labour's Jan Tinetti a 'stupid b....' in Parliament. Jan Tinetti says this is proof the rules of the House need to be enforced. What do we make of this? The gang patch ban is officially in force today - do we think this will make a difference? 15 economists have signed an open letter saying the Government's spending policies are dragging out the recession - and Kiwi households and businesses are being hit hard. How can the Government improve things? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Labour's Jan Tinetti says consequences for rule-breaking in the House should apply across the aisle. Tinetti claims Education Minister Erica Stanford called her a 'stupid b....' after a fiery exchange during Question Time. Stanford withdrew and apologised. Last week, Labour's Willie Jackson was forced to leave the House when he wouldn't apologise for calling David Seymour a liar. Tinetti says it's fair to also call out Stanford. "Willie got thrown out of the House by the Speaker for that. So, you know, there is a consequence to that, that's why we have the rules and that's why we have consequences." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Labour's Jan Tinetti has accused Education Minister Erica Stanford of using derogatory language in the House. Stanford was forced to apologise, after the Speaker was made aware of the minister using unparliamentary language. Tinetti claimed to reporters Stanford called her a stupid B-word. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Stanford withdrew and apologised - a clear admission of guilt. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
**Scroll down and give us a hand at the NZ Podcast awards** Chris Hipkins was on Breakfast this morning and explained to National that when, speaking of the treaty principles bill, one throws a hand grenade into a crowd it's natural for some in that crowd to make some noise and explains again, a better way to handle the gang issue in NZ Emma Vigeland went full god mode on Piers Morgan crashing his 'be polite' with facts and refused to back down when Piers had uncomfortable moments with the facts that Emma was spitting. Erica Stanford gets all b**chy in parliament today aiming her "non parliamentary language" at Jan Tinetti and we hear that Stanford has form when it comes to these kinds of attacks ================================= Help us win another listeners choice award, entries close 27 November Head to https://www.nzpodcastawards.com/nominate Enter the podcast name BHN or Big Hairy News Link to the podcast is https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/bhn-big-hairy-news/id1629215711 ================================= Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of #BHN www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter. @patbrittenden @Chewie_NZ
John MacDonald was joined by National's Vanessa Weenink and Labour's Duncan Webb this morning for Politics Friday. They discussed whether the new gang patch law will make a difference to crime numbers, and why the Government is pushing on with the boot camp legislation while the trials are ongoing. They also discussed behaviour in Parliament, particularly following Erica Stanford's apology after insulting Jan Tinetti in the House. Is it time for more serious action? Are standards slipping? Labour MP Duncan Webb claims Education Minister Erica Stanford has muttered insults in the House for some time. Stanford apologised yesterday after Education shadow-minister Jan Tinetti accused her of using a swear word to describe her. Parliament's microphones and Hansard recording did not pick it up. Webb raised a point of order, and told John MacDonald that Stanford is a repeat offender. He says this is just one instance where the Minister over-stepped the mark, and he decided it shouldn't, couldn't continue. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For our weekly catch up with the Labour Party Wire host Caeden speaks to Labour education spokesperson, Jan Tinetti, on education unions opposition to charter schools, the reallocation of te reo Māori funding towards the maths curriculum, and the government's new plan to lift school attendance rates.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Labour's education spokesperson, Jan Tinetti, on education unions opposition to charter schools, the reallocation of te reo Māori funding towards the maths curriculum, and the government's new plan to lift school attendance rates. For States of the States, 95bFM's US election coverage, they speak to Yale Daily News' Andre Fa'aoso about the vice presidential debate. And they speak to University of Sydney's Lisa Asher on the declined Foodstuffs merger and what it means for grocery prices and the supermarket duopoly. For City Counselling this week, Sofia speaks to Councillor Shane Henderson about Council's progress on emergency response systems and the buyout scheme for homeowners impacted by floods She also speaks to senior lecturer at the University of Auckland's Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries in Architecture and Planning, Dr Karamia Müller, about why Māori and Pacific housing needs and aspirations need to be considered on a wider scale.
The Government is bringing forward the rollout of a new maths curriculum, saying it's to ensure children do not continue to fall through the cracks. Labour's spokesperson for education, and ex teacher, Jan Tinetti spoke to Corin Dann.
