Podcasts about te pukenga

According to an article in the NZ Herald this morning, fewer people want to be teachers. Teacher education is still a popular field of study, but both Canterbury and Otago Universities have seen a decline in teaching student enrolments over the past four years. Provisional data shows Canterbury has 964 students enrolled in a course in 2025, down from 1281 four years ago. Otago has followed a similar trend, with student numbers dropping from 620 to 495 in the same period. National Polytech, Te Pukenga, has seen the lowest number of first year teaching students since it formed in 2020. It's not the best news when we are facing a teacher shortage is it? PPTA President Chris Abercrombie said the downward trend is extremely worrying. I'm not surprised by this trajectory. All we seem to hear about are issues around pay, conditions, and the challenge of changes to the curriculum. And then there are the parents who don't have the time to support their children in their education but complain about teachers when their children don't reach their expectations. I can understand pay and conditions being a red flag for someone heading into teaching, but teachers have worked hard advocating for themselves when it comes to pay, and the government has accepted conditions need to improve. But it's in all our best interests that we attract good people, passionate about education, to the profession, and while we may not be able to do much about the pay and conditions outside a general election, we can do something to push back on the shift in attitude towards teachers which has crept in over recent years, preventing some from considering the idea of being a teacher. Chris Abercrombie said, “One of the things we often hear is the lack of respect from the community, from politicians, and people are like, well, why do I want to go into a profession that has that.” As in any industry, there are great teachers, good teachers, and some who may be a bit useless. But we need to be championing our teachers. Teachers play a massive, formulative role in our children's lives. Some even change a young person's life, or what our kids believe is possible. Just over 3 years ago, a young lady rather close to me started high school, had a bit of a hiccup, and was at school for about half of years 9 and 10. In year 11 she started a new school, and this year she aims to wrap up school and complete year 13 a year early, before heading to university to do a science degree. There isn't a person who knows what she's been through who isn't stunned by this turn around. A lot of it is down to this remarkable young lady – she has worked hard to get back on track and loves to study - but it's also thanks to a series of extraordinary teachers that she is where she is today. So, if we want the best outcome for our children and their future, we can start by showing some respect, and champion all the good teachers out there. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A gap in the tertiary system is being filled once more. In 2023, Te Pukenga shut down MAINZ Music School, leaving a void for those wishing to study music. Alumni of the former school include award-winning musicians, artists, and producers like Joel Little, Gin Wigmore, and Tory Kingi. But as one door closes, another opens, and former staff are getting a new school up and running under the name ‘Let's Go Music'. Co-Director Mark Baynes told Mike Hosking the programme is designed for career musicians – the certification being a first step into the industry. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where are polytechnics at, after courses and staff cuts, and with Te Pukenga still to be unwound? 

There's shock and worry in the performing arts industry with news the capital's only creative polytech campus could be for the chopping block. The cash-strapped national polytechnic organisation Te Pukenga is looking at closing Te Kahui Auaha which opened just seven years ago and also serves as a performance venue. Lauren Crimp has more.

Polytechs around the country are cutting staff and courses as they try to prove they are financially viable as stand alone institutions, as Te Pukenga is unravelled.

Two leading employers of Māori and Pasifika tradespeople are concerned improvement made under Te Pukenga will be lost as the merger is unravelled. 

The Tertiary Education Minister says it's inevitable the polytech sector will go through more job losses in the complex unravelling of Te Pukenga - the national Institute of Skills and Technology.

Questions to Ministers Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by her statement, "Our Government will not tolerate people who accept the Jobseeker Support benefit but refuse to uphold their obligation to seek a job - it is not fair on hardworking Kiwis who pay their taxes that go towards those benefit payments"; if not, why not? Dr HAMISH CAMPBELL to the Minister of Health: What actions has the Government taken to improve the lives of New Zealanders, and their families, who are impacted by cancer? TAMATHA PAUL to the Minister of Police: Does he stand by his statement that he doesn't "think there is systemic bias in the police at all"; if so, how does he explain findings released by the Police that being Maori makes you 11 percent more likely to be prosecuted compared to Pakeha for the same offence? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How are her employment policies going to support New Zealanders in to work, given that the Reserve Bank's August Monetary Policy Statement predicts that unemployment will rise to 5.4 percent? MARK CAMERON to the Associate Minister for the Environment: What recent announcements has he made relating to significant natural areas? JAMES MEAGER to the Minister of Police: By how much have Police foot patrols increased under this Government? LAN PHAM to the Minister for the Environment: Does she stand by her statement that "It's getting that balance between the actions that we take, and environmental protection ... we consider that the balance had swung too far towards environmental protection at the cost of not being able to get things done"? Hon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: Does she stand by her statement that Te Pukenga is a "financial mess, drowning in debt of over $250 million"; if so, why? DANA KIRKPATRICK to the Minister of Forestry: What action has the Government taken in respect of forestry and the clean-up of the East Coast? CUSHLA TANGAERE-MANUEL to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement that there is a health "workforce crisis"; if so, how does he respond to senior medical officers of Tairawhiti, who have said, "Recent national directives setting recruitment restrictions and hospital budget cuts make our situation even worse"? CAMERON BREWER to the Minister of Revenue: What announcements has he made on tax? TAKUTA FERRIS to the Minister for Maori Development: Is it acceptable that Whakaata Maori has not had an increase in baseline funding since 2008?

