April 27, 2025 • 10 mins
The Government has admitted the number of families it said would be eligible for the full $75 a week benefit of its flagship childcare tax policy was wrong.
The government said 21,000 families would be eligible - but just 249 families had received the full entitlement since the policy came into force last year. So who is responsible for the blunder?
Also, police have launched a wide-ranging investigation of hundreds of police recruit applicants after learning some prospective cops who failed physical tests got approval to start police college anyway. How many officers are impacted?
To answer those questions, Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell joined Nick Mills for the Beehive Buzz.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk, said B. Direct from news Talk, Saidb's
team at parliaments the Bee Hive Buzz.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Joining us for the Bee high buzzes news Talk, said
Bee's political reporter Zaria how Good morning, Azaria.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Good morning Nick. It's so good to hear your voice.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Good, so good to hear you. It's been a while. Now,
let's talk about it.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
In a while.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
It has been a while. We used to work together
here at news Talk, said B. Now, the government's much
talk about Family Boost package to help with early childhood care.
Not many of any. To quote a good song, people
have taken it up.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Yeah, I have no idea what song you're on about,
but that is that is correct. The Prime Minister has
meted assumptions on Family Boost estimates were wrong. Now, this
comes after The Herald's Julia Gabel revealed issues with the
estimates about that Family Boost program. The government essentially admitting
it was incorrect in estimations around Family Boost. It's conceded
(01:09):
its original estimate that twenty one thousand families would be
eligible for the full payment was incorrect. Now, Family Boost
essentially designed to help families with the cost of early
childhood education. People were the household income of below one
hundred and forty k were eligible for a payment of
up to nine hundred and seventy five dollars every quarter,
(01:32):
that coming in the form of a rebate. Two hundred
and forty nine families have received the maximum amount, so
that being that nine hundred and seventy five a quarter.
So in terms of that, not many, if any, it
is much less than their estimate in terms of what
they were what they were thinking people would be eligible for.
(01:53):
Nikola Willis has been advised more than fifty six thousand
households had received payments, but as of those who received
the maximum amount, two hundred and forty nine families.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Right now, I can tell you I've got a family
personal family met but that was in that group, well,
not the group of two hundred and forty nine. But
all they could say was they were very disappointed with
what they got back. But anyway, let's move on from it. Now.
The government has made an announcement about building more ev charges.
How's that going to work? Because I believe that's going
to try and get commercial operators to help with it.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, So the government's announced the loan scheme offering interest
free cash for EV charges to be built around the country.
It's just the government looks at this target and it
is quite a big target to have ten thousand charges
by twenty thirty. And while that seems like a while away,
even though it's strange to say this, twenty thirty is
less than five years ago. So it's kind of we
(02:46):
got to get doing this sort of thing now. Now
companies who were wanting to build charges can apply for
cash from the government to help pay for them. The
Transport Minister Chris Bishop is quite concerned that New Zealand's
not as caught up with the other OECD countries in
terms of having those EV charges. Now you've kind of
pointed this as well, but this is another policy which
(03:08):
appears to focus on the government teaming up with the
private sector, private companies, private industries, and it obviously comes
up to policy announcements, speeches around healthcare, infrastructure, roads, investment,
that big Investment summit you'll remember, So this idea seems
to come up quite often, so I wouldn't be surprised
that there's more to see in this space in terms
(03:30):
of maybe not exactly public private partnerships, but some sort
of deal between is a pair. The minister saying there'll
be a need for further investment required. He's confident the
loans will boost that private investment by bringing down that
cost of capital. Different companies will be able to apply
for the contestable fund. Now that fund is sixty eight
(03:53):
and a half million dollars in a cash pot for
different companies to have a go at having some of
that money.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
You see different companies you see last night when I
watched it on TV and I thought to myself, I
wonder if this is like me that has an area,
a commercial area that could put a couple of EV
charges out the front and get it funded by the government.
But then when you were describing it with the international stuff,
is it really more inclined that a major international company
(04:21):
will get a contract with the government and bring them
out throughout the country.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yeah. Well, I think one of the interesting things about
cres Batship's announcement was that he kind of linked to
some of these companies, which I believe in New Zealand
companies correct me if I'm wrong on the likes of
Meridian and that Energy sort of providing those charges but
we'll have to wait and see in terms of that rollout. Obviously,
it also comes after councilors have tried their own schemes
(04:49):
to put EV charges in place, so it kind of
seems like a deal between the private sector, between central
government and also local government shipping away at that target
as well trying to put I remember Lower Hut had
a couple of EV charges that were funded by the council,
so it seems like it's kind of all of these
(05:09):
different sectors are giving it go.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Now.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
The Climate Minister Simon Watts is applauding the movie. He's
saying it could encourage more people to choose an electric vehicle,
so we'll see if that has any merit to it
in terms of the uptake of people wanting to get easy.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah, there's another story about Wellington. Wasn't Wellington City Council.