Labour's education spokesperson says regulation is needed to ensure children are safe in early childhood education. Opposition parties have joined forces to stop what they fear will be dangerous changes. The Government has launched a sector review, saying it plans to remove regulations deemed 'unnecessary'. Jan Tinetti says the review's been rushed, and some in the industry feel they haven't been listened to. "And it's really important to hear all of the voices here, or else it is going to be dangerous. We are going to put our kids in a really unsafe position - and also our teachers in an unsafe position." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Government says it's serious about upping the standard of teaching graduates with a $53 million dollar funding boost for in-school training. Labour's education spokesperson Jan Tinetti spoke to Corin Dann.
This week Castor filled in for Thursday Wire's usual host, Caeden. For our weekly catchup with the Labour Party's Jan Tinetti, Caeden discussed the outcomes of National's childcare policy and the continuation of Labour's free menstrual products policy. They also spoke to Counsellor Lotu Fuli about the vandalisation of the rainbow crossing on Karangahape Road this morning and the end of Auckland Transport's half price fares. Producer Jasmine spoke with Dr. Shaun Awatere and Professor Christine Kenney about the role of te ao Māori in disaster management following the independent review released last month on the Hawke's Bay emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle.
National has announced the fruits of the childcare policy they campaigned on, which is a rebate paid out once every three months. This is after they campaigned on fortnightly payments, and will disadvantage parents who cannot afford childcare up front. They've also announced they are continuing Labour's policy of free period product in schools and kura, although whether or not this includes primary as well as intermediate and high schools is uncertain. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire host Caeden asked Labour spokesperson for Education and Women Jan Tinetti about both of these announcements.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party Caeden spoke to Labour Party spokesperson for Education and Women Jan Tinetti. They asked about Winston Peter's comments comparing co-governance with Nazi Germany, the response to the Freyberg High School students performing a haka against David Seymour, and Grant Robertson's valedictory speech yesterday.
This week for our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Caeden speaks to Jan Tinetti, Labour spokesperson for Education and Women. They ask about the dropping of the free lunches in schools programme, and Tinetti's recent criticism of the Government announcing removals of health education guidelines in schools.
The former Education Minister is furious that the school property system is under review citing "abysmal economic management" from the previous Labour government. A three-month Ministerial Inquiry will look into hundreds of building projects where the scope of what is planned is unrealistic or unaffordable. The Ministry of Education has already paused twenty projects. Former Education Minister Jan Tinetti spoke to Corin Dann.
Jan Tinetti has defended the previous Government's spending on school property, saying they had the funding factored into their budget. Labour's education spokesperson says the projects being stopped were already funded through appropriation. Tinetti told Mike Hosking that the communication of the ministry has been strong. She says this is setting the Ministry of Education up to fail, and she doesn't think it's fair to officials who have been doing a good job. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We could spend some time on the ineptitude of Jan Tinetti, who may well go down as one of our most ineffective education ministers. The blow out in school buildings, as the Prime Minister suggested, borders on a crisis and, according to Labour, that's just the price of stuff going up. Which leads you to ask - were they setting traps for a new Government knowing they were going to lose, or were they genuinely thinking they could win and, if they did, they would worry about paying the ever-mounting bills another day? But some real insight from former minister Stuart Nash who, in an irony of ironies, turned out to be a big Government supporter in their gang crackdown. As the media set about finding every man, woman and dog to tell us how cracking down on gangs was a mixture between a stunt and a gimmick and a waste of time, forgetting of course most of last year's outrage over violence, what we got from Stuart was the proof of what Mark Mitchell had been banging on about for a year or so. There's a limit set on what police could grab as a result of moneys earned by nefarious means. The limit set by the previous Government on assets police can seize was $30,000. Mark, and the rest of us, asked why? Your chopper is $25,000 so you keep it, despite the fact you sold drugs to fund it. Why? It turns out Stuart was busy in cabinet fighting for a zero target and he was being overruled by Hipkins and Ardern. In that revelation is an insight, or perhaps a confirmation, of what we suspected. Labour are soft on gangs. Labour let people out of prison. Labour funded an industry in cultural reports. Labour encouraged the judges to go soft, and what we got was rampant crime and anti-social behaviour. So much of it that it became somewhere between the number one or two issue in the election. I don't blame Stuart. He always struck me as being at the more sensible, practical end of the party. But look at what he was dealing with. This new Government has been left with the equivalent of an unexploded World War II bomb in a major built-up area and they're looking at how to defuse it and take it away. It's almost daily at the moment. And the more we get, the more we see the mess, the carnage, the tragedy, the abject failure and fiscal incompetence of Labour 2020 - 2023. And with the more we know, surely the further from power they should be kept. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
NCEA pass rates have slumped for the third consecutive year. Provisional results released by NZQA yesterday show rates for Year 11 students doing NCEA Level 1 and Year 12 students working towards NCEA Level 2 were down compared to last year. Pass rates for Year 13 students earning NCEA Level 3 and University Entrance were also slightly down. NZQA deputy chief executive for assessment Jann Marshall says three years of Covid-related disruption has contributed to the slump. Jan Tinetti is the Labour Party's education spokesperson and former Education Minister. She spoke to Charlotte Cook.