Questions to Ministers RYAN HAMILTON to the Minister of Local Government: What recent announcements has he made on Local Water Done Well? HANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE to the Minister of Health: Can he guarantee that the proposed review of the Maori and Pacific Admission Scheme, which has admitted more than 700 Maori and Pasifika students to medical school in the last 10 years, will not lead to its disestablishment? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she agree with the Prime Minister's statement, "This is a country where our economy is in real trouble. This is a country where we cannot deliver health and education services as well as we need to"; if not, why not? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What steps is the Government taking to support people on the jobseeker benefit into work? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Do recent unemployment figures show New Zealand is back on track; if not, why not? JAMES MEAGER to the Minister for Building and Construction: Why is the Government reviewing the earthquake-prone building legislation? DARLEEN TANA to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: Does he agree with the statement by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that the Resource Management (Extended Duration of Coastal Permits for Marine Farms) Amendment Bill is a "Bill that is a case of a sledgehammer being used to crack a nut"; if not, why not? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister for Children: What evidence does she have to substantiate her statement, "For too many years, Oranga Tamariki has been the cash cow for community service providers who say they will provide services, and then don't"? LAURA TRASK to the Minister for Children: What recent announcement has she made regarding key performance indicators for Oranga Tamariki? Hon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: Does she stand by her statement that Te Pukenga is a "financial mess, drowning in debt of over $250 million"; if so, why? DANA KIRKPATRICK to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What announcements has the Government made regarding the economic regulation of water services? KAHURANGI CARTER to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement that "Savings coming from getting money back where it hasn't been used are redirected to other front-line services"; if so, how is the budget for contracted services being cut by $120 million?

Questions to Ministers Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? NANCY LU to the Minister of Finance: What approach is the Government taking to managing spending and reprioritisation in Budget 2025? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement, "Our Budget was very deliberate in the funding of core priorities because our priorities are the same priorities as New Zealanders"; if so, is she concerned that her priorities are disconnected from everyday New Zealanders? GRANT McCALLUM to the Minister of Education: What evidence has she seen to support her recent announcement on Make it Count, an action plan to transform maths education in New Zealand? DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: Does he think it is appropriate that te reo Maori be used in an invitation for Matariki, a distinct holiday to celebrate the Maori New Year; if not, why not? Dr CARLOS CHEUNG to the Minister of Justice: What actions is the Government taking to reduce harm caused by gangs and make communities safer? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Is it correct that he was advised of Health New Zealand's plan to block early access to the cancer drug Keytruda on Friday 2 August, and that he did not take action to address this issue until after it was made public? TODD STEPHENSON to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What recent announcements has she made about passports? KAHURANGI CARTER to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by the Government's Budget description of the Oranga Tamariki Contracting Service Costs savings initiative that "This initiative improves the efficiency of service delivery, with no reduction in frontline services"; if so, how is Oranga Tamariki ensuring no reduction in frontline service provision? Hon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: Does she stand by her statement that "the previous government's Te Pukenga mega-merger has been nothing but an abject disaster"; if so, why?

The Tertiary Education Minister is rejecting some costly expert advice on what's best for the future of controversial mega polytech Te Pukenga. The government's committed to disestablishing it and started consultation on three proposals on Friday. This, despite a special report containing recommendations on the polytechs future, so far being kept under wraps by the Minister.

The Government's consulting on a new model to replace Te Pukenga.   The mega-polytech has been running at a large deficit and enrolments have declined.   They're proposing institutes with a pathway to financial sustainability that will stand alone while others will be grouped together in a federation, supported by Open Polytechnic.   Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds told Mike Hosking a lot of what they're looking at is advice the previous minister was given.   She says that was not to go wholesale into a big change, but to address problem areas, and let the others get on with running their polytechnics.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Documents show polytechnics will need millions of dollars so they can pay their bills after they are cut free from mega-institute Te Pukenga. Education correspondent John Gerritsen spoke to Corin Dann.

The national polytech Te Pukenga has been ordered to hire consultants to take charge of cutting costs at its polytechnics .In June, the Tertiary Education Commission chief executive Tim Fowler gave written notice requiring Te Pukenga to obtain specialist help. The Commission says the institute doesn't have what it takes to make the changes it needs. Te Pukenga chief executive Gus Gilmore spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

What will unwinding Te Pukenga look like for students and staff in the vocational education sector?