They've got someone storage that they're actually going to sell
now they were going to set up the whole lot
they've pulled out as well. Anyway, let's move on because
a story that interests me and I think this is
a bit of a beat up really. The interesting story
is about the physical test for the new police officers.
Now I believe the number is very very low of
(05:48):
these of these trainees that didn't quite pass the physical. Now,
I don't have a real issue with this because the
difference between doing thirty two and thirty one press ups
doesn't seem to me make a difference between a good
cop and a bad cop.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Yeah, and I suppose, giving my two cents into it,
I suppose there must be different requirements to different levels
of policing, Like if you were at a traffic police officer,
you maybe could get away with having a I guess
a worse fitness test, but we'll have to see. But essentially, yeah,
here hundreds of police applicants are being looked at after
(06:24):
some recruits who failed the fitness tests were allowed into
Police college. The police ministers saying that there's three cases,
but police are looking across the board to see, essentially
if they can find anymore. The Police Minister Mark Mitchell
confident that they have not dropped any standards at all. Now,
this follows a really good story from newsbook There'd Be's
(06:46):
Sophie Trigger, which found some briefings showing the government's not
going to hit that target of five hundred new cops
by its deadline expected that it would reach that target
by June twenty twenty six. Now, she also had a
bit of an interesting point in terms of police fitness,
revealing that applicants success rate has in fact dropped. Now
(07:06):
the most common requirement missed was that physical appraisal test,
so the one usual mount in terms of push ups
and running and things like that. Police have been working
with High Performance Sport and Z to prep a training guide,
some police districts even propping up run clubs. So I
guess that's kind of an interesting one, trying to get
people fit enough to do that two point four k run,
(07:29):
which you had to do in a specific amount of time,
And essentially it's a run, press up, a vertical drum,
a vertical jump storry, and a grip strength test. You
get points based on how well you do in any
of these and you have to do at least okay
to get the minimum amount of points.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
So do you regons, do you reckon you pass it?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I don't think so. I mean, I think I could
run two point four kilometers, But in terms of if
I could do that in the time, that's the question.
But maybe maybe we should put ourselves through the police
test and see how we do.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
I think that I would pass it. Step for the
two point four k. I think I'd struggle with the
two point four k, right, But I think the press
ups and the weight stuff and the grabbing, I think
I'll be fine that. I want to find out if
you've got any hot costs for me, because you're normally
the person the reporter that I've worked with that's always
got a story, So come on give me one.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yeah, So I actually I think a really interesting one.
There's quite a bit of drama and comments about whether
Craig Rennie will run for parliament. Now that is the
Council of Trade Union's economists. He's on Labour's policy committee,
and he's also done some modeling saying that family boosts,
as we were talking about before, is not going to
do as well as predicted. So I thought I interviewed
(08:48):
him about family boast and I thought while I had
him on the phone, it's worth giving that question a
go on whether or not he's running for parliament. So
here's kind of what he said. He said, Oh, we're
an extremely long way away from that decision. I haven't
put my name forward, nor have I been asked put
my name forward. You know, if it comes to it,
(09:09):
I'll ask myself that question close to the time, But
right now, no, I guess there's not something I'm seeking
right now. He also had quite a funny quirt piece
said we're a really long way away from an election,
unless Winston Peters decides we're going to have an earlier election,
and then he said, in that case, God help us,
We've got bigger problems at that point. Wow.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
We'll see if he actually runs. There's also last time
I spoke to Chris Hopkins wouldn't say anything either way.
Also wouldn't say if Andrew Little had had that endorsement
from later yet, but essentially saying it wouldn't be far off.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Okay, Now I said to you, not many of any,
because I know you're a christ huge girl. Now that's
a big, big hit for scribe. Now you might I'm
sure that's not too far that you would not remember
that song? Would you just hold on a second? Old
play a bit for you?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Co many like this? How many do you like this?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
How many it's finny? How many finny? How many skill else?
I hate to think that I'm more hip than you.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I've never heard that song in my life. I'm sorry, Wow,
I just I have to admit it. I've never heard
that song. But I'm sure it's a great song. I'm
sure it's a really good reference. And yeah, I'll get
a clued up on my pop culture references the next
time I speak to you.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
No, you know what it does. You did? You spent
a lot of time in the States is growing up,
So I'll give you that. I'll give you true, I'll
give you this. I thought everyone would have done that song.