Off the back of the PISA results last week into maths, science, and reading, comes the OECD's disciplinary climate index. It won't surprise you to learn we aren't doing very well in that either. There are just four countries in the OECD where students do not report a favourable disciplinary climate. They are Finland, Canada, Australia, and —you guessed it— us. What an indictment. The Australian Government acted immediately and threw $3.5 million at schools to boost resources. Erica Stanford on the programme last week talked of the cellphone problem and the distractions raised in the PISA report. Isn't it funny to think that when the National Party announced a phone ban during the election campaign a lot of people scoffed. Labour claimed there already was one, in the sense schools could do it if they wanted. A lot of people asked how that works. What if there is an emergency? What if I need to ring Mum? Yet, a few short months later here we are, an embarrassment on an international scale, at the bottom of an increasing number of metrics. Distraction and discipline, or lack of it, are clearly major issues and yet we have allowed the problem to not just present itself, but to fester. I am reminded of Jan Tinetti earlier this year madly defending absentee numbers by suggesting school post-Covid was hard, and teachers had it tough, and numbers were slowly getting better, so there wasn't anything to worry about. What the reports show us was that although everyone went through Covid, some actually got on with it and some didn't. In some respects, the lack of discipline in school is a reflection of the top-down lack of discipline we have seen these past six years from a Labour Government who had no relationship at all with discipline, either fiscally or morally. They were a Government for the lowest common denominator, where average was more than adequate and there wasn't a crime that couldn't be excused in some way, shape, or form. You have to feel sorry for the teachers. It must be a war zone at times, between the distractions, the lack of discipline and, as a result, the lack of results. What a mountain it is to climb. First job though is to accept the state we are in, because surely these reports that encompass the entire OECD spell it out pretty clearly. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Labour says raising the age limit for breast cancer screening is incredibly important. The party's launched its "women's manifesto" – which includes improving endometriosis care. It's also promising to extend the free breast cancer screening age to 74 – a National Party members bill promising that was drawn from the ballot box earlier this year. Labour first promised the change in 2017. Women's Issues spokesperson Jan Tinetti told Mike Hosking it should be celebrated, not challenged over when it should've happened. “We know that we've got cross party support in this. We know that this has been a strong campaign from all sides of the House.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The only thing National did wrong on Friday was release its literacy policy. Friday is not a good day for news cut-through. To a degree, they were at a disadvantage, as was every other party considering Labour released some heating ideas for houses. If you release it Friday many will miss it. But if you don't release anything you can be accused of a missed opportunity. But the literacy policy is more fertile ground for National given the record of the Government. Labour rolled out poor, old Jan Tinetti who was gobsmacked and heartbroken and various other emotions over the change. But she, like Ginny Andersen the day before when Labour laughably promised to crack down on gangs, is in no position to debate their portfolios, given they have been abject failures. There is simply no hiding what has happened to our education system under this Government. It has been Maorified, kids don't turn up, results are shocking, standards have slipped and international testing shows the parlous state we are in. Enter Erica Stanford, who is as good a prosecutor of her portfolio as any politician and is backed up by Chris Luxon, who talks of her being world-class. Also on Friday, as a death knell of sorts for Labour was yet another poll. This one was the Taxpayers Union Curia poll showing Labour in nightmare country in the 20s. Winston Peters is also below 5 percent so there is a change of Government. The other criticism was the growing commentary from the media on the lack of energy by Chris Hipkins. It is palpable - he looks tired and worn down and lacklustre. He has nothing to say. A lot of his policies fall flat because they are juxtaposed against the reality of what has been delivered. Also, against him is what the media are claiming is the energizer bunny of Chris Luxon. Luxon and Hipkins in the aforementioned poll in preferred Prime Minister numbers are even. That's a growing story and next stop is Luxon overtaking him. Let me tell you this for nothing - a lot of the media have been kind to Labour and even kinder to "Chippy from the Hutt". That has turned. They see what we see. They see a bloke from the private sector, a success story who at last is delivering with confidence and detail and aspiration. And they see a political lifer, out of puff with a record in tatters. As much as we can say it, in mid-September, it is over. If you want to make predictions, not only will we see a change of Government. It is increasingly likely that a landslide is on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Education Minister, Jan Tinetti, says schools will be given the resources to implement Labour's policy of compulsory financial literacy classes for all students from 2025, if it wins the election. Skills including budgeting, saving, banking, and managing bills would be taught as part of maths and social sciences, with compulsory assessments of how students are doing at each year level. Tinetti spoke to Corin Dann.