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 2nd of July, the Government has revealed their Q3 plan with a focus on public safety. So how do those directly affected feel about it all?  The Prime Minister answers those questions, plus why Te Pukenga is taking so long to disband, and Kainga Ora's future.  Warriors coach Andrew Webster tells Mike how we're going to make the playoffs as we get into the business end of the season.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Different parts of Te Pukenga have lent one another nearly 170-million-dollars and it's not clear what will happen with the money when the mega-institute is disestablished. The national institute of skills and technology has made big deficits in the last couple of years and arranged loans internally to save on interest costs. Education correspondent John Gerritsen spoke to Ingrid Hipikiss.

The Tertiary Education Minister Penny Simmonds has given Te Pukenga the green light to cut costs and sell property at its polytechnics. Education correspondent John Gerritsen has been looking at this.

Social workers and nurses are unhappy Te Pukenga has halted plans to standardise their qualifications across its polytechs. Education correspondent John Gerritsen reports.

Questions to Ministers CATHERINE WEDD to the Minister of Finance: Has she seen any recent reports on fiscal policy? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she agree with the Minister of Finance's statement that "Risking higher inflation in the pursuit of unsustainably high employment, just creates the conditions for a more severe hike in interest rates later on to bring inflation back under control"; if so, what does she consider to be "unsustainably high employment"? Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Does he stand by his criticisms of the critics of AUKUS, including his statement about Hon Bob Carr that "he is nothing more than a Chinese puppet"? Dr HAMISH CAMPBELL to the Minister of Health: What recent announcements has the Government made regarding fetal alcohol spectrum disorder? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement that "Oranga Tamariki needs to get back to its core focus, which is care and protection of our young people"? CAMERON LUXTON to the Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms): What firearms safety message, if any, does she have for New Zealanders taking part in the opening weekend of duck-shooting season? GREG FLEMING to the Minister for Building and Construction: What announcements has the Government made around streamlining building consent changes? Hon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: What actions, if any, has she taken to disestablish Te Pukenga? HANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What, if anything, is she doing to address Maori unemployment which has increased by 1.4 percent to 8.2 percent in the last quarter, at a rate that is nearly five times worse than the national average? ANDY FOSTER to the Minister for Resources: What reports has he seen on New Zealand's resources sector? Hon RACHEL BROOKING to the Minister for the Environment: How is she ensuring that environmental decisions are being considered across Government? Dr LAWRENCE XU-NAN to the Minister of Education: What advice, if any, has she had on the impact of Ministry of Education job cuts on Maori and Pasifika students?

Te Pukenga's managers are due to report to Tertiary Education Minister Penny Simmonds tomorrow on the first steps to restoring local leadership to the 16 polytechnics. Simmonds says former polytechnic managers are offering to help. She wants at least interim managers in place early next year to decide whether to go ahead with the hundreds of redundancies Te Pukenga planned for April. She warns some polytechnics will have to make cuts even after Te Pukenga is gone. Education correspondent John Gerritsen spoke to Corin Dann.

The Minister for Tertiary Education says the super-institute Te Pukenga will be gone within six to eight months, replaced by 8 to 10 institutions. Yesterday Penny Simmonds instructed the organisation to stop progressing the centralisation of vocational training and education. She says the new government will introduce legislation to get rid of Te Pukenga, which she says has been a total failure, and led to a blow out in costs. Kathryn speaks with former chief executive of Otago Polytechnic Phil Ker.

There are hopes the end of the polytech amalgamation can happen smoothly.   The Government has halted the plan which would consolidate 16 polytechnics and nine workplace training providers.   Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds —herself a former chief executive of the Southern Institute of Technology— says they're looking at having eight to ten providers total.  She told Mike Hosking that a key part of the process will be looking after those most affected by any changes.   Simmonds says they will need to make sure students are kept safe.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anger at the Government's decision to disestablish tertiary education programme Te Pukenga.  Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds announced the move yesterday, following a Letter of Expectation saying they're not prioritising it.  But the Tertiary Education Union is worried Simmonds has no clear plan on what happens next, and no vision for the sector.   National Secretary Sandra Grey says their members won't have any job certainty until well into the new year.  She says they go into Christmas not knowing if they'll have a job, lose it, or have to apply for something entirely new.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Tertiary Education Commission briefing shows it believes Te Pukenga's plans to cut 400 jobs does not go far enough. Tertiary Education Union president Julie Douglas says the report is a disgrace. She says the commission has overstepped the mark and is wrong to suggest that education must be 'profitable'. She spoke to Corin Dann.

