Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast

A top Auckland private school has so little confidence in the new NCEA Level 1 curriculum it is ditching the qualification in favour of its own Year 11 diploma next year. St Cuthbert’s College informed parents Wednesday next year’s Year 11 students would not take part in NCEA Level 1 but rather work towards the school’s own bespoke Year 11 Diploma. Principal Justine Mahon said several of the school’s senior academic staff had been on Government advisory panels for NZQA’s proposed changes to NCEA and had become increasingly concerned by what would be taught in 2024. “We don’t think it provides sufficient, in-depth learning for our students,” she told the Herald. Auckland Grammar School headmaster Tim O'Connor joined Kerre Woodham to discuss the development. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An open letter to the public and the politicians of Aotearoa New Zealand has called for people to pay more tax, specifically people who are financially comfortable should pay more tax. The signatories to the letter point out that the cost of the Cyclone Gabrielle clean up and the need to future proof our infrastructure against more climate change events, the children living in poverty and misery, the need to fund the social services and payments that assist our communities, if we paid more we would get more. We would get a better result. They've called upon New Zealanders who live and work in this country to back a tax system that asks more from those who can most afford it - and they have signed their names. They're being very transparent and open about who they are and what they stand for, and good on them. Many of them are not in the IRD’s top 300 families, so we're not necessarily talking about the billionaires. We're talking about, people who, as they describe, are financially comfortable. They can pay the bills, pay the mortgage.   I've said before, and I mean it, that I take enormous pride in being able to pay a good whack of my salary and taxes. I love feeling like I'm contributing to a community I love and I have a stake in. But I bloody resent it when I feel like my money is being squandered and that is how I felt pretty much since they announced the Provincial Growth Fund, which was basically a thank you very much to New Zealand First for putting Labour into Government.   There has got to be a sensible accounting of our money and what I fear is that this Government has been so wasteful, so ideologically blinkered, so cavalier about the way they've thrown money around, that I don't trust them. I know that there are a million things my taxpayer dollars could be spent on that would materially improve the lot of many New Zealanders, and I would be happy to contribute. Provided you show me how the money is spent and what results have been achieved as a result of that money being spent. And I don't think that that is being unreasonable. So all well and good, this open letter has gone out, we're happy to pay more taxes. I would add a caveat. I want to see a letter back from the Government accounting for what they've spent and showing the results of that investment and then I'll think about adding my name.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party has ruled out coming to any arrangement with Te Pāti Māori in forming a National-led government after the 2023 election. The only party that National will be able to work with is Act. Act are they're strong ideologically, so questions have been asked as to how easy they would be to work with in a coalition. Act Party Leader David Seymour told Kerre Woodham a vote for Act over National is a vote for a stronger brew on the right. "Make sure that we don't get another government where National campaigns from the right and governs from the left, they've done that five times in our history." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Almost 100 wealthy individuals have signed an open letter because they are frustrated with how much, or how little, tax they pay. Someone who has signed the letter is Sir Ian Taylor and he joined Kerre Woodham. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Emergency Management deputy controller Rachel Kelleher joined Kerre Woodham to provide an update for residents following Tuesday's deluge and flooding. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Part has ruled out coming to any arrangement with Te Pāti Māori in forming a National-led government after the 2023 election, after leader Christopher Luxon appeared on Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking Breakfast earlier. Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls joined Kerre Woodham to discuss the development. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A huge boost for our defence forces, with pay rates being boosted by $4000 to 15,000 over 4 years and a three $128 million upgrade of New Zealand Defence Force assets and infrastructure. I confess, I'm surprised it's happened under this Labour government. It sounded as though it came as a bit of a surprise to the Defence Force and political commentators like former Defence Minister Ron Mark. This year's budget has been pitched by the Prime Minister as a no-frills budget, and rightly so given the parlous state of New Zealand's economy. But the Prime Minister says the dedicated women and men of our defence forces were one group of New Zealanders whose wages had lagged behind. He says not only is it unfair, it's leading to significant rates of attrition. It's not just the poor pay, of course. Defence Force personnel hated working MIQ and many left as a result of being assigned to guarding hotels. Defence Minister Andrew Little said the funding boost would mean 90 per cent of New Zealand Defence Force personnel would now be paid at, or close to, market rates, and improving the lot of servicemen and women had been his top priority since he took over the portfolio. There is absolutely no point in having a Defence Force if there is no investment in it. You cannot pay lip service to a Defence Force. The funding announced today will take the overall spend as a percentage of GDP to about 1%, according to Little. And while that may not sound like a lot, it's a lot more than other countries in their OECD spend, apart of course from the US. If you have a Defence Force, you have to commit to it. The men and women in the forces have to feel valued, and this announcement will go a long way towards improving morale and making a career in the defence seem like a viable option. In 2022, Defence Force recruitment numbers were below targets, as recruiters battled a strong civilian labour market and a high attrition rate. Defence Force targets for 2022 were 935 across the Navy, Army and Air Force as of March 2022 enlistments were just 396. Just like everyone, the Defence Force’s in a competition for talent. And without being able to pay anywhere near the market rate, it was a competition they were losing. Now they're back in the game.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The future of the crucial inland route through the Coromandel has just been revealed. Waka Kotahi has confirmed the damaged section of State Highway 25A between Kopu and Hikuai will be rebuilt as a bridge. It says a contractor will be ready to start work early next month, with it expected to be finished early next year. Minister of Transport Michael Wood joined Kerre Woodham from the Thames-Corormandel District Council, where he made the announcement this morning. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're just under 35 hours away from the King's Coronation. The bunting is up, jewels polished, parties are planned and London is ready. Jennie Bond has been a journalist and Royal correspondent for 35 years, 14 of those the BBC's royal correspondent. She's had closer view of royal history than most, covering the rollercoaster of royal events from weddings to divorce, Jubilees to royal tours around the world. Jennie Bond joined Kerre Woodham. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A link has been found between head injuries and violent crime. AUT research shows even a single concussion can increase the risk of violent behaviour in the following decade of a persons life. This goes beyond what happens on a rugby field. Everyone is at risk of mild Traumatic Brain Injuries, from traffic accidents or even hitting their head on a kitchen cupboard and the potential cost to society is "huge". Dr Alice Theadom, Professor of Clinical Sciences at AUT joined Kerre Woodham. LISTEN ABVOE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.