The Education Minister is vowing to work hard in tackling issues Māori face in school. New data shows last year 75 percent of school leavers attained NCEA Level 2 or above– down from 81 percent in 2017. Māori school leavers fared worse with just 59 percent getting NCEA level two or above. Jan Tinetti told Mike Hosking helping Māori is a focus for them. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Education Minister's defending a million dollar campaign that aimed to encourage kids to go to school Last August, Education Minister Jan Tinetti launched the Every School Day is a Big Day campaign. But documents released under the Official Information Act reveal it wasn't expected to have a direct, quantifiable impact on attendance rates in itself. Education Minister Jan Tinetti told Mike Hosking the campaign in combination with other work they've done has improved attendance this year. She says they know every single initiative and effort they've done is making a difference. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Political commentators Gareth Hughes and Ben Thomas talk about the Prime Minister's trip to China which was shaping up as a success until it was overshadowed by what was happening with Minister Kiri Allan at home. Will Allan last as a Minister - and what happens if she doesn't - could a snap election be on the cards? They'll also talk about Jan Tinetti's reprimand, Labour's fundraising woes and how National's election campaign is shaping up.
Do you reckon Chris Hipkins regrets the deal he did with Grant and Jacinda late last year? Do you think Jacinda had an inkling that things were spiralling out of control, both economically and internally, and thought "tell you what, a book deal, a King's Honour and wandering around a few universities waxing lyrical about kindness looks way more fun than this cluster"? Poor, old Hipkins can't even leave the country without yet another minister imploding. We must be careful, of course, in a world where our mental health has taken on new significance, personal tumult is not to be dismissed. But the Kiri Allen story appears to have two different chapters to it. Her personal leave is for personal issues, but there's also a group of people seconded to her office that clearly couldn't stand it and bailed early. There is a pattern here, given she is not the first minister to face staffing issues. Meka Whaitiri was accused of assaulting one of her staff, Anna Lorck had trouble and who can forget Gaurav Sharma. In the meantime, in China poor, old Chris, still frozen in fear from having to talk about foreign matters, was bailed up about errant behaviour back home. He said concern had been raised, although there was no official complaint, as though that somehow justifies or explains it. You have to wonder how many more fall between now and October 14th. Jan Tinetti still awaits her verdict from the Privileges Committee. What must her staff think of her, given they gave her the warning about correcting the mess she created in the house? Michael Wood, like Allen, is off on personal leave, having imploded under the weight of his hubris. Stuart Nash got warned and sacked and warned and quit - or whatever the order was. Now, Hipkins has to rumble his way back to the country via Manila and Darwin to face yet another ministerial crisis. Here is a thought - could part of it actually be on him? Wood was a busy minister portfolio-wise. Post sacking all his work got distributed to other already busy ministers. Why? Because Hipkins, having learned from Tinetti and the Ginny Andersen promotions, knew he had no talent left so he had no choice. Which brings us back to Ardern. Good leaders, actual bona fide leaders, leave with the place in better shape than they arrived. You don't bugger the place up and then bail leaving a trail of destruction. Yet, here we are. One question left - how much do you want to bet the carnage ain't over yet?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The whole Michael Wood story defies any logical explanation. It defied explanation when he got into trouble over the airport shares. It defied explanation when it was thought he got asked six times to get rid of them but didn't. It defied explanation when it turned out to be 12 times The Prime Minister had the chance to lance the boil at the time but chose not to. Chris Hipkins has been let down in an astonishingly way by his own team members - I am almost starting to feel sorry for him. Given Woods finally fell on his sword yesterday after yet more share revelations; how is it possible they got themselves into that big a hole? Just what sort of mess, what sort of shambolic buffoon do you need to be to have dug yourself into the sort of chaos Wood seems to have? And why has it been allowed to stretch out for so long? The Wevers report into the airport business is presumably now pointless. But between Jan Tinetti