A Tertiary Education Commission briefing shows it believes Te Pukenga's plans for 400 job losses do not go far enough. The June briefing to Education Minister Jan Tinetti shows the commission wants the institute to cut more staff from its unprofitable polytechnics. It also shows the commission is more worried about Te Pukenga's long-term plans for transforming the way it operates than about its current deficits. Education correspondent John Gerritsen has been reading the report.

Questions to Ministers TEANAU TUIONO to the Minister of Agriculture: Has he seen the call in the Climate Shift plan, released last week, to "Transition intensive dairying to low emissions farming by phasing out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and imported animal feed, reducing herd size, and banning new large-scale irrigation schemes"; if so, does he support it? SHANAN HALBERT to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy? NICOLA WILLIS to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in all of his Ministers? Dr JAMES McDOWALL to the Minister of Immigration: Can football fans from non - visa waiver countries wishing to take advantage of this month's release of additional tickets for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup come to New Zealand to watch games that start in 28 days, and how many days does it currently take Immigration New Zealand, on average, to process 90 percent of visitor visa applications for non - visa waiver countries? SARAH PALLETT to the Minister for Women: How will Budget 2023 deliver for women? Hon LOUISE UPSTON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How many more people are on the jobseeker benefit today compared to September 2017, and how much higher are jobseeker benefit numbers expected to climb, according to Treasury's forecast from the Budget? TAMATI COFFEY to the Minister of Tourism: What recent announcement has been made regarding the tourism industry's transformation to be more environmentally responsible? MATT DOOCEY to the Minister of Health: Is it correct that reported waiting times for children seeking mental health treatment in the Wellington region increased from 28 days in 2018 to almost 70 days in 2022, and does she agree with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission's statement that "There are persistent workforce shortages, and we are yet to see a clear strategy and roadmap to grow and develop the workforce we so desperately need"? IBRAHIM OMER to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: What recent announcements has she made in response to Iran's ongoing human rights abuses? PENNY SIMMONDS to the Minister of Education: What is the unaudited draft financial surplus or deficit for Te Pukenga for the financial year ended 31 December 2022? TERISA NGOBI to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What progress has the Government made for Kiwi consumers this week? HARETE HIPANGO to the Minister for Children: Does he stand by all of his statements and actions regarding Oranga Tamariki?

The Tertiary Education Union says that the national training organisation Te Pukenga has never been funded well enough to achieve its aims. Te Pukenga is proposing to cut about 950 jobs in a major overhaul, resulting in a net loss of 404 full-time equivalent staff. Daniel Benson-Guiu is an organiser for the Tertiary Education Union and spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The head of the national polytechnic, Te Pukenga, is defending a proposal to cut 400 jobs. Te Pukenga, which has 10,000 employees, unveiled its plans yesterday. The chief executive, Peter Winder, says it's the essential next stage in combining 25 organisations into one body. He spoke to Corin Dann.

A former education boss has slammed a mega-polytech's move to cut 400 of its 10,000 workers as the latest chapter in the "trainsmash that is Te Pukenga". The Tertiary Education Union says staff have been told hundreds of jobs could go. Former Te Pukenga Deputy Chief Executive Merran Davis told Mike Hosking it was expected there'd be some sort of operating model to ensure better education outcomes when the country's 16 polytechs were centralised. She says they still have no operating model three years down the track and many millions of dollars later. Te Pukenga says no final decisions have been made.' LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National Party leader Christopher Luxon says the level of te reo used in government departments is a "problem". He made the comments at a recent public meeting on his "Back On Track" tour. He said some older people can't tell the difference between Te Whatu Ora, Waka Kotahi and Te Pukenga. So our reporter Tom Taylor and cameraman Nick Monro hit the streets to see if it's all a bit confusing for people or not.  

Fears slashing jobs at Victoria University jobs could force tertiary sector standards to slip. The Wellington university is proposing to cut up to 260 jobs, in the face of a $33 million deficit. Tertiary Education Union National President Julie Douglas, says the cuts are no good. "What our focus is on is the quality output of good, well-educated graduates. And I think what we're risking here is the standard of our public education sector." Otago University this year announced similar plans for large-scale redundancies and mega-polytech Te Pukenga also expects job losses. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 11:59pm on February 14 2021, Auckland moved to alert level 3 after a student at Manukau Institute of Technology tested positive for COVID 19 Micah Sili was the student president at the time, and fronted a lot of media.

New Zealand's cavalier attitude towards workplace safety is taking a grim toll - largely on young men involved in dangerous trades. 