But anyway, thanks great to talk to you and keep
up the good work. That's Isaaria Howe from New salt
zbb's office in the Beehive. The Beehive Buzz, we call
it fantastic to talk to Ice again. I call it
Ice was my nickname for her.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeart Radio.
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk, said B. Direct from news Talk, Saidb's
team at parliaments the Bee Hive Buzz.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Joining us for the Bee high buzzes news Talk, said
Bee's political reporter Zaria how Good morning, Azaria.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Good morning Nick. It's so good to hear your voice.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Good, so good to hear you. It's been a while. Now,
let's talk about it.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
In a while.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
It has been a while. We used to work together
here at news Talk, said B. Now, the government's much
talk about Family Boost package to help with early childhood care.
Not many of any. To quote a good song, people
have taken it up.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Yeah, I have no idea what song you're on about,
but that is that is correct. The Prime Minister has
meted assumptions on Family Boost estimates were wrong. Now, this
comes after The Herald's Julia Gabel revealed issues with the
estimates about that Family Boost program. The government essentially admitting
it was incorrect in estimations around Family Boost. It's conceded
(01:09):
its original estimate that twenty one thousand families would be
eligible for the full payment was incorrect. Now, Family Boost
essentially designed to help families with the cost of early
childhood education. People were the household income of below one
hundred and forty k were eligible for a payment of
up to nine hundred and seventy five dollars every quarter,
(01:32):
that coming in the form of a rebate. Two hundred
and forty nine families have received the maximum amount, so
that being that nine hundred and seventy five a quarter.
So in terms of that, not many, if any, it
is much less than their estimate in terms of what
they were what they were thinking people would be eligible for.
(01:53):
Nikola Willis has been advised more than fifty six thousand
households had received payments, but as of those who received
the maximum amount, two hundred and forty nine families.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Right now, I can tell you I've got a family
personal family met but that was in that group, well,
not the group of two hundred and forty nine. But
all they could say was they were very disappointed with
what they got back. But anyway, let's move on from it. Now.
The government has made an announcement about building more ev charges.
How's that going to work? Because I believe that's going
to try and get commercial operators to help with it.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, So the government's announced the loan scheme offering interest
free cash for EV charges to be built around the country.
It's just the government looks at this target and it
is quite a big target to have ten thousand charges
by twenty thirty. And while that seems like a while away,
even though it's strange to say this, twenty thirty is
less than five years ago. So it's kind of we
(02:46):
got to get doing this sort of thing now. Now
companies who were wanting to build charges can apply for
cash from the government to help pay for them. The
Transport Minister Chris Bishop is quite concerned that New Zealand's
not as caught up with the other OECD countries in
terms of having those EV charges. Now you've kind of
pointed this as well, but this is another policy which
(03:08):
appears to focus on the government teaming up with the
private sector, private companies, private industries, and it obviously comes
up to policy announcements, speeches around healthcare, infrastructure, roads, investment,
that big Investment summit you'll remember, So this idea seems
to come up quite often, so I wouldn't be surprised
that there's more to see in this space in terms
(03:30):
of maybe not exactly public private partnerships, but some sort
of deal between is a pair. The minister saying there'll
be a need for further investment required. He's confident the
loans will boost that private investment by bringing down that
cost of capital. Different companies will be able to apply
for the contestable fund. Now that fund is sixty eight
(03:53):
and a half million dollars in a cash pot for
different companies to have a go at having some of
that money.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
You see different companies you see last night when I
watched it on TV and I thought to myself, I
wonder if this is like me that has an area,
a commercial area that could put a couple of EV
charges out the front and get it funded by the government.
But then when you were describing it with the international stuff,
is it really more inclined that a major international company
(04:21):
will get a contract with the government and bring them
out throughout the country.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yeah. Well, I think one of the interesting things about
cres Batship's announcement was that he kind of linked to
some of these companies, which I believe in New Zealand
companies correct me if I'm wrong on the likes of
Meridian and that Energy sort of providing those charges but
we'll have to wait and see in terms of that rollout. Obviously,
it also comes after councilors have tried their own schemes
(04:49):
to put EV charges in place, so it kind of
seems like a deal between the private sector, between central
government and also local government shipping away at that target
as well trying to put I remember Lower Hut had
a couple of EV charges that were funded by the council,
so it seems like it's kind of all of these
(05:09):
different sectors are giving it go.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Now.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
The Climate Minister Simon Watts is applauding the movie. He's
saying it could encourage more people to choose an electric vehicle,
so we'll see if that has any merit to it
in terms of the uptake of people wanting to get easy.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah, there's another story about Wellington. Wasn't Wellington City Council.