and her misleading the house and her refusal to correct it as quickly as she could. Between Meka Whaitiri having such an issue with Hipkins she bolted from the party. Wood, versions 1 and 2, now gone as minister - that alone by the way is a nightmare Hipkins doesn't need because he literally has an empty cupboard of talent - given the promotions of Ginny Andersen and Tinetti have proved problematic to say the least - hence he has spread the Wood portfolios to already busy ministers he can presumably trust. The one 'go to' guy - i.e. Hipkins now has no one new to go to. And let's not forget the Nash saga which has an eerily similar vibe to the Wood mess. You thought you had it contained; we had the warnings, then boom, another explosion. How many careers are going to end in tatters before the Government limps to the October 14 vote and presumably gets put out of its misery? No one will be sad to see Michael Wood go. Between the cycle bridge, the light rail, the obsession with buses all of which have turned out to be nothing but a nightmare and a lot of hot air his contribution in the end was way more negative than it was positive. He becomes a footnote of a government that imploded without even completing two terms. It's turning out to be quite the shambles.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Some school kids are working up to 40 hours per week, including overnight shifts, to help their families pay the bills. Students from Auckland's Tamaki College and Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate told TVNZ's Q&A it's what they have to do help keep the lights on, and put food on the table. Some of their teachers are even helping out with essential bills, including for power. Our reporter Tom Taylor spoke to some students at Otahuhu College. The Education Minister, and Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, Jan Tinetti, joins us now. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6329711265112
I am not sure why Meng Foon was going to resign last night. Because if you have cocked it up the way he has, you resign on a Friday and hope everyone forgets about it over the weekend. Anyway, he's gone, and his name is added to the ever-growing series of names that are sinking this government. Stuart Nash's report was out Friday as well over conflicts of interest. It wasn't as bad as it could have been. In Nash's case the real crimes were aired a while back and thus led to the sacking. Ruth Dyson, remember her? She didn't have a clue about conflict given she had never read the rules. Jan Tinetti, we are still standing by for her verdict from the Privileges Committee. She didn't have a clue about the rules either. But her other crime is arrogance given when she was told about the rules by her staff, she still didn't do anything about it Michael Wood is the king of cock ups. 12 times he was told to sell his shares. It beggars belief he has survived, but I assume he'll get sacked when the report is produced. If he isn't, that is then on Chris Hipkins as a spineless leader. What it is about these people I have no idea. They are not like us. Foon, or "Befoon" as he is now being called online, is another example of the inexplicable. How is it you can get millions from the government for emergency housing when you are conducting a report into emergency housing? Add to that, the person who looks into you, after you call the police racist isn't the Justice Minister because they have to recuse themselves because they got money from you for the election. So, the deputy does the job, gets the report and decides you need to be sacked. But they sit on the report for weeks until you quit, kicking and screaming. Andrew Little doesn't escape either. The people who appoint the people have to be held to some level of accountability. Foon, at best, was controversial. At worst an apologist and stirrer. What the hell Little saw in him, I have no idea. Maybe Gisborne can answer that question. Anyway, the list of clowns grows seemingly daily. There's a stench of incompetence and arrogance, or of ineptitude and shambles. It seems around every corner these days there is another cock up just waiting to implode or explode. October 14th can't come soon enough.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today further allegations against Michael Wood over comments he made to a journalist about his Auckland Airport shares. It's also emerged his shareholding was raised three times with Jacinda Ardern's office - and it was wrongly told Michael Wood had sold them. A formal probe into his reporting of his financial interests has been launched. His colleague Jan Tinetti was under pressure too - grilled by Parliament's Privileges Committee over whether or not she deliberately misled the House. RNZ political reporter Katie Scotcher has the story, and RNZ political editor Jane Patterson joins Lisa Owen with the analysis.