A newly released survey of staff at Te Pukenga finds one in three staff do not believe they have a future with the new mega polytech, and the vast majority would not recommend working there to family or friends. The survey was conducted in October and November last year and responded to by over four thousand three hundred staff, or 50 per cent. The results show only 12% of those surveyed said they understood how the changes will impact on them and the work they do. Staff reported feeling anxiety and fatigue over change, frustration over under staffing and a lack of faith in management. Meanwhile the main union representing academic staff at Te Pukenga, the Tertiary Education Union, says it is watching any restructuring plans extremely closely after the Chief Executive announced on Nine to Noon recently that between 200 and 1000 jobs could be lost. TEU National Secretary Sandra Grey says the numbers took everyone by surprise as there had been no consultation. She says the survey results describe a dire situation for Te Pukenga staff, akin to "death by a thousand cuts"

Questions to Ministers ANGIE WARREN-CLARK to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What reports has she seen on material wellbeing? CHRISTOPHER LUXON to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? RACHEL BROOKING to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy? NICOLA WILLIS to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement, "The year 2023 is a tough time for many New Zealand families", and what impact is the rising cost of living having on them? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Minister of Health: Is the Government's approach to drugs evidence-based, and does it ensure the best possible health and wellbeing outcomes for New Zealanders? CHRIS BAILLIE to the Minister of Education: Does she agree with the Ministry of Education's Literacy and Communication and Maths Strategy that "A critical maths pedagogical approach uses maths to develop critical awareness about wider social, environmental, political, ideological, and economic issues. Critical maths recognises the importance of understanding, interpreting, and addressing issues of power, social justice and equity in the community and the wider world. Akonga are encouraged to interrogate dominant discourses and assumptions, including that maths is benign, neutral, and culture-free"? IBRAHIM OMER to the Minister of Immigration: What recent announcements has he made regarding the migrant workforce? HON LOUISE UPSTON to the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction: Does she agree with Child Poverty Action Group that the latest child poverty statistics are "a sad indictment on the country with no real improvement in policy that could turn things around", and why was the reduction in the number of children living in material hardship over the last five years less than half the reduction from 2013 to 2017? TAMATI COFFEY to the Minister of Tourism: What recent announcement has he made on the Tourism Infrastructure Fund? ERICA STANFORD to the Minister of Education: How many decile 1 students passed the writing assessment for the second 2022 literacy and numeracy pilot released last week, and what advice, if any, has she received on the number of students next year that will leave school with no qualification? GLEN BENNETT to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What reports has he seen about how competing businesses can cooperate to respond to natural disasters? PENNY SIMMONDS to the Minister of Education: Does she believe the results of the Te Pukenga network employee survey, which notes one-third of Te Pukenga staff see no future for themselves in Te Pukenga, is a positive or a negative representation of Te Pukenga's performance over the last three years?

The country's mega-polytechnic Te Pukenga is facing budget blowouts and falling enrollments. Te Pukenga came into existence on January the first, bringing together more than 16 individual polytechnics and most industry training organisations. But the organisation has forecast a deficit of about sixty-million-dollars and needs to cut as much as forty-million from its budget. The Auditor General's most recent report - released this week - says "Te Pukenga still cannot describe with certainty what it does, what it will do, how it will do it, and what assets, infrastructure, finances, and capabilities it needs." Kathryn speaks with Te Pukenga Chief Executive, Peter Winder.

Te Pūkenga's merger of 25 vocational education providers is causing a string of resignations; the question remains, is it working? In this week's column, Communications Manager Jason Heale highlights that some of the best-performing institutions are pushing back. Cutting access to vocational education could leave people with fewer paths to bettering themselves. Regional development should be amplified, not absorbed, and one size doesn't fit all. Let's implement what works and let successful institutions continue offering specialised education.

THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Monday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) But it's Still Australia/Te Pukenga Goins So Well/Wellington Moving... but in What Direction/Keeping the Faith/Moving to ChristchurchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More public embarrassment for polytech merger Te Pūkenga today after a budget bid was accidentally published online. The budget bid had no redactions, revealing that the organisation believes it needs another $420 million over the next four years, half of which will be spent on IT. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie says the costs of marrying up the various IT systems that exist in the country's 16 polytechs add up to $285 million. Pattrick Smellie says this sounds like a huge amount to spend on IT over training the telecoms engineers, builders, plumbers, and mechanics New Zealand is desperately short of. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More public embarrassment for polytech merger Te Pūkenga today after a budget bid was accidentally published online. The budget bid had no redactions, revealing that the organisation believes it needs another $420 million over the next four years, half of which will be spent on IT. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie says the costs of marrying up the various IT systems that exist in the country's 16 polytechs add up to $285 million. Pattrick Smellie says this sounds like a huge amount to spend on IT over training the telecoms engineers, builders, plumbers, and mechanics New Zealand is desperately short of. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Polytech courses up and down the country are underway for the academic year, but the mega-merger entity Te Pukenga still faces delays, staffing issues and budget cuts. Te Pukenga came into existence on January the first, bringing more than 16 individual polytechnics under the one umbrella, with 260-thousand students , and 13-thousand staff around across the country. There have been several high profile resignations from the merged entity, which so far has cost $200 million. The most recent was Richard Forgan, deputy chief executive for strategy and transformation, who finished early this month after just weeks in the job. Te Pukenga's Chief Executive Peter Winder has told staff that savings of $35 million will have to be made this year. And an as-yet unpublished business case for Te Pukenga suggests is seeking a further financial injection of $422.6 million over the next four years, from this year's budget. Penny Simmonds was Chief Executive of the Southern Institute of Technology for 13 years from 1997 to 2020 - before becoming the National MP for Invercargill. She says Te Pukenga is becoming a financial black hole, achieving very little for students and learners.