They've got someone storage that they're actually going to sell
now they were going to set up the whole lot
they've pulled out as well. Anyway, let's move on because
a story that interests me and I think this is
a bit of a beat up really. The interesting story
is about the physical test for the new police officers.
Now I believe the number is very very low of
(05:48):
these of these trainees that didn't quite pass the physical. Now,
I don't have a real issue with this because the
difference between doing thirty two and thirty one press ups
doesn't seem to me make a difference between a good
cop and a bad cop.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Yeah, and I suppose, giving my two cents into it,
I suppose there must be different requirements to different levels
of policing, Like if you were at a traffic police officer,
you maybe could get away with having a I guess
a worse fitness test, but we'll have to see. But essentially, yeah,
here hundreds of police applicants are being looked at after
(06:24):
some recruits who failed the fitness tests were allowed into
Police college. The police ministers saying that there's three cases,
but police are looking across the board to see, essentially
if they can find anymore. The Police Minister Mark Mitchell
confident that they have not dropped any standards at all. Now,
this follows a really good story from newsbook There'd Be's
(06:46):
Sophie Trigger, which found some briefings showing the government's not
going to hit that target of five hundred new cops
by its deadline expected that it would reach that target
by June twenty twenty six. Now, she also had a
bit of an interesting point in terms of police fitness,
revealing that applicants success rate has in fact dropped. Now
(07:06):
the most common requirement missed was that physical appraisal test,
so the one usual mount in terms of push ups
and running and things like that. Police have been working
with High Performance Sport and Z to prep a training guide,
some police districts even propping up run clubs. So I
guess that's kind of an interesting one, trying to get
people fit enough to do that two point four k run,
(07:29):
which you had to do in a specific amount of time,
And essentially it's a run, press up, a vertical drum,
a vertical jump storry, and a grip strength test. You
get points based on how well you do in any
of these and you have to do at least okay
to get the minimum amount of points.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
So do you regons, do you reckon you pass it?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I don't think so. I mean, I think I could
run two point four kilometers, But in terms of if
I could do that in the time, that's the question.
But maybe maybe we should put ourselves through the police
test and see how we do.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
I think that I would pass it. Step for the
two point four k. I think I'd struggle with the
two point four k, right, But I think the press
ups and the weight stuff and the grabbing, I think
I'll be fine that. I want to find out if
you've got any hot costs for me, because you're normally
the person the reporter that I've worked with that's always
got a story, So come on give me one.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yeah, So I actually I think a really interesting one.
There's quite a bit of drama and comments about whether
Craig Rennie will run for parliament. Now that is the
Council of Trade Union's economists. He's on Labour's policy committee,
and he's also done some modeling saying that family boosts,
as we were talking about before, is not going to
do as well as predicted. So I thought I interviewed
(08:48):
him about family boast and I thought while I had
him on the phone, it's worth giving that question a
go on whether or not he's running for parliament. So
here's kind of what he said. He said, Oh, we're
an extremely long way away from that decision. I haven't
put my name forward, nor have I been asked put
my name forward. You know, if it comes to it,
(09:09):
I'll ask myself that question close to the time, But
right now, no, I guess there's not something I'm seeking
right now. He also had quite a funny quirt piece
said we're a really long way away from an election,
unless Winston Peters decides we're going to have an earlier election,
and then he said, in that case, God help us,
We've got bigger problems at that point. Wow.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
We'll see if he actually runs. There's also last time
I spoke to Chris Hopkins wouldn't say anything either way.
Also wouldn't say if Andrew Little had had that endorsement
from later yet, but essentially saying it wouldn't be far off.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Okay, Now I said to you, not many of any,
because I know you're a christ huge girl. Now that's
a big, big hit for scribe. Now you might I'm
sure that's not too far that you would not remember
that song? Would you just hold on a second? Old
play a bit for you?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Co many like this? How many do you like this?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
How many it's finny? How many finny? How many skill else?
I hate to think that I'm more hip than you.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I've never heard that song in my life. I'm sorry, Wow,
I just I have to admit it. I've never heard
that song. But I'm sure it's a great song. I'm
sure it's a really good reference. And yeah, I'll get
a clued up on my pop culture references the next
time I speak to you.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
No, you know what it does. You did? You spent
a lot of time in the States is growing up,
So I'll give you that. I'll give you true, I'll
give you this. I thought everyone would have done that song.
But anyway, thanks great to talk to you and keep
up the good work. That's Isaaria Howe from New salt
zbb's office in the Beehive. The Beehive Buzz, we call
it fantastic to talk to Ice again. I call it
Ice was my nickname for her.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeart Radio.
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