Q+A with Jack Tame

Interviews with Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop, Crimson Education co-founder Jamie Beaton, Infrastructure Commission CEO Geoff Cooper, and digital infrastructure activist Julian Oliver.

Geoff Cooper, Chief Executive of Te Waihanga, dives into New Zealand's infrastructure struggles. He reveals why high spending yields low returns and stresses the urgent need for reform. The discussion highlights the critical importance of maintenance investments and developing solid business cases for major projects, like the Northern Expressway. Geoff also examines the Infrastructure Priorities Programme, which aims to prioritize essential developments while navigating the complexities between central and local governments.

Chris Bishop, a senior minister in New Zealand focusing on Housing and Infrastructure, dives deep into pressing issues facing the construction sector, including significant job losses linked to government policies. He expresses a willingness to adjust homelessness strategies in response to rising rough sleeping. Additionally, Bishop assesses the low popularity of Christopher Luxon as a potential concern for the campaign, highlighting the importance of addressing voter enrollment deadlines in light of electoral dynamics and public sentiment.

Full interview: With the Government considering the future of NCEA, co-founder of billion-dollar company Crimson Education Jamie Beaton is urging massive changes to New Zealand's secondary school qualification, saying it is causing the country’s graduates to fall behind their international peers.

Penny Simmonds, New Zealand's Environment Minister, discusses balancing development with environmental protection and tackling waste management challenges, like the move away from single-use plastics. Welby Ings, an innovative educator, critiques narrow definitions of intelligence in teaching, pushing for personalized learning and recognition of diverse intellectual abilities. Max Rashbrooke, a researcher, advocates for revamped welfare-to-work policies, emphasizing a holistic approach to support job seekers facing systemic barriers and the need for empathy in employment services.

Full interview: According to the latest quarterly figures, unemployment is sitting at just over 5%. New research from new think tank The Institute for Democratic and Economic Analysis recommends a range of policies to get people off a benefit and into work, faster.

Full interview: Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds is overseeing huge changes to New Zealand's vocational education system. But after years of reform, could training providers stand alone as Te Pūkenga is dismantled? Q+A also asks Simmonds about her absence from major environmental policies — from freshwater management in farms to the fast-track approvals regime — as Environment Minister.

What counts as intelligence? Educator Welby Ings, labelled a "naughty" student all his life, could barely read and write until he was 15 years old. He went on to become a renowned speaker, filmmaker, teacher, and author. His new book Invisible Intelligence argues New Zealand's education system fails to recognise intelligence and ability beyond a narrow definition. Ings argues for a more "sophisticated" assessment system in an increasingly complex world.

Full interview: Community housing groups are sounding the alarm on increasing rates of homelessness. Q+A asks Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka if the Government's social housing policies have contributed to the issue.

Full interview: Andrew Browne is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who was the China Editor for the Wall Street Journal and the Asia-Pacific Editor for Reuters. While in New Zealand for the China Business Summit, he spoke with Q+A about the China-US relationship and how New Zealand can make the most of global uncertainty.