The pandemic smashed the international education sector - but are foreign students returning to our shores?

CHRISTOPHER LUXON to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her Government's statements and actions? RAWIRI WAITITI to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's statements and policies? BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: What are the Government's priorities for Budget 2023? Hon EUGENIE SAGE to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: Does he agree with the Minister of Conservation that New Zealand supports a global protection target of 30 percent of land and sea areas by 2030; if so, what progress, if any, has the Government made toward achieving this in the Hauraki Gulf/Tikapa Moana since October 2020? NICOLA WILLIS to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement that "every day of the week we look to see what savings and reprioritisations we can make"; if so, what specific savings or reprioritisations has he identified this week? ANGELA ROBERTS to the Minister of Education: What support has the Government contributed to help schools to provide learning environments for their students that are warm, dry, and fit for purpose? SIMON WATTS to the Minister of Local Government: Why did she not send the advice she received on 22 November relating to entrenchment of provisions of the Water Services Entities Bill to any other Ministers, and does she stand by all her statements on entrenchments? ANGIE WARREN-CLARK to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What research has she seen on the impact of the Families Package five years after its introduction? PENNY SIMMONDS to the Minister of Education: Is he confident Te Pukenga is on track to achieve all of its objectives, and how much, if anything, has been spent to date on redundancy payments for senior executives? JO LUXTON to the Minister of Immigration: What reports has he seen regarding migration to New Zealand? KAREN CHHOUR to the Minister for Children: Does he stand by his statement that "when a child is identified or apprehended by Police for offending behaviour, information will be shared with Oranga Tamariki within 24 hours, with an agreed plan on how to deal with and support the young person confirmed in 48 hours"; if so, how does he expect this to be delivered while Oranga Tamariki faces more than 500 vacancies? TANGI UTIKERE to the Associate Minister of Health: What progress has been made towards a smokefree New Zealand?

New research shows some primary school teachers are suffering from anxiety because they have to teach maths. The study comes from a Te Pukenga lecturer's doctoral thesis, which followed the lives of 12 primary teacher participants who are self-reported maths anxious. Responses to maths anxiety were wide-ranging and included thought, physical, emotional, and neural reactions. Researcher Julie Whyte says some of the teachers even modified their teaching patterns to skip maths class. The subjects of the study were also reported to not have confidence in their own mathematical skills. "The participants have a low belief or self-efficacy around mathematics, and they also have a low teacher efficacy or belief in their own teaching of mathematics." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Polytech semester draws to a close for the last time, as we know it, this Friday. It is also just six weeks until the new, single-entity mega polytech is due to launch. But with key staff and salaries issues still to be settled, is it ready? Kathryn speaks with Education Minister Chris Hipkins.

Questions to Ministers CHRISTOPHER LUXON to the Acting Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? TAMATI COFFEY to the Associate Minister of Education (Maori Education): What recent developments has he seen that support Maori students in sciences and technology? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she consider that current requirements relating to the effect of relationship status on someone's eligibility to receive a benefit are fair and equitable? LEMAUGA LYDIA SOSENE to the Minister for the Environment: What actions is the Government taking to reduce resource consenting costs for infrastructure? NICOLA WILLIS to the Minister of Finance: Does he think his job in the short term is to limit growth in spending, especially when inflation is high? RACHEL BOYACK to the Minister of Tourism: What reports has he seen on New Zealand's tourism recovery? DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER to the Minister for Children: What reports, if any, has he received regarding the death of Malachi Subecz in State care and what specific actions, if any, has he taken in response to those reports? GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister of Justice: What changes is the Government making to counter-terrorism laws? Dr SHANE RETI to the Minister of Health: How many people with bowel cancer at Tauranga Hospital are estimated to have progressed from curative to palliative treatment plans due to patients having been on the waiting list for months longer than the recommended times? Dr TRACEY McLELLAN to the Associate Minister of Health: What recent announcement has the Government made regarding maternal mental health? ERICA STANFORD to the Associate Minister of Education (School Operations): What percentage of decile 1 students achieved each assessment in the 2022 NCEA Numeracy and Literacy pilot, and what specific questions, if any, were not culturally "appropriate" in this pilot, as she claimed yesterday in question time? CHRIS BAILLIE to the Minister of Education: Does he agree with the statement from the Te Pukenga organisational direction and design - analysis of feedback report that said "Legislation that only allows one CE is a risk to a Tiriti-partnering model"; if so, is he considering amending the Education and Training Act 2020 to allow for co-leadership as a way of honouring the Treaty?