At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Michael Wood: 1/10 An astonishing week, an astonishing revelation, astonishing behaviour and perhaps the poster boy for all that's gone wrong with a tired Government. Jan Tinetti: 2/10 Would have been their headline act if she hadn't been usurped by even more spectacular incompetence. The Brain Drain: 3/10 This is a problem. Yes, immigration is increasing. But are they intellectual replacements for the ones we are losing to Australia? And in that, is your issue. LIV Golf and the PGA Tour: 7/10 Because its indisputably good for the game. Supermarket crime: 2/10 This was the cold, hard wake-up call of the week and yet another nail in the Government's crime coffin. A 40 percent increase and $8 million in security for one company alone and body cameras for staff. No wonder we are feeling so safe, aye Ginny? King's Honours: 7/10 Because in there were the usual array of selfless, hardworking, generous and giving Kiwi stories. But also a few that weren't quite so illustrious, and therefore, controversial. And in being so, tarnishing the good name of the King. The electoral recommendations: 6/10 A grab bag of stuff we could have come up with ourselves. And one that suspiciously smacked of a Government agenda. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEWSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Top stories for 31 May 2023 Eight months before the Loafers Lodge fire, Wellington City Council was warned it wasn't doing enough fire safety checks. A new pay deal is on the table for primary school teachers, we'll have the details. Parliament's Privileges Committee will consider whether Education Minister, Jan Tinetti deliberately misled Parliament.
Parliament's Privileges Committee is to consider whether Education Minister, Jan Tinetti, deliberately misled Parliament. In February, she told the house she was not responsible for the release of school attendance data, but staff told her later this was wrong. However, Ms Tinetti did not correct the record until May 1 after she received a letter from the Speaker. The matter has been referred to the Privileges Committee, to decide if the Minister's delay in correcting the inaccurate statement amounts to contempt. It has been 15 years since an MP was referred to the Privileges Committee - the last person was Winston Peters in 2008. Constitutional law expert, Mai Chen, spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss this morning.
The early childhood education sector has banded together to reject the Government's plan to extend the 20 hours fees-free scheme to two-year-olds. A coalition of early childhood services says the Government needs to rethink its policy, they say there's a risk some centres could go out of business. We asked to speak with the Education Minister, Jan Tinetti, and associate minister Jo Luxton. Both declined, saying they're on a Budget roadshow and are unable to do interviews. They issued a statement backing their policy. Early Childhood Council chief executive Simon Laube previously hailed the announcement as a massive win for early learning, and said it greatly exceeded expectations. So what's changed? Laube spoke to Guyon Espiner.
The National Party says the early childhood education sector's near total rejection of the Government's plan to provide 20 hours of free childcare to two-year-olds is a vote of no confidence in the Government's policy. A coalition of ECE groups says some centres could close as a result of the move. National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis says the government needs to go back to the drawing board. We asked to speak with Education Minister, Jan Tinetti, and associate minister Jo Luxton, but both declined, saying they are on a Budget roadshow. Nicola Willis spoke to Guyon Espiner this morning.
Thousands of teachers are going on strike - again - today, saying inadequate pay is putting the future of secondary education at stake. Secondary and area school teachers are warning the industrial action will continue next term. Education minister Jan Tinetti spoke to Craig McCulloch.
The Education Minister says she's committed to reaching a deal with striking teachers. Thousands of primary and high schools and kindergartens will be closed today as the teachers strike over the pay and conditions they're being offered. Jan Tinetti told Morning Report she is hearing teachers' concerns about feeling under-valued and under-resourced. Tinetti said she can't discuss specifics, but believes the offer on the table is a reasonable one.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has unveiled his new Cabinet line-up. Nanaia Mahuta has been stripped of the local government portfolio and Andrew Little has lost health. Kieran McAnulty enters Cabinet and picks up local government. Ayesha Verall gets health. Michael Wood has shot up the rankings and becomes the Minister for Auckland. Jan Tinetti has also been promoted, picking up education. New ministers include Ginny Anderson, Barbara Edmonds, Duncan Webb, Willow-Jean Prime, Rino Tirikatene, and Deborah Russell. Chris Hipkins talks to Lisa Owen about the government response to the Auckland floods, and the Cabinet changes.
Back home, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has unveiled a shake-up of his Cabinet line-up. The front-bench remains largely unchanged, except with the addition of Michael Wood, Jan Tinetti, Willie Jackson, Kiri Allan and Ayesha Verrall. Dr Verrall, who is a first term MP and former infectious diseases doctor, has picked up health from Andrew Little. Despite the demotion, Mr Hipkins says he still has confidence in Mr Little.