September 26, 2024 • 7 mins
Week in politcs.
Winston at the UN
Trade deal.
Working from home
School attendance plan
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
From the cricket field to the cowshed.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
It's the Country Sport Breakfast with Brian Kelly on gold Sport,
joining us of Wellington. The Week in Politics Sophie Trigger,
senior political reporter in newstorg Zibbee Morning.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Sophie, Good morning BK. How are you very well?
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Thank you? I loved I love seeing a little club
yesterday of Winston clearly irritated when he was speaking of
the United Nations and calling for quiet to listen to
what he had to say.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Yes, yes, So you might have seen that video bkave
him addressing the Security Council. He actually interrupted his own
speech to ask for quiet, and he was speaking about
core principles that needed to be upheld by the international
community when he became visibly irritated and said that another
good principle would be for people in the room to
(00:48):
keep quiet while someone else is speaking. So a very
familiar Winston I think we saw there. And he's actually
due to speak to the UN General Assembly at midday
New Zealand time today, so we'll be keeping an eye
out for that one as well.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Nothing ruffles Winston, does it. Really, He just speaks his mind.
He gets out there and just sees it.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, he's very himself wherever he is in the world.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
I think very encouraging news. As far as trade for
New Zealand is concerned with the signing of a deal
with the United Arab.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Emirates, Yes, that's correct. So yesterday Trade Minister Todd McLay
held a press conference with his visiting counterparts from the
United Arab Emirates than bin Ahmed al Zayudi. So the
pair announced a trade deal between the two countries that
would see duty free access for ninety eight point five
percent of our exports to the UAE, rising to ninety
(01:43):
nine percent after three years. So McClay says negotiations took
just four months and it's been the quickest and highest
quality trade deal, he says, in New Zealand's history. He
says the UA is a key export destination and hub
in the Golf region, with two way trade between the
two countries valued at one point three billion dollars in
(02:06):
the year to June. So to give you some examples
of industries that might benefit New Zealand, dairy exports to
the UAE amounted to seven hundred and eighteen million industrial products,
two hundred and thirty seven million, red meat forty six million,
and horticulture forty four million. Now, one concern that was
raised BK's claims of migrant worker exploitation in the UAE. Yesterday,
(02:30):
shortly after the deal was signed, the Council of Trade
Unions put out a press release saying there's no evidence
the deal has enforceable rights for workers and protections against
forced labor or modern slavery. It claims no independent trade
unions are allowed in the UAE, and although migrant workers
make up eighty eight percent of the workforce, they don't
(02:51):
have many protections at work. So these concerns were put
to Ministers Maclay and al Jaud yesterday. Al Jaud said
the main intention of the agreement is to ensure focus
on advanced technologies, meaning the focus would be on highly
skilled workers rather than low skilled laborers, and Maclay also
said their work clauses in the deal that ensured New
(03:12):
Zealand's values were upheld.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So encouraging though with the deal, it's absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Isn't it. Yeah, it looks like it's going to be
very beneficial to those industries. I mentioned a lot of talk.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
This week about working from home and getting people, particularly
in Willington. But Auckland's joined the chorus as well. Back
into the office.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Yes, correct. So the week started out with a strong
message from the Public Service Minister Nicola Willis and from
the Prime Minister for public servants to work in the
office if possible. So, although they didn't have any data
to back it up, Willis says, a walk around Wellington
on a Monday or a Friday will tell you that
a lot of staff are working from home, and she
(03:55):
referred to ministers doing flaw walks of their agencies and
seeing a lot of empty desks. So, of course working
from home started out of necessity as a COVID measure,
but Prime Minister Chris Luxen says since then the pendulum
has swung too far and it's become more of an
entitlement than an agreement between a worker and their employer.
(04:18):
He says, overseas research shows working from the office is
better for productivity, workplace culture and team building, and it'll
have the added bonus of helping out CBD businesses. So
the Public Service Commissioner has been asked to communicate guidelines
to government agencies that working from home should be an
agreement and should only be agreed to in cases where
(04:39):
it won't compromise the performance of employees and agency objectives.