Questions to Ministers NICOLE McKEE to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's statements and actions? VANUSHI WALTERS to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What updates has she seen about people being supported into jobs in West Auckland? NICOLA WILLIS to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her Government's statements and actions? ARENA WILLIAMS to the Minister of Health: What reports has he seen on the consequences of increased funding provided to Pharmac and the review of Pharmac completed in February? MELISSA LEE to the Minister for Broadcasting and Media: Does he stand by his statements regarding the Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media Bill, "We no longer have trust in national media" and "We need a trusted public broadcaster"? JAN LOGIE to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Is she considering any new changes to Working for Families in order to meet her Government's commitment to making "New Zealand the best place in the world to be a child"? BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister for Sport and Recreation: What recent funding announcements has he made in respect of the FIFA Women's World Cup? CHRIS PENK to the Minister of Justice: Does she stand by her statement in the House on 23 August 2022, in relation to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, that "I think that there have been a couple of referrals" when asked whether a case had been referred to a senior court; if not, why not? RACHEL BROOKING to the Minister of Conservation: How has Jobs for Nature supported people into nature-based employment opportunities? HARETE HIPANGO to the Minister for Children: Does he stand by his statement that criticism of the Government's Oranga Tamariki polices are "noise", and does he consider the views of State care survivors are noise? IBRAHIM OMER to the Associate Minister of Education (School Operations): How is the Government supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and kura? PENNY SIMMONDS to the Minister of Education: What actions has Te Pukenga taken that have resulted in its forecast 2022 operating deficit being revised down from $110 million to $63 million, and is he satisfied with the actions Te Pukenga is taking to meet its financial objectives? Question to Member Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH to the Member in charge of the Rotorua District Council (Representation Arrangements) Bill: Did he support the extension of the report-back date for the Rotorua District Council (Representation Arrangements) Bill from 6 October 2022 to 28 February 2023; if so, why?

THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Thursday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) The Only Way is Up/Where's the Inquiry?/Who Doesn't Love a Working Group?/Massive Fan of Te Pukenga/The Coolest CEO in the WestSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Top stories for 26 August 2022 The body of a New Zealand soldier killed in Ukraine is thought to be in the hands of Russian soldiers, according to multiple RNZ sources. We speak to the former Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, about his apology from the Speaker Some Marlborough residents remain almost completely isolated a week after a state of emergency was declared The new mega-tertiary institute, Te Pukenga, is told it needs to lay off polytech staff And Christchurch counts down to their first All Blacks Test in six years.

The president of the Tertiary Education Union has weighed in on the dramas at New Zealand's new mega-polytechnic. Stephen Town has stepped down as head of Te Pukenga, after weeks of controversy. Town took special leave for six-weeks, while continuing to be paid up to $13,000 a week. Tina Smith told Mike Hosking she believes in the new polytech model, but setting it up could've been managed better. She says the organisation spent too much time on high level strategies and not enough time on practical aspects. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Thursday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) The New Face of Tertiary Education/You Don't Have to Be Crazy to Be on the Council, But.../A Year of Delta/Drinks and Jobs on UsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pattrick talks to the Kathryn about the staff hiring issues for a range of businesses desperate to hire people and fearing a recession. The often asked question is Why can't I hire anyone?. So where have all the workers gone?. Also the latest on the deficit ridden mega-polytech, Te Pukenga, which has just published its new transition plan.

Questions are being raised around a spike in student drop out rates. Ministry of Education figures released to Stuff show one in three first-year polytech students quit last year. New national polytech agency, Te Pukenga, is under fire for a ballooning deficit and falling enrolments. But Tertiary Education Union President, Tina Smith, told Heather du Plessis-Allan students drop out for a range of reasons. She says it could be because of personal circumstances or because they've been approached by a business who wants to take them on. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From our water supply to our polytechnics, we're eschewing regional control for a more centralised approach. Why?

Five months out from a deadline to centralise, concern the new single-entity mega polytec won't get over the line without massive staff cuts. Te Pukenga - the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology - is due to be up and running by the first of January - bringing together all our polytechnics, institutes of technology and Industry Training Organisations. But it's facing a deficit of up to $110 million, $53.5 million more than budgeted. Former Otago Polytechnic chief executive Phil Ker, is calling it "a national disgrace". He thinks funding has been wasted on bureaucracy and says Te Pukenga's board is "just not up to the task." Kathryn is also joined by Merran Davis, a former deputy chief executive of Te Pukenga, who supports the new model, but agrees it is being poorly executed. Ms Davis is calling on the Minister to appoint a Commissioner to oversee it.

