May 11, 2025 • 5 mins
The Prime Minister says the Government is making work on restrictions to social media for New Zealanders under the age of 16 part of its official programme.
It will sit with Education Minister Erica Stanford, whose portfolio will be expanded to allow her to commission advice and direct officials from a range of departments on reducing social media harm for those under 16.
As it’s a Member’s Bill, it needs to be drawn from Parliament’s ballot before proceeding.
Education Minister Erica Stanford talks to Mike Hosking about the bill.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
As if she didn't have enough to do. The Education
Minister has been asked to go and sort out the
government's ideas around social media. This is a plan on
how to restrict the under sixteens. It's a member's bill
but now officially part of the government's program, despite the
fact that Act not on board. The Education Minister. Erica
Stanford's with us. Good morning Monding, mate. You got any
sense whether technically you can actually achieve this or is
this all about good fields?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
No, I do think we can achieve this, and I
wouldn't have asked to have taken this on if I didn't.
I already had conversations with world leading experts who have
been involved in some of the legislative changes in other countries,
including the EU, and there is an opportunity for us
to be fast followers and learn from the best in
the world at what's worked and create something that can
work for New Zealand. But it's the issue is too
(00:45):
important for us to say this is too hard, Mike,
This is personal to me. You know, these guys do
not care about our kids. They're causing immense harm, and
you know we owe it to them to do something.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I all of this we agree with, but as I
talk with web the other day, technically I don't believe
it can be done. Am I wrong?
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Well, look, I've also got some concerns about the Australian
model and whether or not, you know, they'll be able
to implement it, which is why I want to take
a more nuanced and sophisticated approach. There are many other
countries who have done similar things and had much better implementation,
and I want to go and look at what they've done.
I think we can. But look, I'm no expert. I mean,
(01:28):
I know your concerns, but you know you may not
be an expert either. But there that are All.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
I know is what I've read, and I cannot name
you a single country who's part legislation that has managed
two banded sixteen year olds on social media. It's just
not technically possible.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
It is possible, And I've got friends in very high
will used to be in very high places at Facebook
and other companies who know that they know. I mean,
if you look, you read that book Careless People by
Sarah and Williams. You read that book. It has a
whole chapter on the fact that they would liberately marketing
to thirteen to sixteen year olds. They know who they are.
They were selling beauty ads to young girls who are
(02:06):
taking pictures of themselves down off the internet, targeting them deliberately.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
No I get that. No, I get that they might
be able to do it if they were willing to.
But what you're going to do is to have to
drag pig tech into something they don't want to, and
no one else has been able to do it yet.
That's what That's my point.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
There have been other there are other countries around the
world who have got far better regimes where they have
said to them, look, we're going to find you this way,
which actually has made those companies sit up and realize
it's not worth their while to exploit our kids when
they do it that way. And I'm very carefully watching
what other countries have done. There are good examples, mate.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Okay, a couple of other quick things in your various
other First word, do you really have time for all
of us?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well? I do. I do, And like I say, this
is too important. We have to shift societal norms on
this digital stuff to make sure that we're protecting our kids.
It's worth it.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Back to Friday's announcement. You're on a no win here
with the abuse thing, aren't you. It doesn't matter what
you do. There will always be people who simply are
not happy and will not be satisfied. And that's just life,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Well I said that from the very start. I said,
you know, there will be people who we will be disappointed,
but there will be many other people. And we know
this already because people have already gone and put in
for their top ups. And you know who. I know
because I've spoken to many survivors, you know who will
recognize that this isn't going to make up for the
pain that they suffered, but it is something that they
accept is a workable solution. But of course there will
(03:32):
always be others who are not happy and will talk
to the media, and that was always going to be
the way. But I think the fact that this is
the single biggest investment into the redress scheme in the
history of this country, more than three quarters of a
billion dollars to make sure that we have got what
looks like and acts like a single system that's topping
up people who've already had redress. You know, we've done
(03:56):
a lot of what the Royal Commission asked for. But
what I'm trying to say in the meter is this
is just the first step. There's nothing to say that
we won't make further changes and move more close to
an independent redress system after twenty twenty seven, when we
have a review.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
O Golden Visa's immigration. That was my headache last NA
last week and dealing with the department who repaying the bump.
Does the new Golden Visa exclude the use of qualified
domestic Institutional investor and the qualified Domestic limited partnership In
other words, is it anti Chinese?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
It's not anti Chinese at all. It's what it is.
The previous labor government put these in place as well.