Agencies are also now being asked to actively monitor the
prevalence and impact of working from home arrangements and to
regularly communicate this with the Commissioner. So it's going to
be interesting b K to see how this one plays out,
given agencies haven't in collecting data on this and the
(05:02):
government's not actually setting targets on what they want to
see how to see exactly how progress will be measured.
But Wellington businesses are certainly excited by the news and
hoping to see a few more coffees bought in the city,
maybe a return to Friday night drinks.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yeah, absolutely. And the other one, there's been a lot
of talk from the education school attendance plans and all
sorts of things, the Torio Maori program given to maths
and so on, so a lot of chat about that.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
This week, yes, correct, Associate Minister David Seymour's announced a
new system to crack down on school attendance. It'll see
no more teacher only days during term time and schools
will need to implement a truancy plan by the beginning
of the twenty twenty sixth school year. So this involves
different levels of attendance requiring different levels of response from
(05:51):
the school and the ministry. For example, after five days absent,
the school gets in touch with parents or guardians to
determine the reasons for abs since after ten days the
school leadership would meet with parents or guardians and the
students to develop a plan, and at fifteen days the
response would be escalated to the Ministry and this is
where we might see prosecuting parents considered as part of
(06:15):
the response. So this announcement came as the Ministry of
Education released attendance status showing there'd been an increase in
students attending regularly. So this is defined as a student
attending for ninety percent of the term. This stat has
gone from forty seven point one percent in term two
last year to fifty three point two percent in term
two this year, still well below where the government wants
(06:38):
it to be. They've of course set a target of
having eighty percent of students regularly attending by twenty thirty,
so still well below that much. But as you mentioned
in other education news, Education Minister Ericas Stanford said thirty
million dollars would be taken from a program helping teachers
learn today Mhori and instead allocated to the maths curriculum.
(07:01):
So Stanford said the program isn't accredited and was more
than double the cost of similar courses. But the move
has been slammed by Labour's Willie Jackson, noting it comes
the week after Maori Language Week and also buy Tapatimari
who call it just the latest in an on thought
of attacks on to Ewi mahi.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
We'll watch the space with that one, Sophie. Love your work,
enjoy your weekend.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Awesome you two BK
From the cricket field to the cowshed.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
It's the Country Sport Breakfast with Brian Kelly on gold Sport,
joining us of Wellington. The Week in Politics Sophie Trigger,
senior political reporter in newstorg Zibbee Morning.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Sophie, Good morning BK. How are you very well?
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Thank you? I loved I love seeing a little club
yesterday of Winston clearly irritated when he was speaking of
the United Nations and calling for quiet to listen to
what he had to say.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Yes, yes, So you might have seen that video bkave
him addressing the Security Council. He actually interrupted his own
speech to ask for quiet, and he was speaking about
core principles that needed to be upheld by the international
community when he became visibly irritated and said that another
good principle would be for people in the room to
(00:48):
keep quiet while someone else is speaking. So a very
familiar Winston I think we saw there. And he's actually
due to speak to the UN General Assembly at midday
New Zealand time today, so we'll be keeping an eye
out for that one as well.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Nothing ruffles Winston, does it. Really, He just speaks his mind.