Questions to Ministers CHRISTOPHER LUXON to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her Government's statements and actions? HELEN WHITE to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy? JAN LOGIE to the Minister of Housing: Is she satisfied with the Government's progress on accessible public housing? JAMIE STRANGE to the Minister for Building and Construction: What progress is being made to reduce critical shortages in the supply of plasterboard? NICOLA WILLIS to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with ANZ that "high inflation is likely to remain with us for some time yet"; if so, does he still stand by his May statement that "the short term challenge of inflation is significant"? DAVID SEYMOUR to the Minister of Finance: Why did the Crown provide an indemnity to the Reserve Bank against losses from the Large-Scale Asset Purchase programme, and what is the Crown's maximum liability that it could be forced to pay the bank as a result of the programme? MARJA LUBECK to the Minister of Immigration: What recent reports has he seen about critical workforce support for Kiwi businesses? Dr SHANE RETI to the Minister of Health: How many people, if any, waited longer than four months to see a specialist, and how many, if any, waited longer than four months for surgery, in the 12 months to June 30 this year? Dr EMILY HENDERSON to the Minister of Justice: What legislation is the Government progressing to reduce delays in the Family Court? PENNY SIMMONDS to the Minister of Education: Does he stand by his statement regarding the Te Pukenga forecast deficit of $110 million, "I've also been clear the projected deficit was too high and that more work needed to be done there"; if so, what work has been done to reduce the deficit? NICOLE McKEE to the Minister of Police: Is he satisfied with the Police's firearms administration ability, given there were over 3,000 licensed firearms owners waiting at least four months for their license renewals in June 2022, and does he believe that licensed firearms owners should be satisfied with these wait times too? TAMATI COFFEY to the Minister for Emergency Management: How is NEMA helping to build a safe and resilient New Zealand which is ready to respond to emergencies?

Are the governments plans for a mega-polytech in serious trouble? Te Pukenga - or the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology - is supposed to be up and running by the January 1 2023, bringing together the all of the country's polytechnics, institutes of technology and Industry Training Organisations. But the entity is facing a deficit of up to $110 million, $53.5 million more than budgeted, partly due to lower enrolments. The Chief Executive is on unexplained leave, an acting CE is in place, and last week the Chairperson extended an apology to all staff for not listening and not appreciating their expertise. The Education Minister Chris Hipkins says he's made it clear to Te Pukenga that the projected deficit is too high and wants an urgent update on how it is triming costs and creating further efficiencies. Kathryn speaks with the President of the Tertiary Education Union, Tina Smith.

Business correspondent Pattrick Smellie joins Kathryn to talk about the mega-polytech Te Pukenga , the problems it's been having and what it means for skills training during a skills crisis. He'll also talk about the review of the screen sector. Pattrick Smellie is the editor and co-founder of BusinessDesk and has reported on the New Zealand economy and business since 1983.

Questions to Ministers BROOKE VAN VELDEN to the Minister of Housing: How many Kainga Ora homes in new developments would not meet the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards heating formula, as mentioned in a Cabinet paper released on 3 December 2021, and how much extra funding, if any, would it cost to bring these developments up to the standards required by the heating formula? HELEN WHITE to the Minister of Energy and Resources: What action is the Government taking to decarbonise Auckland's harbour ferries? CHRIS BISHOP to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing): How many people are on the State housing waitlist now compared to September 2017, and has she received advice on when that number will return to the levels of September 2017? GLEN BENNETT to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What recent announcements has she made about Care in the Community? Hon LOUISE UPSTON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? ARENA WILLIAMS to the Minister for Maori Development: What reports has he seen on education and employment outcomes for rangatahi Maori? Hon MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Police: Does she stand by her statement, "I reject the premise that gang tensions have increased under this Government's watch"? TEANAU TUIONO to the Minister for COVID-19 Response: Does he remain committed to ensuring that the Government's response to COVID-19 is informed by the best available scientific evidence; if so, what is his response to an open letter by more than 150 doctors and scientists calling for additional protections, particularly in schools? MARJA LUBECK to the Associate Minister of Education: What recent announcements has the Government made about supporting regular attendance and engagement in education? PENNY SIMMONDS to the Minister of Education: What, if any, is the net financial deficit of Te Pukenga forecast for 2022, and how much more or less is it than the actual Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics sector deficit in 2019 prior to the establishment of Te Pukenga? GREG O'CONNOR to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made about supporting greater access to driver licensing testing and training? TONI SEVERIN to the Minister of Corrections: Is he confident in the performance of Corrections; if so, how does he explain a 29 percent increase in prisoner-on-staff assaults from November 2021 to February 2022, despite there being a decrease in sentenced prisoners?