It's saying that if you have to repatriate your money mandatorily,
like through the QDII or the QDLP that you're talking about,
but any other scheme by any other country, if it
has to be repatriated, you are not the investor that
(04:50):
we are looking for. We want people who are here
with their money long term, and it doesn't matter what
scheme it is. It's not anti any country. We want
people who are here for the long term.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Right appreciate your time is always there can Stanford Education, Immigration,
Social Media Minister. For more from the My Asking Breakfast
listen live to news Talks at B from six am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
As if she didn't have enough to do. The Education
Minister has been asked to go and sort out the
government's ideas around social media. This is a plan on
how to restrict the under sixteens. It's a member's bill
but now officially part of the government's program, despite the
fact that Act not on board. The Education Minister. Erica
Stanford's with us. Good morning Monding, mate. You got any
sense whether technically you can actually achieve this or is
this all about good fields?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
No, I do think we can achieve this, and I
wouldn't have asked to have taken this on if I didn't.
I already had conversations with world leading experts who have
been involved in some of the legislative changes in other countries,
including the EU, and there is an opportunity for us
to be fast followers and learn from the best in
the world at what's worked and create something that can
work for New Zealand. But it's the issue is too
(00:45):
important for us to say this is too hard, Mike,
This is personal to me. You know, these guys do
not care about our kids. They're causing immense harm, and
you know we owe it to them to do something.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I all of this we agree with, but as I
talk with web the other day, technically I don't believe
it can be done. Am I wrong?
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Well, look, I've also got some concerns about the Australian
model and whether or not, you know, they'll be able
to implement it, which is why I want to take
a more nuanced and sophisticated approach. There are many other
countries who have done similar things and had much better implementation,
and I want to go and look at what they've done.
I think we can. But look, I'm no expert. I mean,
(01:28):
I know your concerns, but you know you may not
be an expert either. But there that are All.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
I know is what I've read, and I cannot name
you a single country who's part legislation that has managed
two banded sixteen year olds on social media. It's just
not technically possible.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
It is possible, And I've got friends in very high
will used to be in very high places at Facebook
and other companies who know that they know. I mean,
if you look, you read that book Careless People by
Sarah and Williams. You read that book. It has a
whole chapter on the fact that they would liberately marketing
to thirteen to sixteen year olds. They know who they are.
They were selling beauty ads to young girls who are
(02:06):
taking pictures of themselves down off the internet, targeting them deliberately.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
No I get that. No, I get that they might
be able to do it if they were willing to.
But what you're going to do is to have to
drag pig tech into something they don't want to, and
no one else has been able to do it yet.
That's what That's my point.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
There have been other there are other countries around the
world who have got far better regimes where they have
said to them, look, we're going to find you this way,
which actually has made those companies sit up and realize
it's not worth their while to exploit our kids when
they do it that way. And I'm very carefully watching
what other countries have done. There are good examples, mate.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Okay, a couple of other quick things in your various
other First word, do you really have time for all
of us?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well? I do. I do, And like I say, this
is too important. We have to shift societal norms on
this digital stuff to make sure that we're protecting our kids.
It's worth it.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Back to Friday's announcement. You're on a no win here
with the abuse thing, aren't you. It doesn't matter what
you do. There will always be people who simply are
not happy and will not be satisfied. And that's just life,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Well I said that from the very start. I said,
you know, there will be people who we will be disappointed,
but there will be many other people. And we know
this already because people have already gone and put in
for their top ups. And you know who. I know
because I've spoken to many survivors, you know who will
recognize that this isn't going to make up for the
pain that they suffered, but it is something that they
accept is a workable solution. But of course there will
(03:32):
always be others who are not happy and will talk
to the media, and that was always going to be
the way. But I think the fact that this is
the single biggest investment into the redress scheme in the
history of this country, more than three quarters of a
billion dollars to make sure that we have got what
looks like and acts like a single system that's topping
up people who've already had redress. You know, we've done
(03:56):
a lot of what the Royal Commission asked for. But
what I'm trying to say in the meter is this
is just the first step. There's nothing to say that
we won't make further changes and move more close to
an independent redress system after twenty twenty seven, when we
have a review.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
O Golden Visa's immigration. That was my headache last NA
last week and dealing with the department who repaying the bump.
Does the new Golden Visa exclude the use of qualified
domestic Institutional investor and the qualified Domestic limited partnership In
other words, is it anti Chinese?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
It's not anti Chinese at all. It's what it is.
The previous labor government put these in place as well.
It's saying that if you have to repatriate your money mandatorily,
like through the QDII or the QDLP that you're talking about,
but any other scheme by any other country, if it
has to be repatriated, you are not the investor that
(04:50):
we are looking for. We want people who are here
with their money long term, and it doesn't matter what
scheme it is. It's not anti any country. We want
people who are here for the long term.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Right appreciate your time is always there can Stanford Education, Immigration,
Social Media Minister. For more from the My Asking Breakfast
listen live to news Talks at B from six am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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