He gets out there and just sees it.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, he's very himself wherever he is in the world.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
I think very encouraging news. As far as trade for
New Zealand is concerned with the signing of a deal
with the United Arab.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Emirates, Yes, that's correct. So yesterday Trade Minister Todd McLay
held a press conference with his visiting counterparts from the
United Arab Emirates than bin Ahmed al Zayudi. So the
pair announced a trade deal between the two countries that
would see duty free access for ninety eight point five
percent of our exports to the UAE, rising to ninety
(01:43):
nine percent after three years. So McClay says negotiations took
just four months and it's been the quickest and highest
quality trade deal, he says, in New Zealand's history. He
says the UA is a key export destination and hub
in the Golf region, with two way trade between the
two countries valued at one point three billion dollars in
(02:06):
the year to June. So to give you some examples
of industries that might benefit New Zealand, dairy exports to
the UAE amounted to seven hundred and eighteen million industrial products,
two hundred and thirty seven million, red meat forty six million,
and horticulture forty four million. Now, one concern that was
raised BK's claims of migrant worker exploitation in the UAE. Yesterday,
(02:30):
shortly after the deal was signed, the Council of Trade
Unions put out a press release saying there's no evidence
the deal has enforceable rights for workers and protections against
forced labor or modern slavery. It claims no independent trade
unions are allowed in the UAE, and although migrant workers
make up eighty eight percent of the workforce, they don't
(02:51):
have many protections at work. So these concerns were put
to Ministers Maclay and al Jaud yesterday. Al Jaud said
the main intention of the agreement is to ensure focus
on advanced technologies, meaning the focus would be on highly
skilled workers rather than low skilled laborers, and Maclay also
said their work clauses in the deal that ensured New
(03:12):
Zealand's values were upheld.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So encouraging though with the deal, it's absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Isn't it. Yeah, it looks like it's going to be
very beneficial to those industries. I mentioned a lot of talk.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
This week about working from home and getting people, particularly
in Willington. But Auckland's joined the chorus as well. Back
into the office.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Yes, correct. So the week started out with a strong
message from the Public Service Minister Nicola Willis and from
the Prime Minister for public servants to work in the
office if possible. So, although they didn't have any data
to back it up, Willis says, a walk around Wellington
on a Monday or a Friday will tell you that
a lot of staff are working from home, and she
(03:55):
referred to ministers doing flaw walks of their agencies and
seeing a lot of empty desks. So, of course working
from home started out of necessity as a COVID measure,
but Prime Minister Chris Luxen says since then the pendulum
has swung too far and it's become more of an
entitlement than an agreement between a worker and their employer.
(04:18):
He says, overseas research shows working from the office is
better for productivity, workplace culture and team building, and it'll
have the added bonus of helping out CBD businesses. So
the Public Service Commissioner has been asked to communicate guidelines
to government agencies that working from home should be an
agreement and should only be agreed to in cases where
(04:39):
it won't compromise the performance of employees and agency objectives.
Agencies are also now being asked to actively monitor the
prevalence and impact of working from home arrangements and to
regularly communicate this with the Commissioner. So it's going to
be interesting b K to see how this one plays out,
given agencies haven't in collecting data on this and the
(05:02):
government's not actually setting targets on what they want to
see how to see exactly how progress will be measured.
But Wellington businesses are certainly excited by the news and
hoping to see a few more coffees bought in the city,
maybe a return to Friday night drinks.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yeah, absolutely. And the other one, there's been a lot
of talk from the education school attendance plans and all
sorts of things, the Torio Maori program given to maths
and so on, so a lot of chat about that.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
This week, yes, correct, Associate Minister David Seymour's announced a
new system to crack down on school attendance. It'll see
no more teacher only days during term time and schools
will need to implement a truancy plan by the beginning
of the twenty twenty sixth school year. So this involves
different levels of attendance requiring different levels of response from
(05:51):
the school and the ministry. For example, after five days absent,
the school gets in touch with parents or guardians to
determine the reasons for abs since after ten days the
school leadership would meet with parents or guardians and the
students to develop a plan, and at fifteen days the
response would be escalated to the Ministry and this is
where we might see prosecuting parents considered as part of
(06:15):
the response. So this announcement came as the Ministry of
Education released attendance status showing there'd been an increase in
students attending regularly. So this is defined as a student
attending for ninety percent of the term. This stat has
gone from forty seven point one percent in term two
last year to fifty three point two percent in term
two this year, still well below where the government wants
(06:38):
it to be. They've of course set a target of
having eighty percent of students regularly attending by twenty thirty,
so still well below that much. But as you mentioned
in other education news, Education Minister Ericas Stanford said thirty
million dollars would be taken from a program helping teachers
learn today Mhori and instead allocated to the maths curriculum.
(07:01):
So Stanford said the program isn't accredited and was more
than double the cost of similar courses. But the move
has been slammed by Labour's Willie Jackson, noting it comes
the week after Maori Language Week and also buy Tapatimari
who call it just the latest in an on thought
of attacks on to Ewi mahi.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
We'll watch the space with that one, Sophie. Love your work,
enjoy your weekend.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Awesome you two BK
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!